Shloka 23

The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers

Devanagari script

इति घोरतमाद् भावात् सन्निवृत्त: स्वयं प्रभु: । आस्ते प्रतीक्षंस्तज्जन्म हरेर्वैरानुबन्धकृत् ॥ २३ ॥

Transliteration

iti ghoratamād bhāvāt sannivṛttaḥ svayaṁ prabhuḥ āste pratīkṣaṁs taj-janma harer vairānubandha-kṛt

Translation

ശുകദേവ ഗോസ്വാമി പറഞ്ഞു—ഇങ്ങനെ ഭീകരമായി ആലോചിച്ചിട്ടും, ഭഗവാനോടുള്ള വൈരം തുടരുമെന്ന നിശ്ചയം ഉണ്ടായിരുന്ന കംസൻ, തന്റെ സഹോദരിയെ ക്രൂരമായി കൊല്ലുന്നതിൽ നിന്ന് സ്വയം പിന്മാറി. അവൻ ഹരിയുടെ ജനനം വരെ കാത്തிருந்து പിന്നെ വേണ്ടത് ചെയ്യാമെന്ന് തീരുമാനിച്ചു।

Synonyms

इतिthus

घोरतमात्from the most terrible

भावात्from (that) state of mind

सन्निवृत्तःhaving desisted; withdrawn

स्वयम्himself

प्रभुःthe lord; (Kaṁsa as) ruler

आस्तेremains; stays

प्रतीक्षन्waiting for

तत्-जन्मthat birth (his birth)

हरेःof Hari

वैर-अनुबन्ध-कृत्one who maintains/continues enmity

Characters & Entities

Kaṁsa

Hari (Śrī Kṛṣṇa)

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about vaira-bhakti (devotion through enmity)?

This verse shows that even hostility can bind one’s mind to Hari; Kaṁsa, though inimical, remained intensely absorbed in the Lord by constantly awaiting His birth.

Why did Kaṁsa stop his most violent actions and begin waiting for Krishna’s birth?

After recognizing the inevitability of the divine plan, Kaṁsa temporarily restrained his extreme cruelty and instead anxiously awaited the foretold birth—while still maintaining his inimical fixation on Hari.

What is a practical modern-life takeaway from Kaṁsa’s mindset described here?

Obsessive focus—whether positive or negative—shapes consciousness; the Bhagavatam urges transforming fixation into favorable remembrance and devotion rather than fear, anger, or hatred.