Shloka 8

Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas

Devanagari script

तां गृहीत्वा चरणयोर्जातमात्रां स्वसु: सुताम् । अपोथयच्छिलापृष्ठे स्वार्थोन्मूलितसौहृद: ॥ ८ ॥

Transliteration

tāṁ gṛhītvā caraṇayor jāta-mātrāṁ svasuḥ sutām apothayac chilā-pṛṣṭhe svārthonmūlita-sauhṛdaḥ

Translation

Having uprooted all relationships with his sister because of intense selfishness, Kamsa, who was sitting on his knees, grasped the newborn child by the legs and tried to dash her against the surface of a stone.

Synonyms

• tām: her
• tām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• gṛhītvā: having seized
• gṛhītvā: Purvakala-kriya (पूर्वकाल-क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: grah (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्तम् (Absolutive/Gerund)

• caraṇayoḥ: at/on (his) feet
• caraṇayoḥ: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: caraṇa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः (Locative), द्विवचनम्

• jāta-mātrām: just born
• jāta-mātrām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: jāta (jan-धातु, क्त) + mātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; अव्ययीभाव/तत्पुरुषार्थः 'just born' (जात एव)

• svasuḥ: of (his) sister
• svasuḥ: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: svasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, षष्ठी-विभक्तिः (Genitive), एकवचनम्

• sutām: daughter (female child)
• sutām: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sutā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्गे, द्वितीया-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्

• apothayat: smashed/struck down
• apothayat: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: apa-uh (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकारः (Imperfect/Past), प्रथम-पुरुषः, एकवचनम्; परस्मैपदम्

• śilā-pṛṣṭhe: on the stone surface
• śilā-pṛṣṭhe: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śilā (प्रातिपदिक) + pṛṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्गे, सप्तमी-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; तत्पुरुषः (शिलायाः पृष्ठम्)

• svārtha-unmūlita-sauhṛdaḥ: whose affection was uprooted by self-interest
• svārtha-unmūlita-sauhṛdaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sva-artha (प्रातिपदिक) + unmūlita (unmūl-धातु, क्त) + sauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्गे, प्रथमा-विभक्तिः, एकवचनम्; बहुव्रीहिः (स्वार्थेन उन्मूलितं सौहृदं यस्य)

Characters & Entities

• Kaṁsa
• Devakī

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kaṁsa’s attempt to kill Devakī’s child?

This verse describes Kaṁsa violently seizing Devakī’s newborn daughter and dashing her on stone, showing how fear and selfish desire can destroy natural family affection and lead to extreme adharma.

Why did Kaṁsa try to kill his sister Devakī’s newborn baby?

Kaṁsa was terrified by the prophecy that Devakī’s offspring would cause his death; that fear overpowered his familial bonds, pushing him to attempt infanticide.

Practical application: what warning does this shloka give for modern life?

It warns that fear-based self-interest can erase compassion and ethics; cultivating dharma, self-control, and devotion helps prevent decisions that harm the innocent.