Shloka 29

Aghāsura-vadha: The Killing and Deliverance of Aghāsura

Devanagari script

तदा घनच्छदा देवा भयाद्धाहेति चुक्रुशु: । जहृषुर्ये च कंसाद्या: कौणपास्त्वघबान्धवा: ॥ २९ ॥

Transliteration

tadā ghana-cchadā devā bhayād dhā-heti cukruśuḥ jahṛṣur ye ca kaṁsādyāḥ kauṇapās tv agha-bāndhavāḥ

Translation

Bấy giờ các chư thiên ẩn sau mây vì sợ hãi kêu lên: “Than ôi! Than ôi!” Nhưng Kaṁsa và bọn asura khác, thân thuộc của Aghāsura, lại hân hoan mừng rỡ.

Synonyms

• तदा: then
• तदा: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तदा (अव्यय)
• Form: कालवाचक अव्यय (temporal adverb)

• घन-च्छदाः: covered by clouds
• घन-च्छदाः: Visheshana (विशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: घन (प्रातिपदिक) + छद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘cloud-covered’ (घनेन छदाः)

• देवाः: the gods
• देवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: देव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन

• भयात्: from fear
• भयात्: Hetu (हेतु/अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: भय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/ablative), एकवचन

• धाः: alas!/oh!
• धाः: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: धा (अव्यय/उद्गार)
• Form: उद्गार/आह्वानार्थक अव्यय (interjection)

• हे: O!
• हे: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: हे (अव्यय)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक अव्यय (vocative particle)

• इति: thus
• इति: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय)
• Form: उद्धरणार्थक अव्यय (quotative)

• चुक्रुशुः: cried out
• चुक्रुशुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √क्रुश् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• जहृषुः: rejoiced
• जहृषुः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √हृष् (धातु)
• Form: लिट् (perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन; parasmaipada

• ये: who (those who)
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• च: and
• च: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयार्थक अव्यय (conjunction)

• कंस-आद्याः: those headed by Kaṁsa
• कंस-आद्याः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘beginning with Kaṁsa’

• तु: but
• तु: None (अव्यय-प्रयोग)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तु (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषार्थक अव्यय (adversative/emphatic particle)

• अघ-बान्धवाः: Agha’s relatives
• अघ-बान्धवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अघ (प्रातिपदिक) + बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘kinsmen of Agha (demon)’

• कौणपाः: carrion-eaters
• कौणपाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कौणप (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुल्लिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; ‘carrion-eaters/ghouls’

Characters & Entities

• Deva (demigods)
• Kaṁsa
• Agha (Aghāsura)

FAQs

Why did the demigods cry out in fear during Krishna’s Aghasura pastime?

Because they saw the situation as perilous for the boys and for Kṛṣṇa’s play, they reacted with alarm—though Kṛṣṇa remained fully in control of the līlā.

Why did Kaṁsa rejoice when Aghāsura attacked?

Kaṁsa desired Kṛṣṇa’s destruction; seeing danger approach Kṛṣṇa, he and other hostile forces felt happiness, revealing their adharma and envy.

What is the practical lesson of this verse for modern life?

Different hearts respond differently to the same event: devotees feel concern and seek shelter in God, while the envious celebrate others’ harm—so cultivate compassion, dharma, and trust in Kṛṣṇa’s protection.