Shloka 37

तथापि देवा: सापत्न्‍यान्नोपेक्ष्या इति मन्महे । ततस्तन्मूलखनने नियुङ्‌क्ष्वास्माननुव्रतान् ॥ ३७ ॥

tathāpi devāḥ sāpatnyān nopekṣyā iti manmahe tatas tan-mūla-khanane niyuṅkṣvāsmān anuvratān

എങ്കിലും വൈരത്തിന്റെ കാരണത്താൽ ദേവന്മാരെ അവഗണിക്കരുതെന്ന് ഞങ്ങൾ കരുതുന്നു. അതിനാൽ അവരെ വേരോടെ പിഴുതെറിയാൻ, നിന്റെ അനുഗാമികളായ ഞങ്ങളെ അവരുടെ വിരുദ്ധ യുദ്ധത്തിൽ നിയോഗിക്കണമേ.

तथाthus
तथा:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतथा (अव्यय)
Formरीत्यर्थक अव्ययम् (adverb ‘thus/in that way’)
अपिeven/though
अपि:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootअपि (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपवादार्थक निपातः (also/though)
देवाःthe gods
देवाः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootदेव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्
सापत्न्यान्rivalrous/hostile
सापत्न्यान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootसापत्न्य (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (having rivalry/jealousy; ‘with co-wives’ sense → hostile/competitive)
not
:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निषेध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootन (अव्यय)
Formनिषेध-निपातः
उपेक्ष्याःto be neglected
उपेक्ष्याः:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootउपेक्ष्य (कृदन्त; √ईक्ष् धातु, उप-उपसर्ग, यत्/तव्यत्-प्रत्ययः; gerundive)
Formपुंलिङ्गे प्रथमा (1st) बहुवचनम्; विधेय-विशेषणम्—‘उपेक्षितुं योग्याः’ (to be neglected)
इतिthus
इति:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/उद्धरण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootइति (अव्यय)
Formउद्धरण-निपातः
मन्महेwe think/consider
मन्महे:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√मन् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present) आत्मनेपदम्; उत्तमपुरुषः बहुवचनम्
ततःtherefore
ततः:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootततः (अव्यय)
Formअपादानार्थक/क्रमार्थक अव्ययम् (therefore/from that)
तत्-मूल-खननेin uprooting (at the root-digging)
तत्-मूल-खनने:
Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootतत् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + मूल (प्रातिपदिक) + खनन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्गे सप्तमी (7th) एकवचनम्; तस्य मूलस्य खनने (in the digging up of its root)
नियुङ्क्ष्वengage (us)
नियुङ्क्ष्व:
Kriya (क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Root√युज् (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative) परस्मैपदम्; मध्यमपुरुषः एकवचनम्; नि-उपसर्ग; (appoint/engage!)
अस्मान्us
अस्मान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootअस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
Formउत्तमपुरुष-सर्वनाम; द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनम्
अनुव्रतान्obedient followers
अनुव्रतान्:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootअनुव्रत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्गे द्वितीया (2nd) बहुवचनम्; विशेषणम् (obedient/following)

According to moral instructions, one should not neglect to extinguish fire completely, treat diseases completely, and clear debts completely. Otherwise they will increase and later be difficult to stop. Therefore the ministers advised Kaṁsa to uproot his enemies completely.

K
Kaṁsa
D
demigods (devāḥ)

FAQs

This verse shows Kaṁsa’s advisers urging him not to ignore the devas even if they are rivals, and to attack them “at the root,” reflecting the asuric impulse to eradicate divine support rather than reform oneself.

In the narrative, Kaṁsa is threatened by the prophecy of his death and the rise of divine opposition; his ministers counsel proactive aggression—using loyal followers to suppress the devas who empower and protect dharma.

It cautions against envy-driven thinking that treats others as “rivals” and seeks to destroy them; instead, a devotee replaces rivalry with humility, avoids scapegoating, and strengthens one’s own character and devotion.