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Shloka 17

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

दैवमप्यनृतं वक्ति न मर्त्या एव केवलम् । यद्विश्रम्भादहं पाप: स्वसुर्निहतवाञ्छिशून् ॥ १७ ॥

daivam apy anṛtaṁ vakti na martyā eva kevalam yad-viśrambhād ahaṁ pāpaḥ svasur nihatavāñ chiśūn

കഷ്ടം! മനുഷ്യർ മാത്രമല്ല, ചിലപ്പോൾ ദൈവവിധി പോലും കള്ളം പറയുന്നു. അതിൽ വിശ്വസിച്ചാണ് പാപിയായ ഞാൻ എന്റെ സഹോദരിയുടെ കുഞ്ഞുങ്ങളെ കൊന്നത്.

daivamfate/divinity
daivam:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject)
TypeNoun
Rootdaiva (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Nominative (1st), Singular; subject of vakti
apieven
api:
Bhava-suchaka (भावसूचक/Emphasis ‘even’)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
FormParticle (समुच्चय/अपि-अर्थक)
anṛtamfalsehood/untruth
anṛtam:
Karma (कर्म/Object)
TypeNoun
Rootanṛta (प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular; object of vakti
vaktispeaks/says
vakti:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√vac (धातु)
FormPresent (लट्), 3rd person, Singular, Parasmaipada
nanot
na:
Pratishedha (प्रतिषेध/Negation)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootna (अव्यय)
FormNegation particle (निषेधक अव्यय)
martyāḥmortals
martyāḥ:
Karta (कर्ता/Subject in contrast)
TypeNoun
Rootmartya (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Plural; contrasted subject ‘mortals’
evaonly/just
eva:
Avadharana (अवधारण/Restriction)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
FormRestrictive particle (अवधारण अव्यय)
kevalammerely/alone
kevalam:
Kriya-viseshana (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootkevala (प्रातिपदिक used adverbially)
FormAdverbial accusative (क्रियाविशेषणवत्), ‘merely’
yatbecause of which
yat:
Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNeuter, Ablative (5th/पञ्चमी), Singular; with viśrambhāt in compound sense ‘because of (your) trust’
viśrambhātfrom trust/confidence
viśrambhāt:
Hetu (हेतु/Cause)
TypeNoun
Rootviśrambha (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Ablative (5th), Singular
ahamI
aham:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootasmad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
FormNominative, Singular
pāpaḥsinful/wicked
pāpaḥ:
Karta-anvayi Visheshana (कर्तृसम्बन्धि विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootpāpa (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Nominative, Singular; qualifies aham
svasuḥof (my) sister
svasuḥ:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
TypeNoun
Rootsvasṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
FormFeminine, Genitive (6th/षष्ठी), Singular; ‘of (my) sister’
nihatavān(having) killed
nihatavān:
Karta (कर्ता/Agent)
TypeVerb
Rootni-√han (धातु) → nihatavat (क्तवतु/active perfect participle)
FormPast active participle (क्तवतु), Masculine, Nominative, Singular; finite-sense ‘I have killed’ with aham implied as agent
śiśūninfants/children
śiśūn:
Karma (कर्म/Object of nihatavān)
TypeNoun
Rootśiśu (प्रातिपदिक)
FormMasculine, Accusative (2nd), Plural
K
Kaṁsa
D
Devakī

FAQs

This verse shows that even if one blames fate or prophecy, the moral burden of sinful acts—like harming innocents—still rests on the doer, as Kaṁsa admits his wrongdoing.

After hearing misleading or fear-inducing assurances, Kaṁsa reflects that his trust in such ‘daiva’ led him to commit grave sins—killing Devakī’s infants—revealing his anxiety and self-justification mixed with remorse.

Do not hide behind “destiny” or external claims to excuse harmful choices; act with conscience and accountability, especially when fear or rumors push one toward cruelty.