Dasakam 037 - Sloka 08

गृह्णानश्चिकुरेषु तां खलमति: शौरेश्चिरं सान्त्वनै- र्नो मुञ्चन् पुनरात्मजार्पणगिरा प्रीतोऽथ यातो गृहान् । आद्यं त्वत्सहजं तथाऽर्पितमपि स्नेहेन नाहन्नसौ दुष्टानामपि देव पुष्टकरुणा दृष्टा हि धीरेकदा ॥८॥

गृह्णान:-चिकुरेषु ताम्catching hold of her by the hairखलमति:the evil minded one (Kansa)शौरे:-चिरं सान्त्वनै:by Shauri's (Vasudeva's) repeated conciliatory wordsनो मुञ्चन् पुन:-not releasing, again thenआत्मज-अर्पण-गिराhis children offering to surrender, by these wordsप्रीत:-अथ यात: गृहान्satisfied (he) then went homeआद्यं त्वत्-सहजम्the first born, Thy brotherतथा-अर्पितम्-अपिaccordingly, though surrenderedस्नेहेन न-अहन्-असौout of love,did not kill, this (Kansa)दुष्टानम्-अपि देवeven in the wicked (people), O Lord!पुष्ट-करुणाgreat compassionदृष्टा हि धी:-एकदाis indeed seen in the heart, once in a while

The evil minded Kansa who had caught hold of Devaki by her hair did not release her in spite of the repeated conciliatory words of Shauri (Vasudeva). Then at the offer of Vasudeva to surrender his children, he was satisfied and went home. The first born Thy brother, though handed over to Kansa as promised, he did not kill the child out of love. For, O Lord! even wicked people are found to be very compassionate in the heart, once in a while.