pramAdAd vA asurAh parAbhavan apramAdAd brahmabhUtAh surASca
[AsurAs failed to realize true nature of the self due to error of considering body as the self (pramAda). Devas, by careful discrimination of self & body (apramAda) attained the nature of the self, similar to Brahman]+
The above describes the episode of Indra and Virochana learning from PrajApati in the Chandogya (pratyagAtma vidya). Virochana mistook the teachings as self = body, while Indra understood the self as different from the body.+
na vai mRtyurvyAghra iva atti jantUn nApyasya rUpamupalabhyate hi||
[The embodied self (mRtyu) does not subsist on the bodies like a tiger devouring animals. It is indeed understood to not possess the nature (of prakrti)]+
A tiger needs other animals for sustenance for living. But the self does not subsist on the bodies it associates with as it can exist independent of the bodies.+
Now, it was said that AsurAs mistook body = self and became associated with worldly desires. Devas desire the self. Who grants them these? Next shloka describes the Lord as the means of attaining both worldly things as well as experience of the Self.+
[The Supreme Being who rules the selves from within (Yama), is called Mrtyu by some as he is death to the deaths (samsAra) of his devotees. He resides in the self, is immortal and moves in the Veda (known by it).]+
Some, ie, those who desire the experience of the self, know this Lord to be of above characteristics and call him "Mrtyu" as he is death to their deaths, ie, puts an end to distress of samsAra. What of others who desire worldly things? How do they know him? As below+
[He is the god who rules over the world of the pitRs.]
PitRloka is indicative of all worlds like svarga, etc attained by meritorious souls. Those desiring worldly things due to dehAtmAbhimAna consider him thus & resort to him.+
[He does auspicious things like granting knowledge of the self to the auspicious ones desiring it. He grants things other than such knowledge, ie, wordly things, for those who are other than those seeking the self, ie, desiring wordly things.]+
And now, let us look at one last shloka from concluding parts of the sanat sujAtiyam:
[From the pure self full of perfections (pUrNAt) in its’ true state (by association with karmas), comes the embodied self that is full as it possesses body, senses, mind etc (pUrNam uddharanti)...]+
[From the embodied self (pUrNAt), the Universe full of objects shines out for its’ experience (pUrNam prachakShate). The body full of the instruments of experience is removed from the self full with discriminatory knowledge and renunciation (harpUrNAt pUrNam)..]+
[And only the pure self full of bliss stands as the sole shelter of those immersed in it (pUrNenaivAvaSishyate). YogIs perceive that pure jIvAtma, that in which the body is situated (bhagavantam), imperishable (sanAtanam).]
"bhagavantam" etymology is given as such in purANAs.+
The shloka is similar to "pUrNamadaH pUrNamidaM" mantra in Upanishads but latter denotes Brahman, while this shloka references jIva. Similar construction is for 2 reasons: 1) jIva is similar to Brahman, so rishis describe it in similar terms, 2) to deliberately hide meanings.+
ततो दुःशासनस् तूर्णं द्रुपदस्य सुतां बलात्.प्रवेशयितुम् आरब्धः स चाकर्षद् दुरात्मवान्
[Then the sinful minded duHshAsana, quickly began to drag the daughter of drupada (to the slave quarters)]
duHshAsana was afraid to try to disrobe her again, as he had seen she was protected+
Forsaken by her husbands again, she does not call Krishna this time. Why? Due to ignorance.
She felt that she had done sharaNAgati, yet Krishna had not helped her beyond providing clothes. She did not see that her own dependence on her husbands was the fault & blamed bhagavAn+
We saw that Krishna protected draupadI, giving her clothes when she surrendered to him. But he cannot not kill duHshAsana or duryodhana – as both are under balarAma's protection.
If draupadI’s husbands act on her behalf, it would nullify duryodhana’s protection, making him vulnerable.
Yet, paNDavAs did not even think of that – hence, Lokacharya says Krishna wanted to cut off their heads in anger, but spared them to avoid draupadI being widowed!+
Now, despite draupadI having surrendered to Krishna, her resolve to consider him alone as the means began to weaken.
Because, bhIma seeing her ordeal, made a vow to drink duHshAsana’s blood- नाहं गतिम् अवाप्नुयाम्…न पिबेयं बलाद् वक्षो भित्त्वा चेद् रुधिरं युधि+
We saw that draupadI’s dependence on her husbands was fruitless. Now, duHshAsana tries to disrobe her, she instinctively thinks of Hari and performs sharaNAgati.
Let us look at her stuti to Krishna today, as she finally invokes Hari+
Today, we will take a look at whether draupadI’s accusation of krishna was correct – that he did not help her when duHshAsana dragged her by the hair.
This is how that ordeal of hers is described in Sabha parva+
केशेशु कृष्णेषु तदा स कृष्णाम्. कृष्णं च जिष्णुं च हरिं नरं च त्रायाय विक्रोशति याज्ञसेनि
[When duHShAsana was dragging her by her black hair, yAj~naseni was crying out for protection to krishna, jishnu, hari and nara]+
“कृष्णं च जिष्णुं च हरिं नरं” – This does not refer to bhagavAn. All these are names of arjuna. draupadI’s favorite husband was arjuna and she completely depended on him. She was calling out to him.
The reason why bhagavad avatArAs are so celebrated is not because bhagavAn just appears and kills the sinners with his power.
Rather, most asuras and daityas have sAdhana like duryodhana or some sukRita. That's why they are able to conquer the devas now and then+
bhagavAn is celebrated in his avatArAs because he subdues these sinners without violating their sAdhana. He ensures their sAdhana is not broken and that they also receive the fruits of their good deeds+
He also reforms them.
For example, ashvattAma surrendered to rudra as viShNu-pratIka. That's why parIkShith HAD to die before being revived.
Krishna didn't stop ashvattAma's astra from entering uttara's womb and killing the child. He respected ashvattAma's sAdhana+