Shloka 46
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं स सामभिर्भेदैर्बोध्यमानोऽपि दारुण: । न न्यवर्तत कौरव्य पुरुषादाननुव्रत: ॥ ४६ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ sa sāmabhir bhedair bodhyamāno ’pi dāruṇaḥ na nyavartata kauravya puruṣādān anuvrataḥ
シュカデーヴァは続けた。「おお、クル族の最勝者よ。和らげる言葉や理を尽くした諭しを受けても、残忍なカンサは退かなかった。彼はラークシャサの性に従う者であり、罪の報いをこの世でも来世でも顧みなかった。」
FAQs
This verse states that Kaṁsa remained cruel and did not desist even after conciliatory counsel and sound reasoning, because he was committed to a harmful course of persecuting others.
Śukadeva addresses Parīkṣit as ‘Kauravya’ to indicate his lineage as a descendant of the Kuru dynasty while narrating how Kaṁsa persisted in adharma.
It teaches discernment: some people will not reform through gentle counsel alone when they are fixed in harmful intent—one should seek protection, set boundaries, and align with dharma rather than enabling cruelty.