Shloka 36

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

Devanagari script

तं खड्‌गपाणिं विचरन्तमाशुश्येनं यथा दक्षिणसव्यमम्बरे । समग्रहीद् दुर्विषहोग्रतेजायथोरगं तार्क्ष्यसुत: प्रसह्य ॥ ३६ ॥

Transliteration

taṁ khaḍga-pāṇiṁ vicarantam āśu śyenaṁ yathā dakṣiṇa-savyam ambare samagrahīd durviṣahogra-tejā yathoragaṁ tārkṣya-sutaḥ prasahya

Translation

With sword in hand, Kaṁsa darted right and left like a hawk in the sky, but Śrī Kṛṣṇa—whose fierce power none can resist—seized the demon by force, as Tārkṣya’s son would snatch up a serpent.

Synonyms

• तम्: him
• तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन

• खड्ग-पाणिम्: (him) with a sword in hand
• खड्ग-पाणिम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खड्ग (प्रातिपदिक) + पाणि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (खड्गः यस्य पाणौ); पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; तम् इति विशेषण

• विचरन्तम्: moving about
• विचरन्तम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि+चर् (धातु) → विचरन्त् (कृदन्त प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: वर्तमानकाले शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त कृदन्त; द्वितीया एकवचन, पुंलिङ्ग

• आशु: quickly
• आशु: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: आशु (अव्यय)
• Form: अव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb)

• श्येनम्: a hawk
• श्येनम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: श्येन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमान (object of comparison)

• यथा: as, like
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-प्रदर्शक अव्यय (comparative particle)

• दक्षिण-सव्यम्: to the right and left
• दक्षिण-सव्यम्: Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दक्षिण (प्रातिपदिक) + सव्य (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्वसमास (दक्षिणं च सव्यं च); नपुंसकलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; क्रियाविशेषणवत् (directional)

• अम्बरे: in the sky
• अम्बरे: Adhikaraṇa (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अम्बर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग; सप्तमी (7th), एकवचन

• समग्रहीत्: seized, caught
• समग्रहीत्: Kriyā (मुख्यक्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: सम्+ग्रह् (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect); परस्मैपद; प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; छान्दस/वैदिक रूप: समग्रहीत् = समग्रहीत्/समग्रहीत् (समगृह्णात् इत्यर्थे)

• दुर्विषह-उग्र-तेजाः: of unbearable, fierce splendor
• दुर्विषह-उग्र-तेजाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: दुर्विषह (प्रातिपदिक) + उग्र (प्रातिपदिक) + तेजस् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: बहुपद-कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-समास (दुर्विषहं च उग्रं च तेजः यस्य); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; कर्तृविशेषण (of तārkṣya-sutaḥ)

• यथा: as
• यथा: Upamā-dyotaka (उपमा-द्योतक)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: यथा (अव्यय)
• Form: उपमा-प्रदर्शक अव्यय

• उरगम्: a serpent
• उरगम्: Upamāna (उपमान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उरग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग; द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन; उपमेय-उपमान-सम्बन्धे उपमान

• तार्क्ष्य-सुतः: the son of Tārkṣya (Garuḍa)
• तार्क्ष्य-सुतः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तार्क्ष्य (प्रातिपदिक) + सुत (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (तार्क्ष्यस्य सुतः); पुंलिङ्ग; प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन

• प्रसह्य: forcibly
• प्रसह्य: Pūrvakāla-kriyā (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: प्र+सह् (धातु)
• Form: क्त्वा-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (gerund)

Characters & Entities

• Śrī Kṛṣṇa
• Kaṁsa

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about how Krishna defeats Kaṁsa?

This verse portrays Kṛṣṇa’s effortless supremacy: even as Kaṁsa rapidly maneuvers with sword in hand, Kṛṣṇa suddenly seizes him with irresistible divine power, like Garuḍa overpowering a serpent.

Why is Kaṁsa compared to a serpent and Krishna to Garuḍa in Bhagavatam?

The imagery highlights the natural dominance of the Lord over evil: as Garuḍa instinctively overpowers snakes, Kṛṣṇa’s spiritual potency overwhelms Kaṁsa’s demonic strength and fear-driven aggression.

Practical application of Krishna’s ‘unbearable power’ in modern life?

For a devotee, it teaches confidence in divine protection: cultivate steady bhakti and integrity, and face fear and oppression knowing that the Supreme can swiftly remove obstacles when the time is right.