राम

Viṣṇu-parva

Harivaṃśa · Adhyāya 102

23 versesThe Village Surrounded

Synopsis

Within a short hour they reach the village, all the horses still fresh; they take shelter for the night. Kṛṣṇa, Kuru's joy, camps at the center of the village, the Vṛṣṇi army ringing the settlement. The middle of the chapter: with arrow-rain from every side they blocked all directions, but the infant was already carried off. The chapter closes: "Then Kṛṣṇa mounted his chariot; I, the brahmin, and he; and we went to the northern direction, O Kuru-bull."

First-pass synopsis; pending review by a Sanskritist.

Verse commentary below

The Brahmin's Rebuke: Arjuna's Pride Undone: Verses 3, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22: the bad omens at midnight, Arjuna hearing the child's cry in the sky but seeing no rākṣasa, the Brahmin's harsh words after his son is carried off, the taunt that 'in vain you compete with Kṛṣṇa', the declaration that 'your belief that I am Arjuna is vain', Arjuna's shamed return and Kṛṣṇa's self-critique using Vaiṣṇava-vidyā to go to Saṃyamanī, and Kṛṣṇa placing the Brahmin on the chariot while asking Arjuna to drive. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

Verse 1

सुमुहूर्तेन तु वयं तं ग्रामं प्राप्य भारत विश्रान्तवाहनाः सर्वे वासायोपगतास् तदा

sumuhūrtena tu vayaṃ taṃ grāmaṃ prāpya bhārata viśrāntavāhanāḥ sarve vāsāyopagatās tadā

In a short hour we reached that village, Bhārata; all of us, our mounts rested, took up quarters for the night.

Verse 2

ततो ग्रामस्य मध्ये ऽहं निविष्टः कुरुनन्दनः समन्ताद् वृष्णिसैन्येन परिक्षित्य जनव्रजम्

tato grāmasya madhye 'haṃ niviṣṭaḥ kurunandanaḥ samantād vṛṣṇisainyena parikṣitya janavrajam

Verse 3

ततः शकुनयो दीप्ता मृगाश् च क्रूरभाषिणः दीप्तायां दिशि वाशन्तो भयम् आवेदयन्ति मे

tataḥ śakunayo dīptā mṛgāś ca krūrabhāṣiṇaḥ dīptāyāṃ diśi vāśanto bhayam āvedayanti me

Verse 4

संध्यारागो जपावर्णो भानुमांश् चैव निष्प्रभः पपात महती चोल्का पृथिवी चाप्य् अकम्पत

saṃdhyārāgo japāvarṇo bhānumāṃś caiva niṣprabhaḥ papāta mahatī colkā pṛthivī cāpy akampata

Verse 5

तान् समीक्ष्य महोत्पातान् दारुणांल् लोमहर्षणान् योगम् आज्ञापयं तत्र जनस्योत्सुकचेतसः

tān samīkṣya mahotpātān dāruṇāṃl lomaharṣaṇān yogam ājñāpayaṃ tatra janasyotsukacetasaḥ

Verse 6

युयुधानपुरोगाश् च वृष्ण्यन्धकमहारथाः सर्वे युक्तरथाः सज्जाः स्वयं चाहं तथाभवम्

yuyudhānapurogāś ca vṛṣṇyandhakamahārathāḥ sarve yuktarathāḥ sajjāḥ svayaṃ cāhaṃ tathābhavam

Verse 7

गते ऽर्धरात्रसमये ब्राह्मणो भयविक्लवः उपागम्य भयाद् अस्मान् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत्

gate 'rdharātrasamaye brāhmaṇo bhayaviklavaḥ upāgamya bhayād asmān idaṃ vacanam abravīt

Verse 8

कालो ऽयं समनुप्राप्तो ब्राह्मण्याः प्रसवस्य मे यत्ता भवन्तस् तिष्ठन्तु न भवेद् वञ्चना यथा

kālo 'yaṃ samanuprāpto brāhmaṇyāḥ prasavasya me yattā bhavantas tiṣṭhantu na bhaved vañcanā yathā

Verse 9

मुहूर्ताद् इव चाश्रौषं कृपणं रुदितस्वनम् तस्य विप्रस्य भवने ह्रियते ह्रियते इति

muhūrtād iva cāśrauṣaṃ kṛpaṇaṃ ruditasvanam tasya viprasya bhavane hriyate hriyate iti

Verse 10

अथाकाशे पुनर् वाचम् अश्रौषं बालकस्य वै हाहेति ह्रियमाणस्य न च पश्यामि राक्षसम्

athākāśe punar vācam aśrauṣaṃ bālakasya vai hāheti hriyamāṇasya na ca paśyāmi rākṣasam

Verse 11

ततो ऽस्माभिस् तदा तात शरवर्षैः समन्ततः विष्टम्भिता दिशः सर्वा हृत एव स बालकः

tato 'smābhis tadā tāta śaravarṣaiḥ samantataḥ viṣṭambhitā diśaḥ sarvā hṛta eva sa bālakaḥ

Then by our arrow-showers on every side all the directions were blocked; but the boy was already carried off.

Verse 12

ब्रह्मणो ऽऽर्तस्वरं कृत्वा हृते तस्मिन् कुमारके वाचः स परुषास् तीव्राः श्रावयाम् आस मां तदा

brahmaṇo ''rtasvaraṃ kṛtvā hṛte tasmin kumārake vācaḥ sa paruṣās tīvrāḥ śrāvayām āsa māṃ tadā

Verse 13

वृष्णयो हतसंकल्पास् तथाहं नष्टचेतनः माम् एव हि विशेषेण ब्राह्मणः पर्यभाषत

vṛṣṇayo hatasaṃkalpās tathāhaṃ naṣṭacetanaḥ mām eva hi viśeṣeṇa brāhmaṇaḥ paryabhāṣata

Verse 14

रक्षिष्यामीति चोक्तं ते न च रक्षसि मे सुतम् शृणु वाक्यम् इदं शेषं यत् त्वम् अर्हसि दुर्मते

rakṣiṣyāmīti coktaṃ te na ca rakṣasi me sutam śṛṇu vākyam idaṃ śeṣaṃ yat tvam arhasi durmate

Verse 15

वृथा त्वं स्पर्धसे नित्यं कृष्णेनामितबुद्धिना यदि स्याद् इह गोविन्दो नैतद् अत्याहितं भवेत्

vṛthā tvaṃ spardhase nityaṃ kṛṣṇenāmitabuddhinā yadi syād iha govindo naitad atyāhitaṃ bhavet

Verse 16

यथा चतुर्थं धर्मस्य रक्षिता लभते फलम् पापस्यापि तथा मूढ भागं प्राप्नोत्य् अरक्षिता

yathā caturthaṃ dharmasya rakṣitā labhate phalam pāpasyāpi tathā mūḍha bhāgaṃ prāpnoty arakṣitā

Verse 17

रक्षिष्यामीति चोक्तं ते न च शक्नोषि रक्षितुम् मोघं गाण्डीवम् एतत् ते मोघं वीर्यं यशश् च ते

rakṣiṣyāmīti coktaṃ te na ca śaknoṣi rakṣitum moghaṃ gāṇḍīvam etat te moghaṃ vīryaṃ yaśaś ca te

Verse 18

अर्जुनो ऽस्मीति या बुद्धिः सा वृथा सत्यम् इत्य् उत अकिंचिद् उक्त्वा तं विप्रं ततो ऽहं प्रस्थितस् तदा सह वृष्ण्यन्धकसुतैर् यत्र कृष्णो महाद्युतिः

arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ sā vṛthā satyam ity uta akiṃcid uktvā taṃ vipraṃ tato 'haṃ prasthitas tadā saha vṛṣṇyandhakasutair yatra kṛṣṇo mahādyutiḥ

Verse 19

ततो द्वारवतीं गत्वा दृष्ट्वा मधुनिघातिनम् व्रीडितः शोकसंतप्तो गोविन्देनोपलक्षितः

tato dvāravatīṃ gatvā dṛṣṭvā madhunighātinam vrīḍitaḥ śokasaṃtapto govindenopalakṣitaḥ

Verse 20

स तु मां व्रीडितं दृष्ट्वा समाश्वस्य च माधवः विनिन्दन् कृष्णसंनिधौ मौढ्यं पश्यत मे यो ऽहं श्रद्दधे क्लीबकत्थनम् न प्रद्युम्नो नानिरुद्धो न रामो न च केशवः यस्य शक्ताः परित्रातुं को ऽन्यस् तदवितेश्वरः धिग् अर्जुनं वृथावादं धिग् आत्मश्लाघिनो धनुः दैवोपसृष्टो यो मौर्ख्याद् आगच्छति च दुर्मतिः एवं शपति विप्रर्षौ विद्याम् आस्थाय वैष्णवीम् ययौ संयमिनीं वीरो यत्रास्ते भगवान् यमः विप्रापत्यम् अचक्षाणस् तत ऐन्द्रीम् अगात् पुरीम् आग्नेयीं नैर् ऋतीं सौम्यां वायव्यां वारुणीं तथा रसातलं नाकपृष्ठं धिष्ण्यान्य् अन्यान्य् उदायुधः ततो ऽलब्ध्वा द्विजसुतम् अनिस्तीर्णप्रतिश्रवः अग्निं विविक्षुः कृष्णेन प्रद्युम्नेन निषेधितः दर्शये द्विजसूनुं ते मावज्ञात्मानम् आत्मना कीर्तिं त एते विपुलां स्थापयिष्यन्ति मानवाः इति संभाष्य मां स्नेहात् सान्त्वयित्वा च तं विप्रम् इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत्

sa tu māṃ vrīḍitaṃ dṛṣṭvā samāśvasya ca mādhavaḥ vinindan kṛṣṇasaṃnidhau mauḍhyaṃ paśyata me yo 'haṃ śraddadhe klībakatthanam na pradyumno nāniruddho na rāmo na ca keśavaḥ yasya śaktāḥ paritrātuṃ ko 'nyas tadaviteśvaraḥ dhig arjunaṃ vṛthāvādaṃ dhig ātmaślāghino dhanuḥ daivopasṛṣṭo yo maurkhyād āgacchati ca durmatiḥ evaṃ śapati viprarṣau vidyām āsthāya vaiṣṇavīm yayau saṃyaminīṃ vīro yatrāste bhagavān yamaḥ viprāpatyam acakṣāṇas tata aindrīm agāt purīm āgneyīṃ nair ṛtīṃ saumyāṃ vāyavyāṃ vāruṇīṃ tathā rasātalaṃ nākapṛṣṭhaṃ dhiṣṇyāny anyāny udāyudhaḥ tato 'labdhvā dvijasutam anistīrṇapratiśravaḥ agniṃ vivikṣuḥ kṛṣṇena pradyumnena niṣedhitaḥ darśaye dvijasūnuṃ te māvajñātmānam ātmanā kīrtiṃ ta ete vipulāṃ sthāpayiṣyanti mānavāḥ iti saṃbhāṣya māṃ snehāt sāntvayitvā ca taṃ vipram idaṃ vacanam abravīt

Verse 21

सुग्रीवं चैव शैब्यं च मेघपुष्पबलाहकौ योजयाश्वान् इति तदा दारुकं प्रत्यभाषत

sugrīvaṃ caiva śaibyaṃ ca meghapuṣpabalāhakau yojayāśvān iti tadā dārukaṃ pratyabhāṣata

Verse 22

आरोप्य ब्राह्मणं कृष्णस् त्व् अवरोप्य च दारुकम् माम् उवाच ततः शौरिः सारथ्यं क्रियताम् इति

āropya brāhmaṇaṃ kṛṣṇas tv avaropya ca dārukam mām uvāca tataḥ śauriḥ sārathyaṃ kriyatām iti

Verse 23

ततः समास्थाय रथं कृष्णो ऽहं ब्राह्मणः स च प्रयाताः स्म दिशं सौम्याम् उदीचीं कौरवर्षभ

tataḥ samāsthāya rathaṃ kṛṣṇo 'haṃ brāhmaṇaḥ sa ca prayātāḥ sma diśaṃ saumyām udīcīṃ kauravarṣabha

Then, mounting the chariot, Kṛṣṇa, I, and the brahmin — the three of us — set out toward the auspicious northern direction, O Kuru-bull.

Verse commentary

The Brahmin's Rebuke: Arjuna's Pride Undone

ब्राह्मणस्य भर्त्सना अर्जुनगर्वस् च नष्टः

Verses 3, 10, 12, 15, 18, 20, 22: the bad omens at midnight, Arjuna hearing the child's cry in the sky but seeing no rākṣasa, the Brahmin's harsh words after his son is carried off, the taunt that 'in vain you compete with Kṛṣṇa', the declaration that 'your belief that I am Arjuna is vain', Arjuna's shamed return and Kṛṣṇa's self-critique using Vaiṣṇava-vidyā to go to Saṃyamanī, and Kṛṣṇa placing the Brahmin on the chariot while asking Arjuna to drive. Template commentary, pending Editorial Council review.

HV 102 continues Arjuna's śara-talpa narration. Having taken the Brahmin under his protection, Arjuna and the Vṛṣṇi army reach the Brahmin's village. At midnight the omens turn dark: birds scream, wild animals bay, sky burns. Arjuna arranges protective yogic shields. And yet, at the decisive moment, he hears the newborn cry out *hāhā* in the sky but sees no captor — the child is gone. The Brahmin turns on him with the bitterest speech in the Harivaṃśa: *vṛthā tvaṃ spardhase... naitad atyāhitaṃ bhavet yadi syād iha govindaḥ* — 'in vain you compete; if Govinda had been here, this loss would not have happened'. Arjuna, deeply shamed, returns to Kṛṣṇa. The chapter is the Harivaṃśa's teaching on what it costs the bhakta to believe his own *I am Arjuna*.

HV 102.3

ततः शकुनयो दीप्ता मृगाश् च क्रूरभाषिणः । दीप्तायां दिशि वाशन्तो भयम् आवेदयन्ति मे ॥

tataḥ śakunayo dīptā mṛgāś ca krūra-bhāṣiṇaḥ | dīptāyāṃ diśi vāśanto bhayam āvedayanti me

'Then — the birds ablaze and the beasts crying harshly, screaming in the burning direction — announced fear to me.'

The Living Words

*Śakunayo dīptāḥ*, 'birds ablaze' — birds with reddish/burning appearance, a bad omen. *Krūra-bhāṣiṇaḥ*, 'cruel-speaking (harsh-crying)'. *Dīptāyāṃ diśi*, 'in the burning quarter'. *Bhayam āvedayanti*, 'announcing fear'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's ancient world of omens. *Śakunayo dīptāḥ* — 'birds ablaze' — signals the approach of disaster. The Varkari tradition's reading: every undertaking has its own *śakuna*; the bhakta who is attentive can read the signs of the hour. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's instinct for the *dīpta-diśā*, the burning direction — for the moment when something is about to be lost — is HV 102.3 in devotional form. The birds announce; the *pauruṣa* must listen.

HV 102.10

अथाकाशे पुनर् वाचम् अश्रौषं बालकस्य वै । हाहेति ह्रियमाणस्य न च पश्यामि राक्षसम् ॥

athākāśe punar vācam aśrauṣaṃ bālakasya vai | hāheti hriyamāṇasya na ca paśyāmi rākṣasam

'Then in the sky I again heard the voice of the child — crying 'hā-hā' as he was being carried off — and I did not see the rākṣasa.'

The Living Words

*Ākāśe vācam aśrauṣam*, 'I heard the voice in the sky'. *Bālakasya*, 'of the child'. *Hāheti hriyamāṇasya*, 'crying "hā hā" as he was being carried off'. *Na ca paśyāmi rākṣasam*, 'I did not see the rākṣasa'.

The Heart of It

The verse captures the limits of ordinary sight. *Na ca paśyāmi rākṣasam* — 'I did not see the rākṣasa'. Arjuna hears the cry but cannot identify the enemy. The Varkari tradition's deep teaching: some enemies of the bhakta are invisible to ordinary sight, and the bhakta who fights only what he can see is doomed to lose the child. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's insistence that the invisible enemies of the soul require *Hari-dṛṣṭi*, the Lord's sight, to be combated — has HV 102.10 as its Sanskrit warrant. The Lord must become the eyes for what the warrior's eyes cannot see.

HV 102.12

ब्रह्मणो ''र्तस्वरं कृत्वा हृते तस्मिन् कुमारके । वाचः स परुषास् तीव्राः श्रावयाम् आस मां तदा ॥

brahmaṇo ''rta-svaraṃ kṛtvā hṛte tasmin kumārake | vācaḥ sa paruṣās tīvrāḥ śrāvayām āsa māṃ tadā

'Uttering a sound of anguish after the young son was taken, he made me hear — he — words cruel and sharp.'

The Living Words

*Brahmaṇo ārta-svaram kṛtvā*, 'uttering a sound of anguish'. *Hṛte tasmin kumārake*, 'the young son taken'. *Vācaḥ paruṣāḥ tīvrāḥ*, 'cruel and sharp words'. *Śrāvayām āsa*, 'made me hear'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the pivot. *Brahmaṇo ārta-svaram* — 'the Brahmin's anguish-sound' precedes the harsh words. The Varkari tradition's close attention: grief can speak harshly, and the hearer must know the difference between the Brahmin's *ārta-svara* (pain) and his *paruṣa-tīvra vāk* (harshness). Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh counsels the bhakta to hear the *ārta-svara* under the angry speech — to stay with the grief beneath the words. HV 102.12 names the double-layer that the rebuke that follows will occupy.

HV 102.15

वृथा त्वं स्पर्धसे नित्यं कृष्णेनामितबुद्धिना । यदि स्याद् इह गोविन्दो नैतद् अत्याहितं भवेत् ॥

vṛthā tvaṃ spardhase nityaṃ kṛṣṇenāmita-buddhinā | yadi syād iha govindo naitad atyāhitaṃ bhavet

'In vain you always compete with Kṛṣṇa — the one of immeasurable intelligence. If Govinda were here, this catastrophe would not have happened.'

The Living Words

*Vṛthā tvaṃ spardhase*, 'in vain you compete'. *Kṛṣṇena amita-buddhinā*, 'with Kṛṣṇa of immeasurable intelligence'. *Yadi syād iha govindaḥ*, 'if Govinda were here'. *Naitad atyāhitaṃ bhavet*, 'this catastrophe would not have happened'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Brahmin's surgical cut. *Vṛthā tvaṃ spardhase nityam* — 'in vain you always compete'. Arjuna's whole warrior-identity has rested on being *the best bowman*, the match of Kṛṣṇa himself. The Brahmin names the secret comparison as *spardhā*, rivalry. The Varkari tradition's teaching: the bhakta's subtle *spardhā* with the Lord — I can do this; I have my own share of divine power — is the first thing that must be undone. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's humility-before-the-Name has HV 102.15 as its wounding source. Arjuna's failure is not technical; it is his *spardhā*.

HV 102.18

अर्जुनो ऽस्मीति या बुद्धिः सा वृथा सत्यम् इत्य् उत । अकिंचिद् उक्त्वा तं विप्रं ततो ऽहं प्रस्थितस् तदा ॥

arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ sā vṛthā satyam ity uta | akiṃcid uktvā taṃ vipraṃ tato 'haṃ prasthitas tadā

''The belief 'I am Arjuna' — that is vain, truly'. Saying nothing to that Brahmin, I then set out.'

The Living Words

*Arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ*, 'the belief 'I am Arjuna''. *Vṛthā satyam iti uta*, 'is vain, truly indeed'. *Akiṃcid uktvā*, 'saying nothing'. *Prasthitaḥ tadā*, 'I then set out'.

The Heart of It

The verse is the Harivaṃśa's highest teaching on *ahaṃ-buddhi*. *Arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ sā vṛthā* — 'the belief 'I am Arjuna' is vain'. The warrior's very name, the identity on which every battle-victory has been founded, is named by the Brahmin as *vṛthā* — hollow. The Varkari tradition's deepest teaching: every *X-smī* (I am X) identity of the bhakta must eventually be declared *vṛthā*. And Arjuna, in the verse, takes the rebuke without defense — *akiṃcid uktvā*, 'saying nothing'. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's deepest silence, when the bhakta hears the Name declare the *ahaṃkāra* vain, has HV 102.18 as its Sanskrit model.

HV 102.20

न प्रद्युम्नो नानिरुद्धो न रामो न च केशवः । यस्य शक्ताः परित्रातुं को ऽन्यस् तदवितेश्वरः ॥

na pradyumno nāniruddho na rāmo na ca keśavaḥ | yasya śaktāḥ paritrātuṃ ko 'nyas tad-aviteśvaraḥ

'Not Pradyumna, not Aniruddha, not Rāma, not Keśava — when these are able to protect, who else is the lord of that protection?'

The Living Words

*Na pradyumno, nāniruddho, na rāmo, na ca keśavaḥ*, 'not Pradyumna, not Aniruddha, not Rāma, not Keśava'. *Śaktāḥ paritrātum*, 'able to protect'. *Ko 'nyas tad-aviteśvaraḥ*, 'who else is the lord of that [protection]?'.

The Heart of It

The verse is Arjuna's self-rebuke after Kṛṣṇa's silence. *Na pradyumno na rāmo na keśavaḥ — tad-aviteśvaraḥ kaḥ anyaḥ* — 'not Pradyumna, not Aniruddha, not Rāma, not Keśava could save — who else could?'. The verse names the four *vyūhas* of the Vaiṣṇava tradition (Vāsudeva-Saṃkarṣaṇa-Pradyumna-Aniruddha) one by one as unable to protect in Arjuna's trust. The Varkari tradition's reading: even the bhakta's belief that *these* names will protect is insufficient when ahaṃkāra is still active. The names work; the bhakta's *buddhi* about the names sometimes does not. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching that the Name works only when the ego-trust is released, has HV 102.20 as its painful Sanskrit illustration.

HV 102.22

आरोप्य ब्राह्मणं कृष्णस् त्व् अवरोप्य च दारुकम् । माम् उवाच ततः शौरिः सारथ्यं क्रियताम् इति ॥

āropya brāhmaṇaṃ kṛṣṇas tv avaropya ca dārukam | mām uvāca tataḥ śauriḥ sārathyaṃ kriyatām iti

Placing the Brahmin [on the chariot] and bringing Dāruka down, Śauri [Kṛṣṇa] said to me: 'Do the driving.'

The Living Words

*Āropya brāhmaṇam*, 'placing the Brahmin [up on the chariot]'. *Avaropya dārukam*, 'bringing down Dāruka [his usual sārathī]'. *Sārathyaṃ kriyatām iti*, '"do the driving"'.

The Heart of It

The verse is extraordinarily tender. Kṛṣṇa dismounts his own sārathī Dāruka, seats the Brahmin in a place of honor, and asks Arjuna to drive the chariot. The Varkari tradition's reading: the Lord, after Arjuna's humiliation, immediately makes him the sārathī of the Lord's own rescue-mission. The one who failed to protect is now the driver of the protector. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh's teaching on how the Lord restores the fallen bhakta — never by reprimand but by immediately putting him to a new work in which the Lord is the central actor — has HV 102.22 as its most beautiful Sanskrit model.

Thread

The seven verses trace the chapter's painful arc: the bad omens at midnight (102.3), Arjuna hearing but not seeing the invisible captor (102.10), the Brahmin's anguish-sound preceding his cruel words (102.12), the surgical cut 'in vain you compete with Kṛṣṇa' (102.15), the undoing of 'I am Arjuna' as vain belief (102.18), Arjuna's self-rebuke naming the four vyūhas as the true protectors (102.20), and Kṛṣṇa's restoration of Arjuna as sārathī of the rescue-chariot (102.22). The Harivaṃśa's most powerful chapter on the undoing of pride and the quick gentleness of grace.

Echo in the saints

HV 102.18 — *arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ sā vṛthā* — is a verse Warkari teachers have used for centuries as the central *ahaṃkāra*-undoing moment in scripture. The *I am X* identity must be called vain by an anguished voice before the bhakta can receive the Name in its true form. And HV 102.22's gentle detail — Kṛṣṇa making the humiliated Arjuna drive his own rescue-chariot — is read by Warkari commentators as the exact pattern of bhakti-pedagogy: the bhakta who has failed is not dismissed but re-assigned, with the Lord still at his side, to a new work in which the Lord's own action is primary and the bhakta's task is simply *sārathya*, driving. Jñāneśvar's Haripāṭh enacts this restoration in every abhaṅga: the Name does not linger on the bhakta's failure; it places him back on the driving-seat.

Scripture references

EchoesBhagavad Gītā 2.71

Pride is undone by the Name of the Lord.

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः । निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥

vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumāṃś carati niḥspṛhaḥ | nirmamo nir-ahaṅkāraḥ sa śāntim adhigacchati

The man who, abandoning all desires, moves without longing — free of 'mine', free of ahaṃkāra — he attains peace.

HV 102.18's arjuno 'smīti yā buddhiḥ sā vṛthā is the Gītā's nir-ahaṅkāra, lived painfully as narrative. Arjuna is made to receive, in the Brahmin's mouth, the same teaching the Gītā gives him in Kṛṣṇa's mouth. The two verses belong together as pedagogy.

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BORI critical edition, ed. P. L. Vaidya (1969). Digital text from the GRETIL Zurich constituted text. Distributed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.