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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 28]
of fire in the city, the police superintendent can impose his authority upon the citizens, but when there is an all-out attack on the city, he is rendered useless. As the life air was ready to leave the gross body, the subtle body also began to experience pain.
TEXT 14
न शेके सोऽवितुं तत्र पुरुङ्गेश्वरेपयुः । गन्तुमैच्छत्ततो वृक्षकोटरादिव सानलात् ॥१४॥
na śeke so 'vitum tatra puru-kṛcchroru-vepathuḥ gantum aicchat tato vṛkṣa- koṭarād iva sānalāt
na—not; śeke—was able; saḥ—he; avitum—to protect; tatra—there; puru—very much; kṛcchra—difficulty; uru—great; vepathuḥ—suffering; gantum—to go out; aicchat—desired; tataḥ—from there; vṛkṣa—of a tree; koṭarāt—from the hollow; iva—like; sa-analāt—on fire.
TRANSLATION
As a serpent living within the cavity of a tree wishes to leave when there is a forest fire, so the city's police superintendent, the snake, wished to leave the city due to the fire's severe heat.
PURPORT
It becomes very difficult for snakes to leave a forest when there is a fire. Other animals may flee due to their long legs, but serpents, only being able to crawl, are generally burned in the fire. At the last stage, the limbs of the body are not as much affected as the life air.
TEXT 15
शिथिलावयवो यहिं गन्धर्वहेतपरिषः । यवनैररिमी राजन्तुपरुद्धो रुदोद ह ॥१५॥
śithilāvayavo yarhi gandharvair hṛta-pauruṣaḥ