Text 36
kiṁ kṣema-śūrair vibudhair
asaṁyuga-vikatthanaiḥ
raho-juṣā kiṁ hariṇā
śambhunā vā vanaukasā
kim indreṇālpa-vīryeṇa
brahmaṇā vā tapasyatā
kim — what is there to fear; kṣema — in a place where there is a scarcity of the ability to fight; śūraiḥ — by the demigods; vibudhaiḥ — by such powerful persons; asaṁyuga-vikatthanaiḥ — by boasting and talking uselessly, away from the fighting; rahaḥ-juṣā — who is living in a solitary place within the core of the heart; kim hariṇā — what is the fear from Lord Viṣṇu; śambhunā — (and what is the fear) from Lord Śiva; vā — either; vana-okasā — who is living in the forest; kim indreṇa — what is the fear from Indra; alpa-vīryeṇa — he is not at all powerful (having no power to fight with you); brahmaṇā — and what is the fear from Brahmā; vā — either; tapasyatā — who is always engaged in meditation.
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.
Kaṁsa’s ministers told Kaṁsa that all the exalted demigods had fled in fear of him. One had gone to the forest, one to the core of the heart, and one to engage in tapasya. “Thus you can be free from all fear of the demigods,” they said. “Just prepare to fight.”