Shloka 25

Garuḍa, Saubhari’s Curse, Kāliya’s Refuge, and Kṛṣṇa Saves Vraja from Forest Fire

Devanagari script

इत्थं स्वजनवैक्लव्यं निरीक्ष्य जगदीश्वर: । तमग्निमपिबत्तीव्रमनन्तोऽनन्तशक्तिधृक् ॥ २५ ॥

Transliteration

itthaṁ sva-jana-vaiklavyaṁ nirīkṣya jagad-īśvaraḥ tam agnim apibat tīvram ananto ’nanta-śakti-dhṛk

Translation

เมื่อทรงเห็นเหล่าภักตะของพระองค์หวาดหวั่น พระศรีกฤษณะ ผู้เป็นจอมแห่งจักรวาล อนันต์และทรงฤทธิ์อนันต์ จึงทรงกลืนไฟป่าที่น่าสะพรึงนั้น

Synonyms

• इत्थम्: thus
• इत्थम्: प्रकार (Adverbial/प्रकार)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इत्थम् (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय (indeclinable adverb)

• स्व-जन-वैक्लव्यम्: the distress of his own people
• स्व-जन-वैक्लव्यम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक) + जन (प्रातिपदिक) + वैक्लव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति (कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (स्वजनस्य वैक्लव्यम्)

• निरीक्ष्य: having observed
• निरीक्ष्य: पूर्वकाल (Prior action/पूर्वक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: नि-ईक्ष् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (absolutive/gerund), अव्ययभाव; धातुः—ईक्ष्, उपसर्गः—नि

• जगत्-ईश्वरः: the Lord of the universe
• जगत्-ईश्वरः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जगत् (प्रातिपदिक) + ईश्वर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुषः (जगतः ईश्वरः)

• तम्: that
• तम्: विशेषण (Qualifier of object/विशेषण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• अग्निम्: fire
• अग्निम्: कर्म (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अग्नि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• अपिबत्: drank
• अपिबत्: क्रिया (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: पा (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (imperfect/past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; धातुः—पा (to drink)

• तीव्रम्: fierce
• तीव्रम्: विशेषण (Qualifier/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: तीव्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; विशेषणम् (अग्निम्)

• अनन्तः: the Infinite One
• अनन्तः: कर्ता (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; नाम (भगवतः)

• अनन्त-शक्ति-धृक्: bearing infinite powers
• अनन्त-शक्ति-धृक्: विशेषण (Qualifier of subject/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अनन्त (प्रातिपदिक) + शक्ति (प्रातिपदिक) + धृक्/धृ (धातु-निष्पन्न प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; समासः—बहुव्रीहिः (यस्य अनन्ताः शक्तयः स धृक्)

Purport

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Seventeenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The History of Kāliya.”

Characters & Entities

• Krishna (Jagadīśvara, Ananta)
• Vraja-vāsīs (His own people)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Krishna protecting His devotees from danger?

This verse shows Krishna, the Lord of the universe, immediately removing a deadly threat by drinking the fierce forest fire when He saw the distress of His people—highlighting His direct protection of surrendered devotees.

Why did Krishna drink the forest fire in Canto 10 Chapter 17?

Because He witnessed the Vrajavāsīs overwhelmed by fear and helplessness; as Jagadīśvara with unlimited potency, He chose a miraculous act—drinking the fire—to save them.

Practical application of Krishna’s protection in modern life?

Cultivate steady remembrance and surrender in crises: do your duty, seek refuge in the Lord through prayer and bhakti, and trust that divine help can arrive in unexpected ways.