SB 1.10.32 (1964)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 32
- Ajatasatruh pritanam gopithaya madhudbishah.
- Parebhyah sankitah snehat prayunkta chaturanginim.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Ajatasatruh—Maharaj Yudhisthir who is nobody's enemy, Pritanam—defensive forces, Gopithaya—for giving protection, Madhudbisah—of the enemy of Madhu (Sri Krishna), Parebhyah—from others (enemy), Sankitah—being afraid of, Snehat—out of affection, Prajunkta—engaged, Chaturanginim—four divisions of defensive measures.
TRANSLATION
Maharaj Yudhisthir, although nobody's enemy, engaged four divisions of defensive measures (Horse, elephant, chariot and army) to accompany Lord Krishna, the enemy of the Ashuras, just being afraid of other enemy as also out of affection for the Lord.
PURPORT
Natural defensive measures are the horses and elephant combined with chariot and army. Horses and elephants are trained up to move to any part of the hills, forest or on the level. The charioteers could fight with many horses and elephants by the strength of powerful arrows even up to the standard of Brahmastra (similar to modern atomic weapons). Maharaj Yudhisthir knew it well that Krishna is everyone's friend and well wisher and yet there were Ashuras who were by nature envious of the Lord. So out of being afraid of attack from others and out of affection also he engaged all varieties of defensive measure as body guard of Lord Krishna. If required Lord Krishna Himself was sufficient to defend Himself from the attack of others who counted the Lord as their enemy but still He accepted all the arrangements made by Maharaj Yudhisthir because He could not disobey the King who was His elder cousin. The Lord plays the part of a subordinate out of transcendental humour and as such sometimes He puts Himself at the care of Yosoda Mata for His protection in His so called helplessness of childhood. That is the transcendental Leela or pastimes of the Lord. The basic principle for all such transcendental humour between the Lord and His devotees are exhibited to enjoy a transcendental bliss for which there is no comparison even up to the level of Brahmananda.