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

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Canto 10 · The Summum Bonum · 90 chapters

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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.
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Canto 10 · Chapter 44: The Killing of Kaṁsa
10.44.3210.44.34

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 10.44.33

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

वसुदेवस्तु दुर्मेधा हन्यतामाश्वसत्तम: । उग्रसेन: पिता चापि सानुग: परपक्षग: ॥ ३३ ॥

vasudevas tu durmedhā

hanyatām āśv asattamaḥ

ugrasenaḥ pitā cāpi

sānugaḥ para-pakṣa-gaḥ

Translation

Kill that most evil fool Vasudeva! And also kill my father, Ugrasena, along with his followers, who have all sided with our enemies!

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.

Hostility Turns Even Against Family

  1. 1

    Kaṁsa ordered Vasudeva to be killed, calling him an evil fool. These harsh words express Kaṁsa’s hostility.

  2. 2

    Kaṁsa also ordered the death of his own father, Ugrasena, along with his followers.

  3. 3

    Kaṁsa accused them all of siding with his enemies. His command shows how far his hostility had reached.

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. vasudevaḥVasudeva
  2. tuand furthermore
  3. durmedhāthe foolish-minded
  4. hanyatāmshould be killed
  5. āśuimmediately
  6. asat-tamaḥthe worst of the impure
  7. ugrasenaḥUgrasena
  8. pitāmy father
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: “father”

  • Abhaya · Fearlessness

    Steadiness through faith amid danger and death. · Theme in SB 10.44

    In this verse: “death”

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 does Kaṁsa’s speech help me recognize the danger of treating others as enemies?

Practice

Pause before speaking today when you feel hostile toward someone.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

Live this todayHostility Turns Even Against FamilyThis 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 10.44.33? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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