| Canto 10: The Summum Bonum | Chapter 1: The Advent of Lord Krishna: Introduction |
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.1.67
SYNONYMS
mātaram — unto the mother; pitaram — unto the father; bhrātrin — unto brothers; sarvān ca — and anyone else; suhridah — friends; tathā — as well as; ghnanti — they kill (as it is practically seen); hi — indeed; asu-tripah — those who envy the lives of others for their personal sense gratification; lubdhāh — greedy; rājānah — such kings; prāyaśah — almost always; bhuvi — on the earth.
TRANSLATION
Kings greedy for sense gratification on this earth almost always kill their enemies indiscriminately. To satisfy their own whims, they may kill anyone, even their mothers, fathers, brothers or friends.
PURPORT
We have seen in the history of India that Aurangzeb killed his brother and nephews and imprisoned his father to fulfill political ambitions. There have been many similar instances, and Kamsa was the same type of king. Kamsa did not hesitate to kill his nephews and imprison his sister and his father. For demons to do such things is not astonishing. Nonetheless, although Kamsa was a demon, he was aware that Lord Vishnu cannot be killed, and thus he attained salvation. Even partial understanding of the activities of Lord Vishnu makes one eligible for salvation. Kamsa knew a little about Krishna — that He could not be killed — and therefore he attained salvation although he thought of Vishnu, Krishna, as an enemy. What then is to be said of one who knows Krishna perfectly from the descriptions of śāstras like Bhagavad-gītā? It is therefore the duty of everyone to read Bhagavad-gītā and understand Krishna perfectly. This will make one's life successful.
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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, Founder Ācārya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari