Shloka 37
Yoga-māyā Appears as Durgā; Kaṁsa’s Repentance and the Demonic Policy of Persecuting Vaiṣṇavas
तथापि देवा: सापत्न्यान्नोपेक्ष्या इति मन्महे । ततस्तन्मूलखनने नियुङ्क्ष्वास्माननुव्रतान् ॥ ३७ ॥
tathāpi devāḥ sāpatnyān nopekṣyā iti manmahe tatas tan-mūla-khanane niyuṅkṣvāsmān anuvratān
ถึงกระนั้น ด้วยความเป็นศัตรู เราเห็นว่าไม่ควรมองข้ามเหล่าเทวะ ดังนั้นเพื่อถอนรากถอนโคนพวกเขา โปรดมอบหมายให้พวกเรา ผู้ติดตามภักดีของพระองค์ ออกรบกับพวกเขาเถิด
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.
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.