Text 23
kṣamadhvaṁ mama daurātmyaṁ
sādhavo dīna-vatsalāḥ
ity uktvāśru-mukhaḥ pādau
śyālaḥ svasror athāgrahīt
kṣamadhvam — kindly excuse; mama — my; daurātmyam — atrocious activities; sādhavaḥ — both of you are great saintly persons; dīna-vatsalāḥ — and are very kind to poor, cripple-minded persons; iti uktvā — saying this; aśru-mukhaḥ — his face full of tears; pādau — the feet; śyālaḥ — his brother-in-law Kaṁsa; svasraḥ — of his sister and brother-in-law; atha — thus; agrahīt — captured.
Kaṁsa begged, “My dear sister and brother-in-law, please be merciful to such a poor-hearted person as me, since both of you are saintly persons. Please excuse my atrocities.” Having said this, Kaṁsa fell at the feet of Vasudeva and Devakī, his eyes full of tears of regret.
Although Kaṁsa had spoken very nicely on the subject of real knowledge, his past deeds were abominable and atrocious, and therefore he further begged forgiveness from his sister and brother-in-law by falling at their feet and admitting that he was a most sinful person.