Shloka 23

The Greatness of Hari’s Janmāṣṭamī (Jayantī) Vow

Devanagari script

शूलिदत्तवरोन्मत्तः कंसो राजा दुरासदः । वसुधा ताडिता तेन करघातेन पीडिता

Transliteration

śūlidattavaronmattaḥ kaṃso rājā durāsadaḥ | vasudhā tāḍitā tena karaghātena pīḍitā

Translation

König Kaṃsa—durch die von Śūlin (Śiva) gewährte Gabe in Raserei versetzt und darum schwer zu bezwingen—schlug auf die Erde; und der Boden wurde von den Schlägen seiner Hände gequält.

Word by Word

• śūli-datta-vara-unmattaḥ: maddened by the boon granted by Śūlin (Śiva)
• śūli-datta-vara-unmattaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of kaṃsaḥ
• Type: Adjective
• Root: śūlin (प्रातिपदिक) + datta (कृदन्त, दा-धातु) + vara (प्रातिपदिक) + unmatta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (शूलिना दत्तः वरः येन सः; वरेण उन्मत्तः)

• kaṃsaḥ: Kaṃsa
• kaṃsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṃsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• rājā: king
• rājā: Apposition to Karta (कर्ता-समानााधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• durāsadaḥ: hard to approach/assail
• durāsadaḥ: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of kaṃsaḥ/rājā
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durāsada (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• vasudhā: the earth
• vasudhā: Karma (कर्म) of implied passive participles
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudhā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन)

• tāḍitā: struck/beaten
• tāḍitā: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: tāḍita (कृदन्त, ताड्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त) agreeing with vasudhā

• tena: by him
• tena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument) / Agent in passive (कर्तृ-तृतीया)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन)

• kara-ghātena: by a blow of the hand
• kara-ghātena: Karaṇa (करण/Instrument)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kara (प्रातिपदिक) + ghāta (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Singular (एकवचन); समासः—तत्पुरुषः (करस्य घातः)

• pīḍitā: afflicted/oppressed
• pīḍitā: Predicate adjective (विधेय-विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pīḍita (कृदन्त, पीड्-धातु, क्त)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); past passive participle (कर्मणि भूतकृदन्त) agreeing with vasudhā

Speaker

Narrator (contextual voice of the Purāṇa; specific dialogue speaker not explicit from this single verse)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: raudra

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: earthly

Sandhi Resolution Notes

Sandhi Resolution Notes: śūlidattavaronmattaḥ → śūli-datta-vara-unmattaḥ (compound segmentation).

Characters & Entities

• Kaṃsa
• Śūlin (Śiva)
• Vasudhā (Earth)

FAQs

Who is called “Śūlin” in this verse, and why is that important?

“Śūlin” means the trident-bearer—Śiva. The verse frames Kaṃsa’s arrogance and near-invincibility as arising from a boon associated with Śiva, highlighting how boons can become catalysts for adharma when misused.

What is the literary purpose of saying the earth (Vasudhā) was tormented by his blows?

It is a Purāṇic way of portraying tyranny as a cosmic disturbance: the ruler’s violence is not merely political but shakes the very stability of the world, foreshadowing the need for divine correction.

What ethical lesson is implied by Kaṃsa being “difficult to overcome” due to a boon?

Power gained through divine favor does not guarantee righteousness. The verse implies that strength without dharma leads to oppression and suffering, and that such power ultimately invites divine or moral rebalancing.