Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 10
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupāda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
(see
also the
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Chapter 4: The Atrocities of King Kaḿsa
10.4.1
śrī-śuka uvāca
bahir-antaḥ-pura-dvāraḥ
sarvāḥ pūrvavad āvṛtāḥ
tato bāla-dhvaniḿ śrutvā
gṛha-pālāḥ samutthitāḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; bahiḥ-antaḥ-pura-dvāraḥ — the doors inside and outside the house; sarvāḥ — all; pūrva-vat — like before; āvṛtāḥ — closed; tataḥ — thereafter; bāla-dhvanim — the crying of the newborn child; śrutvā — hearing; gṛha-pālāḥ — all the inhabitants of the house, especially the doormen; samutthitāḥ — awakened.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King Parīkṣit, the doors inside and outside the house closed as before. Thereafter, the inhabitants of the house, especially the watchmen, heard the crying of the newborn child and thus awakened from their beds.
10.4.2
te tu tūrṇam upavrajya
devakyā garbha-janma tat
ācakhyur bhoja-rājāya
yad udvignaḥ pratīkṣate
te — all the watchmen; tu — indeed; tūrṇam — very quickly; upavrajya — going before (the King); devakyāḥ — of Devakī; garbha-janma — the deliverance from the womb; tat — that (child); ācakhyuḥ — submitted; bhoja-rājāya — unto the King of the Bhojas, Kaḿsa; yat — of whom; udvignaḥ — with great anxiety; pratīkṣate — was waiting (for the child's birth).
TRANSLATION
Thereafter, all the watchmen very quickly approached King Kaḿsa, the ruler of the Bhoja dynasty, and submitted the news of the birth of Devakī's child. Kaḿsa, who had awaited this news very anxiously, immediately took action.
10.4.3
sa talpāt tūrṇam utthāya
kālo 'yam iti vihvalaḥ
sūtī-gṛham agāt tūrṇaḿ
praskhalan mukta-mūrdhajaḥ
saḥ — he (King Kaḿsa); talpāt — from the bed; tūrṇam — very quickly; utthāya — getting up; kālaḥ ayam — here is my death, the supreme time; iti — in this way; vihvalaḥ — overwhelmed; sūtī-gṛham — to the maternity home; agāt — went; tūrṇam — without delay; praskhalan — scattering; mukta — had become opened; mūrdha-jaḥ — the hair on the head.
TRANSLATION
Kaḿsa immediately got up from bed, thinking, "Here is Kāla, the supreme time factor, which has taken birth to kill me!" Thus overwhelmed, Kaḿsa, his hair scattered on his head, at once approached the place where the child had been born.
10.4.4
tam āha bhrātaraḿ devī
kṛpaṇā karuṇaḿ satī
snuṣeyaḿ tava kalyāṇa
striyaḿ mā hantum arhasi
tam — unto Kaḿsa; āha — said; bhrātaram — her brother; devī — mother Devakī; kṛpaṇā — helplessly; karuṇam — piteously; satī — the chaste lady; snuṣā iyam tava — this child will be your daughter-in-law, the wife of your future son; kalyāṇa — O all-auspicious one; striyam — a woman; mā — not; hantum — to kill; arhasi — you deserve.
TRANSLATION
Devakī helplessly, piteously appealed to Kaḿsa: My dear brother, all good fortune unto you. Don't kill this girl. She will be your daughter-in-law. Indeed, it is unworthy of you to kill a woman.
10.4.5
bahavo hiḿsitā bhrātaḥ
śiśavaḥ pāvakopamāḥ
tvayā daiva-nisṛṣṭena
putrikaikā pradīyatām
bahavaḥ — many; hiḿsitāḥ — killed out of envy; bhrātaḥ — my dear brother; śiśavaḥ — small children; pāvaka-upamāḥ — all of them equal to fire in brightness and beauty; tvayā — by you; daiva-nisṛṣṭena — as spoken by destiny; putrikā — daughter; ekā — one; pradīyatām — give me as your gift.
TRANSLATION
My dear brother, by the influence of destiny you have already killed many babies, each of them as bright and beautiful as fire. But kindly spare this daughter. Give her to me as your gift.
10.4.6
nanv ahaḿ te hy avarajā
dīnā hata-sutā prabho
dātum arhasi mandāyā
ańgemāḿ caramāḿ prajām
nanu — however; aham — I am; te — your; hi — indeed; avarajā — younger sister; dīnā — very poor; hata-sutā — deprived of all children; prabho — O my lord; dātum arhasi — you deserve to give (some gift); mandāyāḥ — to me, who am so poor; ańga — my dear brother; imām — this; caramām — last; prajām — child.
TRANSLATION
My lord, my brother, I am very poor, being bereft of all my children, but still I am your younger sister, and therefore it would be worthy of you to give me this last child as a gift.
10.4.7
śrī-śuka uvāca
upaguhyātmajām evaḿ
rudatyā dīna-dīnavat
yācitas tāḿ vinirbhartsya
hastād ācicchide khalaḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; upaguhya — embracing; ātmajām — her daughter; evam — in this way; rudatyā — by Devakī, who was crying; dīna-dīna-vat — very piteously, like a poor woman; yācitaḥ — being begged; tām — her (Devakī); vinirbhartsya — chastising; hastāt — from her hands; ācicchide — separated the child by force; khalaḥ — Kaḿsa, the most cruel.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: piteously embracing her daughter and crying, Devakī begged Kaḿsa for the child, but he was so cruel that he chastised her and forcibly snatched the child from her hands.
10.4.8
tāḿ gṛhītvā caraṇayor
jāta-mātrāḿ svasuḥ sutām
apothayac chilā-pṛṣṭhe
svārthonmūlita-sauhṛdaḥ
tām — the child; gṛhītvā — taking by force; caraṇayoḥ — by the two legs; jāta-mātrām — the newborn child; svasuḥ — of his sister; sutām — the daughter; apothayat — smashed; śilā-pṛṣṭhe — on the surface of a stone; sva-artha-unmūlita — uprooted because of intense selfishness; sauhṛdaḥ — all friendship or family relationships.
TRANSLATION
Having uprooted all relationships with his sister because of intense selfishness, Kaḿsa, who was sitting on his knees, grasped the newborn child by the legs and tried to dash her against the surface of a stone.
10.4.9
sā tad-dhastāt samutpatya
sadyo devy ambaraḿ gatā
adṛśyatānujā viṣṇoḥ
sāyudhāṣṭa-mahābhujā
sā — that female child; tat-hastāt — from the hand of Kaḿsa; sam-utpatya — slipped upward; sadyaḥ — immediately; devī — the form of a demigoddess; ambaram — into the sky; gatā — went; adṛśyata — was seen; anujā — the younger sister; viṣṇoḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sa-āyudhā — with weapons; aṣṭa — eight; mahā-bhujā — with mighty arms.
TRANSLATION
The child, Yogamāyā-devī, the younger sister of Lord Viṣṇu, slipped upward from Kaḿsa's hands and appeared in the sky as Devī, the goddess Durgā, with eight arms, completely equipped with weapons.
10.4.10-11
divya-srag-ambarālepa-
ratnābharaṇa-bhūṣitā
dhanuḥ-śūleṣu-carmāsi-
śańkha-cakra-gadā-dharā
siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvair
apsaraḥ-kinnaroragaiḥ
upāhṛtoru-balibhiḥ
stūyamānedam abravīt
divya-srak-ambara-ālepa — she then assumed the form of a demigoddess, completely decorated with sandalwood pulp, flower garlands and a nice dress; ratna-ābharaṇa-bhūṣitā — decorated with ornaments of valuable jewels; dhanuḥ-śūla-iṣu-carma-asi — with bow, trident, arrows, shield and sword; śańkha-cakra-gadā-dharā — and holding the weapons of Viṣṇu (conchshell, disc and club);
siddha-cāraṇa-gandharvaiḥ — by the Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas; apsaraḥ-kinnara-uragaiḥ — and by the Apsarās, Kinnaras and Uragas; upāhṛta-uru-balibhiḥ — who brought all kinds of presentations to her; stūyamānā — being praised; idam — these words; abravīt — she said.
TRANSLATION
The goddess Durgā was decorated with flower garlands, smeared with sandalwood pulp and dressed with excellent garments and ornaments made of valuable jewels. Holding in her hands a bow, a trident, arrows, a shield, a sword, a conchshell, a disc and a club, and being praised by celestial beings like Apsarās, Kinnaras, Uragas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas and Gandharvas, who worshiped her with all kinds of presentations, she spoke as follows.
10.4.12
kiḿ mayā hatayā manda
jātaḥ khalu tavānta-kṛt
yatra kva vā pūrva-śatrur
mā hiḿsīḥ kṛpaṇān vṛthā
kim — what is the use; mayā — me; hatayā — in killing; manda — O you fool; jātaḥ — has already been born; khalu — indeed; tava anta-kṛt — who will kill you; yatra kva vā — somewhere else; pūrva-śatruḥ — your former enemy; mā — do not; hiḿsīḥ — kill; kṛpaṇān — other poor children; vṛthā — unnecessarily.
TRANSLATION
O Kaḿsa, you fool, what will be the use of killing me? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has been your enemy from the very beginning and who will certainly kill you, has already taken His birth somewhere else. Therefore, do not unnecessarily kill other children.
10.4.13
iti prabhāṣya taḿ devī
māyā bhagavatī bhuvi
bahu-nāma-niketeṣu
bahu-nāmā babhūva ha
iti — in this way; prabhāṣya — addressing; tam — Kaḿsa; devī — the goddess Durgā; māyā — Yogamāyā; bhagavatī — possessing immense power, like that of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhuvi — on the surface of the earth; bahu-nāma — of different names; niketeṣu — in different places; bahu-nāmā — different names; babhūva — became; ha — indeed.
TRANSLATION
After speaking to Kaḿsa in this way, the goddess Durgā, Yogamāyā, appeared in different places, such as Vārāṇasī, and became celebrated by different names, such as Annapūrṇā, Durgā, Kālī and Bhadrā.
10.4.14
tayābhihitam ākarṇya
kaḿsaḥ parama-vismitaḥ
devakīḿ vasudevaḿ ca
vimucya praśrito 'bravīt
tayā — by the goddess Durgā; abhihitam — the words spoken; ākarṇya — by hearing; kaḿsaḥ — Kaḿsa; parama-vismitaḥ — was struck with wonder; devakīm — unto Devakī; vasudevam ca — and Vasudeva; vimucya — releasing immediately; praśritaḥ — with great humility; abravīt — spoke as follows.
TRANSLATION
After hearing the words of the goddess Durgā, Kaḿsa was struck with wonder. Thus he approached his sister Devakī and brother-in-law Vasudeva, released them immediately from their shackles, and very humbly spoke as follows.
10.4.15
aho bhaginy aho bhāma
mayā vāḿ bata pāpmanā
puruṣāda ivāpatyaḿ
bahavo hiḿsitāḥ sutāḥ
aho — alas; bhagini — my dear sister; aho — alas; bhāma — my dear brother-in-law; mayā — by me; vām — of you; bata — indeed; pāpmanā — because of sinful activities; puruṣa-adaḥ — a Rākṣasa, man-eater; iva — like; apatyam — child; bahavaḥ — many; hiḿsitāḥ — have been killed; sutāḥ — sons.
TRANSLATION
Alas, my sister! Alas, my brother-in-law! I am indeed so sinful that exactly like a man-eater [Rākṣasa] who eats his own child, I have killed so many sons born of you.
10.4.16
sa tv ahaḿ tyakta-kāruṇyas
tyakta-jñāti-suhṛt khalaḥ
kān lokān vai gamiṣyāmi
brahma-heva mṛtaḥ śvasan
saḥ — that person (Kaḿsa); tu — indeed; aham — I; tyakta-kāruṇyaḥ — devoid of all mercy; tyakta-jñāti-suhṛt — my relatives and friends have been rejected by me; khalaḥ — cruel; kān lokān — which planets; vai — indeed; gamiṣyāmi — shall go; brahma-hā iva — like the killer of a brāhmaṇa; mṛtaḥ śvasan — either after death or while breathing.
TRANSLATION
Being merciless and cruel, I have forsaken all my relatives and friends. Therefore, like a person who has killed a brāhmaṇa, I do not know to which planet I shall go, either after death or while breathing.
10.4.17
daivam apy anṛtaḿ vakti
na martyā eva kevalam
yad-viśrambhād ahaḿ pāpaḥ
svasur nihatavāñ chiśūn
daivam — providence; api — also; anṛtam — lies; vakti — say; na — not; martyāḥ — human beings; eva — certainly; kevalam — only; yat-viśrambhāt — because of believing that prophecy; aham — I; pāpaḥ — the most sinful; svasuḥ — of my sister; nihatavān — killed; śiśūn — so many children.
TRANSLATION
Alas, not only human beings but sometimes even providence lies. And I am so sinful that I believed the omen of providence and killed so many of my sister's children.
10.4.18
mā śocataḿ mahā-bhāgāv
ātmajān sva-kṛtaḿ bhujaḥ
jāntavo na sadaikatra
daivādhīnās tadāsate
mā śocatam — kindly do not be aggrieved (for what happened in the past); mahā-bhāgau — O you who are learned and fortunate in spiritual knowledge; ātmajān — for your sons; sva-kṛtam — only because of their own acts; bhujaḥ — who are suffering; jāntavaḥ — all living entities; na — not; sadā — always; ekatra — in one place; daiva-adhīnāḥ — who are under the control of providence; tadā — hence; āsate — live.
TRANSLATION
O great souls, your children have suffered their own misfortune. Therefore, please do not lament for them. All living entities are under the control of the Supreme, and they cannot always live together.
10.4.19
bhuvi bhaumāni bhūtāni
yathā yānty apayānti ca
nāyam ātmā tathaiteṣu
viparyeti yathaiva bhūḥ
bhuvi — on the surface of the world; bhaumāni — all material products from earth, such as pots; bhūtāni — which are produced; yathā — as; yānti — appear (in form); apayānti — disappear (broken or mixed with the earth); ca — and; na — not; ayam ātmā — the soul or spiritual identity; tathā — similarly; eteṣu — among all these (products of material elements); viparyeti — is changed or broken; yathā — as; eva — certainly; bhūḥ — the earth.
TRANSLATION
In this world, we can see that pots, dolls and other products of the earth appear, break and then disappear, mixing with the earth. Similarly, the bodies of all conditioned living entities are annihilated, but the living entities, like the earth itself, are unchanging and never annihilated [na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre [Bg. 2.20]].
10.4.20
yathānevaḿ-vido bhedo
yata ātma-viparyayaḥ
deha-yoga-viyogau ca
saḿsṛtir na nivartate
yathā — as; an-evam-vidaḥ — of a person who has no knowledge (about ātma-tattva and the steadiness of the ātmā in his own identity, despite the changes of the body); bhedaḥ — the idea of difference between body and self; yataḥ — because of which; ātma-viparyayaḥ — the foolish understanding that one is the body; deha-yoga-viyogau ca — and this causes connections and separations among different bodies; saḿsṛtiḥ — the continuation of conditioned life; na — not; nivartate — does stop.
TRANSLATION
One who does not understand the constitutional position of the body and the soul [ātmā] becomes too attached to the bodily concept of life. Consequently, because of attachment to the body and its by-products, he feels affected by union with and separation from his family, society and nation. As long as this continues, one continues his material life. [Otherwise, one is liberated.]
10.4.21
tasmād bhadre sva-tanayān
mayā vyāpāditān api
mānuśoca yataḥ sarvaḥ
sva-kṛtaḿ vindate 'vaśaḥ
tasmāt — therefore; bhadre — my dear sister (all auspiciousness unto you); sva-tanayān — for your own sons; mayā — by me; vyāpāditān — unfortunately killed; api — although; mā anuśoca — do not be aggrieved; yataḥ — because; sarvaḥ — everyone; sva-kṛtam — the fruitive results of one's own deeds; vindate — suffers or enjoys; avaśaḥ — under the control of providence.
TRANSLATION
My dear sister Devakī, all good fortune unto you. Everyone suffers and enjoys the results of his own work under the control of providence. Therefore, although your sons have unfortunately been killed by me, please do not lament for them.
10.4.22
yāvad dhato 'smi hantāsmī-
ty ātmānaḿ manyate 'sva-dṛk
tāvat tad-abhimāny ajño
bādhya-bādhakatām iyāt
yāvat — as long as; hataḥ asmi — I am now being killed (by others); hantā asmi — I am the killer (of others); iti — thus; ātmānam — own self; manyate — he considers; a-sva-dṛk — one who has not seen himself (because of the darkness of the bodily conception of life); tāvat — for that long; tat-abhimānī — regarding himself as the killed or the killer; ajñaḥ — a foolish person; bādhya-bādhakatām — the worldly transaction of being obliged to execute some responsibility; iyāt — continues.
TRANSLATION
In the bodily conception of life, one remains in darkness, without self-realization, thinking, "I am being killed" or "I have killed my enemies." As long as a foolish person thus considers the self to be the killer or the killed, he continues to be responsible for material obligations, and consequently he suffers the reactions of happiness and distress.
10.4.23
kṣamadhvaḿ mama daurātmyaḿ
sādhavo dīna-vatsalāḥ
ity uktvāśru-mukhaḥ pādau
śyālaḥ svasror athāgrahīt
kṣamadhvam — kindly excuse; mama — my; daurātmyam — atrocious activities; sādhavaḥ — both of you are great saintly persons; dīna-vatsalāḥ — and are very kind to poor, cripple-minded persons; iti uktvā — saying this; aśru-mukhaḥ — his face full of tears; pādau — the feet; śyālaḥ — his brother-in-law Kaḿsa; svasraḥ — of his sister and brother-in-law; atha — thus; agrahīt — captured.
TRANSLATION
Kaḿsa begged, "My dear sister and brother-in-law, please be merciful to such a poor-hearted person as me, since both of you are saintly persons. Please excuse my atrocities." Having said this, Kaḿsa fell at the feet of Vasudeva and Devakī, his eyes full of tears of regret.
10.4.24
mocayām āsa nigaḍād
viśrabdhaḥ kanyakā-girā
devakīḿ vasudevaḿ ca
darśayann ātma-sauhṛdam
mocayām āsa — Kaḿsa released them; nigaḍāt — from their iron shackles; viśrabdhaḥ — with full confidence; kanyakā-girā — in the words of the goddess Durgā; devakīm — toward his sister Devakī; vasudevam ca — and his brother-in-law Vasudeva; darśayan — fully exhibiting; ātma-sauhṛdam — his family relationship.
TRANSLATION
Fully believing in the words of the goddess Durgā, Kaḿsa exhibited his familial affection for Devakī and Vasudeva by immediately releasing them from their iron shackles.
10.4.25
bhrātuḥ samanutaptasya
kṣānta-roṣā ca devakī
vyasṛjad vasudevaś ca
prahasya tam uvāca ha
bhrātuḥ — toward her brother Kaḿsa; samanutaptasya — because of his being regretful; kṣānta-roṣā — was relieved of anger; ca — also; devakī — Kṛṣṇa's mother, Devakī; vyasṛjat — gave up; vasudevaḥ ca — Vasudeva also; prahasya — smiling; tam — unto Kaḿsa; uvāca — said; ha — in the past.
TRANSLATION
When Devakī saw her brother actually repentant while explaining ordained events, she was relieved of all anger. Similarly, Vasudeva was also free from anger. Smiling, he spoke to Kaḿsa as follows.
10.4.26
evam etan mahā-bhāga
yathā vadasi dehinām
ajñāna-prabhavāhaḿ-dhīḥ
sva-pareti bhidā yataḥ
evam — yes, this is right; etat — what you have said; mahā-bhāga — O great personality; yathā — as; vadasi — you are speaking; dehinām — about living entities (accepting material bodies); ajñāna-prabhavā — by the influence of ignorance; aham-dhīḥ — this is my interest (false ego); sva-parā iti — this is another's interest; bhidā — differentiation; yataḥ — because of such a conception of life.
TRANSLATION
O great personality Kaḿsa, only by the influence of ignorance does one accept the material body and bodily ego. What you have said about this philosophy is correct. Persons in the bodily concept of life, lacking self-realization, differentiate in terms of "This is mine" and "This belongs to another."
10.4.27
śoka-harṣa-bhaya-dveṣa-
lobha-moha-madānvitāḥ
mitho ghnantaḿ na paśyanti
bhāvair bhāvaḿ pṛthag-dṛśaḥ
śoka — lamentation; harṣa — jubilation; bhaya — fear; dveṣa — envy; lobha — greed; moha — illusion; mada — madness; anvitāḥ — endowed with; mithaḥ — one another; ghnantam — engaged in killing; na paśyanti — do not see; bhāvaiḥ — because of such differentiation; bhāvam — the situation in relation to the Supreme Lord; pṛthak-dṛśaḥ — persons who see everything as separate from the control of the Lord.
TRANSLATION
Persons with the vision of differentiation are imbued with the material qualities lamentation, jubilation, fear, envy, greed, illusion and madness. They are influenced by the immediate cause, which they are busy counteracting, because they have no knowledge of the remote, supreme cause, the Personality of Godhead.
10.4.28
śrī-śuka uvāca
kaḿsa evaḿ prasannābhyāḿ
viśuddhaḿ pratibhāṣitaḥ
devakī-vasudevābhyām
anujñāto 'viśad gṛham
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kaḿsaḥ — King Kaḿsa; evam — thus; prasannābhyām — who were very much appeased; viśuddham — in purity; pratibhāṣitaḥ — being answered; devakī-vasudevābhyām — by Devakī and Vasudeva; anujñātaḥ — taking permission; aviśat — entered; gṛham — his own palace.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thus having been addressed in purity by Devakī and Vasudeva, who were very much appeased, Kaḿsa felt pleased, and with their permission he entered his home.
10.4.29
tasyāḿ rātryāḿ vyatītāyāḿ
kaḿsa āhūya mantriṇaḥ
tebhya ācaṣṭa tat sarvaḿ
yad uktaḿ yoga-nidrayā
tasyām — that; rātryām — night; vyatītāyām — having passed; kaḿsaḥ — King Kaḿsa; āhūya — calling for; mantriṇaḥ — all the ministers; tebhyaḥ — them; ācaṣṭa — informed; tat — that; sarvam — all; yat uktam — which was spoken (that Kaḿsa's murderer was already somewhere else); yoga-nidrayā — by Yogamāyā, the goddess Durgā.
TRANSLATION
After that night passed, Kaḿsa summoned his ministers and informed them of all that had been spoken by Yogamāyā [who had revealed that He who was to slay Kaḿsa had already been born somewhere else].
10.4.30
ākarṇya bhartur gaditaḿ
tam ūcur deva-śatravaḥ
devān prati kṛtāmarṣā
daiteyā nāti-kovidāḥ
ākarṇya — after hearing; bhartuḥ — of their master; gaditam — the words or statement; tam ūcuḥ — replied to him; deva-śatravaḥ — all the asuras, who were enemies of the demigods; devān — the demigods; prati — toward; kṛta-amarṣāḥ — who were envious; daiteyāḥ — the asuras; na — not; ati-kovidāḥ — who were very expert in executing transactions.
TRANSLATION
After hearing their master's statement, the envious asuras, who were enemies of the demigods and were not very expert in their dealings, advised Kaḿsa as follows.
10.4.31
evaḿ cet tarhi bhojendra
pura-grāma-vrajādiṣu
anirdaśān nirdaśāḿś ca
haniṣyāmo 'dya vai śiśūn
evam — thus; cet — if it is so; tarhi — then; bhoja-indra — O King of Bhoja; pura-grāma-vraja-ādiṣu — in all the towns, villages and pasturing grounds; anirdaśān — those who are less than ten days old; nirdaśān ca — and those who are just over ten days old; haniṣyāmaḥ — we shall kill; adya — beginning from today; vai — indeed; śiśūn — all such children.
TRANSLATION
If this is so, O King of the Bhoja dynasty, beginning today we shall kill all the children born in all the villages, towns and pasturing grounds within the past ten days or slightly more.
10.4.32
kim udyamaiḥ kariṣyanti
devāḥ samara-bhīravaḥ
nityam udvigna-manaso
jyā-ghoṣair dhanuṣas tava
kim — what; udyamaiḥ — by their endeavors; kariṣyanti — will do; devāḥ — all the demigods; samara-bhīravaḥ — who are afraid of fighting; nityam — always; udvigna-manasaḥ — with agitated minds; jyā-ghoṣaiḥ — by the sound of the string; dhanuṣaḥ — of the bow; tava — your.
TRANSLATION
The demigods always fear the sound of your bowstring. They are constantly in anxiety, afraid of fighting. Therefore, what can they do by their endeavors to harm you?
10.4.33
asyatas te śara-vrātair
hanyamānāḥ samantataḥ
jijīviṣava utsṛjya
palāyana-parā yayuḥ
asyataḥ — pierced by your discharged arrows; te — your; śara-vrātaiḥ — by the multitude of arrows; hanyamānāḥ — being killed; samantataḥ — here and there; jijīviṣavaḥ — aspiring to live; utsṛjya — giving up the battlefield; palāyana-parāḥ — intent on escaping; yayuḥ — they fled (the fighting).
TRANSLATION
While being pierced by your arrows, which you discharged on all sides, some of them, who were injured by the multitude of arrows but who desired to live, fled the battlefield, intent on escaping.
10.4.34
kecit prāñjalayo dīnā
nyasta-śastrā divaukasaḥ
mukta-kaccha-śikhāḥ kecid
bhītāḥ sma iti vādinaḥ
kecit — some of them; prāñjalayaḥ — folded their hands just to please you; dīnāḥ — very poor; nyasta-śastrāḥ — being bereft of all weapons; divaukasaḥ — the demigods; mukta-kaccha-śikhāḥ — their garments and hair loosened and scattered; kecit — some of them; bhītāḥ — we are very much afraid; sma — so became; iti vādinaḥ — they spoke thus.
TRANSLATION
Defeated and bereft of all weapons, some of the demigods gave up fighting and praised you with folded hands, and some of them, appearing before you with loosened garments and hair, said, "O lord, we are very much afraid of you."
10.4.35
na tvaḿ vismṛta-śastrāstrān
virathān bhaya-saḿvṛtān
haḿsy anyāsakta-vimukhān
bhagna-cāpān ayudhyataḥ
na — not; tvam — Your Majesty; vismṛta-śastra-astrān — those who have forgotten how to use weapons; virathān — without chariots; bhaya-saḿvṛtān — bewildered by fear; haḿsi — does kill; anya-āsakta-vimukhān — persons attached not to fighting but to some other subject matter; bhagna-cāpān — their bows broken; ayudhyataḥ — and thus not fighting.
TRANSLATION
When the demigods are bereft of their chariots, when they forget how to use weapons, when they are fearful or attached to something other than fighting, or when their bows are broken and they have thus lost the ability to fight, Your Majesty does not kill them.
10.4.36
kiḿ kṣema-śūrair vibudhair
asaḿyuga-vikatthanaiḥ
raho-juṣā kiḿ hariṇā
śambhunā vā vanaukasā
kim indreṇālpa-vīryeṇa
brahmaṇā vā tapasyatā
kim — what is there to fear; kṣema — in a place where there is a scarcity of the ability to fight; śūraiḥ — by the demigods; vibudhaiḥ — by such powerful persons; asaḿyuga-vikatthanaiḥ — by boasting and talking uselessly, away from the fighting; rahaḥ-juṣā — who is living in a solitary place within the core of the heart; kim hariṇā — what is the fear from Lord Viṣṇu; śambhunā — (and what is the fear) from Lord Śiva; vā — either; vana-okasā — who is living in the forest; kim indreṇa — what is the fear from Indra; alpa-vīryeṇa — he is not at all powerful (having no power to fight with you); brahmaṇā — and what is the fear from Brahmā; vā — either; tapasyatā — who is always engaged in meditation.
TRANSLATION
The demigods boast uselessly while away from the battlefield. Only where there is no fighting can they show their prowess. Therefore, from such demigods we have nothing to fear. As for Lord Viṣṇu, He is in seclusion in the core of the hearts of the yogīs. As for Lord Śiva, he has gone to the forest. And as for Lord Brahmā, he is always engaged in austerities and meditation. The other demigods, headed by Indra, are devoid of prowess. Therefore you have nothing to fear.
10.4.37
tathāpi devāḥ sāpatnyān
nopekṣyā iti manmahe
tatas tan-mūla-khanane
niyuńkṣvāsmān anuvratān
tathā api — still; devāḥ — the demigods; sāpatnyāt — due to enmity; na upekṣyāḥ — should not be neglected; iti manmahe — this is our opinion; tataḥ — therefore; tat-mūla-khanane — to uproot them completely; niyuńkṣva — engage; asmān — us; anuvratān — who are ready to follow you.
TRANSLATION
Nonetheless, because of their enmity, our opinion is that the demigods should not be neglected. Therefore, to uproot them completely, engage us in fighting with them, for we are ready to follow you.
10.4.38
yathāmayo 'ńge samupekṣito nṛbhir
na śakyate rūḍha-padaś cikitsitum
yathendriya-grāma upekṣitas tathā
ripur mahān baddha-balo na cālyate
yathā — as; āmayaḥ — a disease; ańge — in the body; samupekṣitaḥ — being neglected; nṛbhiḥ — by men; na — not; śakyate — is able; rūḍha-padaḥ — when it is acute; cikitsitum — to be treated; yathā — and as; indriya-grāmaḥ — the senses; upekṣitaḥ — not controlled in the beginning; tathā — similarly; ripuḥ mahān — a great enemy; baddha-balaḥ — if he becomes strong; na — not; cālyate — can be controlled.
TRANSLATION
As a disease, if initially neglected, becomes acute and impossible to cure, or as the senses, if not controlled at first, are impossible to control later, an enemy, if neglected in the beginning, later becomes insurmountable.
10.4.39
mūlaḿ hi viṣṇur devānāḿ
yatra dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ
tasya ca brahma-go-viprās
tapo yajñāḥ sa-dakṣiṇāḥ
mūlam — the foundation; hi — indeed; viṣṇuḥ — is Lord Viṣṇu; devānām — of the demigods; yatra — wherein; dharmaḥ — religious principles; sanātanaḥ — traditional or eternal; tasya — of this (foundation); ca — also; brahma — brahminical civilization; go — cow protection; viprāḥ — brāhmaṇas; tapaḥ — austerity; yajñāḥ — performing sacrifices; sa-dakṣiṇāḥ — with proper remuneration.
TRANSLATION
The foundation of all the demigods is Lord Viṣṇu, who lives and is worshiped wherever there are religious principles, traditional culture, the Vedas, cows, brāhmaṇas, austerities, and sacrifices with proper remuneration.
10.4.40
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan
brāhmaṇān brahma-vādinaḥ
tapasvino yajña-śīlān
gāś ca hanmo havir-dughāḥ
tasmāt — therefore; sarva-ātmanā — in every respect; rājan — O King; brāhmaṇān — the brāhmaṇas; brahma-vādinaḥ — who maintain the brahminical culture, centered around Viṣṇu; tapasvinaḥ — persons who are engaged in austerities; yajña-śīlān — persons engaged in offering sacrifices; gāḥ ca — cows and persons engaged in protecting cows; hanmaḥ — we shall kill; haviḥ-dughāḥ — because they supply milk, from which clarified butter is obtained for the offering of sacrifice.
TRANSLATION
O King, we, who are your adherents in all respects, shall therefore kill the Vedic brāhmaṇas, the persons engaged in offering sacrifices and austerities, and the cows that supply milk, from which clarified butter is obtained for the ingredients of sacrifice.
10.4.41
viprā gāvaś ca vedāś ca
tapaḥ satyaḿ damaḥ śamaḥ
śraddhā dayā titikṣā ca
kratavaś ca hares tanūḥ
viprāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; gāvaḥ ca — and the cows; vedāḥ ca — and the Vedic knowledge; tapaḥ — austerity; satyam — truthfulness; damaḥ — control of the senses; śamaḥ — control of the mind; śraddhā — faith; dayā — mercy; titikṣā — tolerance; ca — also; kratavaḥ ca — as well as sacrifices; hareḥ tanūḥ — are the different parts of the body of Lord Viṣṇu.
TRANSLATION
The brāhmaṇas, the cows, Vedic knowledge, austerity, truthfulness, control of the mind and senses, faith, mercy, tolerance and sacrifice are the different parts of the body of Lord Viṣṇu, and they are the paraphernalia for a godly civilization.
10.4.42
sa hi sarva-surādhyakṣo
hy asura-dviḍ guhā-śayaḥ
tan-mūlā devatāḥ sarvāḥ
seśvarāḥ sa-catur-mukhāḥ
ayaḿ vai tad-vadhopāyo
yad ṛṣīṇāḿ vihiḿsanam
saḥ — He (Lord Viṣṇu); hi — indeed; sarva-sura-adhyakṣaḥ — the leader of all the demigods; hi — indeed; asura-dviṭ — the enemy of the asuras; guhā-śayaḥ — He is the Supersoul within the core of everyone's heart; tat-mūlāḥ — taking shelter at His lotus feet; devatāḥ — the demigods exist; sarvāḥ — all of them; sa-īśvarāḥ — including Lord Śiva; sa-catuḥ-mukhāḥ — as well as Lord Brahmā, who has four faces; ayam — this is; vai — indeed; tat-vadha-upāyaḥ — the only means of killing Him (Viṣṇu); yat — which; ṛṣīṇām — of great sages, saintly persons, or Vaiṣṇavas; vihiḿsanam — suppression with all kinds of persecution.
TRANSLATION
Lord Viṣṇu, the Supersoul within the core of everyone's heart, is the ultimate enemy of the asuras and is therefore known as asura-dviṭ. He is the leader of all the demigods because all the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, exist under His protection. The great saintly persons, sages and Vaiṣṇavas also depend upon Him. To persecute the Vaiṣṇavas, therefore, is the only way to kill Viṣṇu.
10.4.43
śrī-śuka uvāca
evaḿ durmantribhiḥ kaḿsaḥ
saha sammantrya durmatiḥ
brahma-hiḿsāḿ hitaḿ mene
kāla-pāśāvṛto 'suraḥ
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — in this way; durmantribhiḥ — his bad ministers; kaḿsaḥ — King Kaḿsa; saha — along with; sammantrya — after considering very elaborately; durmatiḥ — without good intelligence; brahma-hiḿsām — persecution of the brāhmaṇas; hitam — as the best way; mene — accepted; kāla-pāśa-āvṛtaḥ — being bound by the rules and regulations of Yamarāja; asuraḥ — because he was a demon.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thus, having considered the instructions of his bad ministers, Kaḿsa, who was bound by the laws of Yamarāja and devoid of good intelligence because he was a demon, decided to persecute the saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas, as the only way to achieve his own good fortune.
10.4.44
sandiśya sādhu-lokasya
kadane kadana-priyān
kāma-rūpa-dharān dikṣu
dānavān gṛham āviśat
sandiśya — after giving permission; sādhu-lokasya — of the saintly persons; kadane — in persecution; kadana-priyān — to the demons, who were very expert at persecuting others; kāma-rūpa-dharān — who could assume any form, according to their own desire; dikṣu — in all directions; dānavān — to the demons; gṛham āviśat — Kaḿsa entered his own palace.
TRANSLATION
These demons, the followers of Kaḿsa, were expert at persecuting others, especially the Vaiṣṇavas, and could assume any form they desired. After giving these demons permission to go everywhere and persecute the saintly persons, Kaḿsa entered his palace.
10.4.45
te vai rajaḥ-prakṛtayas
tamasā mūḍha-cetasaḥ
satāḿ vidveṣam ācerur
ārād āgata-mṛtyavaḥ
te — all the asuric ministers; vai — indeed; rajaḥ-prakṛtayaḥ — surcharged with the mode of passion; tamasā — overwhelmed by the mode of ignorance; mūḍha-cetasaḥ — foolish persons; satām — of saintly persons; vidveṣam — persecution; āceruḥ — executed; ārāt āgata-mṛtya-vaḥ — impending death having already overtaken them.
TRANSLATION
Surcharged with passion and ignorance and not knowing what was good or bad for them, the asuras, for whom impending death was waiting, began the persecution of the saintly persons.
10.4.46
āyuḥ śriyaḿ yaśo dharmaḿ
lokān āśiṣa eva ca
hanti śreyāḿsi sarvāṇi
puḿso mahad-atikramaḥ
āyuḥ — the duration of life; śriyam — beauty; yaśaḥ — fame; dharmam — religion; lokān — elevation to higher planets; āśiṣaḥ — blessings; eva — indeed; ca — also; hanti — destroys; śreyāḿsi — benedictions; sarvāṇi — all; puḿsaḥ — of a person; mahat-atikramaḥ — trespassing against great personalities.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, when a man persecutes great souls, all his benedictions of longevity, beauty, fame, religion, blessings and promotion to higher planets will be destroyed.
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