FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.36.18

निशम्य तद्भ‍ोजपति: कोपात्प्रचलितेन्द्रिय: । निशातमसिमादत्त वसुदेवजिघांसया ॥ १८ ॥
niśamya tad bhoja-patiḥ
[nishamya tad bhoja-patih]
kopāt pracalitendriyaḥ
[kopaat prachalitendriyah]
niśātam asim ādatta
[nishaatam asim aadatta]
vasudeva-jighāṁsayā
[vasudeva-jighaamsayaa]
Word-for-word
niśamya — hearing tat — that bhoja - patiḥ — the lord of the Bhoja dynasty (Kaṁsa) kopāt — out of anger pracalita — disturbed indriyaḥ — his senses niśātam — sharp asim — a sword ādatta — took up vasudeva - jighāṁsayā — with the desire to kill Vasudeva .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
niśamya tad bhoja-patiḥ
niśamya
hearing
tat
that
bhoja - patiḥ
the lord of the Bhoja dynasty (Kaṁsa)
kopāt pracalitendriyaḥ
kopāt
out of anger
pracalita
disturbed
indriyaḥ
his senses
niśātam asim ādatta
niśātam
sharp
asim
a sword
ādatta
took up
vasudeva-jighāṁsayā
vasudeva - jighāṁsayā
with the desire to kill Vasudeva .
Important Words
  • kopāt — out of anger
    Ablative of krodha. The Gītā's chain (krodhād bhavati sammohaḥ, 2.63) plays out here in narrative form — anger immediately produces a senseless act.
  • pracalita - indriyaḥ — his senses agitated
    Pracalita (set in motion, disturbed) + indriya (sense). The senses, not the will, are leading. Vaiṣṇava ethics names this state precisely: indriya-grāma in revolt against buddhi.
  • asim — sword
    The Bhāgavatam's standard image of Kaṁsa's mode: he answers every revelation with a blade. The same blade was raised against newborn Devakī (SB 10.1) and is raised now against her husband.
  • vasudeva - jighāṁsayā — with the desire to kill Vasudeva
    Jighāṁsā — the desiderative of √han (to kill). Kaṁsa's grammar is desiderative-han: he is permanently in the mood-of-wanting-to-kill. Bhakti's opposite is exactly this.
Upon hearing this, the master of the Bhojas became furious and lost control of his senses. He picked up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Upon hearing this, the master of the Bhojas became furious and lost control of his senses. He picked up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
Commentary

Kamsa took up his sword, but not in the presence of Vasudeva.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

His senses and mind became agitated. This means he lost all power of discrimination.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Bhoja-pati suggests Kaṁsa had great power. Also he was the best of enjoyers. Having many desires he had little intelligence. His senses and mind became agitated. This means he lost all power of discrimination.

Related values & verses
Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Kshama (Forgiveness / Patience)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)
Related verses
BG 15.9 BG 18.64 BG 2.62 BG 3.11 BG 12.3 SB 4.29.2 BG 9.11 BG 7.8 BG 10.3 BG 13.1 BG 5.18 BG 6.1 BG 6.5 BG 1.1 BG 16.4
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Furious and out of control, Kaṁsa picks up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva. The wicked respond to truth not with reflection but with renewed violence; this is how rage exposes itself.
Reflection Questions
  • When does fresh truth tempt you to lash out at the closest available person?
  • What sword would you set down if you noticed yourself reaching for it?
Analogy

The sword leaps to the hand before the mind catches up. Kaṁsa is named for this exact reflex throughout the Bhāgavatam — his bhakti-by-fear is real and constant, but every reflex of his arm is murder.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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