Text 43] The Killing of the Demon Patana 37

killed by Krsna, they were certainly astonished, and they offered
their blessings to the child for His wonderful deed of killing
Patana. Nanda Maharaja, of course, was very much obliged to
Vasudeva, who had foreseen the incident, and simply thanked
him, thinking how wonderful Vasudeva was.

TEXT 43

TS. APTA ATTA TT: |
qeqay wat we SA Fee ier

nandah sva-putram ddaya
pretyagatam udara-dhih

mirdhny updghraya paramam
mudam lebhe kuriidvaha

nandah—Maharaja Nanda; sva-putram ddéya—taking his son Krsna
on his lap; pretya-Ggatam—as if Krsna had returned from death (no one
could even imagine that from such danger a child could be saved);
udéra-dhih—because he was always liberal and simple; mirdhni—on
the head of Krsna; updéghraéya—formally smelling; paramam—highest;
mudam—peace; lebhe—achieved; kuru-udvaha—O Maharaja Pariksit.

TRANSLATION

O Maharaja Pariksit, best of the Kurus, Nanda Maharaja was very
liberal and simple. He immediately took his son Krsna on his lap as
if Krsna had returned from death, and by formally smelling his
son’s head, Nanda Maharaja undoubtedly enjoyed transcendental
bliss.

PURPORT

Nanda Maharaja could not understand how the inhabitants of his
house had allowed Pitand to enter the house, nor could he imagine the
gravity of the situation. He did not understand that Krsna had wanted to
kill Paitana and that His pastimes were performed by yogamaya. Nanda
Maharaja simply thought that someone had entered his house and created
havoc. This was Nanda Maharaja’s simplicity.
