Shloka 5

Akrūra’s Mission: The Departure from Vraja and the Yamunā Vision of Viṣṇu-Ananta

Devanagari script

किं नु न: कुशलं पृच्छे एधमाने कुलामये । कंसे मातुलनाम्नाङ्ग स्वानां नस्तत्प्रजासु च ॥ ५ ॥

Transliteration

kiṁ nu naḥ kuśalaṁ pṛcche edhamāne kulāmaye kaṁse mātula-nāmnāṅga svānāṁ nas tat-prajāsu ca

Translation

然而，亲爱的阿克鲁罗，只要那位名为“舅父”的家族之病——康萨——仍在兴盛，我又何必询问我族亲眷与他臣民的安好？

Synonyms

• किम्: what
• किम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: किम् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन; प्रश्नार्थक

• नु: indeed?/then
• नु: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नु (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रश्नार्थक-निपात (interrogative particle)

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive), बहुवचन; ‘our’

• कुशलम्: welfare/well-being
• कुशलम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुशल (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• पृच्छे: I ask
• पृच्छे: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: प्रच्छ् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), उत्तम-पुरुष (1st person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद

• एधमाने: while (it is) increasing
• एधमाने: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: एध् (धातु)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; शतृ/शानच्-वर्तमानकृदन्त (आत्मनेपद) ‘growing/increasing’

• कुल-आमये: in the family’s calamity
• कुल-आमये: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कुल (प्रातिपदिक) + आमय (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन; षष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (कुलस्य आमयः = calamity of the family)

• कंसे: in/under Kaṁsa
• कंसे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कंस (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, एकवचन

• मातुल-नाम्ना: by the name ‘maternal uncle’
• मातुल-नाम्ना: Karana (करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातुल (प्रातिपदिक) + नामन् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (3rd/Instrumental), एकवचन; तत्पुरुष (मातुल इति नाम)

• अङ्ग: dear (one)
• अङ्ग: Sambodhana (सम्बोधन)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अङ्ग (अव्यय/सम्बोधन-निपात)
• Form: सम्बोधनार्थक-निपात (vocative particle: ‘dear/indeed’)

• स्वानाम्: of our own (people)
• स्वानाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्व (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘of one’s own people’

• नः: of us/our
• नः: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अस्मद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; ‘our’

• तत्-प्रजासु: among his subjects
• तत्-प्रजासु: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक) + प्रजा (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति, बहुवचन; तत्पुरुष (तस्य प्रजाः = his subjects)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय-निपात (conjunction)

Characters & Entities

• Kamsa
• Vasudeva
• Krishna
• Balarama

FAQs

What does Srimad Bhagavatam 10.39.5 say about Kamsa’s rule?

It portrays Kamsa as a destructive force within the dynasty—an ‘uncle in name only’—who harms both his relatives and the general populace under his control.

Why does Vasudeva say he cannot even ask about welfare in this verse?

Because the family’s suffering is intensifying under Kamsa’s oppression, making ordinary greetings about well-being feel hollow in the face of ongoing danger and injustice.

What is a practical lesson from Bhagavatam 10.39.5 for modern life?

Do not normalize harmful behavior simply because of titles or relationships; recognize injustice clearly and support dharmic protection of family and society.