Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.59.33
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Sees the Imprisoned Royal Maidens
“There Lord Kṛṣṇa saw sixteen thousand royal maidens, whom Bhauma had taken by force from various kings.”
What the purport teaches
- Lord Kṛṣṇa saw sixteen thousand royal maidens in the palace. Bhauma had taken them by force from various kings.
- Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī cites evidence from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa specifying that there were actually 16,100 princesses. That account describes the Lord as having unequaled prowess.
- Another passage quoted in the purport says that Bhaumāsura kidnapped unmarried daughters of demigods, siddhas, asuras and kings. He imprisoned them in his own palace.
Try this today
Reread the translation attentively, noting both the maidens’ forced captivity and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s presence.
Ask yourself
What details help me recognize the suffering behind this brief account?
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.