Shloka 31

The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā

Devanagari script

हतेषु मल्लवर्येषु विद्रुतेषु च भोजराट् । न्यवारयत् स्वतूर्याणि वाक्यं चेदमुवाच ह ॥ ३१ ॥

Transliteration

hateṣu malla-varyeṣu vidruteṣu ca bhoja-rāṭ nyavārayat sva-tūryāṇi vākyaṁ cedam uvāca ha

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.

Synonyms

• hateṣu: when (they) were killed
• hateṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले कर्मणि क्त (Past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative), बहुवचन; ‘when (they) were slain’

• malla-varyeṣu: among the best wrestlers
• malla-varyeṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: malla (प्रातिपदिक) + varya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ‘excellent wrestlers’), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• vidruteṣu: when (others) had fled
• vidruteṣu: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: vi√dru (धातु)
• Form: भूतकाले क्त (PPP), पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘when (they) had fled’

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय (conjunction)

• bhoja-rāṭ: the Bhoja king (Kamsa)
• bhoja-rāṭ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: bhoja (प्रातिपदिक) + rāṭ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘king of the Bhojas’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• nyavārayat: stopped
• nyavārayat: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: ni√vṛ (धातु)
• Form: लङ् (Imperfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन, परस्मैपद; ‘stopped/checked’

• sva-tūryāṇi: his own musical instruments
• sva-tūryāṇi: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sva (प्रातिपदिक) + tūrya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (कर्मधारय: ‘his own instruments’), नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• vākyam: a statement
• vākyam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vākya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Connector (समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; समुच्चय

• idam: this
• idam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: idam (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वाक्यम् इति विशेषण

• uvāca: said
• uvāca: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √vac (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘said’

• ha: indeed/then
• ha: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ha (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; स्मरण/वृत्तान्त-सूचक निपात

Characters & Entities

• Kaṁsa

FAQs

Why did Kaṁsa stop the music after the wrestlers were killed in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.44?

Because his champions had been defeated and the arena’s mood turned from spectacle to crisis; Kaṁsa halted the celebration and prepared to issue orders against Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.

Who is speaking this verse in Bhagavatam 10.44.31?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates this event to Mahārāja Parīkṣit as part of the Mathurā arena episode.

What is a practical lesson from Kaṁsa stopping the music in this verse?

Worldly pride and staged ‘victory’ end abruptly when truth prevails; a devotee learns to rely on dharma and the Lord rather than on temporary power and display.