Verse 1.9.39

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.9.39:

কুব্জা-বেশ করি’ গন্ধ পরে তা’র স্থানে ধনুক গডিযা ভাঙ্গে করিযা গর্জনে ॥ ৩৯ ॥

कुब्जा-वेश करि’ गन्ध परे ता’र स्थाने धनुक गडिया भाङ्गे करिया गर्जने ॥ ३९ ॥

kubjā-veśa kari’ gandha pare tā’ra sthāne dhanuka gaḍiyā bhāṅge kariyā garjane || 39 ||

kubja-vesa kari’ gandha pare ta’ra sthane dhanuka gadiya bhange kariya garjane (39)

English translation:

(39) Someone dressed as Kubjā and sandalwood pulp was accepted from her. A large bow was made and they all shouted in joy when it was broken.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

Madhupurī (Mathurā) was previously the residence of the demon Madhu. His son, Lavaṇāsura, was killed by Śatrughna in Tretā-yuga.

The words kubjāra sthāne gandha pare—“accepting sandalwood pulp from Kubjā” are explained in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.42.3-4) as follows: “Kubjā said, ‘Who else but You two deserve my sandalwood pulp?’ Saying this, Kubjā smeared generous amounts of sandalwood pulp

on both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.”

The meaning of the second line of this verse is found in the following words from the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (10.42.17-18): “Easily lifting the bow with His left hand, Lord Kṛṣṇa strung it in a fraction of a second as the King’s guards looked on. He then powerfully pulled the string and snapped the bow in half, just as an excited elephant might break a stalk of sugar cane. The sound of the bow’s breaking filled the earth and sky in all directions. Upon hearing it, Kaṃsa was struck with terror.”