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Shloka 33

The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā

वसुदेवस्तु दुर्मेधा हन्यतामाश्वसत्तम: । उग्रसेन: पिता चापि सानुग: परपक्षग: ॥ ३३ ॥

vasudevas tu durmedhā hanyatām āśv asattamaḥ ugrasenaḥ pitā cāpi sānugaḥ para-pakṣa-gaḥ

اس بدبخت اور انتہائی شریر واسودیو کو فوراً قتل کر دو! اور میرے باپ اگرسین کو بھی، جو اپنے پیروکاروں سمیت دشمنوں سے جا ملا ہے، مار ڈالو!

vasudevaḥVasudeva
vasudevaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootvasudeva (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
tubut
tu:
Discourse particle (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Roottu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; विरोध/विशेषार्थक निपात ‘but/and’
durmedhāḥfoolish/evil-minded
durmedhāḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootdurmedhas (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; वसुदेवः इति विशेषण
hanyatāmlet (him) be killed
hanyatām:
Preraṇa (प्रेरणा/आज्ञा)
TypeVerb
Root√han (धातु)
Formलोट् (Imperative), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (Passive), प्रथम-पुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; ‘let him be killed’
āśuquickly
āśu:
Kriyāviśeṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootāśu (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; क्रियाविशेषण (adverb) ‘quickly’
asattamaḥthe worst (wretch)
asattamaḥ:
Karma (कर्म)
TypeAdjective
Rootasat (प्रातिपदिक) + tama (प्रत्यय)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; अतिशय (superlative) ‘worst among the wicked’
ugrasenaḥUgrasena
ugrasenaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootugrasena (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
pitāfather
pitā:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootpitṛ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन
caand
ca:
Connector (समुच्चय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; समुच्चय
apialso
api:
Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अपि = ‘also/even’
sānugaḥtogether with his followers
sānugaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootsa (प्रातिपदिक) + anuga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (सह-भाव: ‘with followers’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उग्रसेनः/पिता इत्यस्य विशेषण
para-pakṣa-gaḥone who has gone over to the opposing side
para-pakṣa-gaḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootpara (प्रातिपदिक) + pakṣa (प्रातिपदिक) + ga (प्रातिपदिक)
Formतत्पुरुष-समास (उपपद-तत्पुरुष: ‘going to the other side/party’), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति, एकवचन; उग्रसेनः/पिता इत्यस्य विशेषण
V
Vasudeva
U
Ugrasena
K
Kaṁsa

FAQs

This verse shows Kaṁsa’s extreme adharma—he commands immediate killing of Vasudeva and even his own father Ugrasena, revealing how fear and envy drive a tyrant to violence against family and innocents.

Kaṁsa views any sympathy for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma—or any resistance to his rule—as betrayal; thus he labels Ugrasena and his supporters as aligned with his enemies.

It warns that unchecked anger, paranoia, and attachment to power can make a person unjust even toward loved ones; cultivating dharma, humility, and devotion protects the heart from such downfall.