Devanagari
न त्वं विस्मृतशस्त्रास्त्रान् विरथान् भयसंवृतान् ।
हंस्यन्यासक्तविमुखान् भग्नचापानयुध्यत: ॥ ३५ ॥
Verse text
na tvaṁ vismṛta-śastrāstrān
virathān bhaya-saṁvṛtān
haṁsy anyāsakta-vimukhān
bhagna-cāpān ayudhyataḥ
Synonyms
na
—
not
;
tvam
—
Your Majesty
;
vismṛta
—
śastra — astrān — those who have forgotten how to use weapons
;
virathān
—
without chariots
;
bhaya
—
saṁvṛtān — bewildered by fear
;
haṁsi
—
does kill
;
anya
—
āsakta — vimukhān — persons attached not to fighting but to some other subject matter
;
bhagna
—
cāpān — their bows broken
;
ayudhyataḥ
—
and thus not fighting .
Translation
When the demigods are bereft of their chariots, when they forget how to use weapons, when they are fearful or attached to something other than fighting, or when their bows are broken and they have thus lost the ability to fight, Your Majesty does not kill them.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
When the demigods are bereft of their chariots, when they forget how to use weapons, when they are fearful or attached to something other than fighting, or when their bows are broken and they have thus lost the ability to fight, Your Majesty does not kill them.
KB 10.4.35
“We have also seen many times that you would never kill such surrendered fighters when they were all fearful, their bows, arrows and chariots broken, forgetful of their military activities and unable to fight with you.
Purport
There are principles that govern even fighting. If an enemy has no chariot, is unmindful of the fighting art because of fear, or is unwilling to fight, he is not to be killed. Kaṁsa’s ministers reminded Kaṁsa that despite his power, he was cognizant of the principles of fighting, and therefore he had excused the demigods because of their incapability. “But the present emergency,” the ministers said, “is not intended for such mercy or military etiquette. Now you should prepare to fight under any circumstances.” Thus they advised Kaṁsa to give up the traditional etiquette in fighting and chastise the enemy at any cost.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Your sense of righteousness is a cause for the increase of strength of the devatas. Therefore you should give up this sense of righteousness. This is not the time for dharma.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The devatās lived because you followed rules of dharma. Though they held their swords and arrows they forgot to use them because of extreme fear (vismṛta-śastrāstrān).