Shloka 8

Kaṃsa’s Council of Asuras and the Strategy Against the ‘Powerful Child’

Devanagari script

किम् उर्व्याम् अवनीपाला मद्बाहुबलभीरवः न सर्वे सन्नतिं याता जरासंधम् ऋते गुरुम्

Transliteration

kim urvyām avanīpālā madbāhubalabhīravaḥ na sarve sannatiṃ yātā jarāsaṃdham ṛte gurum

Translation

What is this, on the earth? Are the kings of the land so frightened of the strength of my arms that not all of them have come to bow down—except for Jarāsandha, that venerable elder?

Word by Word

• किम्: why? / what?
• किम्: Prashna (Interrogative/प्रश्न)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; प्रश्नवाचक

• उर्व्याम्: on earth
• उर्व्याम्: Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: उर्वी (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/Locative), एकवचन

• अवनीपालाः: kings (protectors of the earth)
• अवनीपालाः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अवनी (प्रातिपदिक) + पाल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (अवनेः पालाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• मद्बाहुबलभीरवः: afraid of the strength of my arms
• मद्बाहुबलभीरवः: Visheshana (Adjective/विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: मद् (अस्मद्-सम्बन्ध) + बाहु (प्रातिपदिक) + बल (प्रातिपदिक) + भीरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (मद्बाहुबलात् भीरवः/भीरवाः); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: Nishedha (Negation/निषेध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• सर्वे: all
• सर्वे: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सर्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• सन्नतिम्: submission / obeisance
• सन्नतिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सन्नति (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• याताः: have gone / have resorted (to)
• याताः: Karta (Agent participle/कर्ता)
• Type: Verb
• Root: या (धातु) + त (क्त, क्तप्रत्यय)
• Form: भूतकर्मणि कृदन्त (past active/perfective participle in intransitive sense); पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), बहुवचन

• जरासंधम्: Jarāsandha
• जरासंधम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जरासंध (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: कर्मधारय/तत्पुरुष-रूढि (नाम); पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

• ऋते: except
• ऋते: Apavada (Exception/अपवाद)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ऋते (अव्यय)
• Form: अपवादार्थक/वर्जनार्थक अव्यय (excepting), उपपदसप्तमी/द्वितीया-समर्थ (governs accusative here)

• गुरुम्: the teacher/elder (guru)
• गुरुम्: Apavada-vishaya (Object of exception/अपवाद-विषय)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गुरु (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/Accusative), एकवचन

Speaker

A powerful king/overlord addressing his court/attendants (contextual royal boast within the dynastic narrative)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Jarāsandha’s prominence and the subjugation of kings

Teaching: Historical

Quality: authoritative

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: Krishna dismantles tyrannical coalitions and restores political dharma by confronting kings who support oppression and adharma.

Leela: Yuddha

Dharma Restored: Freedom of righteous kings; prevention of forced submission and unjust tribute

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Political power rooted in intimidation breeds adharma; true authority is measured by protection, not forced obeisance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Resist coercive leadership; cultivate governance that invites respect through justice rather than fear.

Vishishtadvaita: Rulers are accountable within the Lord’s cosmic order; coercion against dharmic kings violates the harmony of the Lord’s embodied world.

Dynasty & Genealogy

Key Kings: Jarāsandha

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Characters & Entities

• Jarāsandha
• Kings (Avanīpālas)

FAQs

What is the significance of kings offering submission (sannati) in the Vishnu Purana?

It marks the political hierarchy of the age—rulers acknowledge an overlord’s dominance, revealing how sovereignty and legitimacy are negotiated through tribute and public homage.

How does the narrative frame power and authority in this verse?

Through a rhetorical challenge: the speaker equates kingship with the ability to compel recognition, highlighting the Purana’s interest in royal conduct and the unstable nature of worldly supremacy.

What is Jarāsandha’s theological or narrative importance here?

Jarāsandha functions as a named exception who anchors the episode in recognizable dynastic history; the contrast also hints that even great worldly powers face rivals—underscoring the Purana’s broader theme that ultimate sovereignty belongs to Vishnu beyond all kings.