Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.1.37

śrī-vasudeva uvāca

ślāghanīya-gunah śūrair

bhavān bhoja-yaśaskarah

sa katham bhaginīm hanyāt

striyam udvāha-parvani

SYNONYMS

śrī-vasudevah uvāca — the great personality Vasudeva said; ślāghanīya-gunah — a person who possesses praiseworthy qualities; śūraih — by great heroes; bhavān — your good self; bhoja-yaśah-karah — a brilliant star in the Bhoja dynasty; sah — one such as your good self; katham — how; bhaginīm — your sister; hanyāt — can kill; striyam — especially a woman; udvāha-parvani — at the time of the marriage ceremony.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva said: My dear brother-in-law Kamsa, you are the pride of your family, the Bhoja dynasty, and great heroes praise your qualities. How could such a qualified person as you kill a woman, your own sister, especially on the occasion of her marriage?

PURPORT

According to Vedic principles, a brāhmana, an old man, a woman, a child or a cow cannot be killed under any circumstances. Vasudeva stressed that Devakī was not only a woman but a member of Kamsa s family. Because she was now married to Vasudeva, she was para-strī, another man's wife, and if such a woman were killed, not only would Kamsa be implicated in sinful activities, but his reputation as king of the Bhoja dynasty would be damaged. Thus Vasudeva tried in many ways to convince Kamsa in order to stop him from killing Devakī.

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