CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
The Killing of Kaṁsa
This chapter tells how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma killed the wrestlers, how Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṁsa and consoled Kaṁsa’s wives, and how the two Lords were reunited with Their mother and father.
Deciding to wrestle, Lord Kṛṣṇa faced off against Cāṇūra, and Lord Baladeva took on Muṣṭika. Battling arm to arm, head to head, knee to knee and chest to chest, the opponents attacked each other so fiercely that they appeared to be harming even their own bodies. The ladies in the arena, seeing the violent battle, began to condemn the King and all the members of the assembly: “A respectable audience should never have allowed a wrestling match between such huge wrestlers, whose limbs are as tough as lightning bolts, and such tender young boys, who are just entering youth. An intelligent person should never enter an assembly if he sees injustice being done there.” Because Vasudeva and Devakī did not fully understand the power of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, they became extremely unhappy when they heard the women of the audience speak these words.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa then grabbed Cāṇūra’s arms, whirled him around several times and threw him to the ground, killing him. Muṣṭika met a similar fate: after being struck powerfully by Lord Baladeva’s palm, he began vomiting blood and then fell down dead. Thereupon the wrestlers named Kūṭa, Śala and Tośala came forward, but Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma easily killed them with the blows of Their fists and feet. The remaining wrestlers, fearing for their lives, all fled.
Except for Kaṁsa, everyone present cheered Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. The King, in a rage, stopped the festive music and ordered that Vasudeva, Nanda, Ugrasena and all the cowherds be severely punished and that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma be driven from the assembly. Kṛṣṇa became furious when He heard Kaṁsa speak this way, and He instantly leapt onto the lofty royal dais. He grabbed Kaṁsa by the hair, hurled him down onto the floor of the wrestling ring and threw Himself on top of him. In this way, Kaṁsa met his death. Because out of fear Kaṁsa had always thought of Kṛṣṇa, after his death he gained the liberation of having a form like the Lord’s.
Kaṁsa’s eight brothers then attacked Kṛṣṇa, but Balarāma easily killed each of them with His club, just as a lion kills defenseless animals. Kettledrums resounded in the sky as the joyful demigods rained down flowers and chanted the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.
The wives of Kaṁsa, grieving for their husband, lamented that he had died because of his violence toward other living beings and his lack of respect for Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, who creates, maintains and destroys the entire universe. The Lord consoled the widows, had the funeral rites performed for Kaṁsa and his brothers and then released His mother and father from bondage. Kṛṣṇa offered obeisances at His parents’ feet, but they, now understanding Him to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead, did not embrace Him.
Devanagari
एवं चर्चितसङ्कल्पो भगवान् मधुसूदन: । आससादाथ चाणूरं मुष्टिकं रोहिणीसुत: ॥ १ ॥
Text
evaṁ carcita-saṅkalpo
bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ
āsasādātha caṇūraṁ
muṣṭtikaṁ rohiṇī-sutaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus addressed, Lord Kṛṣṇa made up His mind to accept the challenge. He paired off with Cāṇūra, and Lord Balarāma with Muṣṭika.
Devanagari
Text
padbhyām eva ca pādayoḥ
vicakarṣatur anyonyaṁ
prasahya vijigīṣayā
Synonyms
hastābhyām — with their hands; hastayoḥ — by the hands; baddhvā — seizing; padbhyām — with their legs; eva ca — also; pādayoḥ — by the legs; vicakarṣatuḥ — they (Kṛṣṇa paired with Cāṇūra, and Balarāma with Muṣṭika) dragged; anyonyam — each other; prasahya — with force; vijigīṣayā — with desire for victory.
Translation
Seizing each other’s hands and locking legs with each other, the opponents struggled powerfully, eager for victory.
Devanagari
Text
jānubhyāṁ caiva jānunī
śiraḥ śīrṣṇorasoras tāv
anyonyam abhijaghnatuḥ
Synonyms
Translation
They each struck fists against fists, knees against knees, head against head and chest against chest.
Purport
The word aratni in this verse may indicate the elbow as well as the fist. Thus blows were perhaps also struck with the elbow, a technique seen today in various martial arts.
Devanagari
Text
parirambhāvapātanaiḥ
utsarpaṇāpasarpaṇaiś
cānyonyaṁ pratyarundhatām
Synonyms
paribhrāmaṇa — with wheeling the other about; vikṣepa — shoving; parirambha — crushing; avapātanaiḥ — and throwing down; utsarpaṇa — releasing and running in front; apasarpaṇaiḥ — going behind; ca — and; anyonyam — each other; pratyarundhatām — they resisted.
Translation
Each fighter contended with his opponent by dragging him about in circles, shoving and crushing him, throwing him down and running before and behind him.
Purport
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that the word parirambha indicates crushing one’s opponent with one’s arms.
Devanagari
Text
cālanaiḥ sthāpanair api
parasparaṁ jigīṣantāv
apacakratur ātmanaḥ
Synonyms
utthāpanaiḥ — with lifting up; unnayanaiḥ — carrying; cālanaiḥ — pushing away; sthāpanaiḥ — holding stationary; api — also; parasparam — each other; jigīṣantau — wanting victory; apacakratuḥ — they harmed; ātmanaḥ — (even) themselves.
Translation
Forcefully lifting and carrying each other, pushing each other away and holding each other down, the fighters hurt even their own bodies in their great eagerness for victory.
Purport
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī explains that although Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma did not, of course, harm Themselves, it appeared that way to Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika and others of mundane vision. In other words, the Lords were fully absorbed in the pastime of being wrestlers.
Devanagari
Text
sametāḥ sarva-yoṣitaḥ
ūcuḥ parasparaṁ rājan
sānukampā varūthaśaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
My dear King, all the women present, considering the match an unfair fight between the strong and the weak, felt extreme anxiety due to compassion. They assembled in groups around the arena and spoke to one another as follows.
Devanagari
Text
eṣāṁ rāja-sabhā-sadām
ye balābalavad yuddhaṁ
rājño ’nvicchanti paśyataḥ
Synonyms
mahān — great; ayam — this; bata — alas; adharmaḥ — act of irreligion; eṣām — on the part of these; rāja-sabhā — in the King’s assembly; sadām — persons present; ye — who; bala-abala-vat — between strong and weak; yuddham — a fight; rājñaḥ — while the King; anvicchanti — they also desire; paśyataḥ — is watching.
Translation
[The women said:] Alas, what a greatly irreligious act the members of this royal assembly are committing! As the King watches this fight between the strong and the weak, they also want to see it.
Purport
The idea the ladies are expressing is that even if the King somehow wanted to see such an unfair match, why should the respectable members of the assembly also desire to see it? These feelings are natural. Even nowadays, if in a public place we find a violent fight going on between a very strong, large person and a weaker, smaller person, we are aroused to indignation. Compassionate women are especially offended and enraged by such unfair violence.
Devanagari
Text
mallau śailendra-sannibhau
kva cāti-sukumārāṅgau
kiśorau nāpta-yauvanau
Synonyms
kva — where, on the one hand; vajra — of lightning; sāra — with the strength; sarva — all; aṅgau — whose limbs; mallau — two wrestlers; śaila — mountains; indra — like the chief; sannibhau — whose appearance; kva — where; ca — and, on the other hand; ati — very; su-kumāra — tender; aṅgau — whose limbs; kiśorau — two youths; na āpta — not having yet attained; yauvanau — Their maturity.
Translation
What comparison can there be between these two professional wrestlers, with limbs as strong as lightning bolts and bodies resembling mighty mountains, and these two young, immature boys with exceedingly tender limbs?
Devanagari
Text
samājasya dhruvaṁ bhavet
yatrādharmaḥ samuttiṣṭhen
na stheyaṁ tatra karhicit
Synonyms
dharma — of religious principles; vyatikramaḥ — transgression; hi — indeed; asya — by this; samājasya — company; dhruvam — certainly; bhavet — must be; yatra — wherein; adharmaḥ — irreligion; samuttiṣṭhet — has fully arisen; na stheyam — one should not remain; tatra — there; karhicit — for any duration of time at all.
Translation
Religious principles have certainly been violated in this assembly. One should not remain for even a moment in a place where irreligion is flourishing.
Devanagari
Text
sabhya-doṣān anusmaran
abruvan vibruvann ajño
naraḥ kilbiṣam aśnute
Synonyms
na — not; sabhām — an assembly; praviśet — should enter; prājñaḥ — the wise person; sabhya — of the assembly members; doṣān — sinful discrepancies; anusmaran — keeping in mind; abruvan — not speaking; vibruvan — speaking wrongly; ajñaḥ — ignorant (or pretending to be so); naraḥ — a man; kilbiṣam — sin; aśnute — incurs.
Translation
A wise person should not enter an assembly if he knows the participants there are committing acts of impropriety. And if, having entered such an assembly, he fails to speak the truth, speaks falsely or pleads ignorance, he will certainly incur sin.
Devanagari
Text
kṛṣṇasya vadanāmbujam
vīkṣyatāṁ śrama-vāry-uptaṁ
padma-kośam ivāmbubhiḥ
Synonyms
valgataḥ — leaping; śatrum — of His enemy; abhitaḥ — on all sides; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; vadana — the face; ambujam — lotuslike; vīkṣyatām — you should see; śrama — of fatigue; vāri — with the moisture; uptam — covered; padma — of a lotus flower; kośam — the whorl; iva — like; ambubhiḥ — with droplets of water.
Translation
Just see the lotus face of Kṛṣṇa as He darts around His foe! That face, covered with drops of perspiration brought on by the strenuous fight, resembles a lotus covered with dew.
Devanagari
Text
mukham ātāmra-locanam
muṣṭikaṁ prati sāmarṣaṁ
hāsa-saṁrambha-śobhitam
Synonyms
Translation
Don’t you see the face of Lord Balarāma, with its eyes copper-red from His anger toward Muṣṭika and its beauty enhanced by His laughter and His absorption in the fight?
Devanagari
Text
gūḍhaḥ purāṇa-puruṣo vana-citra-mālyaḥ
gāḥ pālayan saha-balaḥ kvaṇayaṁś ca veṇuṁ
vikrīdayāñcati giritra-ramārcitāṅghriḥ
Synonyms
puṇyāḥ — pious; bata — indeed; vraja-bhuvaḥ — the various regions of the land of Vraja; yat — in which; ayam — this; nṛ — human; liṅga — by characteristics; gūḍhaḥ — disguised; purāṇa-puruṣaḥ — the primeval Personality of Godhead; vana — composed of flowers and other items of the forest; citra — of wonderful variety; mālyaḥ — whose garlands; gāḥ — the cows; pālayan — herding; saha — together with; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma; kvaṇayan — vibrating; ca — and; veṇum — His flute; vikrīḍayā — with various pastimes; añcati — He moves about; giritra — by Lord Śiva; ramā — and the goddess of fortune; arcita — worshiped; aṅghriḥ — His feet.
Translation
How pious are the tracts of land in Vraja, for there the primeval Personality of Godhead, disguising Himself with human traits, wanders about, enacting His many pastimes! Adorned with wonderfully variegated forest garlands, He whose feet are worshiped by Lord Śiva and goddess Ramā vibrates His flute as He tends the cows in the company of Balarāma.
Purport
In this verse the devoted ladies in the audience point out the difference between Mathurā and Vṛndāvana. They want to indicate that in Vṛndāvana Kṛṣṇa simply enjoys with His girlfriends and boyfriends, whereas here in Mathurā the Lord is subjected to harassment by the bullying tactics of professional wrestlers. Thus the ladies are condemning the city of Mathurā because of their pain at seeing Kṛṣṇa in what they consider an unfair wrestling match. Of course, Mathurā is also one of the Lord’s eternal abodes, but here the women in the assembly express their love in a critical mood.
Devanagari
Text
lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham
dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam
ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śriya aiśvarasya
Synonyms
gopyaḥ — the gopīs; tapaḥ — austerities; kim — what; acaran — performed; yat — from which; amuṣya — of such a one (Lord Kṛṣṇa); rūpam — the form; lāvaṇya-sāram — the essence of loveliness; asama-ūrdhvam — not paralleled or surpassed; ananya-siddham — not perfected by any other ornament (self-perfect); dṛgbhiḥ — by the eyes; pibanti — they drink; anusava-abhinavam — constantly new; durāpam — difficult to obtain; ekānta-dhāma — the only abode; yaśasaḥ — of fame; śriyaḥ — of beauty; aiśvarasya — of opulence.
Translation
What austerities must the gopīs have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s form, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That form is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and extremely rare.
Purport
The word meanings and translation for this verse are from Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Ādi 4.156).
Devanagari
Text
preṅkheṅkhanārbha-ruditokṣaṇa-mārjanādau
gāyanti cainam anurakta-dhiyo ’śru-kaṇṭhyo
dhanyā vraja-striya urukrama-citta-yānāḥ
Synonyms
yaḥ — who (the gopīs); dohane — while milking; avahanane — threshing; mathana — churning; upalepa — smearing; preṅkha — on swings; iṅkhana — swinging; arbha-rudita — (taking care of) crying babies; ukṣaṇa — sprinkling; mārjana — cleaning; ādau — and so on; gāyanti — they sing; ca — and; enam — about Him; anurakta — very much attached; dhiyaḥ — whose minds; aśru — with tears; kaṇṭhyaḥ — whose throats; dhanyāḥ — fortunate; vraja-striyaḥ — the ladies of Vraja; urukrama — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; citta — by consciousness; yānāḥ — whose acquisition of all desired objects.
Translation
The ladies of Vraja are the most fortunate of women because, with their minds fully attached to Kṛṣṇa and their throats always choked up with tears, they constantly sing about Him while milking the cows, winnowing grain, churning butter, gathering cow dung for fuel, riding on swings, taking care of their crying babies, sprinkling the ground with water, cleaning their houses, and so on. By their exalted Kṛṣṇa consciousness they automatically acquire all desirable things.
Devanagari
Text
gobhiḥ samaṁ kvaṇayato ’sya niśamya veṇum
nirgamya tūrṇam abalāḥ pathi bhūri-puṇyāḥ
paśyanti sa-smita-mukhaṁ sa-dayāvalokam
Synonyms
prātaḥ — in the early morning; vrajāt — from Vraja; vrajataḥ — of Him who is going; āviśataḥ — entering; ca — and; sāyam — in the evening; gobhiḥ samam — together with the cows; kvaṇayataḥ — who is playing; asya — His; niśamya — hearing; veṇum — the flute; nirgamya — coming out; tūrṇam — quickly; abalāḥ — the women; pathi — on the road; bhūri — extremely; puṇyāḥ — pious; paśyanti — they see; sa — with; smita — smiling; mukham — face; sa-daya — merciful; avalokam — with glances.
Translation
When the gopīs hear Kṛṣṇa playing His flute as He leaves Vraja in the morning with His cows or returns with them at sunset, the young girls quickly come out of their houses to see Him. They must have performed many pious activities to be able to see Him as He walks on the road, His smiling face mercifully glancing upon them.
Devanagari
Text
strīṣu yogeśvaro hariḥ
śatruṁ hantuṁ manaś cakre
bhagavān bharatarṣabha
Synonyms
Translation
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] As the women spoke thus, O hero of the Bhāratas, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystic power, made up His mind to kill His opponent.
Devanagari
Text
putra-sneha-śucāturau
pitarāv anvatapyetāṁ
putrayor abudhau balam
Synonyms
sa-bhayāḥ — fearful; strī — of the women; giraḥ — the words; śrutvā — hearing; putra — for their sons; sneha — by their affection; śuca — with sorrow; āturau — overwhelmed; pitarau — Their parents (Devakī and Vasudeva); anvatapyetām — felt remorse; putrayoḥ — of their two sons; abudhau — not knowing; balam — the strength.
Translation
Out of affection for the two Lords, Their parents [Devakī and Vasudeva] became overwhelmed with sorrow when they heard the women’s fearful statements. They grieved, not knowing their sons’ strength.
Purport
Naturally, Kṛṣṇa’s parents would lament in this situation, thinking “Why didn’t we keep our sons at home? Why did we allow Them to participate in this corrupt exhibition?”
Devanagari
Text
vividhair acyutetarau
yuyudhāte yathānyonyaṁ
tathaiva bala-muṣṭikau
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Balarāma and Muṣṭika, expertly displaying numerous wrestling techniques, battled each other in the same way that Lord Kṛṣṇa and His opponent did.
Devanagari
Text
vajra-nīṣpeṣa-niṣṭhuraiḥ
cāṇūro bhajyamānāṅgo
muhur glānim avāpa ha
Synonyms
Translation
The harsh blows from the Supreme Lord’s limbs fell like crushing lightning bolts upon Cāṇūra, breaking every part of his body and causing him more and more pain and fatigue.
Purport
Cāṇūra’s elbows, arms, knees and other limbs were all weakening.
Devanagari
Text
muṣṭī-kṛtya karāv ubhau
bhagavantaṁ vāsudevaṁ
kruddho vakṣasy abādhata
Synonyms
Translation
Furious, Cāṇūra attacked Lord Vāsudeva with the speed of a hawk and struck His chest with both fists.
Purport
It appears that Cāṇūra, realizing he was being defeated, became furious and made a final attempt to defeat Lord Kṛṣṇa. The demon certainly had the spirit of a good fighter, but if he hoped for victory, he was certainly in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person.
Devanagari
Text
mālāhata iva dvipaḥ
bāhvor nigṛhya cāṇūraṁ
bahuśo bhrāmayan hariḥ
tarasā kṣīṇa jīvitam
visrastākalpa-keśa-srag
indra-dhvaja ivāpatat
Synonyms
na acalat — He (Lord Kṛṣṇa) did not move; tat-prahāreṇa — because of his blows; mālā — with a garland; āhata — struck; iva — as; dvipaḥ — an elephant; bāhvoḥ — by the two arms; nigṛhya — seizing; cāṇūram — Cāṇūra; bahuśaḥ — several times; bhrāmayan — whirling him around; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhū — of the earth; pṛṣṭhe — onto the surface; pothayām āsa — hurled; tarasā — forcefully; kṣīṇa — becoming lost; jīvitam — his life; visrasta — scattered; ākalpa — his clothing; keśa — hair; srak — and flower garland; indra-dhvajaḥ — a tall festival column; iva — as if; apatat — he fell.
Translation
No more shaken by the demon’s mighty blows than an elephant struck with a flower garland, Lord Kṛṣṇa grabbed Cāṇūra by his arms, swung him around several times and hurled him onto the ground with great force. His clothes, hair and garland scattering, the wrestler fell down dead, like a huge festival column collapsing.
Purport
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains the words indra-dhvaja as follows: “In Bengal, on the occasion of a certain festival, people erect a tall column in the form of a man and decorate it with flags, banners, etc. He [Cāṇūra] fell just as such a pole might fall.”
Devanagari
Text
sva-muṣṭyābhihatena vai
balabhadreṇa balinā
talenābhihato bhṛśam
udvaman mukhato ’rditaḥ
vyasuḥ papātorvy-upasthe
vātāhata ivāṅghripaḥ
Synonyms
tathā — also; eva — similarly; muṣṭikaḥ — Muṣṭika; pūrvam — previously; sva-muṣṭyā — with his fist; abhihatena — who had been struck; vai — indeed; balabhadreṇa — by Lord Balarāma; balinā — the powerful; talena — with His palm; abhihataḥ — struck; bhṛśam — violently; pravepitaḥ — trembling; saḥ — he, Muṣṭika; rudhiram — blood; udvaman — vomiting; mukhataḥ — from his mouth; arditaḥ — tormented; vyasuḥ — lifeless; papāta — he fell; urvī — of the earth; upasthe — onto the lap; vāta — by the wind; āhataḥ — struck down; iva — like; aṅghripaḥ — a tree.
Translation
Similarly, Muṣṭika struck Lord Balabhadra with his fist and was slain. Receiving a violent blow from the mighty Lord’s palm, the demon trembled all over in great pain, vomited blood and then fell lifeless onto the ground, like a tree blown down by the wind.
Devanagari
Text
rāmaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ
avadhīl līlayā rājan
sāvajñaṁ vāma-muṣṭinā
Synonyms
Translation
Confronted next by the wrestler Kūṭa, Lord Balarāma, the best of fighters, playfully and nonchalantly killed him with His left fist, O King.
Devanagari
Text
prapadāhata-śīrṣakaḥ
dvidhā vidīrṇas tośalaka
ubhāv api nipetatuḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Then Kṛṣṇa kicked in Śala’s head and tore Tośala in half, and both wrestlers fell down dead.
Devanagari
Text
śale tośalake hate
śeṣāḥ pradudruvur mallāḥ
sarve prāṇa-parīpsavaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, Kūṭa, Śala and Tośala having been killed, the remaining wrestlers all fled for their lives.
Devanagari
Text
taiḥ saṁsṛjya vijahratuḥ
vādyamāneṣu tūryeṣu
valgantau ruta-nūpurau
Synonyms
gopān — the cowherd boys; vayasyān — Their young friends; ākṛṣya — gathering together; taiḥ — with them; saṁsṛjya — joining up; vijahratuḥ — They sported; vādyamāneṣu — while they played; tūryeṣu — the musical instruments; valgantau — the two of Them dancing about; ruta — resounding; nūpurau — Their ankle bells.
Translation
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma then called Their young cowherd boyfriends to join Them, and in their company the Lords danced about and sported, Their ankle bells resounding as musical instruments played.
Purport
Nowadays we see that in championship boxing matches, as soon as there is a victory, all the friends and relatives of the victorious boxer rush into the ring to congratulate him, and often the champion will dance about in great happiness. Exactly in this mood, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma danced about, celebrating Their victory with Their friends and relatives.
Devanagari
Text
karmaṇā rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ
ṛte kaṁsaṁ vipra-mukhyāḥ
sādhavaḥ sādhu sādhv iti
Synonyms
Translation
Everyone except Kaṁsa rejoiced at the wonderful feat Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had performed. The exalted brāhmaṇas and great saints exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!”
Purport
It is understood that as the best of the brāhmaṇas and saints were exclaiming “Excellent! Excellent!” the worst of the brāhmaṇas, namely Kaṁsa’s priests, were seriously grieving.
Devanagari
Text
vidruteṣu ca bhoja-rāṭ
nyavārayat sva-tūryāṇi
vākyaṁ cedam uvāca ha
Synonyms
Translation
The Bhoja king, seeing that his best wrestlers had all been killed or had fled, stopped the musical performance originally meant for his pleasure and spoke the following words.
Devanagari
Text
vasudevātmajau purāt
dhanaṁ harata gopānāṁ
nandaṁ badhnīta durmatim
Synonyms
Translation
[Kaṁsa said:] Drive the two wicked sons of Vasudeva out of the city! Confiscate the cowherds’ property and arrest that fool Nanda!
Devanagari
Text
hanyatām āśv asattamaḥ
ugrasenaḥ pitā cāpi
sānugaḥ para-pakṣa-gaḥ
Synonyms
vasudevaḥ — Vasudeva; tu — and furthermore; durmedhā — the foolish-minded; hanyatām — should be killed; āśu — immediately; asat-tamaḥ — the worst of the impure; ugrasenaḥ — Ugrasena; pitā — my father; ca api — also; sa — together with; anugaḥ — his followers; para — of the enemy; pakṣa-gaḥ — taking the side.
Translation
Kill that most evil fool Vasudeva! And also kill my father, Ugrasena, along with his followers, who have all sided with our enemies!
Devanagari
Text
kaṁse prakupito ’vyayaḥ
laghimnotpatya tarasā
mañcam uttuṅgam āruhat
Synonyms
Translation
As Kaṁsa thus raved so audaciously, the infallible Lord Kṛṣṇa, intensely angry, quickly and easily jumped up onto the high royal dais.
Devanagari
Text
mṛtyum ātmana āsanāt
manasvī sahasotthāya
jagṛhe so ’si-carmaṇī
Synonyms
Translation
Seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa approaching like death personified, the quick-witted Kaṁsa instantly rose from his seat and took up his sword and shield.
Devanagari
Text
śyenaṁ yathā dakṣiṇa-savyam ambare
samagrahīd durviṣahogra-tejā
yathoragaṁ tārkṣya-sutaḥ prasahya
Synonyms
tam — him, Kaṁsa; khaḍga — with sword; pāṇim — in his hand; vicarantam — moving about; āśu — quickly; śyenam — a hawk; yathā — like; dakṣiṇa-savyam — right and left; ambare — in the sky; samagrahīt — seized; durviṣaha — irresistible; ugra — and fearsome; tejāḥ — whose strength; yathā — as; uragam — a snake; tārkṣya-sutaḥ — the son of Tārkṣya, Garuḍa; prasahya — by force.
Translation
Sword in hand, Kaṁsa moved quickly from side to side like a hawk in the sky. But Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose fearsome strength is irresistible, powerfully seized the demon just as the son of Tārkṣya might capture a snake.
Devanagari
Text
nipātya raṅgopari tuṅga-mañcāt
tasyopariṣṭāt svayam abja-nābhaḥ
papāta viśvāśraya ātma-tantraḥ
Synonyms
pragṛhya — grabbing; keśeṣu — by the hair; calat — knocking off; kirīṭam — whose crown; nipātya — throwing down; raṅga-upari — onto the surface of the wrestling ring; tuṅga — high; mañcāt — from the platform; tasya — of him; upariṣṭāt — on top; svayam — Himself; abja-nābhaḥ — the lotus-naveled Supreme Lord; papāta — threw; viśva — of the entire universe; āśrayaḥ — the support; ātma-tantraḥ — independent.
Translation
Grabbing Kaṁsa by the hair and knocking off his crown, the lotus-naveled Lord threw him off the elevated dais onto the wrestling mat. Then the independent Lord, the support of the entire universe, threw Himself upon the King.
Purport
In Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrīla Prabhupāda describes the death of Kaṁsa as follows: “Kṛṣṇa at once straddled his chest and began to strike him over and over again. Simply from the strokes of His fist, Kaṁsa lost his vital force.”
Devanagari
Text
harir yathebhaṁ jagato vipaśyataḥ
hā heti śabdaḥ su-mahāṁs tadābhūd
udīritaḥ sarva-janair narendra
Synonyms
tam — him; samparetam — dead; vicakarṣa — dragged; bhūmau — along the ground; hariḥ — a lion; yathā — as; ibham — an elephant; jagataḥ — all the people; vipaśyataḥ — as they looked on; hā hā iti — “Oh, oh!”; śabdaḥ — the sound; su-mahān — mighty; tadā — then; abhūt — arose; udīritaḥ — spoken; sarva-janaiḥ — by all the people; nara-indra — O ruler of men (King Parīkṣit).
Translation
As a lion drags a dead elephant, the Lord then dragged Kaṁsa’s dead body along the ground in full view of everyone present. O King, all the people in the arena tumultuously cried out, “Oh! Oh!”
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that many people in the audience thought Kaṁsa had simply been knocked unconscious when thrown from the lofty dais. Therefore Lord Kṛṣṇa dragged his corpse so everyone would realize that the evil King was indeed dead. Thus the exclamation hā hā indicates how surprised the people were that the King was suddenly dead and gone.
The audience’s astonishment is also mentioned in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa:
āsīt tad-raṅga-maṇḍalam
avajñayā hataṁ dṛṣṭvā
kṛṣṇena mathureśvaram
“Then the entire arena became filled with cries of astonishment as the people saw that the master of Mathurā had been contemptuously killed by Kṛṣṇa.”
Devanagari
Text
pibann adan vā vicaran svapan śvasan
dadarśa cakrāyudham agrato yatas
tad eva rūpaṁ duravāpam āpa
Synonyms
saḥ — he, Kaṁsa; nityadā — constantly; udvigna — anxious; dhiyā — with mind; tam — Him; īśvaram — the Supreme Lord; piban — while drinking; adan — eating; vā — or; vicaran — walking; svapan — sleeping; śvasan — breathing; dadarśa — saw; cakra — the disc weapon; āyudham — in His hand; agrataḥ — before himself; yataḥ — because; tat — that; eva — same; rūpam — personal form; duravāpam — very difficult to achieve; āpa — he achieved.
Translation
Kaṁsa had always been disturbed by the thought that the Supreme Lord was to kill him. Therefore when drinking, eating, moving about, sleeping or simply breathing, the King had always seen the Lord before him with the disc weapon in His hand. Thus Kaṁsa achieved the rare boon of attaining a form like the Lord’s.
Purport
Although born out of fear, Kaṁsa’s constant meditation on the Supreme Lord eradicated all his offenses, and therefore the demon was liberated upon his death at the Lord’s hands.
Devanagari
Text
kaṅka-nyagrodhakādayaḥ
abhyadhāvann ati-kruddhā
bhrātur nirveśa-kāriṇaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Kaṁsa’s eight younger brothers, led by Kaṅka and Nyagrodhaka, then attacked the Lords in a rage, seeking to avenge their brother’s death.
Devanagari
Text
saṁyattān rohiṇī-sutaḥ
ahan parigham udyamya
paśūn iva mṛgādhipaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
As they ran swiftly toward the two Lords, ready to strike, the son of Rohiṇī slew them with His club just as a lion easily kills other animals.
Devanagari
Text
brahmeśādyā vibhūtayaḥ
puṣpaiḥ kirantas taṁ prītāḥ
śaśaṁsur nanṛtuḥ striyaḥ
Synonyms
neduḥ — resounded; dundubhayaḥ — kettledrums; vyomni — in the sky; brahma-īśa-ādyāḥ — Brahmā, Śiva and other demigods; vibhūtayaḥ — His expansions; puṣpaiḥ — flowers; kirantaḥ — scattering down; tam — upon Him; prītāḥ — pleased; śaśaṁsuḥ — they chanted His praises; nanṛtuḥ — danced; striyaḥ — their wives.
Translation
Kettledrums resounded in the sky as Brahmā, Śiva and other demigods, the Lord’s expansions, rained down flowers upon Him with pleasure. They chanted His praises, and their wives danced.
Devanagari
Text
suhṛn-maraṇa-duḥkhitāḥ
tatrābhīyur vinighnantyaḥ
śīrṣāṇy aśru-vilocanāḥ
Synonyms
teṣām — of them (Kaṁsa and his brothers); striyaḥ — the wives; mahārāja — O King (Parīkṣit); suhṛt — of their well-wishers (their husbands); maraṇa — because of the death; duḥkhitāḥ — sorrowful; tatra — that place; abhīyuḥ — approached; vinighnantyaḥ — beating; śīrṣāṇi — their heads; aśru — with tears; vilocanāḥ — their eyes.
Translation
My dear King, the wives of Kaṁsa and his brothers, aggrieved by the death of their well-wishing husbands, came forward with tearful eyes, beating their heads.
Devanagari
Text
patīn āliṅgya śocatīḥ
vilepuḥ su-svaraṁ nāryo
visṛjantyo muhuḥ śucaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Embracing their husbands, who lay on a hero’s final bed, the sorrowful women loudly lamented while shedding constant tears.
Devanagari
Text
karuṇānātha-vatsala
tvayā hatena nihatā
vayaṁ te sa-gṛha-prajāḥ
Synonyms
ha — alas; nātha — O master; priya — O dear one; dharma-jña — O knower of religious principles; karuṇa — O kind one; anātha — to those who have no protector; vatsala — O you who are compassionate; tvayā — by you; hatena — being killed; nihatāḥ — are killed; vayam — we; te — your; sa — together with; gṛha — the home; prajāḥ — and offspring.
Translation
[The women cried out:] Alas, O master, O dear one, O knower of religious principles! O kind and compassionate protector of the shelterless! By your being slain we have also been slain, together with your household and offspring.
Devanagari
Text
purīyaṁ puruṣarṣabha
na śobhate vayam iva
nivṛttotsava-maṅgalā
Synonyms
Translation
O great hero among men, bereft of you, its master, this city has lost its beauty, just as we have, and all festivity and good fortune within it have come to an end.
Devanagari
Text
kṛtavān droham ulbaṇam
tenemāṁ bho daśāṁ nīto
bhūta-dhruk ko labheta śam
Synonyms
anāgasām — sinless; tvam — you; bhūtānām — against creatures; kṛtavān — have committed; droham — violence; ulbaṇam — terrible; tena — by that; imām — to this; bho — O dear one; daśām — condition; nītaḥ — brought; bhūta — to living beings; dhruk — causing harm; kaḥ — who; labheta — can achieve; śam — happiness.
Translation
O dear one, you have been brought to this state because of the terrible violence you committed against innocent creatures. How can one who harms others attain happiness?
Purport
Having expressed their sentimental grief, the ladies now speak practical wisdom. They are beginning to see things realistically because their minds were purified by the agony of the recent events and by the association of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Devanagari
Text
eṣa hi prabhavāpyayaḥ
goptā ca tad-avadhyāyī
na kvacit sukham edhate
Synonyms
Translation
Lord Kṛṣṇa causes the appearance and disappearance of all beings in this world, and He is their maintainer as well. One who disrespects Him can never prosper happily.
Devanagari
राजयोषित आश्वास्य भगवाँल्लोकभावन: । यामाहुर्लौकिकीं संस्थां हतानां समकारयत् ॥ ४९ ॥
Text
rāja-yoṣita āśvāsya
bhagavāḻ loka-bhāvanaḥ
yām āhur laukikīṁ saṁsthāṁ
hatānāṁ samakārayat
Synonyms
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; rāja — of the King (and his brothers); yoṣitaḥ — the wives; āśvāsya — consoling; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; loka — of all the worlds; bhāvanaḥ — the sustainer; yām — which; āhuḥ — they (Vedic authorities) enjoin; laukikīm saṁsthām — funeral rites; hatānām — for the deceased; samakārayat — He arranged to be performed.
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: After consoling the royal ladies, Lord Kṛṣṇa, sustainer of all the worlds, arranged for the prescribed funeral rites to be performed.
Devanagari
Text
mocayitvātha bandhanāt
kṛṣṇa-rāmau vavandāte
śirasā spṛśya pādayoḥ
Synonyms
Translation
Then Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma released Their mother and father from bondage and offered obeisances to them, touching their feet with Their heads.
Devanagari
नायं श्रियोऽङ्ग उ नितान्तरते: प्रसाद:
स्वर्योषितां नलिनगन्धरुचां कुतोऽन्या: ।
रासोत्सवेऽस्य भुजदण्डगृहीतकण्ठ-
लब्धाशिषां य उदगाद्व्रजवल्लभीनाम् ॥
Text
vijñāya jagad-īśvarau
kṛta-saṁvandanau putrau
sasvajāte na śaṅkitau
Synonyms
Translation
Devakī and Vasudeva, now knowing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to be the Lords of the universe, simply stood with joined palms. Being apprehensive, they did not embrace their sons.
Purport
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Forty-fourth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Killing of Kaṁsa.”