Shloka 24

Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas

Devanagari script

मोचयामास निगडाद् विश्रब्ध: कन्यकागिरा । देवकीं वसुदेवं च दर्शयन्नात्मसौहृदम् ॥ २४ ॥

Transliteration

mocayām āsa nigaḍād viśrabdhaḥ kanyakā-girā devakīṁ vasudevaṁ ca darśayann ātma-sauhṛdam

Translation

Con plena fe en las palabras de la diosa Durgā, Kaṁsa mostró su afecto familiar hacia Devakī y Vasudeva y los liberó de inmediato de sus grilletes de hierro.

Synonyms

• mocayāmāsa: he released / set free
• mocayāmāsa: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: muc (धातु) + āmāsa (कृदन्त/परस्मैपद-सहायक)
• Form: लिट् (Perfect/परोक्शभूत), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन (singular), परस्मैपद; periphrastic perfect (आमास-योग)

• nigaḍāt: from the fetter(s)
• nigaḍāt: Apādāna (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: nigaḍa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग (masculine), पञ्चमी विभक्ति (Ablative/अपादान), एकवचन (singular)

• viśrabdhaḥ: being reassured / confident
• viśrabdhaḥ: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: viśrabdha (कृदन्त; √śrambh/viśrambh धातु)
• Form: भूतकृदन्त (past participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा विभक्ति (Nominative), एकवचन; used adjectivally

• kanyakā-girā: by the maiden’s words
• kanyakā-girā: Karaṇa (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: kanyakā (प्रातिपदिक) + gir (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘कन्यकायाः गिरा’); स्त्रीलिङ्ग, तृतीया विभक्ति (Instrumental/करण), एकवचन

• devakīm: Devakī
• devakīm: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: devakī (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग (feminine), द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative/कर्म), एकवचन

• vasudevam: Vasudeva
• vasudevam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vasudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय (conjunction)

• darśayan: showing / demonstrating
• darśayan: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: dṛś (धातु)
• Form: वर्तमान कृदन्त (शतृ/Present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचन; परस्मैपद-प्रयोग

• ātma-sauhṛdam: his own friendliness / goodwill
• ātma-sauhṛdam: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ātman (प्रातिपदिक) + sauhṛda (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष समास (षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष: ‘आत्मनः सौहृदम्’); नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया विभक्ति (Accusative), एकवचन

Characters & Entities

• Kaṁsa
• Devakī
• Vasudeva
• Ākāśa-vāṇī (heavenly voice)

FAQs

Why did Kaṁsa release Devakī and Vasudeva in Srimad Bhagavatam 10.4?

Because he was reassured by the maiden’s words (the heavenly voice), Kaṁsa temporarily felt relief and showed outward friendliness by freeing Devakī and Vasudeva from their chains.

Who is speaking this verse in the Bhagavata Purana?

Śukadeva Gosvāmī is narrating this event to Mahārāja Parīkṣit.

What practical lesson does this shloka give for modern life?

It shows how fear and agitation can drive cruelty, while reassurance can soften behavior—encouraging us to respond to anxiety with clarity, restraint, and humane conduct.