Shloka 18

Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

Devanagari script

हतं कुवलयापीडं द‍ृष्ट्वा तावपि दुर्जयौ । कंसो मनस्यपि तदा भृशमुद्विविजे नृप ॥ १८ ॥

Transliteration

hataṁ kuvalayāpīḍaṁ dṛṣṭvā tāv api durjayau kaṁso manasy api tadā bhṛśam udvivije nṛpa

Translation

O King, when Kaṁsa saw Kuvalayāpīḍa slain and realized that the two brothers were invincible, he was seized within his mind by intense fear and anxiety.

Synonyms

• hatam: slain
• hatam: Karma (कर्म/Object qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: hata (कृदन्त; √हन् धातु)
• Form: क्त (past passive participle), द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण

• kuvalayāpīḍam: Kuvalayāpīḍa (the elephant)
• kuvalayāpīḍam: Karma (कर्म/Object)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kuvalayāpīḍa (प्रातिपदिक; proper name)
• Form: द्वितीया, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• dṛṣṭvā: having seen
• dṛṣṭvā: Kriya (क्रिया/absolutive—cause/prior action)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛṣṭvā (कृदन्त; √दृश् धातु)
• Form: क्त्वान्त (Gerund/Absolutive), अव्ययभाव

• tau: those two (Krishna and Balarama)
• tau: Karma (कर्म/Object of seeing)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा (Nominative), द्विवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; ‘those two’

• api: also, even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय/अपि-निपात (also/even)

• durjayau: invincible
• durjayau: Visheshana (विशेषण of tau)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durjaya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, द्विवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग; विशेषण (‘hard to conquer’)

• kaṁsaḥ: Kaṁsa
• kaṁsaḥ: Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kaṁsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रथमा, एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

• manasi: in (his) mind
• manasi: Adhikarana (अधिकरण/Location)
• Type: Noun
• Root: manas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सप्तमी (Locative/अधिकरण), एकवचन, नपुंसकलिङ्ग

• api: even
• api: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि-निपात (even)

• tadā: then
• tadā: Kāla (काल/Time)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tadā (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक-अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• bhṛśam: greatly, intensely
• bhṛśam: Kriya-visheshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: bhṛśam (अव्यय)
• Form: परिमाण/तीव्रता-वाचक-अव्यय (adverb of intensity)

• udvivije: became very afraid, trembled
• udvivije: Kriya (क्रिया/finite verb)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ud-vi-√vij (धातु ‘to tremble/fear’, उपसर्ग उद् + वि)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), आत्मनेपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

• nṛpa: O king
• nṛpa: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन/Address)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nṛpa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: सम्बोधन (Vocative), एकवचन, पुल्लिङ्ग

Characters & Entities

• Kuvalayāpīḍa
• Kṛṣṇa
• Balarāma
• Kaṁsa
• Mahārāja Parīkṣit

FAQs

Why did Kaṁsa become fearful after Kuvalayāpīḍa was killed?

Because Kuvalayāpīḍa was Kaṁsa’s powerful weapon, and seeing it slain made Kaṁsa realize Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were truly invincible and that his plans were failing.

Who is speaking this verse in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.43.18?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, describing Kaṁsa’s inner fear upon witnessing Kṛṣṇa’s prowess.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

Power based on intimidation collapses when confronted by truth and righteousness; inner fear arises from wrongdoing, while aligning with dharma and devotion builds real courage.