Shloka 33

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

Devanagari script

वसुदेवस्तु दुर्मेधा हन्यतामाश्वसत्तम: । उग्रसेन: पिता चापि सानुग: परपक्षग: ॥ ३३ ॥

Transliteration

vasudevas tu durmedhā hanyatām āśv asattamaḥ ugrasenaḥ pitā cāpi sānugaḥ para-pakṣa-gaḥ

Translation

Kill that most evil fool Vasudeva! And also kill my father, Ugrasena, along with his followers, who have all sided with our enemies!

Synonyms

• vasudevaḥ: Vasudeva
• vasudevaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• tu: but
• tu: Discourse particle (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात ‘but/and’

• durmedhāḥ: foolish/evil-minded
• durmedhāḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: durmedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वसुदेवः इति विशेषण

• hanyatām: let (him) be killed
• hanyatām: Preraṇa (प्रेरणा/आज्ञा)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √han (धातु)
• Form: लोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘let him be killed’

• āśu: quickly
• āśu: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: āśu (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘quickly’

• asattamaḥ: the worst (wretch)
• asattamaḥ: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: asat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अतिशय (superlative) ‘worst among the wicked’

• ugrasenaḥ: Ugrasena
• ugrasenaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ugrasena (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• pitā: father
• pitā: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: pitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

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

• api: also
• api: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; अपि = ‘also/even’

• sānugaḥ: together with his followers
• sānugaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: sa (प्रातिपदिक) + anuga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (सह-भाव: ‘with followers’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उग्रसेनः/पिता इत्यस्य विशेषण

• para-pakṣa-gaḥ: one who has gone over to the opposing side
• para-pakṣa-gaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: para (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘going to the other side/party’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उग्रसेनः/पिता इत्यस्य विशेषण

Characters & Entities

• Vasudeva
• Ugrasena
• Kaṁsa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about Kaṁsa’s cruelty toward Vasudeva and Ugrasena?

This verse shows Kaṁsa’s extreme adharma—he commands immediate killing of Vasudeva and even his own father Ugrasena, revealing how fear and envy drive a tyrant to violence against family and innocents.

Why did Kaṁsa call Ugrasena “one who has joined the enemy side”?

Kaṁsa views any sympathy for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma—or any resistance to his rule—as betrayal; thus he labels Ugrasena and his supporters as aligned with his enemies.

Practical application: what lesson does this shloka teach for modern life?

It warns that unchecked anger, paranoia, and attachment to power can make a person unjust even toward loved ones; cultivating dharma, humility, and devotion protects the heart from such downfall.