Verse 1.5.21

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.5.21:

आत्मना मारिता ये च घातिता वार्जुनादिभिः ।
नरकार्हश् च दैतेयास् तन्-महिम्नामृतं गताः ॥ २१ ॥

ātmanā māritā ye ca ghātitā vārjunādibhiḥ |
narakārhaś ca daiteyās tan-mahimnāmṛtaṃ gatāḥ || 21 ||

All the demons who were killed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, or those killed by Arjuna, were fit to suffer in hell, but due to the greatness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa became liberated.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

In the verse beginning with ātmanā, Śrī Nārada describes the names of demons obtaining liberation. In this avatāra of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He killed such demons as Pūtanā personally, or those demons killed through Bhīma and Arjuna who all were fit to suffer in hell, nevertheless, due to the mercy of the son of your maternal uncle, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, all obtained liberation. Here, kṣatriya kings such as Karṇa and Duryodhana are addressed as demons because their bodies possessed plenary portions of the demons; therefore, they behaved inimically towards both Śrī Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇavas. Thus, they are also counted amongst the demons.

In the Second Canto (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or Bhāgavata Purāṇa 2.7.34 and 35) it has been said:

ये च प्रलम्ब-खर-दर्दुर-केश्य्-अरिष्ट मल्लेभ-कंस-यवनाः कपि-पौण्ड्रकाद्याः
अन्ये च शाल्व-कुज-बल्वल-दन्तवक्र सप्तोक्ष-शम्बर-विदूरथ-रुक्मि-मुख्याः
ये वा मृधे समिति-शालिन आत्त-चापाः काम्बोज-मत्स्य-कुरु-सृञ्जय-कैकयाद्याः
यास्यन्त्य् अदर्शनम् अलं बल-पार्थ-भीम व्याजाह्वयेन हरिणा निलयं तदीयम्

ye ca pralamba-khara-dardura-keśy-ariṣṭa mallebha-kaṃsa-yavanāḥ kapi-pauṇḍrakādyāḥ
anye ca śālva-kuja-balvala-dantavakra saptokṣa-śambara-vidūratha-rukmi-mukhyāḥ
ye vā mṛdhe samiti-śālina ātta-cāpāḥ kāmboja-matsya-kuru-sṛñjaya-kaikayādyāḥ
yāsyanty adarśanam alaṃ bala-pārtha-bhīma vyājāhvayena hariṇā nilayaṃ tadīyam

The following principal warriors displayed excessive ego by seizing such weapons as the bow and arrow to take up their fight against Śrī Kṛṣṇa: Pralambāsura, Khara (Dhenukāsura), Baka, Keśī, Ariṣṭa, various wrestlers, Kuvalayapīḍa and Kālayavana, Kapi (Dvivida), Pauṇḍraka, Śālva, Naraka, Balvala, Dantavakra, Saptokṣa, Sambara, Viduratha and Rukmī and also those from Kāmbhoja, Matsya, Kuru, Sṛnjaya and Kekaya and others. All of them were killed by the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and became liberated. Actually, this act of Śrī Kṛṣṇa is supramundane (rare, transcendental or uncommon). Among those demons, few were killed by the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Demons such as Khara, Kapi and Balvala were killed by the hands of Śrī Balarāma. Demons such as Kāmboja were killed by Bhīma and Arjuna. Pradyumna killed Sambara. Mucukunda killed Kālayavana. Still, it is to be understood that they were killed at the hands of Śrī Kṛṣṇa because Śrī Bālarāma, Bhīma and Arjuna are disguised (secondary) names for Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Thus all of these demons obtained the state of complete liberation and were not seen again. Also the phrase pada yaśyantadarsanāmalam can be interpreted differently. All of those demons became free from being seen again or obtained the non-existential, impersonal liberation of complete absorption, that is, they did not again obtain another body, or they obtained the liberation of the nature of adarśana-mala. Merging into the form of adarśana (invisibility) or liberation (mokṣa) is compared to feces or dung, being the annihilator of bhakti. Although by saying tadīya nilaya the abode of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha alone is implied, nevertheless in the original verse mukti has been used. Therefore, although they went to Vaikuṇṭha, it should be understood they received liberation in the form of freedom from material bondage. Here, mukti is to be understood as the demons’ liberation from the bondage of material existence.