Text 48] Ambarīṣa Mahārāja Offended by Durvāsā Muni
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prāg diṣṭaṁ bhṛtya-rakṣāyāṁ puruṣeṇa mahātmanā dadāha kṛtyāṁ tāṁ cakraṁ kruddhāhim iva pāvakaḥ
prāk diṣṭam—as previously arranged; bhṛtya-rakṣāyām—for the protection of his servants; puruṣeṇa—by the Supreme Person; mahātmanā—by the Supersoul; dadāha—burnt to ashes; kṛtyām—that created demon; tām—him; cakram—the disc; kruddha—angry; ahim—a serpent; iva—like; pāvakaḥ—fire.
TRANSLATION
As fire in the forest immediately burns to ashes an angry snake, so, by the previous order of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His disc, the Sudarśana cakra, immediately burnt to ashes the created demon to protect the Lord's devotee.
PURPORT
As a pure devotee, Mahārāja Ambarīṣa, although in such danger, did not move an inch from his position, nor did he request the Supreme Personality of Godhead to give him protection. He was fixed in understanding, and it was certain that he was simply thinking of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the core of his heart. A devotee is never fearful of his death, for he meditates on the Supreme Personality of Godhead always, not for any material profit, but as his duty. The Lord, however, knows how to protect His devotee. As indicated by the words  prāg diṣṭam , the Lord knew everything. Therefore, before anything happened, He had already arranged for His  cakra  to protect Mahārāja Ambarīṣa. This protection is offered to a devotee even from the very beginning of his devotional service.  Kaunteya pratijānīhi na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati  (Bg. 9.31). If one simply begins devotional service, he is immediately protected by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is also confirmed in  Bhagavad-gītā  (18.66):  ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo mokṣayiṣyāmi . Protection begins immediately. The Lord is so kind and merciful that He gives the devotee proper guidance and all protection, and thus the devotee very peacefully makes solid progress in Kṛṣṇa