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Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.36.32

ఘాతయిష్య ఇహానీతౌ కాలకల్పేన హస్తినా । యది ముక్తౌ తతో మల్లైర్ఘాతయే వైద్యుతోపమై: ॥ ౩౨ ॥
ghātayiṣya ihānītau
[ghaatayishya ihaaneetau]
kāla-kalpena hastinā
[kaala-kalpena hastinaa]
yadi muktau tato mallair
[yadi muktau tato mallair]
ghātaye vaidyutopamaiḥ
[ghaataye vaidyutopamaih]
ghātayiṣye — I shall have Them killed iha — here ānītau — brought kāla - kalpena — like death itself hastinā — by the elephant yadi — if muktau — They go free tataḥ — then mallaiḥ — by wrestlers ghātaye — I will have killed vaidyuta — lightning upamaiḥ — just like .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
ghātayiṣya ihānītau
ghātayiṣye
I shall have Them killed
iha
here
ānītau
brought
kāla-kalpena hastinā
kāla - kalpena
like death itself
hastinā
by the elephant
yadi muktau tato mallair
yadi
if
muktau
They go free
tataḥ
then
mallaiḥ
by wrestlers
ghātaye vaidyutopamaiḥ
ghātaye
I will have killed
vaidyuta
lightning
upamaiḥ
just like .
  • ghātayiṣye — I shall have (Them) killed
    Causative future of √han (to kill). Kaṁsa makes himself a remote cause — he will have it done, not do it. Even his violence is delegated; the only thing in his palace that is direct is the truth Nārada brought.
  • kāla - kalpena — like time itself, like death itself
    Kāla (time) + kalpa (resembling). The elephant compared to Kāla, devourer. Yet in five chapters Kṛṣṇa kills Kāla-like Kuvalayāpīḍa with a single twist of the tusk — Kṛṣṇa is the kāla of Kāla (kāla-kālaḥ).
  • hastinā — by the elephant
    Hastin — elephant. The kingly weapon. Mathurā's signature instrument of state-power, deployed at the arena-gate.
  • vaidyuta - upamaiḥ — comparable to lightning
    Vaidyuta (lightning) + upamā (likeness). The wrestlers' strength is named with Indra's weapon-image again — same image as verse 10's thunderbolt. The Bhāgavatam keeps recycling Indra-similes for Kṛṣṇa's opponents, since Indra Himself was already conquered at Govardhana.
After you bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, I will have Them killed by my elephant, who is as powerful as death itself. And if by chance They escape from him, I will have Them killed by my wrestlers, who are as strong as lightning.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After you bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, I will have Them killed by my elephant, who is as powerful as death itself. And if by chance They escape from him, I will have Them killed by my wrestlers, who are as strong as lightning.
Commentary

They will be killed by these wrestlers who are like thunderbolts.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

What is the purpose in bringing them? I will have them killed. If they escape the elephant, then I will have them killed by the wrestlers. There is another meaning. If you bring them to Mathurā, I will have them enter by the gate which will increase their enthusiasm for defeating me and will have them enter into the arena, with the elephant which is death for my wrestlers and me. For my liberation (muktau) I will have them approach me (ghataye) with the wrestlers at the gate, who are like the devatās who accompany one during the gradual stages of liberation.

Śrīdhara Svāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

What is the purpose in bringing them? I will have them killed by my elephant, powerful as death. Death cannot be avoided for them. They will not escape, but if they do, then I will have my wrestlers kill them. The comparison with lightning indicates that their death could not be avoided.

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

If the elephant fails, the wrestlers; if the wrestlers fail, the next plan. Kaṁsa lists backups for Bhagavān's murder. Every plan is correct in form and impossible in fact. The Bhāgavatam smiles at the cumulative redundancy of an asura against the Lord.

📝 My note

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