Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.72.30
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesContempt Cannot Make the Lord Foolish
“[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus challenged, Magadharāja laughed out loud and contemptuously said, “All right, you fools, I’ll give you a fight!”
What the purport teaches
- Jarāsandha laughed and contemptuously agreed to fight. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that he felt satisfied, thinking his enemies had humiliated themselves by dressing as brāhmaṇas.
- Jarāsandha imagined that begging charity had diminished their heroism. He challenged whether they still had the courage to fight.
- The ācārya explains that the goddess of learning intends the words to mean that Lord Kṛṣṇa and the Pāṇḍavas are “never foolish.” They had chosen the best tactic for ending the cruel Jarāsandha’s rule once and for all.
Try this today
When you notice yourself feeling superior today, pause and reconsider whether you have understood the other person fairly.
Ask yourself
Do I mistake a humble appearance for weakness or foolishness?
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.