Shloka 5
Kṛṣṇa Kills Dantavakra; Balarāma’s Pilgrimage and the Slaying of Romaharṣaṇa
त्वं मातुलेयो न: कृष्ण मित्रध्रुङ्मां जिघांससि । अतस्त्वां गदया मन्द हनिष्ये वज्रकल्पया ॥ ५ ॥
tvaṁ mātuleyo naḥ kṛṣṇa mitra-dhruṅ māṁ jighāṁsasi atas tvāṁ gadayā manda haniṣye vajra-kalpayā
“You are our maternal cousin, Kṛṣṇa, but You committed violence against my friends, and now You want to kill me also. Therefore, fool, I will kill You with my thunderbolt club.
The ācāryas have given the following alternate grammatical division of the third line of this verse: atas tvāṁ gadayā amanda, in which case Dantavakra says, “My dear Lord Kṛṣṇa, You are amanda [not foolish], and therefore with Your powerful club You will now send me back home, back to Godhead.” This is the inner meaning of this verse.
FAQs
This verse shows Dantavakra’s envious accusation and violent intent toward Kṛṣṇa; in the Bhagavatam such hostility leads to the aggressor’s destruction, while the Lord remains undefeated.
In the narrative, Dantavakra confronts Kṛṣṇa after earlier events involving their family and allies, blaming Kṛṣṇa for killing his associates; he frames it as betrayal and challenges Him to combat.
It cautions against letting grievance and anger override discernment—when resentment turns into aggression, it harms the one who carries it most.