Devanagari
एषा तवानुजा बाला कृपणा पुत्रिकोपमा
हन्तुं नार्हसि कल्याणीमिमां त्वं दीनवत्सल: ॥ ४५ ॥
Verse text
eṣā tavānujā bālā
kṛpaṇā putrikopamā
hantuṁ nārhasi kalyāṇīm
imāṁ tvaṁ dīna-vatsalaḥ
Synonyms
eṣā
—
this
;
tava
—
your
;
anujā
—
younger sister
;
bālā
—
innocent woman
;
kṛpaṇā
—
completely dependent on you
;
putrikā
—
upamā — exactly like your own daughter
;
hantum
—
to kill her
;
na
—
not
;
arhasi
—
you deserve
;
kalyāṇīm
—
who is under your affection
;
imām
—
her
;
tvam
—
you
;
dīna
—
vatsalaḥ — very compassionate to the poor and innocent .
Translation
As your younger sister, this poor girl Devakī is like your own daughter and deserves to be affectionately maintained. You are merciful, and therefore you should not kill her. Indeed, she deserves your affection.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
As your younger sister, this poor girl Devakī is like your own daughter and deserves to be affectionately maintained. You are merciful, and therefore you should not kill her. Indeed, she deserves your affection.
KB 10.1.45
Vasudeva appealed to Kaṁsa on behalf of Devakī, stating that she was his younger sister. He also appealed at an auspicious moment, at the time of marriage. A younger sister or brother is supposed to be protected as one’s child. “The position is overall so delicate,” Vasudeva reasoned, “that if you kill her it will go against your high reputation.”
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Vasudeva again began praising Kamsa, according to the saying "By praise the ferocious becomes tamed." She is deserving your mercy because she is just like your daughter. The sentence can also mean " she is petrified like a doll out of fear." You should not kill her because you are compassionate to the suffering (dina vatsala). The real meaning of dina vatsala however is " one who accepts even a calf from the most poor person as a tax."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
For the most cruel, one should use the type of sāma known as praise. This newly married woman is miserable (kṛpaṇā), crying in fear or she is low by her nature. She is like your daughter, worthy of your affection. Or she is like a doll, unconscious, not knowing good from bad. She is innocent, without fault (kalyaṇīm). The different words used to describe Devakī progress to the most important--kalyaṇīm. Dīnavalsalaḥ (affectionate to the miserable) has a hidden meaning. You are the type of person who gives (lā) an almost-dead calf (dīna-vatsa) to brāhmaṇas, or who takes a calf from a destitute person. You should not kill her. Of course people like you would do this, but it is to be condemned.