SB 10.42.26-27 — FolioCorpus

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.42.26-27

कंसस्तु धनुषो भङ्गं रक्षिणां स्वबलस्य च । वधं निशम्य गोविन्दरामविक्रीडितं परम् ॥ २६ ॥ दीर्घप्रजागरो भीतो दुर्निमित्तानि दुर्मति: । बहून्यचष्टोभयथा मृत्योर्दौत्यकराणि च ॥ २७ ॥

kaṁsas tu dhanuṣo bhaṅgaṁ

[kamsas tu dhanusho bhangam]

rakṣiṇāṁ sva-balasya ca

[rakshinaam sva-balasya cha]

vadhaṁ niśamya govinda-

[vadham nishamya govinda-]

rāma-vikrīḍitaṁ param

[raama-vikreeditam param]

dīrgha-prajāgaro bhīto

[deergha-prajaagaro bheeto]

durnimittāni durmatiḥ

[durnimittaani durmatih]

bahūny acaṣṭobhayathā

[bahoony achashtobhayathaa]

mṛtyor dautya-karāṇi ca

[mrityor dautya-karaani cha]

Word-for-word

kaṁsaḥ — King Kaṁsa tu — but dhanuṣaḥ — of the bow bhaṅgam — the breaking rakṣiṇām — of the guards sva — his balasya — of the army ca — and vadham — the killing niśamya — hearing of govinda - rāma — of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma vikrīḍitam — the playing param — merely dīrgha — for a long time prajāgaraḥ — remaining awake bhītaḥ — afraid durnimittāni — bad omens durmatiḥ — the wicked-minded bahūni — many acaṣṭa — saw ubhayathā — in both states (sleep and wakefulness) mṛtyoḥ — of death dautya - karāṇi — the messengers ca — and .

Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)

kaṁsas tu dhanuṣo bhaṅgaṁ

kaṁsaḥ

King Kaṁsa

but

dhanuṣaḥ

of the bow

bhaṅgam

the breaking

rakṣiṇāṁ sva-balasya ca

rakṣiṇām

of the guards

sva

his

balasya

of the army

and

vadhaṁ niśamya govinda-

vadham

the killing

niśamya

hearing of

govinda - rāma

of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma

rāma-vikrīḍitaṁ param

vikrīḍitam

the playing

param

merely

dīrgha-prajāgaro bhīto

dīrgha

for a long time

prajāgaraḥ

remaining awake

bhītaḥ

afraid

durnimittāni durmatiḥ

durnimittāni

bad omens

durmatiḥ

the wicked-minded

bahūny acaṣṭobhayathā

bahūni

many

acaṣṭa

saw

ubhayathā

in both states (sleep and wakefulness)

mṛtyor dautya-karāṇi ca

mṛtyoḥ

of death

dautya - karāṇi

the messengers

and .

Important Words

govinda-rāma — of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma
Contiguous compound: Govinda (cow-cherisher) + Rāma (Balarāma). Kaṁsa hears the names but cannot say them properly — the Bhāgavata preserves his terror-stricken speech. Gauḍīya: even an asura's invocation of the holy name has effect; Kaṁsa's mokṣa at Kṛṣṇa's hand is being prepared by this very hearing.
vikrīḍitam — the playing (the līlā)
Past participle of vi + √krīḍ. The Bhāgavata describes Kṛṣṇa's destruction of the bow and the guards as vikrīḍita — mere play. Gauḍīya: even Kaṁsa, the demon, is forced by the facts to call it līlā.
durmatiḥ — the wicked-minded
Compound: dur (bad) + mati (mind). The Bhāgavata's epithet for Kaṁsa. Gauḍīya commentary: durmati is not just bad mind but mind oriented away from Bhagavān — the structural opposite of su-mati.
prajāgaraḥ — remaining awake
From pra + √jāgṛ. Wakefulness. Gauḍīya parallel: the bhakta also stays awake — but in jāgaraṇa for the Lord (kīrtana, smaraṇa). Same posture, different content.
mṛtyoḥ — of death
Genitive of mṛtyu. Death is named here as a person — a courier sending messengers. Gauḍīya note: Bhagavata's Yamarāja flees from devotees and pursues asuras; Kaṁsa's omens are his summons.
dautya-karāṇi — the messengers (of death)
Compound: dautya (message-bearing) + kara (doer). The omens themselves are messengers. Gauḍīya: the world is full of dūtas — for the bhakta they bring the holy name; for the asura they bring death.

Wicked King Kaṁsa, on the other hand, was terrified, having heard how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had broken the bow and killed his guards and soldiers, all simply as a game. He remained awake for a long time, and both while awake and while dreaming he saw many bad omens, messengers of death.

Gauḍīya Ācāryas

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya

Translation

Commentary

Hearing that the killing of the guards and troops was nothing but play for Krsna and Balarama, while waking and sleeping, Kamsa saw many signs like messengers of impending death.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

Kaṁsa on the other hand heard that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had broken the bow and killed his soldiers as play, not as a fight. Frightened, he saw bad omens. He was evil-minded (durmatiḥ) since he did not stop offending the Lord and his devotees. This was the cause of everything. He saw many bad omens causing the destruction of his kingdom. The omens acted as messengers of death, and indicated his death.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya

Commentary

Kṛṣṇa was the king of Gokula, having lifted Govardhana (govindaḥ). Balarāma had given enjoyment to the cowherd boys by killing Pralamba (rāma). They were very strong. Hearing how they had broken the bow as play only (vi-krīḍatam param) Kaṁsa became frightened. He saw many bad omens. He could not sleep at all or at least for a long time, without closing his eyes (prajāgaraḥ). Ever since hearing from Nārada he had sleepless nights. Or only on that night he could not sleep at all. Even at this time however, he never stopped thinking of how to harass the devotees (durmatiḥ). This was the cause of all his problems. He saw omens, messengers of death. The word ca indicates other things also: this means he would also end material existence, since he would attain liberation.

Related values & verses

Related values

Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)

Concepts

Jiva

Personal Guidance

Wicked Kaṁsa, terrified by the news, lies awake; both waking and dreaming he sees many bad omens — messengers of death. The wicked are tortured by their own foreknowledge well before judgment lands.

Reflection Questions

What 'bad omens' have you been seeing that you are not yet ready to interpret honestly?
Where could a clean conscience be the answer to your insomnia?

Analogy

An insomniac king lights every lamp and the lamps only deepen the dark — every comfort he reaches for has soured. Kaṁsa lies awake while Kṛṣṇa sleeps; the same night that grants the bhakta rest grants the demon dreams of death. The night is impartial; what changes is the heart inside it.

📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io