FolioCorpusBhagavad-gītā

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.36.24

మఞ్చా: క్రియన్తాం వివిధా మల్లరఙ్గపరిశ్రితా: । పౌరా జానపదా: సర్వే పశ్యన్తు స్వైరసంయుగమ్ ॥ ౨౪ ॥
mañcāḥ kriyantāṁ vividhā
[manchaah kriyantaam vividhaa]
malla-raṅga-pariśritāḥ
[malla-ranga-parishritaah]
paurā jānapadāḥ sarve
[pauraa jaanapadaah sarve]
paśyantu svaira-saṁyugam
[pashyantu svaira-samyugam]
mancāḥ — stages kriyantām — should be built vividhāḥ — various malla - raṅga — a wrestling ring pariśritāḥ — surrounding paurāḥ — the residents of the city jānapadāḥ — and the residents of the outlying districts sarve — all paśyantu — should see svaira — voluntarily participated in saṁyugam — the competition .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
mañcāḥ kriyantāṁ vividhā
mancāḥ
stages
kriyantām
should be built
vividhāḥ
various
malla-raṅga-pariśritāḥ
malla - raṅga
a wrestling ring
pariśritāḥ
surrounding
paurā jānapadāḥ sarve
paurāḥ
the residents of the city
jānapadāḥ
and the residents of the outlying districts
sarve
all
paśyantu svaira-saṁyugam
paśyantu
should see
svaira
voluntarily participated in
saṁyugam
the competition .
  • mancāḥ — viewing stands, platforms
    Tiered seats around the arena. The Bhāgavatam carefully names the structure — Mathurā becomes a public theater, and Kṛṣṇa-darśana becomes a city-wide event in chapters 42–43.
  • malla - raṅga — wrestling arena
    Malla (wrestler) + raṅga (stage). The akhāḍā in the center of Mathurā that will become the place of Kaṁsa's death. Kaṁsa builds his own execution-ground.
  • paurāḥ — the citizens
    City-dwellers of Mathurā. They become a major character in their own right in 10.41 when Kṛṣṇa enters the city and they crowd the rooftops; this verse seeds that scene.
  • saṁyugam — the combat
    Sam + yuga (joining) — battle. The same root used in Gītā 1.1 (dharma-kṣetre kuru-kṣetre samavetā yuyutsavaḥ). Kaṁsa is staging a yuga of his own; he will lose it.
Erect a wrestling ring with many surrounding viewing stands, and bring all the residents of the city and the outlying districts to see the open competition.

The word mañcāḥ refers to platforms constructed with large pillars. Kaṁsa wanted a festive atmosphere so that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would not be afraid to come.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Erect a wrestling ring with many surrounding viewing stands, and bring all the residents of the city and the outlying districts to see the open competition.
Commentary

In order to fool Krsna and Balarama, and to increase the enthusiasm to fight, make a huge festive competition. Otherwise they will flee."

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

To fool them you should arrange a festival with many pavilions, of different types suitable for the kings and ministers, which will surround the wrestling arena. By this, the city people and people from other places will see the contest which is not arranged by force but free will. Inviting everyone was another way of disguising his motives.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Prema (Divine Love)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva

Build a stadium, sell the tickets, fill every seat — and then bring the two cowherd boys into the middle. Kaṁsa is constructing his own dharma-kṣetra without knowing it. The crowd he summons to witness murder will witness avatāra instead.

📝 My note

← Read full Chapter 36