Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.36.37
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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rāma - kṛṣṇau
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Rāma and Kṛṣṇa
Repeated yet again as the dual unit. Each repetition seats the pair more firmly in the chapter's structural center; Kaṁsa cannot finish a sentence without naming them.
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arbhakau
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the two boys, the two children
Arbhaka — a small child, a boy. Kaṁsa uses the diminutive, perhaps to belittle. Vraja uses the same word constantly out of vātsalya. The same syllables, opposite bhāvas — characteristic of the Bhāgavatam's economy.
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dhanuḥ - makha
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the bow sacrifice
Dhanus (bow) + makha (sacrifice). Same yāga as verse 26. The bait. Kṛṣṇa's response in SB 10.42 will be to lift the great bow and break it in two — a coronation-act without a coronation.
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yadu - pura - śriyam
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the splendor of the Yadu capital
Yadu + pura (city) + śrī (splendor). Mathurā. The Bhāgavatam names the city with full reverence; Kaṁsa rules it but does not own it — Kṛṣṇa is its true Lord, returning to claim what was always His.
You should not tell this secret plot to others, but you should speak as follows, inviting the boys to the dhanur yajna.
Fooling them by the attractions, you can bring these two foolish children (arbhakau). The bow sacrifice and the splendor of the city will be attractive to boys coming from the forest. Hari-vaṁśa says: vācyaś ca nandagopo vai karam ādāya vārṣikam śīghram āgaccha nagaraṁ gopaiḥ sarvaiḥ samanvitaḥ kṛsṇa-saṅkarṣaṇau caiva vasudeva-sutāv ubhau draṣṭum icchati vai kaṁsaḥ sabhṛtyaḥ sapurohitaḥ etau yuddha-vidau raṅge kāla-nirmāna-yodhinau dṛḍha-pratikṛtī caiva śṛṇomi vyāyatodyamau asmākam api mallau dvau sajjau yuddha-kṛtotsavau tābhyām saha nihyotsyete tau yuddha-kuśalāva ubhau drāṣṭavyau ca mayāvaśyaṁ bālau tāv amaropamau pita-svasuḥ sutau mukhyau vrajavāsau vane carau vaktavyaṁ ca vraje tasmin samīpe vraja-vāsinām raja dhanur makham nāma kāriṣyati vai sukhī sannikṛṣte prajās tatra nivasantu yathā sukham janasyāmantritasyārthe yathā syāt sarvam avyayam payasaḥ sarpiṣaś caiva dadhno dadhyuttarasya ca yathā kāma pradānāya bhojyādhiśrayanāya ca You should speak to Nanda as follows. “Go quickly to Mathurā, bringing your yearly tax with all the cowherds. Kaṁsa, his servants and priests desire to see the sons of Vasudeva, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. I have heard that the two boys are expert at fighting, fighters who bring death in the arena, determined and most perseverant. Our two wrestlers are prepared for this festive combat. Your two boys, expert at fighting should compete with them.” I must see these two boys living in Vraja, who wander in the forest, the sons of my father’s sister, who are like devatās. You should tell the people of Vraja that the rejoicing king will perform a sacrifice for the bow. The citizens should stay nearby comfortably. For the invited guests there will be unlimited milk, ghee, yogurt, and buttermilk to be given freely and for cooking.
'Bring the two boys — let them see the bow sacrifice and the splendor of Mathurā.' Cover-story over a death-plot, sightseeing as bait. The Bhāgavatam smiles: yes, the boys will see Mathurā — and Mathurā will see them, and the city's gaze will never recover.
My note
Source: vedabase.io