Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.43.1
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesThe Lords Establish Their Offenselessness
“Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O chastiser of enemies, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, having executed all necessary purification, then heard the kettledrums resounding at the wrestling arena, and They went there to see what was happening.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma heard the arena’s kettledrums and went to see what was happening, having completed all necessary purification.
- Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains this purification as Their relief from offense through heroic deeds and Their reasoning.
- Although They had shown Their power, Their parents were still not free, and Kaṁsa was again trying to kill them. The Lords reasoned that killing him would not be wrong, even though he was Their maternal uncle.
Try this today
Reread the Lords’ reasoning and name the concern for Their parents that guided Their decision.
Ask yourself
How does the Lords’ concern for Their parents shape my understanding of Their actions?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.