488
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 1, Ch. 9]
of death. Therefore, His diminishing the duration of life of the enemy of Arjuna does not mean that He was partial to the cause of Arjuna. Factually He was merciful to the opposite party because they would not have attained salvation by dying at home in the ordinary course of life. Here was a chance to see the Lord at the time of death and thus attain salvation from material life. Therefore, the Lord is all good, and whatever He does is for everyone's good. Apparently it was for the victory of Arjuna, His intimate friend, but factually it was for the good of Arjuna's enemies. Such are the transcendental activities of the Lord, and whoever understands this also gets salvation after quitting this material body. The Lord does no wrong in any circumstance because He is absolute, all good at all times.
TEXT 36
व्यवहितपृतनामुखं निरीक्ष्य 
    स्वजनवधाद्विमुखस्य दोषबुद्ध्या । 
    कुमतिमहरदात्मविद्यया य- 
    श्रणरतिः परमस्य तस्य मेऽस्तु ॥३६॥
vyavahita-pṛtanā-mukham nirīkṣya 
    sva-jana-vadhād vimukhasya doṣa-buddhyā 
    kumatim aharad ātma-vidyayā yaś 
    caraṇa-ratiḥ paramasya tasya me 'stu
vyavahita —standing at a distance;  pṛtanā —soldiers;  mukham —faces;  nirīkṣya —by looking upon;  sva-jana —kinsmen;  vadhāt —from the act of killing;  vimukhasya —one who is reluctant;  doṣa-buddhyā —by polluted intelligence;  kumatim —poor fund of knowledge;  aharat —eradicated;  ātma-vidyayā —by transcendental knowledge;  yaḥ —the person;  caraṇa —feet;  ratiḥ —attraction;  paramasya —of the Supreme;  tasya —for Him;  me —my;  astu —let there be.
TRANSLATION
When Arjuna was seemingly polluted by ignorance upon observing the soldiers and commanders before him on the battlefield, the Lord eradicated his ignorance by delivering transcendental knowledge. May His lotus feet always remain the object of my attraction.