Shloka 42

Akrūra’s Journey to Vraja and His Devotional Vision of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma

Devanagari script

योऽवधीत्स्वस्वसुस्तोकान्क्रोशन्त्या असुतृप्खल: । किं नु स्वित्तत्प्रजानां व: कुशलं विमृशामहे ॥ ४२ ॥

Transliteration

yo ’vadhīt sva-svasus tokān krośantyā asu-tṛp khalaḥ kiṁ nu svit tat-prajānāṁ vaḥ kuśalaṁ vimṛśāmahe

Translation

ఆ క్రూరమైన, స్వార్థపరుడైన కంసుడు తన సొంత సోదరి ఏడుస్తున్నా కనికరించకుండా ఆమె కళ్ల ముందే ఆమె శిశువులను చంపాడు. కాబట్టి అతని ప్రజలైన మీ క్షేమం గురించి మేము అడగడానికి ఏముంది?

Synonyms

• यः: who (he)
• यः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; सम्बन्धसूचक सर्वनाम

• अवधीत्: killed
• अवधीत्: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अव-धा (धातु)
• Form: लङ्-लकार (Imperfect/Past), परस्मैपद, प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; उपसर्ग: अव-; धातु: धा (to strike/kill in this usage)

• स्वस्वसुः: of his own sister
• स्वस्वसुः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व + स्वसृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: स्वस्य स्वसुः ‘of his own sister’

• तोकान्: infants/children
• तोकान्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तोक (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, बहुवचन

• क्रोशन्त्याः: of the crying (mother)
• क्रोशन्त्याः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्रोशन्ती (प्रातिपदिक; √क्रुश्)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle used as noun), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; ‘of (her) who was crying’

• असुतृप्: insatiate (for lives)
• असुतृप्: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: असु + तृप् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; तत्पुरुष: असून् तृप्यति इति/असु-तृप् ‘not satisfied with lives/breaths’; विशेषण (qualifying ‘खलः’)

• खलः: the wicked one
• खलः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: खल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• किम्: what?/whether
• किम्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक अव्ययप्रयोग (interrogative particle: what?/whether?)

• नु: indeed/then
• नु: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्न/अनुनयार्थक निपात (interrogative/emphatic particle)

• स्वित्: perhaps
• स्वित्: Prashna (प्रश्न)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: स्वित् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नवाचक निपात (interrogative particle: perhaps?)

• तत्प्रजानाम्: of his subjects
• तत्प्रजानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तत् + प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष: तस्य प्रजाः ‘his subjects/people’

• वः: of you (all)
• वः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/Genitive)
• Type: Noun
• Root: युष्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी/चतुर्थी-विभक्ति (Genitive/Dative), बहुवचन; here षष्ठी ‘of you’

• कुशलम्: welfare/well-being
• कुशलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; here as object of inquiry (accusative sense)

• विमृशामहे: we consider/inquire
• विमृशामहे: Kriyā (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: वि-मृश् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), आत्मनेपद, उत्तमपुरुष (1st person), बहुवचन; उपसर्ग: वि-; धातु: मृश् (to consider/inquire)

Characters & Entities

• Kaṁsa
• Devakī
• Akrūra

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about cruel rulers and the welfare of citizens?

This verse implies that when a ruler is driven by cruelty and insatiable greed, the subjects’ welfare (kuśala) cannot truly exist—adharma at the top spreads suffering throughout the kingdom.

Why does Krishna speak about Kaṁsa killing Devakī’s children in Canto 10 Chapter 38?

Kṛṣṇa highlights Kaṁsa’s extreme adharma—killing his sister’s infants—to show the depth of tyranny in Mathurā and to frame the urgency and righteousness of confronting Kaṁsa.

How can this Bhagavatam verse be applied in modern life?

It teaches discernment: when leadership—personal, social, or institutional—lacks compassion and restraint, harm spreads. Choose and cultivate dharmic leadership marked by protection, empathy, and responsibility.