1 · Learn4 of 6 · 5 min

Study a Verse

Read one verse of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam with its Sanskrit, word meanings, translation and study points.

Or browse by canto and chapter
Canto

Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

123456789101112131415161718192021222324252627282930313233343536373839404142434445464748495051525354555657585960616263646566676869707172737475767778798081828384858687888990

Choose a chapter to see all its verses.

How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 10 · Chapter 44: The Killing of Kaṁsa
10.44.3110.44.33

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.44.32

Ūti· What drives us to act
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:Kaṁsasince 10.44.32inside 2 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King Parīkṣit

नि:सारयत दुर्वृत्तौ वसुदेवात्मजौ पुरात् । धनं हरत गोपानां नन्दं बध्नीत दुर्मतिम् ॥ ३२ ॥

niḥsārayata durvṛttau

vasudevātmajau purāt

dhanaṁ harata gopānāṁ

nandaṁ badhnīta durmatim

Translation

[Kaṁsa said:] Drive the two wicked sons of Vasudeva out of the city! Confiscate the cowherds’ property and arrest that fool Nanda!

Read this verse on Vedabase.io

This verse has no purport; its meaning is explained by the verses around it.

From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.

1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kaṁsa Orders Expulsion and Arrest

  1. 1

    Kaṁsa ordered the two sons of Vasudeva driven out of the city, calling Them wicked. This accusation is Kaṁsa’s speech, not the text’s judgment of the Lords.

  2. 2

    He commanded that the cowherds’ property be confiscated.

  3. 3

    He also ordered Nanda’s arrest and insulted him as a fool. His commands targeted both the two Lords and the cowherds.

How it feels

Anxiety and conflict → Liberation and joy. Heroic victory is complicated by separation from Vraja.

Chapters 39–45 of Canto 10: Mathurā, Kaṁsa and reunion with parents. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 44: The Killing of Kaṁsa

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

The King, in a rage, stopped the festive music and ordered that Vasudeva, Nanda, Ugrasena and all the cowherds be severely punished and that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma be driven from the assembly. Kṛṣṇa became furious when He heard Kaṁsa speak this way, and He instantly leapt onto the lofty royal dais.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 10.44
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. niḥsārayataexpel
  2. durvṛttauwho behave wickedly
  3. vasudeva-ātmajauthe two sons of Vasudeva
  4. purātfrom the city
  5. dhanamthe wealth
  6. haratatake away
  7. gopānāmof the cowherds
  8. nandamNanda Mahārāja
  9. badhnītatie up
  10. durmatimthe fool, whose heart is crooked
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Ūti · The creative impetus

    Why do we act, and what keeps us bound? · Subject 5 of 10

  • Vātsalya · Parental affection

    Affection and protective concern for the Lord as a child. · Theme in SB 10.44

    In this verse: “nanda”, “nanda’s”

Chapter themes come from the story phase this chapter belongs to.

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How can I distinguish Kaṁsa’s hostile accusations from the text’s presentation of the Lords?

Practice

Reread Kaṁsa’s speech and identify its insults as his accusations, rather than accepting them as true.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayKaṁsa Orders Expulsion and ArrestThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 10.44.32? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
  1. Learn
  2. Live
  3. Lead
Next in Learn · 5 of 11 · 2 minAsk the BhāgavatamBring your own question. Get an answer drawn only from the Bhāgavatam's translations, with every verse shown.Back · LearnCantos & stories