कंसkaṃsa

कंस (kaṃsa) is a Sanskrit word meaning a metal vessel, drinking vessel, cup, or goblet, a particular measure equal to two Adhakas, a metal, tutanag, white copper, brass, or bell-metal, name of a king of Mathura and enemy of Krishna, the name of a place, the name of a sister of Kamsa. Its 21 recorded definitions are grouped into 8 contexts, among them King Kaṃsa of Mathurā, Metallic Vessel / Cup, Geographical Place Name.

Root: कम् (kam)
Definitions: 21

View Declension Tables , 48 forms

Meanings by context

King Kaṃsa of Mathurā

8 definitions

Name of a king of Mathura and enemy of Krishna

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

1. The king of Mathura, an Asura and uncle and enemy of Krishna. 2. A goblet or drinking vessel. 3. White copper, tutanag, or bell metal. 4. A measure.

— Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. Krishna's maternal uncle. 2. Tutanag, an alloy of tin and copper. 3. A measure.

— Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Name of a king of Mathura

— Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A proper name for the king of Mathura and uncle of Krishna. 2. A goblet or drinking vessel. 3. Bell metal or white copper. 4. A measure.

— Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A proper name. 2. Bell metal.

— Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Son of Ugrasena, king of Mathura, and enemy of Krishna.

कंस (kaṃsa) [Printed book page 379-2]
Kaṃsa, son of Ugrasena, king of Mathurā, enemy of Kṛṣṇa.

§ 10 (Anukram.): I, 2, 357 (°vadhaḥ, related in Harivaṃśa).

—§ 130 (Aṃśāvat.): I, 67, 2703 (Ugrasenasutaḥ, incarnation

of the Asura Kālanemi).—§ 273 (Rājasūyārambhap.): II,

14, 594 (married Asti and Prāpti, the daughters of Jarā-

sandha), 598 (Kaṃsa and [his brother] Sunāman were slain

by Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma), 610 (°bhāryā, the widow of K.

urged Jarāsandha to attack Mathurā).—§ 275 (do.): II, 19,

761 (nihate Vāsudevena tadā K°e).—§ 276 (do.): II, 20,

768 (hataḥ).—§ 290 (Śiśupālavadhap.): II, 41, 1443 (yasya

cānena—i.e. by Kṛṣṇa—dharmajña bhuktam annaṃ balīyasaḥ

sa cānena hataḥ K°ḥ).—§ 298 (Dyūtap.): II, 62, 2100 (the

Andhakas, the Yādavas, and the Bhojas abandoned K., who

was then slain by Kṛṣṇa).—§ 549f (Durgā): IV, 6, 180

(°vidrāvaṇakarīṃ, sc. Durgā).—§ 561 (Yānasandhip.): V,

68ζζ, 2526 (all. to his slaughter).—§ 567 (Bhagavadyānap.):

V, 128, 4296 (Ugrasenasutaḥ K°ḥ parityaktaḥ svabāndhavaih

Page380-a+ 63

…mayā—i.e. by Kṛṣṇa—hataḥ), 4298; 130ξ, 4411

(nihataḥ).—§ 571 (Ulūkadūtāgamanap.): V, 160, 5470

(°bhṛtye, sc. Kṛṣṇa).—§ 580 (Bhīṣmavadhap.): VI, 59,

†2609 (tyaktas tu K°o Yadubhiḥ).—§ 589 (Droṇābhiṣekap.):

VII, 11, 387 (Jarāsandhena pālitaḥ…Kṛṣṇena pātitaḥ),

388 (Sunāmā…bhrātā K°sya).—§ 615 (Gadāyuddhap.):

IX, 61, 3414 (°dāsadāyāda, sc. Kṛṣṇa).—§ 717b (Nārā-

yaṇīya): XII, 340, 12954 (Nārāyaṇa will be incarnate as

Kṛṣṇa in order to slay K.).—§ 768 (Ānuśāsanik.): XIII,

148, 6926 (kadanaṃ cakāra K°sya…Puṇḍarīkākṣaḥ, i.e.

Kṛṣṇa).—§ 785 (Anugītāp.): XIV, 69, 2031 (nihato mayā,

i.e. by Kṛṣṇa).—§ 793 (Mausalap.): XVI, 6κ, 158 (°ñ ca

vikramya, sc. Kṛṣṇa).—§ 795 (Svargārohaṇap.): XVIII,

5μ, 163 (among those who after death entered the deities).

Cf. Bhojarāja, Ugrasenasuta.

[ID=5277]

— Index to the Names in the Mahabharata

The eldest son of Ugrasena, brother of Devaki, and tyrant king of the Bhoja family who imprisoned his father and attempted to kill Krishna and Balarama before being slain by Krishna.

कंस (kaṃsa) [Printed book page 1-292]
Kaṃsa (I) — the eldest son of Ugrasena¹ and brother

(cousin-Vā. P.) of Devakī. Took part in the festivities con-

nected with the marriage of Devakī and Vasudeva, when he

heard a voice from air that her eighth son would kill him.

He at once drew his sword to slay Devakī when Vasudeva

entreated him to spare her life promising to give him all

her sons. To this he agreed. He did not take notice even

of the first boy. Subsequently Nārada confirmed what he

heard from the welkin. So he killed all her sons and put her

and Vasudeva in jail. He waited for the seventh and was

particularly afraid of the eighth. Being informed of the

birth of a girl, and without listening to his sister's appeal

to spare the baby, he dashed it against a stone. It flew

heavenwards and said that the baby born to vanquish him
Page1-293+ 43

was safe. Disheartened, Kaṃsa let Vasudeva and Devakī

free. Consulted his ministers who advised him to kill all

infants in the kingdom, and to hurt all Brāhmaṇas and cows,

the root cause of Hari's dharma. Messengers were sent out

on this mission.²

An incarnation of Kālanemi. Threw his father Ugra-

sena in prison and assumed regal administration.³

Encouraged by his Asura friends such as Pralamba and

Baka, as also by the Māgadhan king, he tyrannized the

Yadus who left the land for other countries like Kuru, Pāñ-

cāla and others. The Brāhmaṇas were afraid of him.⁴

Heard from Nārada that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were

Vasudeva's sons; when he went to slay Vasudeva, Nārada

prevented him from it. He then threw Vasudeva and his

wife in prison. He summoned his councillors and asked the

Mallas, Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika to get ready for a wrestling

match with Kṛṣṇa and Rāma; ordered his mahout to station

the State Elephant at the gate of the enclosure (Raṅga) and

get Kṛṣṇa and Rāma trampled under its feet; when he was

asked why he was out to kill those two boys, he narrated

the story of his mother once going in the garden thinking

of her husband Ugrasena. Then a Gandharva Drumila per-

sonated Ugrasena. Discovering that he was not her hus-

band, she asked him in wrath who he was. He tried to

console her saying that she would give birth to a heroic son.

The chaste lady retorted that he would be cruel and un-

righteous. Such being his birth, he hated his kith and kin.

Then he commanded to commence the Dhanuryāga. Akrūra

was sent for and ordered to take his chariot and bring

Kṛṣṇa and Rāma to the Dhanuryāga with all gopas. He

proposed to kill all of them and rule the kingdoms with the

help of friends like Jarāsandha. Thanked by Akrūra for

an opportunity to visit Kṛṣṇa and Rāma; Akrūra reached

the Vraja and was welcomed by the brothers and Nanda.

Informed of their arrival by Akrūra. Much concerned to

know of the breaking of his bow by Kṛṣṇa and further the

killing of his guards. He had no sleep all night and had

bad dreams, all in fear of Kṛṣṇa. Next morning he drove
Page1-294+ 36

to the wrestling ground and occupied the royal seat with

his ministers; was perturbed to learn of the death of Kuva-

layāpīḍa and its guards. Became furious at the death of

his five mallas and the running away of others. Ordered

the banishment of the two brothers, robbing the gopas of

their belongings, and imprisonment of Nanda, killing of

Ugrasena and Vasudeva. Kṛṣṇa attacked him direct, pull-

ed him down from his throne and killed him. His eight

brothers who offered fight were slain by Rāma.⁵ Death

welcomed by Gopis and Akrūra.⁶ Prevented Vasudeva go-

ing to Karavīrapura. His oppression.⁷

His queens were Asti and Prāpti, daughters of Jarā-

sandha.⁸ His death recalled by Kṛṣṇa to Mucukunda; by

Kṛtavarman to Yudhiṣṭhira; by Kuntī.⁹ Attained Hari

through fear.¹⁰ Of the Bhoja family. Funeral rites done

by Ugrasena.¹¹
[Footnote: 1) Bhā. IX. 24. 24; Br. I. 1. 125; III. 71. 132; Vā. 1. 148; 96.

131, 173, 216; Vi. IV. 14. 20; M. 44. 74; 46. 13.]

[Footnote: 2) Bhā. X.

chap. 1-4; Br. III. 71. 175-235; 73. 99; Vā. 98. 100; Vi. IV.

15. 26-7; V. 1. 6-11, 67-69; 3. 2; chap. 4.]

[Footnote: 3) Bhā. X. 1. 68-69.]

[Footnote: 4) Ib. X. 2. 1-4; 23. 52.]

[Footnote: 5) Ib. X. chap. 36-44; M. 47. 4, 6; 69. 8;

Vi. V. 12. 21; 15. 2-4; 20. 26, 82-90.]

[Footnote: 6) Bhā. X. 47. 39; 48. 17.]

[Footnote: 7) Ib. X. 57. 23; 66. 9; 82. 22; 85. 28, 33.]

[Footnote: 8) Ib. X. 50. 1;]

[Footnote: 9) Ib. X.

51. 42; 52. [56 (V) 6]; 57. 13; I. 8. 23; II. 7. 34; Vi. V. 29. 5.]

[Footnote: 10) Bhā. VII. 1. 30.]

[Footnote: 11) Vi. V. 21. 7-10; 29. 5.]
[ID=2328]

— The Purana Index

Metallic Vessel / Cup

7 definitions

A metal vessel, drinking vessel, cup, or goblet.

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

1. A goblet. 2. Brass. 3. The name of a king slain by Krishna.

— Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A drinking vessel or cup. 2. A particular measure known as adhaka. 3. Bell metal.

— Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1. A metal vessel, metal, or brass. 2. Name of a mythical king slain by Krishna.

— Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

A metal vessel or, collectively, metal implements.

— Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary

1. A metal vessel, cup, or goblet. 2. A particular measure. 3. White copper, brass, or bell-metal. 4. The name of a king of Mathura and enemy of Krishna.

कंस (kaṃsa) [Printed book page 0193-a]
कंस (kaṃsa) kaṃsa, as, am, m. n. (said to be fr. rt.

2. kam; according to others fr. the last), a vessel

made of metal, a drinking vessel, a cup, a goblet (a

noun ending in as followed by kaṃsa in a compound

does not change its final, e. g. ayas-kaṃsa, payas-
Page0193-b+ 75

kaṃsa, &c.); a particular measure; a metal, tutanag

or white copper, brass, bell-metal; cf. kaṃsāsthi and

kāṃsya; (as), m., N. of a king of Mathurā, son of

Ugra-sena and cousin of the Devakī who was mother

of Kṛṣṇa, (Ugra-sena being brother of Devaka, who

was father of Devakī.) He is usually called the uncle,

but was really a cousin of Kṛṣṇa, and became his

implacable enemy because it had been prophesied to

him that he would be killed by a child of Devakī

(Vish. Pur. p. 493); as the foe of the deity he is

identified with the Asura Kālanemi; and, as he was

ultimately slain by Kṛṣṇa, the latter receives epithets

like Kaṃsa-jit, the conqueror of Kaṃsa, &c. (ā), f.

N. of a daughter of Ugra-sena and sister of Kaṃsa.

—Kaṃsa-kāra, as, ī, m. f. a worker in pewter or

white brass, a bell-founder, considered as an inter-

mediate caste. —Kaṃsa-jit, t, m. an epithet of

Kṛṣṇa, the conqueror of Kaṃsa. —Kaṃsa-baṇij, k,

m. a brazier or seller of brass vessels. —Kaṃsa-

badha, as, m. the slaying of Kṛṣṇa; title of a

comedy of Śeṣa-Kṛṣṇa. —Kaṃsa-mākṣika, am,

n. a metallic substance in large grains, a sort of

pyrites. —Kaṃsa-yajña, as, m. a particular sacrifice.

—Kaṃsa-vatī, f., N. of a daughter of Ugra-sena and

sister of Kaṃsa and Kaṃsā. —Kaṃsa-han, ā, m. an

epithet of Kṛṣṇa, the destroyer of Kaṃsa. —Kaṃsa-

hanana, am, n. the slaying of Kaṃsa. —Kaṃsārāti

(°sa-ar°), is, or kaṃsāri (°sa-ari), is, m. epithet

of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Kaṃsa. —Kaṃsāsthi (°sa-

as°), i, n. tutanag, white copper, any alloy of tin and

copper. —Kaṃsodbhavā (°sa-ud°), f. a fragrant earth. [ID=13251]

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872)

A metal pot or vessel

— The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects

Geographical Place Name

1 definition

the name of a place

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Grammatical Rule for 'कंस'

1 definition

A grammatical rule stating that a noun ending in -as does not change its final sound when preceding this word in a compound.

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Kaṃsa (a Dānava King)

1 definition

a danava king

— The Purana Index

Kaṃsā (Sister of King Kaṃsa)

1 definition

the name of a sister of Kamsa

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Type of Metal / Alloy

1 definition

a metal, tutanag, white copper, brass, or bell-metal

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

Unit of Measure

1 definition

a particular measure equal to two Adhakas

— Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899)

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Definitions on this page come from 13 works: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Index to the Names in the Mahabharata, Lanman's Sanskrit Reader Vocabulary, Macdonell Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1872), Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary, The Purana Index, The Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, Vaidya Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Wilson Sanskrit-English Dictionary, Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary. Text from the Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon.