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Killing his nephews

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Kaṁsa did not hesitate to kill his nephews and imprison his sister and his father.
SB 10.1.67, 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 Kaṁsa was the same type of king. Kaṁsa 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 Kaṁsa was a demon, he was aware that Lord Viṣṇu cannot be killed, and thus he attained salvation. Even partial understanding of the activities of Lord Viṣṇu makes one eligible for salvation. Kaṁsa knew a little about Kṛṣṇa—that He could not be killed—and therefore he attained salvation although he thought of Viṣṇu, Kṛṣṇa, as an enemy. What then is to be said of one who knows Kṛṣṇa perfectly from the descriptions of śāstras like Bhagavad-gītā? It is therefore the duty of everyone to read Bhagavad-gītā and understand Kṛṣṇa perfectly. This will make one's life successful.

Generally speaking, no one kills his own nephews, but Kaṁsa was so cruel that he did so without hesitation.
SB 10.2.4-5, Purport:

The six children killed by Kaṁsa had formerly been sons of Marīci, but because of having been cursed by a brāhmaṇa, they were obliged to take birth as grandsons of Hiraṇyakaśipu. Kaṁsa had taken birth as Kālanemi, and now he was obliged to kill his own sons. This was a mystery. As soon as the sons of Devakī were killed, they would return to their original place. The devotees wanted to see this also. Generally speaking, no one kills his own nephews, but Kaṁsa was so cruel that he did so without hesitation. Ananta, Saṅkarṣaṇa, belongs to the second catur-vyūha, or quadruple expansion. This is the opinion of experienced commentators.

Other Books by Srila Prabhupada

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Kaṁsa said, “My dear sister and brother-in-law, I have acted just like a demon in killing my own nephews—your children—and thereby I have given up all consideration of our intimate relationship. I do not know what will be the result of these envious acts of mine."
Krsna Book 4:

After hearing these words, Kaṁsa became very much overwhelmed with fear. Out of pity, he immediately released Vasudeva and Devakī from the bondage of their shackles and very politely began to address them. He said, “My dear sister and brother-in-law, I have acted just like a demon in killing my own nephews—your children—and thereby I have given up all consideration of our intimate relationship. I do not know what will be the result of these envious acts of mine. Probably I shall be sent to the hell where killers of brāhmaṇas go. I am surprised, however, that the celestial prophecy has not come true. It is not only in human society that false propaganda is found. Now it appears that even the celestial denizens speak lies. Because I believed in the words of the celestial denizens, I have committed so many sins by killing the children of my sister. My dear Vasudeva and Devakī, you are both very great souls. I have no instructions to give you, but still I request that you not be sorry for the death of your children."

When Vasudeva talked with Kaṁsa in such an illuminating way, Kaṁsa became very much pleased, and his guilt for killing his nephews subsided.
Krsna Book 4:

Vasudeva took the opportunity of Kaṁsa's benevolence and informed him that his atheistic activities were also due to this misconception of life—namely taking the material body to be the self. When Vasudeva talked with Kaṁsa in such an illuminating way, Kaṁsa became very much pleased, and his guilt for killing his nephews subsided. With the permission of his sister Devakī and brother-in-law Vasudeva, he returned to his home with a relieved mind.

Lectures

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Just like Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, he wanted to kill his nephew. Kṛṣṇa was the nephew of Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. How to kill Him. So that is unfavorable thinking of Kṛṣṇa.
Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

What is that bhakti? Devotion. Devotion means anuśīlanam, cultivation of Kṛṣṇa knowledge favorably, not unfavorably. Sometimes to kill some enemy, we do many things to kill our enemies. In the laboratory you think of manufacturing atomic, nuclear bombs. That is also thinking. But that sort of thinking is not bhakti. Therefore bhakti means ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlanam (CC Madhya 19.167). Favorably you have to think of Kṛṣṇa, not unfavorably. If you think of Kṛṣṇa, just to kill Him. Just like Kaṁsa, His maternal uncle, he wanted to kill his nephew. Kṛṣṇa was the nephew of Kaṁsa. He was always thinking of Kṛṣṇa, how to kill Him. How to kill Him. So that is unfavorable thinking, not that sort of thinking.

Arjuna was hesitating to fight: "How can I kill my nephew, my brother, my grandfather," and so on so on. So Kṛṣṇa was instructing him that "It is your duty. As a kṣatriya, when there is battle, you should fight. You should not deviate from your duty."
Lecture on BG 13.2 -- Melbourne, April 4, 1972:

Here it is said that "try to understand what you are. Are you this body, or you are something separate from the body?" We are separate from the very beginning of Bhagavad-gītā. The first lesson given to Arjuna was this:

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ
(BG 2.11)

Arjuna was hesitating to fight: "How can I kill my nephew, my brother, my grandfather," and so on so on. So Kṛṣṇa was instructing him that "It is your duty. As a kṣatriya, when there is battle, you should fight. You should not deviate from your duty." That was... The conversation was going on. But Arjuna was thinking only in terms of this body. "He is my grandfather. He is my brother. He is my countryman. He is my this." Why? Because they have got some bodily relation.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Vidura criticized Dhṛtarāṣṭra: "Now your nephews have killed all your descendants, and you are living here just like a dog. They are giving you some morsel of bread and you are eating and living here. You have no shame."
Lecture on SB 1.9.48 -- Mayapura, June 14, 1973:

And Dhṛtarāṣṭra was living with the nephews, Yudhiṣṭhira and his brothers. They were keeping the uncle very comfortably as elder uncle, all respect. But Vidura came there, and he criticized him, that "You have no shame. You all along remained enemy to your nephews. Now your nephews have killed all your descendants, and you are living here just like a dog. They are giving you some morsel of bread and you are eating and living here. You have no shame. You have become old." So he became very sorry: "My dear brother, what shall I do?" "Please come immediately along with me, and come to the forest." So Dhṛtarāṣṭra went according to the instruction of Vidura.

Conversations and Morning Walks

1974 Conversations and Morning Walks

"I have to kill my nephew, I have to kill my brother, I have to kill my grandfather, this is the fight? No, no I am not going to fight."
Room Conversation -- February 6, 1974, Vrndavana:

Prabhupāda: "...with my family member shall come to fight with me, so what shall I say, that I have to kill my nephew, I have to kill my brother, I have to kill my grandfather, this is the fight? No, no I am not going to fight. Let them all fight." That is natural.

1976 Conversations and Morning Walks

He killed Bhismadeva. He killed his teacher, Dronācārya. He killed his nephews, brothers, everyone. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: "You want it? All right, never mind. Even though I don't want it, I must do it." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Garden Conversation -- June 9, 1976, Los Angeles:

Prabhupāda: Tava. Sthito 'smi gata-sandehaḥ: "Now I am situated in the real position, without any doubt." What is that position? Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: "I shall carry out your order. I'll not ask you to become my order-supplier, but I shall carry out your order." And this is perfection of Gītā knowledge. And he did it. He did not like to kill his family members, but he did it. He killed Bhismadeva. He killed his teacher, Dronācārya. He killed his nephews, brothers, everyone. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava: "You want it? All right, never mind. Even though I don't want it, I must do it." That is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. Kariṣye vacanaṁ tava. Anukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-śilanaṁ bhaktir uttamā (CC Madhya 19.167). Anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyam (Brs. 1.1.11). "I should not place any motive before God. I shall carry out the motive of God"—that is bhakti.

Page Title:Killing his nephews
Compiler:Matea, Labangalatika
Created:14 of Sep, 2009
Totals by Section:BG=0, SB=2, CC=0, OB=2, Lec=3, Con=2, Let=0
No. of Quotes:9