Devanagari
योऽवधीत्स्वस्वसुस्तोकान्क्रोशन्त्या असुतृप्खल: ।
किं नु स्वित्तत्प्रजानां व: कुशलं विमृशामहे ॥ ४२ ॥
Verse text
yo ’vadhīt sva-svasus tokān
krośantyā asu-tṛp khalaḥ
kiṁ nu svit tat-prajānāṁ vaḥ
kuśalaṁ vimṛśāmahe
Synonyms
yaḥ
—
who
;
avadhīt
—
killed
;
sva
—
of his own
;
svasuḥ
—
sister
;
tokān
—
the babies
;
krośantyāḥ
—
who was crying
;
asu
—
tṛp — self-indulgent
;
khalaḥ
—
cruel
;
kim nu
—
what then
;
svit
—
indeed
;
tat
—
his
;
prajānām
—
of the subjects
;
vaḥ
—
you
;
kuśalam
—
well-being
;
vimṛśāmahe
—
we should conjecture .
Translation
That cruel, self-serving Kaṁsa murdered the infants of his own sister in her presence, even as she cried in anguish. So why should we even ask about the well-being of you, his subjects?
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
That cruel, self-serving Kaṁsa murdered the infants of his own sister in her presence, even as she cried in anguish. So why should we even ask about the well-being of you, his subjects?
KB 10.38.42
“Kaṁsa is so selfish that he has killed the sons of his own sister, so how can I honestly believe that he is protecting the citizens of Mathurā?” This statement is most significant. If the political or executive heads of the state are simply interested in themselves, they can never look after the welfare of the citizens.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
How can one consider asking about the welfare of those people who are dependent on one who kills his sister’s baby (tokan), o Akrura (he).
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Nanda calls Devakī Kaṁsa’s sister, because of their close relationship. It was not proper to kill the sons’ of one’s sister. And then were also small children, just born. And she cried in grief as he did this. This shows Kaṁsa’s great cruelty and Devakī’s great sorrow. And this was only so that Kaṁsa could protect his own body (asu-tṛp). And these children were innocent. Since Kaṁsa made false accusations he was a crafty person. How much well-being do persons who are dependent on him (prajānām) have? Nu indicates calling attention. Svit indicates conjecture. Kim kuśalam means “how much well-being.”