Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.72.32
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesJarāsandha Chooses an Equal Opponent
“As for this one, Arjuna, he is not as old as I, nor is he very strong. Since he is no match for me, he should not be the contender. Bhīma, however, is as strong as I am.”
What the purport teaches
- Jarāsandha judged Arjuna to be younger than himself and not very strong.
- On that basis, he said Arjuna was no match for him and should not be the contender.
- He considered Bhīma equal to himself in strength and therefore a suitable opponent.
Try this today
Read the verse again and note that the judgments about Arjuna and Bhīma are Jarāsandha’s own assessments.
Ask yourself
Can I distinguish someone’s personal assessment of another person from the full truth about them?
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.