Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 46
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
श्रीशुक उवाच एवं स सामभिर्भेदैर्बोध्यमानोऽपि दारुण: । न न्यवर्तत कौरव्य पुरुषादाननुव्रत: ॥ ४६ ॥
śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ sa sāmabhir bhedair bodhyamāno ’pi dāruṇaḥ na nyavartata kauravya puruṣādān anuvrataḥ
Nagpatuloy si Śukadeva: O pinakamahusay sa angkan ng Kuru, kahit pa pinayuhan sa mahinahon at mapanuring paraan, ang malupit na si Kaṁsa ay hindi tumigil, sapagkat siya’y tagasunod ng ugaling rākṣasa. Wala siyang pakialam sa bunga ng kasalanan, sa buhay na ito man o sa susunod.
FAQs
This verse states that Kaṁsa remained cruel and did not desist even after conciliatory counsel and sound reasoning, because he was committed to a harmful course of persecuting others.
Śukadeva addresses Parīkṣit as ‘Kauravya’ to indicate his lineage as a descendant of the Kuru dynasty while narrating how Kaṁsa persisted in adharma.
It teaches discernment: some people will not reform through gentle counsel alone when they are fixed in harmful intent—one should seek protection, set boundaries, and align with dharma rather than enabling cruelty.