490 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 1, Ch. 9

afta eaftd aarti: 12011

sva-nigamam apahaya mat-pratijnam
rtam adhikartum avapluto rathasthah

dhrta-ratha-carano’bhyayac caladgur
harir iva hantum ibham gutottariyah

sva-nigamam—own truthfulness: apahdya—for nullifying; mat-pratiynam
—my own promise: rtam—factual: adhi--more; kartum—for doing it;
avaplutah—getting down; rathasthah--from the chariot; dhyta—taking up;
ratha—chariot; caranah—wheel; abh yayat— went hurriedly; caladguh—tramp-
ling the earth; harih—lion; iva—like: hantum—to kiil; ibham—elephant;
gata—leaving aside: uttartyah—covering cloth.

TRANSLATION

Fulfilling my desire and sacrificing His own promise, He got down
from the chariot, took up its wheel, and ran towards me hurriedly, just
like a lion goes to kill an elephant. He even dropped His outer garment
on the way.

PURPORT

The Battle of Kuruksetra was fought on military principles but at the
same time in a sporting spirit. like a friend fights with another friend.
Duryodhana criticized Bhismadeva, alleging that he was reluctant to kill
Arjuna because of paternal affection. A ksatriya cannot tolerate insults on
the principle of fighting. Bhismadeva therefore promised that the next
day he would kill all five Pandavas with special weapons made for the
purpose. Duryodhana was satisfied, and he kept the arrows with him to be
delivered the next day during the fight. By tricks Arjuna took the arrows
from Duryodhana, and Bhismadeva could understand that this was the
trick of Lord Krsna. So he took a vow that the next day Krsna would have
to take up weapons Himself, otherwise His friend Arjuna would die. So in
the next day’s fighting Bhismadeva fought so violently that both Arjuna
and Krsna were in trouble. Arjuna was almost defeated; the situation was
so tense that he was about to be killed by Bhismadeva the very next
moment. At that time Lord Krsna wanted to please His devotee, Bhisma,
by keeping his promise, which was more important than His own. Seeming-
ly He broke His own promise. He promised before the beginning of the
