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Shloka 23

The Killing of Ariṣṭāsura and Kaṁsa’s Plot to Summon Kṛṣṇa

भो भो निशम्यतामेतद् वीरचाणूरमुष्टिकौ । नन्दव्रजे किलासाते सुतावानकदुन्दुभे: ॥ २२ ॥ रामकृष्णौ ततो मह्यं मृत्यु: किल निदर्शित: । भवद्‌भ्यामिह सम्प्राप्तौ हन्येतां मल्ललीलया ॥ २३ ॥

bho bho niśamyatām etad vīra-cāṇūra-muṣṭikau nanda-vraje kilāsāte sutāv ānakadundubheḥ

Meine lieben heldenhaften Cāṇūra und Muṣṭika, bitte hört dies. Rāma und Kṛṣṇa, die Söhne von Vasudeva, leben in Nandas Hirtendorf. Es wurde prophezeit, dass diese beiden Jungen die Ursache meines Todes sein werden. Wenn sie hierher gebracht werden, tötet sie unter dem Vorwand eines Ringkampfes.

रामकृष्णौRāma and Kṛṣṇa
रामकृष्णौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootराम + कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; द्वन्द्व-समास (रामश्च कृष्णश्च)
ततःthen/thereupon
ततः:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) — ‘thereupon/then’
मह्यम्to me/for me
मह्यम्:
Sampradana (सम्प्रदान)
TypeNoun
Rootअहम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, चतुर्थी (4th), एकवचन
मृत्युःdeath
मृत्युः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत्यु (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन
किलindeed/they say
किल:
Avyaya (अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootकिल (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle) — emphasis/hearsay
निदर्शितःhas been shown/indicated
निदर्शितः:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootनि-√दृश् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past passive participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘shown/indicated’
भवद्भ्याम्by you two
भवद्भ्याम्:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootभवत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formमध्यमपुरुष-सर्वनाम, तृतीया (3rd), द्विवचन
इहhere
इह:
Desha-avyaya (देश-अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइह (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय (adverb) — ‘here’
सम्प्राप्तौhaving arrived
सम्प्राप्तौ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootसम्-√प्राप् (धातु) + क्त (कृदन्त)
Formभूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past participle, क्त), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), द्विवचन; विशेषण रामकृष्णयोः
हन्येताम्may (they) be killed
हन्येताम्:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√हन् (धातु)
Formविधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), द्विवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive): ‘may be slain’
मल्ललीलयाby/through a wrestling sport
मल्ललीलया:
Karana (करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमल्ल + लीला (प्रातिपदिक); समास
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd), एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘मल्लानां लीला’
B
Balarama (Rama)
K
Krishna (Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

In this verse, Kaṁsa admits that his death is now certain because Rāma and Kṛṣṇa have arrived in Mathurā, and he plans to have them killed through a staged wrestling match.

Kaṁsa intended to hide his murderous intent behind public entertainment—using the “malla-līlā” as a pretext—so the killing would appear like a contest rather than open tyranny.

Adharma often disguises itself as “normal” or “acceptable” activity; this verse reminds a seeker to recognize hidden motives and to trust that truth ultimately prevails despite such schemes.