Text 51: When necessary, You assume the part of the sun-god; the moon-god; Agni, the god of fire; Indra, the lord of paradise; Vāyu, the wind-god; Yama, the god of punishment; Dharma, the god of piety; and Varuṇa, the god presiding over the waters. All obeisances to you, who are none other than Lord Viṣṇu!
Texts 52-54: If you did not mount your victorious jeweled chariot, whose mere presence threatens culprits, if you did not produce fierce sounds by the twanging of your bow, and if you did not roam about the world like the brilliant sun, leading a huge army whose trampling feet cause the globe of the earth to tremble, then all the moral laws governing the varṇas and āśramas created by the Lord Himself would be broken by the rogues and rascals.
Text 55: If you gave up all thought of the world’s situation, unrighteousness would flourish, for men who hanker only after money would be unopposed. Such miscreants would attack, and the world would perish.
Text 56: In spite of all this, I ask you, O valiant King, the purpose for which you have come here. Whatever it may be, we shall carry it out without reservation.
Śrīdhara Svāmi-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Vyākhyā
He who bows to Viṣṇu (Vishnu) in his mind. At the appropriate time, on the occasion of that particular task. To the white Viṣṇu (Vishnu). (51) "May he lead" - of the five - this is the meaning: Although your arrival happens incidentally as you travel everywhere to protect righteousness, if there is a special purpose, may it be stated. Mounting that victorious chariot adorned with jewels, when you do not travel the circle of the earth, the bridges would tremble in fear - this is the connection of the three. Whose fierce bow makes a thunderous sound. (52) Trampled and crushed by the feet of his own army. (53) By which the system of varṇas and āśramas (social orders and life stages) is bound. Alas! (54) By unrestrained men who have become the cause. While resting carefree. (55) We accept with sincere joy. (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the commentary on the Third Canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata. (21)
Śrī Vaṃśīdhara-kṛtā Bhāvārtha-dīpikā Prakāśa Vyākhyā
There, by your prowess you are the sun, by your fame the moon that gives joy, by your invincibility fire, by your lordliness and ability to shower desires the moon, by your all-pervasiveness air, by your punishment of the wicked Yama, by your protection of the righteous Dharma, by your profundity and hidden wealth Pracetas. Therefore, to that god of my desire, to you in your form, again to my shelter of the world, to the white one of pure goodness, to you I bow. (51) Of the five verses. O king, how can I ask why you have come, since I know the reason - with this intention he says "Although". (52) Crushed to powder. (53) Nibandhana means establishment. By dasyus (robbers) meaning those of violent nature or thieves. The etymology states: "Dasyu means thief, enemy, wicked, violent, or one deprived of wealth." (54) By those greedy for sense objects. When there is no consideration of ethics. (55) Even so, although I know in general, I ask specifically. Here in my leaf hut, for what purpose. For the chastisement of the wicked does not become fruitful by traveling to my leaf hut - this is the meaning. Yadava states: "Vyalīka means deceit or sorrow". (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the Bhāvārthadīpikāprakāśa on the Third Canto of the Śrīmad Bhāgavata. (21)
Śrī Rādhā Ramaṇa dāsa Gosvāmi Viracitā Dīpanī Vyākhyā
"When not" - one and a half verses. By the chariot, by the sound of the chariot. (52) (53) (54) "While resting" - half a verse. (55) Although the arrival is incidental, for what special purpose. (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of Śrīrādhāramaṇadāsagosvāmi's Dīpikā commentary on the Third Canto of the great Purāṇa Śrīmad Bhāgavata. (21)
Śrīmad Vīrarāghava Vyākhyā
Incidentally, he bows to the Lord. "Who" - The one who is Viṣṇu, who assumes the forms of the sun and others, as in "This body belongs to the stone idol", using the genitive case to express non-difference. You bear the bodies in the form of the sun etc. at the appropriate time for protecting the world as suitable for each. To that Viṣṇu, the pure one, to you, the Lord, obeisance. (51)
Having thus bowed to Viṣṇu, the sage, wishing to ask about the purpose of Manu's arrival, first [thinks]: "In asking that question, do not say 'Why have you come to me who am wandering for the protection of the world?'" With this intention, [thinking] the main purpose is indeed the protection of the world, and if there is any incidental purpose for coming here, let it be stated, he says up to the end of the chapter:
Mounting the victorious chariot adorned with jewels, brandishing the fierce bow that causes fear in enemies, frightening sinners with the loudly twanging bow while riding in the chariot. (52)
When you do not travel, making the circle of the earth tremble, trampled by the feet of your own army, drawing along a great army like the sun [draws water]. (53)
Then indeed, O king, all the boundaries established by the Lord pertaining to the varṇas and āśramas would be broken by outlaws. Alas! (54)
And unrighteousness would increase due to unrestrained, greedy men devoted only to wealth and pleasure. While you sleep, this world seized by outlaws would perish. (55)
Therefore, the main purpose of your traveling is indeed the protection of the world. Nevertheless, O hero, I ask you for what purpose you have come here to our hermitage. We will accept that purpose of your coming with a sincere heart. (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the Bhāgavatacandrikā by Śrīmad Vīrarāghavācārya in the third skandha of the Śrīmadbhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa. (21)
Śrīmad Vijayadhvaja Tīrtha-kṛtā Pada Ratnāvalī Vyākhyā
He elaborates on this: "Who" - The form of the sun is illumination, of the moon is delight-giving, of fire is boldness, of Indra is bestowing lordship, of wind is excellence, of Yama is mercilessness in punishing the wicked, of Dharma is the ability to discriminate merit and demerit, of Pracetas Varuṇa is depth. You who assume these forms at the appropriate time when the occasion for their respective application arises - to that self of the bright Hari, the special abode of his presence in the form of an idol, obeisance. This is the syntactical connection. Discarding the apparent identity, the conception of it being his idol is not baseless, as stated: "Svāyambhuva Manu, Pṛthu, Aila, the two Arjunas, Brahmā, Śeṣa, Rudra, Indra, the sages, etc. - all are endowed with Viṣṇu's presence, but are not Viṣṇu's own form." Thus it is properly stated. (51)
Intending that your special infusion of Hari is appropriate since you arose for the protection of the world, he praises the king through contrast: "When not" - Victorious means inclined to victory. Frightening means making tremble the sinful people. (52)
Aṃśumān means the sun. (53)
There would be breach of boundaries by outlaws means violent men. (54)
Then what happens? He says: "And unrighteousness" - Unrestrained means uncontrolled.
What else? He says: "While sleeping" - Sleeping means devoid of consideration of right and wrong. (55)
Fearing the loss of his sage-like dignity, Kardama asks about a specific task as if knowing something: "Nevertheless" - By this he suggests that the king's fear of losing wealth is allayed. (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the Padratnāvalī by Śrīmad Vijayaghvaja Tīrtha in the third skandha of the Śrīmadbhāgavata Mahāpurāṇa. (21)
Śrīmaj Jīva Gosvāmi-kṛtā Krama Sandarbha Vyākhyā
You do not travel even one and a half yojanas. Merely by the presence of your chariot. (52-14) Lying down is half. The protection and destruction of dharma and adharma would happen properly only when you are unseen, while the prevention of bandits would occur merely by contemplating you. (55) (56)
Thus ends the twenty-first chapter of the third canto of the great purāṇa Śrīmad Bhāgavata, which is Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī's kramasandarbha.
Śrīmad Viśvanātha Cakravarti-kṛtā Sārārtha darśinī Vyākhyā
You appropriately assume the forms of the sun and others in their places, though imperfectly. There, by your prowess you are the sun, by your fame the moon, by your invincibility fire, by your lordship Indra. By your all-pervasiveness wind, by your punishment of the wicked Yama. By your protection of the righteous dharma, by your depth and hidden wealth Pracetā. Therefore, to that Lord dear to me, who has again come to my hut in your form, to you the bright one, I offer salutations. (51) O king! How can we ask you why you have come, since we already know the reason? He says by contrast: When you do not travel the earth's surface, the bridges would crumble from fear - this is the connection of the three. Where offering of jewels is made, that victorious, conquest-inclined chariot. Merely by the presence of the chariot, the sinful wicked ones. (52-55) Even though I generally know, still I ask: For what purpose have you come here to my leaf-hut? For the suppression of the wicked does not become fruitful by traveling to my leaf-hut - this is the idea. We accept with a sincere, or joyful, heart. (56)
Thus in the Sārārthadarśinī, delighting the hearts of devotees, the twenty-first chapter of the third canto is properly connected for the good.
Siddhāntapradīpa by Śrī Śukadeva:
You assume the forms of the sun etc. in their proper place, at the occasion of bearing those forms. To that bright Viṣṇu, salutations to you. As stated by the Lord Himself: "Among royal sages I am Manu." (51) Although your movement for the protection of dharma is generally appropriate everywhere, if there is some purpose in coming here, please state that - thus he says in five verses. With the resounding, making its unique twang, fierce, increasing the enemy's fear, bow in hand, victorious, bringing victory, the sinful ones. (52) Trampled, struck. Shaking, if you do not travel like the sun - this connects with the negative in the previous verse. Drawing, pulling, like the sun with the chariot you travel. (53) Therefore, O king, all the bridges, the boundaries of dharma established by the Lord according to varṇa and āśrama, would be broken by the bandits, the wicked - this is the connection of the three. Then we would feel great distress - thus he says "Alas!" (54) Not only the mere breaking of boundaries, but also other calamities - thus he says "Unrighteousness". When you, the wielder of punishment, are lying asleep, unrighteousness would increase due to unrestrained, greedy men devoted only to wealth and pleasure, and due to the bandits on wrong paths, this entire world would be destroyed. Therefore, although traveling for protecting the boundaries of worldly dharma is possible. (55) Moreover, O hero, I ask for what purpose you have come here to our hermitage. We accept that purpose of your coming with a sincere, guileless heart and mind. (56)
Thus by Śrī Gopāla, descendant of Śrī Vallabhācārya's lineage, entitled to serve the feet of the venerable Mukunda, for achieving the bliss of devotion, this commentary on Śrīmad Bhāgavata called Bālaprabodhini was composed. Here in the third canto describing liberation, the twenty-first chapter describing Kardama's austerities etc. is completed.
Śrīmac Chukadeva-kṛta Siddhānta Pradīpaḥ
You assume the forms of the sun etc. in their proper place, at the occasion of bearing those forms. To that bright Viṣṇu, salutations to you. As stated by the Lord Himself: "Among royal sages I am Manu." (51) Although your movement for the protection of dharma is generally appropriate everywhere, if there is some purpose in coming here, please state that - thus he says in five verses. With the resounding, making its unique twang, fierce, increasing the enemy's fear, bow in hand, victorious, bringing victory, the sinful ones. (52) Trampled, struck. Shaking, if you do not travel like the sun - this connects with the negative in the previous verse. Drawing, pulling, like the sun with the chariot you travel. (53) Therefore, O king, all the bridges, the boundaries of dharma established by the Lord according to varṇa and āśrama, would be broken by the bandits, the wicked - this is the connection of the three. Then we would feel great distress - thus he says "Alas!" (54) Not only the mere breaking of boundaries, but also other calamities - thus he says "Unrighteousness". When you, the wielder of punishment, are lying asleep, unrighteousness would increase due to unrestrained, greedy men devoted only to wealth and pleasure, and due to the bandits on wrong paths, this entire world would be destroyed. Therefore, although traveling for protecting the boundaries of worldly dharma is possible. (55) Moreover, O hero, I ask for what purpose you have come here to our hermitage. We accept that purpose of your coming with a sincere, guileless heart and mind. (56)
Thus by Śrī Gopāla, descendant of Śrī Vallabhācārya's lineage, entitled to serve the feet of the venerable Mukunda, for achieving the bliss of devotion, this commentary on Śrīmad Bhāgavata called Bālaprabodhini was composed. Here in the third canto describing liberation, the twenty-first chapter describing Kardama's austerities etc. is completed. (1-3)
Hindī Anuvāda
You are the direct embodiment of pure Viṣṇu and assume different forms like the sun, moon, fire, Indra, wind, Yama, Dharma, and Varuṇa for various functions; salutations to you. (51)
Mounted on your victory-bestowing chariot adorned with jewels, you terrify sinners merely with the rumbling of that chariot as you twang your formidable bow. You roam the earth like the sun, accompanied by your vast army, making the globe tremble under the trampling feet of your forces. If you did not do so, thieves and bandits would instantly destroy the sanctity of the varṇāśrama system created by God, and unrestrained men obsessed with sensual pleasures would spread irreligion everywhere. If you become unconcerned about the world, this world would fall into the clutches of the wicked and be destroyed. (52-55)
Nevertheless, O great hero! I ask you, what is the purpose of your arrival here at this time? Whatever command you give me, I will gladly accept it with sincerity. (56)
Thus Ends the 21st Chapter
