SB 1.15.34 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 34
Yaya harad bhuvo bharam tam tanum vijahavajah Kantakam kantakena eva dwayam cha api isituh samam.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Yaya—that by which, Harad—took away, Bhuvo—of the world, Bharam—burden, Tam—that, Tanum—body, Vijahou—relinquished, Ajah—the unborn, Kantakam—thorn, Kantakena—by the thorn, Eva—like that, Dwayam—both, Cha—also, Api—although, Isituh—controlling, Samam—equal.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme unborn Lord Sri Krishna caused the members of the Yadu dynasty relinquishing the body by which He took away the burden of the world. The action was like picking out the thorn by a thorn although both of them are equal to the controller.
PURPORT
Srila Viswanath Chakrabarty Thakur suggests that the Rishis like Sounaka and others who were hearing Srimad Bhagwatam from Suta Goswami at Naimisaranya, were not happy to hear about the Yadus dying in madness of intoxication. To give them relief from this mental agony, Suta Goswami assured them that the Lord caused the members of the Yadu dynasty to relinquish the body by which they had to take away the burden of the world. The Lord and His eternal associates appeared on earth to help the administrative demigods in eradicating the burden of the world from all disturbing elements. He, therefore, called for some of the confidential demigods to appear in the Yadu family and serve Him in His great mission. After the mission was fulfilled such demigods by the will of the Lord relinquished their corporal body by a show of fighting amongst themselves in madness of intoxication. The demigods are accustomed to drink Somerasa beverage and therefore drinking of wine and intoxication thereof, are not unknown to such demigods. Sometimes they were put into trouble for indulging in such intoxicating habit. Sometimes the sons of Kuvera fell in the wrath of Narada for being intoxicated; but afterwards they regained their original forms by the Grace of the Lord Sri Krishna. We shall find this story in the 10th canto. For the Supreme Lord both the Ashuras and the demigods are equal but yet the demigods are obedient to the Lord whereas the Ashuras are not so. Therefore, the example of picking out a thorn by another thorn is quite befitting. One thorn which causes pinpricks on the leg of the Lord is certainly disturbing to the Lord and the other thorn which takes out the disturbing elements certainly gives service to the Lord. So although every living being is a part and parcel of the Lord still one, who is a pinprick of the Lord, is called the Ashura and one who is voluntary servitor of the Lord is called the Devata or the demigod. In the material World the Devatas and Ashuras are always at loggerhead and the Devatas are saved from the hands of the Ashuras always by the Lord. Both of them are under the control of the Lord. The world is full with such two kinds of living beings and the Lord's mission is always to protect the Devatas and destroy the Ashuras, whenever there is such need in the world, to do good to both of them.