My dear King, when a man persecutes great souls, all his benedictions of longevity, beauty, fame, religion, blessings and promotion to higher planets will be destroyed.

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.

COMMENTARY

The demons continue speaking to Kaṁsa: “Your sense of righteousness increases the strength of the demigods. Give up this sense of righteousness, for this is not the time for dharma.”

 

|| 10.4.36 ||

kiṁ kṣema-śūrair vibudhair asaṁyuga-vikatthanaiḥ

raho-juṣā kiṁ hariṇā śambhunā vā vanaukasā

kim indreṇālpa-vīryeṇa brahmaṇā vā tapasyatā

TRANSLATION

The demigods boast uselessly while away from the battlefield. Only where there is no fighting can they show their prowess. Therefore, from such demigods we have nothing to fear. As for Lord Viṣṇu, He is in seclusion in the core of the hearts of the yogīs. As for Lord Śiva, he has gone to the forest. And as for Lord Brahmā, he is always engaged in austerities and meditation. The other demigods, headed by Indra, are devoid of prowess. Therefore you have nothing to fear.

COMMENTARY

This verse is spoken to show that the demons have no fear of the demigods. “The demigods display courage where there is no danger (kṣema), and show pride outside the battlefield by boasting and talking uselessly (asamyuga vikatthanaih). Because you are stronger, you should have no fear of even Hari or Śiva. Hari prefers solitary places (raho jusa). Even if the demigods have strength, why do they not come out and fight? Why does Hari hide within the hearts of the people? Why does Śiva stay in the forest in Ilāvṛta Varṣa without mixing with people?”

 

|| 10.4.37 ||

tathāpi devāḥ sāpatnyān nopekṣyā iti manmahe

tatas tan-mūla-khanane niyuṅkṣvāsmān anuvratān

TRANSLATION

Nonetheless, because of their enmity, our opinion is that the demigods should not be neglected. Therefore, to uproot them completely, engage us in fighting with them, for we are ready to follow you.

COMMENTARY

The demons said to Kaṁsa, “Though the demigods are weak, the enemy cannot be neglected.” This is according to Nītī-sāstra (civic laws).

 

|| 10.4.38 ||

yathāmayo ’ṅge samupekṣito nṛbhir na śakyate rūḍha-padaś cikitsitum

yathendriya-grāma upekṣitas tathā ripur mahān baddha-balo na cālyate

TRANSLATION

As a disease, if initially neglected, becomes acute and impossible to cure, or as the senses, if not controlled at first, are impossible to control later, an enemy, if neglected in the beginning, later becomes insurmountable.

COMMENTARY

“As a disease in the body becomes acute (rūḍha pada) when neglected, and as senses not brought under control in the beginning become uncontrollable, similarly, a neglected enemy can become strong and defeat us.”

 

|| 10.4.39 ||

mūlaṁ hi viṣṇur devānāṁ yatra dharmaḥ sanātanaḥ

tasya ca brahma-go-viprās tapo yajñāḥ sa-dakṣiṇāḥ

TRANSLATION

The foundation of all the demigods is Lord Viṣṇu, who lives and is worshiped wherever there are religious principles, traditional culture, the Vedas, cows, brāhmaṇas, austerities, and sacrifices with proper remuneration.

COMMENTARY

mūlam: root, foundation; that which gives life is the root. “The root of the demigods is Lord Viṣṇu. The root of Viṣṇu is dharma, which is founded upon the Vedas.”

 

|| 10.4.40 ||

tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan brāhmaṇān brahma-vādinaḥ

tapasvino yajña-śīlān gāś ca hanmo havir-dughāḥ

TRANSLATION

O King, we, who are your adherents in all respects, shall therefore kill the Vedic brāhmaṇas, the persons engaged in offering sacrifices and austerities, and the cows that supply milk, from which clarified butter is obtained for the ingredients of sacrifice.

COMMENTARY

Among these, killing the brāhmaṇa will bring about the end of religious culture. Therefore the demon speaks this verse: “Ghee, which is necessary for sacrifice (yajña), comes from the cows, so we should kill the cows.”

 

|| 10.4.41 ||

viprā gāvaś ca vedāś ca tapaḥ satyaṁ damaḥ śamaḥ

śraddhā dayā titikṣā ca kratavaś ca hares tanūḥ

TRANSLATION

The brāhmaṇas, the cows, Vedic knowledge, austerity, truthfulness, control of the mind and senses, faith, mercy, tolerance and sacrifice are the different parts of the body of Lord Viṣṇu, and they are the paraphernalia for a godly civilization.

 

|| 10.4.42 ||

sa hi sarva-surādhyakṣo hy asura-dviḍ guhā-śayaḥ

tan-mūlā devatāḥ sarvāḥ seśvarāḥ sa-catur-mukhāḥ

ayaṁ vai tad-vadhopāyo yad ṛṣīṇāṁ vihiṁsanam

TRANSLATION

Lord Viṣṇu, the Supersoul within the core of everyone’s heart, is the ultimate enemy of the asuras and is therefore known as asura-dviṭ. He is the leader of all the demigods because all the demigods, including Lord Śiva and Lord Brahmā, exist under His protection. The great saintly persons, sages and Vaiṣṇavas also depend upon Him. To persecute the Vaiṣṇavas, therefore, is the only way to kill Viṣṇu.

COMMENTARY

“We can kill Viṣṇu by killing the brāhmaṇas, because the saintly people are the root of Viṣṇu who is the root of all things.”

 

|| 10.4.43 ||

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaṁ durmantribhiḥ kaṁsaḥ saha sammantrya durmatiḥ

brahma-hiṁsāṁ hitaṁ mene kāla-pāśāvṛto ’suraḥ

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thus, having considered the instructions of his bad ministers, Kaṁsa, who was bound by the laws of Yamarāja and devoid of good intelligence because he was a demon, decided to persecute the saintly persons, the brāhmaṇas, as the only way to achieve his own good fortune.

 

|| 10.4.44 ||

sandiśya sādhu-lokasya kadane kadana-priyān

kāma-rūpa-dharān dikṣu dānavān gṛham āviśat

TRANSLATION

These demons, the followers of Kaṁsa, were expert at persecuting others, especially the Vaiṣṇavas, and could assume any form they desired. After giving these demons permission to go everywhere and persecute the saintly persons, Kaṁsa entered his palace.

 

|| 10.4.45 ||

te vai rajaḥ-prakṛtayas tamasā mūḍha-cetasaḥ

satāṁ vidveṣam ācerur ārād āgata-mṛtyavaḥ

TRANSLATION

Surcharged with passion and ignorance and not knowing what was good or bad for them, the asuras, for whom impending death was waiting, began the persecution of the saintly persons.

COMMENTARY

ārād āgata-mṛtyavaḥ: soon overtaken by death; By these words Śukadeva pacifies the fearful Mahārāja Parīkṣit. “The passionate followers of Kaṁsa, whose minds were bewildered by ignorance and whose death was fast approaching, began to torment the brāhmaṇas.”

 

|| 10.4.46 ||

āyuḥ śriyaṁ yaśo dharmaṁ lokān āśiṣa eva ca

hanti śreyāṁsi sarvāṇi puṁso mahad-atikramaḥ

TRANSLATION

Thus ends the commentary on the Fourth Chapter of the Tenth Canto of the Bhāgavatam for the pleasure of the devotees, in accordance with the previous ācāryas.