Shloka 47
उद्योगपर्व (अध्याय १२९) — केशवस्य वैभवप्रदर्शनम् / Krishna’s Theophanic Display in the Kuru Assembly
अरिष्टो धेनुकश्चैव चाणूरश्व महाबल: । अश्वराजश्न निहत: कंसश्चारिष्टमाचरन्,अरिष्टासुर, धेनुक, महाबली चाणूर, अश्वराज केशी और कंस भी लोकहितके विरुद्ध आचरण करनेपर श्रीकृष्णके ही हाथसे मारे गये थे
ariṣṭo dhenukaś caiva cāṇūraśva mahābalaḥ | aśvarājaḥ keśī nihataḥ kaṃsaś cāriṣṭam ācaran ||
Vidura said: Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, the mighty Cāṇūra, the horse-demon Keśin, and even Kaṃsa—because they acted against the welfare of the world and against righteousness—were slain by Śrī Kṛṣṇa himself. The point is clear: power and position do not protect those who persist in harmful, unrighteous conduct; such behavior inevitably meets its due consequence.
विदुर उवाच
Educational Q&A
Those who persist in adharma—conduct harmful to the world’s welfare—cannot rely on strength or status; their wrongdoing brings inevitable downfall, as illustrated by Kṛṣṇa’s slaying of notorious oppressors and demons.
In Vidura’s counsel during the Udyoga Parva, he cites well-known figures (Ariṣṭa, Dhenuka, Cāṇūra, Keśin, and Kaṃsa) who were killed by Kṛṣṇa because of their harmful, unrighteous behavior, using these examples to warn against continuing on an unjust path.