Shloka 26
Utthāna Ceremony, Śakaṭa-bhañga, Tṛṇāvarta-vadha, and the Vision of the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth
तृणावर्त: शान्तरयो वात्यारूपधरो हरन् । कृष्णं नभोगतो गन्तुं नाशक्नोद् भूरिभारभृत् ॥ २६ ॥
tṛṇāvartaḥ śānta-rayo vātyā-rūpa-dharo haran kṛṣṇaṁ nabho-gato gantuṁ nāśaknod bhūri-bhāra-bhṛt
อสูรตฤณาวรรตแปลงกายเป็นพายุหมุนอันรุนแรง ฉวยพระกฤษณะขึ้นไปสูงลิ่วบนท้องฟ้า แต่เมื่อพระกฤษณะทรงหนักยิ่งกว่าเขา แรงพายุของเขาก็สงบลง และไม่อาจไปต่อได้
Here is a competition in yogic power between Kṛṣṇa and Tṛṇāvartāsura. By practicing mystic yoga, asuras generally attain some perfection in the eight siddhis, or perfections, namely aṇimā, laghimā, mahimā, prāpti, prākāmya, īśitva, vaśitva and kāmāvasāyitā. But although a demon may acquire such powers to a very limited extent, he cannot compete with the mystic power of Kṛṣṇa, for Kṛṣṇa is Yogeśvara, the source of all mystic power ( yatra yogeśvaro hariḥ ). No one can compete with Kṛṣṇa. Sometimes, of course, having acquired a fragmental portion of Kṛṣṇa’s mystic power, asuras demonstrate their power to the foolish public and assert themselves to be God, not knowing that God is the supreme Yogeśvara. Here also we see that Tṛṇāvarta assumed the mahimā-siddhi and took Kṛṣṇa away as if Kṛṣṇa were an ordinary child. But Kṛṣṇa also became a mystic mahimā-siddha. When mother Yaśodā was carrying Him, He became so heavy that His mother, who was usually accustomed to carrying Him, could not bear Him and had to place Him down on the ground. Thus Tṛṇāvarta had been able to take Kṛṣṇa away in the presence of mother Yaśodā. But when Kṛṣṇa, high in the sky, assumed the mahimā-siddhi, the demon, unable to go further, was obliged to stop his force and come down according to Kṛṣṇa’s desire. One should not, therefore, compete with Kṛṣṇa’s mystic power.
FAQs
This verse says Tṛṇāvarta abducted baby Kṛṣṇa in the form of a whirlwind, but could not carry Him away because the Lord became unbearably heavy—showing Kṛṣṇa’s effortless protection over His devotees.
Because Kṛṣṇa, though appearing as a child, is the Supreme Lord; He manifested immense weight (bhūribhāra), making the demon incapable of continuing his abduction.
When one takes shelter of Kṛṣṇa, obstacles and harmful forces lose their power; steadfast devotion makes the devotee spiritually “unmovable,” protected by divine grace even amid turmoil.