Canto
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Canto
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Chapter 3: The Birth of Lord Krishna
(1-5) S'rî S'uka said: 'Then there was the supreme hour all-auspicious and most suitable with the constellation of Rohinî rising and all the stars and planets in a favorable position. Everywhere there was peace, the multitude of stars twinkled in the sky and the cities, towns, pasturing grounds and mines were at their best. With the rivers crystal clear, the lakes beautiful with lotuses and flocks of birds and swarms of bees sweetly singing their praise in the blooming forests, blew the breezes with a gentle touch fragrant and free from dust and burned the fires of the twice-born steadily undisturbed. The minds of the saintly, oppressed as they had been by the Asura [Kamsa and his men], turned perfectly contented when in that situation the kettledrums together resounded the moment the Unborn One was about to be born. (6) The superfine and the men of heaven sang; the perfected and the demigods were praying and the [vidyâdhara] women of knowledge in great jubilation danced together with the dancing girls divine. (7-8) The sages and the godly joyous showered the finest flowers and the clouds rumbled mildly like the ocean waves when in the deepest dark of the night [at midnight] Janârdana, the World's Well-wisher, appeared from the divine form of Devakî; Lord Vishnu, the One residing in each his heart had manifested complete in every respect, like the full moon rising in the east. (9-10) That wonderful child was, resplendent with lotus-like eyes and four arms holding the different weapons, decorated with the S'rîvatsa-mark, the shining Kaustubha around His neck, with yellow garments and a beautiful hue like that of rainclouds. Vasudeva saw Him brilliantly decorated sparkling with a with vaidûrya (tiger's eye) studded helmet and earrings to the beauty of profuse scattered locks of hair, an exquisite belt around the waist and bands and bracelets on His arms. (11-12) He, Ânakadundubhi, struck with wonder upon seeing the beautiful countenance of the Lord as his son, at the time overwhelmed by great jubilation dreamt of holding a festival to the descendent of Krishna at which he could distribute a ten thousand cows to the twice-born.
(12) Understanding He was the Original Personality, offered he, with under His influence his fears dispelled, thereafter prayers to the child, falling down with folded hands, o son of Bharata, enraptured as he was by His beauty that illumined the place all around where He was born. (13) Vasudeva said: 'Fully aware I am of You, my Lordship, as directly the Original Person transcendental to the material of nature, as the absolute understanding and blissfulness [sat-cit-ânanda] in its true form, the intelligence that watches over each. (14) You for sure are known as Him who, after in the beginning by His personal energy creating this world consisting of the three modes [see B.G 7: 4-6], then indeed seem to have entered [as avatâras] without actually having entered [see also 7.12: 15 and B.G. 9: 11]. (15-17) It is like one knows the elements of matter that in their untransformed state are caught in the many combinations [of molecules] that together make up the entire universe; after in their association having shown up they appear as if they entered, but that entering cannot be since they, in this matter of creation, were there with You from the beginning. This way seen, departing from true intelligence and its attributes, o my Lord, are You, although having arrived with the objects of the senses and the modes of nature, not determined by the material qualities since You [in fact] are situated everywhere; there is no such thing as a within and a without to [the complete of] You because, with all belonging to You, You are the root of everyone and everything [see also B.G. 9: 4-6]. (18) Anyone who in the position of being recognizable as a material body continues to act as if he would have an existence for himself separate from the original self or soul is a fool; he is a person who, of false identification, is rejected as stupid for he is without proper analysis and not of a full consideration of 'that' [or tat]. [see also B.G. 18: 16, B.G. 7: 4-5 and *]. (19) O Almighty Lord, the birth, remaining and ending of this all is, so conclude the scholars, there from You, who art unsullied, free from inclinations and free from the modes; in You, the Controller, the Supreme Brahman, is there no contradiction in one's being ruled by the modes You are watching over [see B.G. 9: 10]. (20) You as such, to maintain the three worlds by Your own potency, assume the white [of goodness] as well as the color belonging to the creative, the red of being charged with passion and the color of darkness in the ignorance about the ultimate of destruction. (21) You here on this planet o Mighty One have now as the Complete of Control appeared in my home to ward off the wild men - and annihilate their armies - that by the millions all over the world unenlightened pose as kings and statesmen [see also B.G 4: 8]. (22) But this one so godless [Kamsa] who after hearing about Your taking birth in our home killed all the brothers born before You, o Lord of the Godly will, informed by his lieutenants of Your appearance now no doubt directly take up his weapons.'
(23) S'uka said: 'After observing that this son of theirs had all the characteristics of the Supreme Personality, offered Devakî, afraid of Kamsa but also greatly surprised, prayers unto Him. (24) S'rî Devakî said: 'Being the substance of God are You sometimes called imperceptible, the original, the Brahman, the light, the freedom above the modes, the changeless and the measure of goodness; You are the one undivided, void of material motives, who is directly that Lordship, Vishnu, the light of the Supersoul [compare: B.G. 14: 27]. (25) With the cosmos running at its end after millions and millions of years when the primary elements merge with the subtle and everything manifested by the force of Time turns unmanifest, is Your Lordship, the One with the Many Names, the only one to remain. (26) This Time so powerful, by which, from the smallest measure of time up to the measure of a year, this entire creation works, is said to be the movement of Him, the Authority of the Unmanifest that is You, the secure abode, the Supreme Controller whom I offer my surrender. (27) The mortals afraid of the serpent of death run in all directions but cannot shake off the fear; by the luck though of obtaining the lotus feet do they now sleep undisturbed and flees death away from them. (28) O Lordship, could You, in Your form as the One dispelling all the fears of Your servants, protect us against the terrible son of Ugrasena we fear so much and please can You, as this Original Personality we attend to in meditation, make it so that You're not directly visible to those looking for You with material eyes [compare B.G. 11: 8]? (29) O Madhusûdana, because of Your appearance I'm moved with fear apprehensive of Kamsa; may Your taking birth from my womb escape the attention of that great sinner. (30) Withdraw, o All-pervading One, that supernatural four-armed form which is adorned with the attributes of the conch, lotus, disc and club. (31) The entire creation with all in it is by the transcendental Original Personality of Your Lordship easily sheltered and kept within Your body at the time of devastation; how impossible is it to think that within this human world, o God, it so happened that this form has entered my womb!'
(32) The Supreme Lord replied: 'You in a previous age became known as Pris'ni, o chaste lady, and he [Vasudeva] was at the time a Prajâpati known as Sutapâ, an impeccable pious person. (33) When the both of you then were commissioned by Lord Brahmâ to create offspring, were you next of severe austerities keeping your senses fully controlled. (34-35) Enduring the rain, the wind, the blistering sun and the severe cold and heat to the seasonal changes, were by means of practicing restraint the contaminations cleared out of the mind; eating withered leaves and air only you became pure and peaceful and performed in serenity My worship praying for a boon from Me. (36) With your thus being of severe penance practicing the most difficult austerities, passed a twelve thousand celestial years of simply thinking of Me. (37-38) By this determination of heart and constant, faithful service and penance o sinless one, did I, proclaimed the most favorable bestower of boons, being very satisfied with the both of you, then appear in this form before you eager to fulfill your desire and was I asked, when you were requested by Me to think about a boon for yourselves, to become a son like I am now. (39) As a man and wife without a son did you, for the sake of a sensual life to achieve this in being so strongly attracted to My divine energy, never ask Me for being liberated from this world [see also 4.9: 30-35]. (40) After My departure, having received the benediction, you engaged in enjoying sex and was by the both of you the desired result achieved of having a son like Me. (41) Not finding anyone else in this world equal to you in character and qualities became I your son and am I thus known as Pris'nigarbha. (42) From the two of you I again appeared from Kas'yapa with Aditi and was I, celebrated as Upendra because of being a dwarf, also known as Vâmana [see 8.17-22]. (43) Take it for real from Me, o chaste lady, that I with you for the third time now in this same appearance [presently in full as Krishna], again by the forms of the two of you, have taken My birth. (44) This form [fourhanded] has been shown to you to remind you of My previous appearances, otherwise would the spiritual understanding of My identity not arise with this transient form. (45) Treating Me with love and affection will the two of you in the constant awareness of Me as being as well your son as the Spiritual Supreme, both obtain My transcendental abode.'
(46) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having spoken remained the Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, silent while He before the eyes of His parents by His own energy assumed the form of an ordinary human child. (47) And thereafter, when the son of S'ûrasena as instructed by the Supreme Lord carefully carried away his son from the place of delivery, took precisely at the time he wished to take Him outside Yogamâyâ [see 10.2: 6-12], the unborn of transcendence, her birth from the wife of Nanda. (48-49) By her influence had the guards as well as the rest of the people, fast asleep lost consciousness of all their senses and had also all the doors and the gates firmly constructed and sealed by bolts and chains of their own opened wide like darkness does before the sun, when Vasudeva appeared carrying Krishna. The clouds somewhat rumbling showered rain but followed by S'esha Nâga were the rains stopped by the spreaded hoods. (50) Because of Indra's constant showers was of the deep waters of Yamarâja's younger sister, the Yamunâ, the surface foaming of the forceful waves but the whirling, agitated, fierce stream gave way just like the ocean had before the Husband of Sîtâ [Lord Râma, see 9.10: 13-15]. (51) The son of S'ûrasena reaching the cow-village of Nanda found all the cowherds there fast asleep and with them slumbering placed he his son on Yas'odâ's bed and picked he her daughter up to return to his own residence. (52) He there placed the female child on Devakî's bed binding himself again with the shackles for his feet so that he remained bound as before. (53) Yas'odâ, Nanda's wife, who also had delivered a child had no idea what it precisely looked like because overwhelmed by sleep of the hard labor her memory had left her.'
Second edition, loaded February 27, 2008.
Source texts:
The Birth of Lord Krishna
S'rî S'uka said: 'Then there was the supreme hour all-auspicious and most suitable with the constellation of Rohinî rising and all the stars and planets in a favorable position. Everywhere there was peace, the multitude of stars twinkled in the sky and the cities, towns, pasturing grounds and mines were at their best. With the rivers crystal clear, the lakes beautiful with lotuses and flocks of birds and swarms of bees sweetly singing their praise in the blooming forests, blew the breezes with a gentle touch fragrant and free from dust and burned the fires of the twice-born steadily undisturbed. The minds of the saintly, oppressed as they had been by the Asura [Kamsa and his men], turned perfectly contented when in that situation the kettledrums together resounded the moment the Unborn One was about to be born.Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohinî appeared, as did stars like As'vinî. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. The rivers flowed with clear water, and the lakes and vast reservoirs, full of lilies and lotuses, were extraordinarily beautiful. In the trees and green plants, full of flowers and leaves, pleasing to the eyes, birds like cuckoos and swarms of bees began chanting with sweet voices for the sake of the demigods. A pure breeze began to blow, pleasing the sense of touch and bearing the aroma of flowers, and when the brâhmanas engaging in ritualistic ceremonies ignited their fires according to Vedic principles, the fires burned steadily, undisturbed by the breeze. Thus when the birthless Lord Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was about to appear, the saints and brâhmanas, who had always been disturbed by demons like Kamsa and his men, felt peace within the core of their hearts, and kettledrums simultaneously vibrated from the upper planetary system. (Vedabase)
The superfine and the men of heaven sang; the perfected and the demigods were praying and the [vidyâdhara] women of knowledge in great jubilation danced together with the dancing girls divine.
The Kinnaras and Gandharvas began to sing auspicious songs, the Siddhas and Câranas offered auspicious prayers, and the Vidyâdharîs, along with the Apsarâs, began to dance in jubilation. (Vedabase)
The sages and the godly joyous showered the finest flowers and the clouds rumbled mildly like the ocean waves when in the deepest dark of the night [at midnight] Janârdana, the World's Well-wisher, appeared from the divine form of Devakî; Lord Vishnu, the One residing in each his heart had manifested complete in every respect, like the full moon rising in the east.
The demigods and great saintly persons showered flowers in a joyous mood, and clouds gathered in the sky and very mildly thundered, making sounds like those of the ocean's waves. Then the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, who is situated in the core of everyone's heart, appeared from the heart of Devakî in the dense darkness of night, like the full moon rising on the eastern horizon, because Devakî was of the same category as S'rî Krishna. (Vedabase)
That wonderful child was, resplendent with lotus-like eyes and four arms holding the different weapons, decorated with the S'rîvatsa-mark, the shining Kaustubha around His neck, with yellow garments and a beautiful hue like that of rainclouds. Vasudeva saw Him brilliantly decorated sparkling with a with vaidûrya (tiger's eye) studded helmet and earrings to the beauty of profuse scattered locks of hair, an exquisite belt around the waist and bands and bracelets on His arms.
Vasudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very wonderful lotuslike eyes and who bore in His four hands the four weapons s'ankha, cakra, gadâ and padma. On His chest was the mark of S'rîvatsa and on His neck the brilliant Kaustubha gem. Dressed in yellow, His body blackish like a dense cloud, His scattered hair fully grown, and His helmet and earrings sparkling uncommonly with the valuable gem Vaidûrya, the child, decorated with a brilliant belt, armlets, bangles and other ornaments, appeared very wonderful. (Vedabase)
He, Ânakadundubhi, struck with wonder upon seeing the beautiful countenance of the Lord as his son, at the time overwhelmed by great jubilation dreamt of holding a festival to the descendent of Krishna at which he could distribute a ten thousand cows to the twice-born.
When Vasudeva saw his extraordinary son, his eyes were struck with wonder. In transcendental jubilation, he mentally collected ten thousand cows and distributed them among the brâhmanas as a transcendental festival. (Vedabase)
Understanding He was the Original Personality, offered he, with under His influence his fears dispelled, thereafter prayers to the child, falling down with folded hands, o son of Bharata, enraptured as he was by His beauty that illumined the place all around where He was born.
O Mahârâja Parîkshit, descendant of King Bharata, Vasudeva could understand that this child was the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nârâyana. Having concluded this without a doubt, he became fearless. Bowing down with folded hands and concentrating his attention, he began to offer prayers to the child, who illuminated His birthplace by His natural influence. (Vedabase)
Vasudeva said: 'Fully aware I am of You, my Lordship, as directly the Original Person transcendental to the material of nature, as the absolute understanding and blissfulness [sat-cit-ânanda] in its true form, the intelligence that watches over each.
Vasudeva said: My Lord, You are the Supreme Person, beyond material existence, and You are the Supersoul. Your form can be perceived by transcendental knowledge, by which You can be understood as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I now understand Your position perfectly. (Vedabase)
You for sure are known as Him who, after in the beginning by His personal energy creating this world consisting of the three modes [see B.G 7: 4-6], then indeed seem to have entered [as avatâras] without actually having entered [see also B.G. 9: 11].
My Lord, You are the same person who in the beginning created this material world by His personal external energy. After the creation of this world of three gunas [sattva, rajas and tamas], You appear to have entered it, although in fact You have not. (Vedabase)
It is like one knows the elements of matter that in their untransformed state are caught in the many combinations [of molecules] that together make up the entire universe; after in their association having shown up they appear as if they entered, but that entering cannot be since they, in this matter of creation, were there with You from the beginning. This way seen, departing from true intelligence and its attributes, o my Lord, are You, although having arrived with the objects of the senses and the modes of nature, not determined by the material qualities since You [in fact] are situated everywhere; there is no such thing as a within and a without to [the complete of] You because, with all belonging to You, You are the root of everyone and everything [see also 7.12: 15 and B.G. 9: 4-6].
The mahat-tattva, the total material energy, is undivided, but because of the material modes of nature, it appears to separate into earth, water, fire, air and ether. Because of the living energy [jîva-bhûta], these separated energies combine to make the cosmic manifestation visible, but in fact, before the creation of the cosmos, the total energy is already present. Therefore, the total material energy never actually enters the creation. Similarly, although You are perceived by our senses because of Your presence, You cannot be perceived by the senses, nor experienced by the mind or words [avân-mânasa-gocara]. With our senses we can perceive some things, but not everything; for example, we can use our eyes to see, but not to taste. Consequently, You are beyond perception by the senses. Although in touch with the modes of material nature, You are unaffected by them. You are the prime factor in everything, the all-pervading, undivided Supersoul. For You, therefore, there is no external or internal. You never entered the womb of Devakî; rather, You existed there already. (Vedabase)
Anyone who in the position of being recognizable as a material body continues to act as if he would have an existence for himself separate from the original self or soul is a fool; he is a person who, of false identification, is rejected as stupid for he is without proper analysis and not of a full consideration of 'that' [or tat]. [see also B.G. 18: 16, B.G. 7: 4-5 and *]
One who considers his visible body, which is a product of the three modes of nature, to be independent of the soul is unaware of the basis of existence, and therefore he is a rascal. Those who are learned have rejected his conclusion because one can understand through full discussion that with no basis in soul, the visible body and senses would be insubstantial. Nonetheless, although his conclusion has been rejected, a foolish person considers it a reality. (Vedabase)
O Almighty Lord, the birth, remaining and ending of this all is, so conclude the scholars, there from You, who art unsullied, free from inclinations and free from the modes; in You, the Controller, the Supreme Brahman, is there no contradiction in one's being ruled by the modes You are watching over [see B.G. 9: 10].
O my Lord, learned Vedic scholars conclude that the creation, maintenance and annihilation of the entire cosmic manifestation are performed by You, who are free from endeavor, unaffected by the modes of material nature, and changeless in Your spiritual situation. There are no contradictions in You, who are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Parabrahman. Because the three modes of material nature: sattva, rajas and tamas: are under Your control, everything takes place automatically. (Vedabase)
You as such, to maintain the three worlds by Your own potency, assume the white [of goodness] as well as the color belonging to the creative, the red of being charged with passion and the color of darkness in the ignorance about the ultimate of destruction.
My Lord, Your form is transcendental to the three material modes, yet for the maintenance of the three worlds, You assume the white color of Vishnu in goodness; for creation, which is surrounded by the quality of passion, You appear reddish; and at the end, when there is a need for annihilation, which is surrounded by ignorance, You appear blackish. (Vedabase)
You here on this planet o Mighty One have now as the Complete of Control appeared in my home to ward off the wild men - and annihilate their armies - that by the millions all over the world unenlightened pose as kings and statesmen [see also B.G 4: 8].
O my Lord, proprietor of all creation, You have now appeared in my house, desiring to protect this world. I am sure that You will kill all the armies that are moving all over the world under the leadership of politicians who are dressed as kshatriya rulers but who are factually demons. They must be killed by You for the protection of the innocent public. (Vedabase)
But this one so godless [Kamsa] who after hearing about Your taking birth in our home killed all the brothers born before You, o Lord of the Godly will, informed by his lieutenants of Your appearance now no doubt directly take up his weapons.'
O my Lord, Lord of the demigods, after hearing the prophecy that You would take birth in our home and kill him, this uncivilized Kamsa killed so many of Your elder brothers. As soon as he hears from his lieutenants that You have appeared, he will immediately come with weapons to kill You. (Vedabase)
S'uka said: 'After observing that this son of theirs had all the characteristics of the Supreme Personality, offered Devakî, afraid of Kamsa but also greatly surprised, prayers unto Him.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Thereafter, having seen that her child had all the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Devakî, who was very much afraid of Kamsa and unusually astonished, began to offer prayers to the Lord. (Vedabase)
S'rî Devakî said: 'Being the substance of God are You sometimes called imperceptible, the original, the Brahman, the light, the freedom above the modes, the changeless and the measure of goodness; You are the one undivided, void of material motives, who is directly that Lordship, Vishnu, the light of the Supersoul [compare: B.G. 14: 27].
S'rî Devakî said: My dear Lord, there are different Vedas, some of which describe You as unperceivable through words and the mind. Yet You are the origin of the entire cosmic manifestation. You are Brahman, the greatest of everything, full of effulgence like the sun. You have no material cause, You are free from change and deviation, and You have no material desires. Thus the Vedas say that You are the substance. Therefore, my Lord, You are directly the origin of all Vedic statements, and by understanding You, one gradually understands everything. You are different from the light of Brahman and Paramâtmâ, yet You are not different from them. Everything emanates from You. Indeed, You are the cause of all causes, Lord Vishnu, the light of all transcendental knowledge. (Vedabase)
With the cosmos running at its end after millions and millions of years when the primary elements merge with the subtle and everything manifested by the force of Time turns unmanifest, is Your Lordship, the One with the Many Names, the only one to remain.
After millions of years, at the time of cosmic annihilation, when everything, manifested and unmanifested, is annihilated by the force of time, the five gross elements enter into the subtle conception, and the manifested categories enter into the unmanifested substance. At that time, You alone remain, and You are known as Ananta S'esha-nâga. (Vedabase)
This Time so powerful, by which, from the smallest measure of time up to the measure of a year, this entire creation works, is said to be the movement of Him, the Authority of the Unmanifest that is You, the secure abode, the Supreme Controller whom I offer my surrender.
O inaugurator of the material energy, this wonderful creation works under the control of powerful time, which is divided into seconds, minutes, hours and years. This element of time, which extends for many millions of years, is but another form of Lord Vishnu. For Your pastimes, You act as the controller of time, but You are the reservoir of all good fortune. Let me offer my full surrender unto Your Lordship. (Vedabase)
The mortals afraid of the serpent of death run in all directions but cannot shake off the fear; by the luck though of obtaining the lotus feet do they now sleep undisturbed and flees death away from them.
No one in this material world has become free from the four principles birth, death, old age and disease, even by fleeing to various planets. But now that You have appeared, My Lord, death is fleeing in fear of You, and the living entities, having obtained shelter at Your lotus feet by Your mercy, are sleeping in full mental peace. (Vedabase)
O Lordship, could You, in Your form as the One dispelling all the fears of Your servants, protect us against the terrible son of Ugrasena we fear so much and please can You, as this Original Personality we attend to in meditation, make it so that You're not directly visible to those looking for You with material eyes [compare B.G. 11: 8]?
My Lord, because You dispel all the fear of Your devotees, I request You to save us and give us protection from the terrible fear of Kamsa. Your form as Vishnu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is appreciated by yogîs in meditation. Please make this form invisible to those who see with material eyes. (Vedabase)
O Madhusûdana, because of Your appearance I'm moved with fear apprehensive of Kamsa; may Your taking birth from my womb escape the attention of that great sinner.
O Madhusûdana, because of Your appearance, I am becoming more and more anxious in fear of Kamsa. Therefore, please arrange for that sinful Kamsa to be unable to understand that You have taken birth from my womb. (Vedabase)
Withdraw, o All-pervading One, that supernatural four-armed form which is adorned with the attributes of the conch, lotus, disc and club.
O my Lord, You are the all-pervading Supreme Personality of Godhead, and Your transcendental four-armed form, holding conchshell, disc, club and lotus, is unnatural for this world. Please withdraw this form [and become just like a natural human child so that I may try to hide You somewhere]. (Vedabase)
The entire creation with all in it is by the transcendental Original Personality of Your Lordship easily sheltered and kept within Your body at the time of devastation; how impossible is it to think that within this human world, o God, it so happened that this form has entered my womb!'
At the time of devastation, the entire cosmos, containing all created moving and nonmoving entities, enters Your transcendental body and is held there without difficulty. But now this transcendental form has taken birth from my womb. People will not be able to believe this, and I shall become an object of ridicule. (Vedabase)
The Supreme Lord replied: 'You in a previous age became known as Pris'ni, o chaste lady, and he [Vasudeva] was at the time a Prajâpati known as Sutapâ, an impeccable pious person.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: My dear mother, best of the chaste, in your previous birth, in the Svâyambhuva millennium, you were known as Pris'ni, and Vasudeva, who was the most pious Prajâpati, was named Sutapâ. (Vedabase)
When the both of you then were commissioned by Lord Brahmâ to create offspring, were you next of severe austerities keeping your senses fully controlled.
When both of you were ordered by Lord Brahmâ to create progeny, you first underwent severe austerities by controlling your senses. (Vedabase)
Enduring the rain, the wind, the blistering sun and the severe cold and heat to the seasonal changes, were by means of practicing restraint the contaminations cleared out of the mind; eating withered leaves and air only you became pure and peaceful and performed in serenity My worship praying for a boon from Me.
My dear father and mother, you endured rain, wind, strong sun, scorching heat and severe cold, suffering all sorts of inconvenience according to different seasons. By practicing prânâyâma to control the air within the body through yoga, and by eating only air and dry leaves fallen from the trees, you cleansed from your minds all dirty things. In this way, desiring a benediction from Me, you worshiped Me with peaceful minds. (Vedabase)
With your thus being of severe penance practicing the most difficult austerities, passed a twelve thousand celestial years of simply thinking of Me.
Thus you spent twelve thousand celestial years performing difficult activities of tapasya in consciousness of Me [Krishna consciousness]. (Vedabase)
By this determination of heart and constant, faithful service and penance o sinless one, did I, proclaimed the most favorable bestower of boons, being very satisfied with the both of you, then appear in this form before you eager to fulfill your desire and was I asked, when you were requested by Me to think about a boon for yourselves, to become a son like I am now.
O sinless mother Devakî, after the expiry of twelve thousand celestial years, in which you constantly contemplated Me within the core of your heart with great faith, devotion and austerity, I was very much satisfied with you. Since I am the best of all bestowers of benediction, I appeared in this same form as Krishna to ask you to take from Me the benediction you desired. You then expressed your desire to have a son exactly like Me. (Vedabase)
As a man and wife without a son did you, for the sake of a sensual life to achieve this in being so strongly attracted to My divine energy, never ask Me for being liberated from this world [see also 4.9: 30-35].
Being husband and wife but always sonless, you were attracted by sexual desires, for by the influence of devamâyâ, transcendental love, you wanted to have Me as your son. Therefore you never desired to be liberated from this material world. (Vedabase)
After My departure, having received the benediction, you engaged in enjoying sex and was by the both of you the desired result achieved of having a son like Me.
After you received that benediction and I disappeared, you engaged yourselves in sex to have a son like Me, and I fulfilled your desire. (Vedabase)
Not finding anyone else in this world equal to you in character and qualities became I your son and am I thus known as Pris'nigarbha.
Since I found no one else as highly elevated as you in simplicity and other qualities of good character, I appeared in this world as Pris´nigarbha, or one who is celebrated as having taken birth from Pris'ni. (Vedabase)
From the two of you I again appeared from Kas'yapa with Aditi and was I, celebrated as Upendra because of being a dwarf, also known as Vâmana [see 8.17-22].
In the next millennium, I again appeared from the two of you, who appeared as My mother, Aditi, and My father, Kas'yapa. I was known as Upendra, and because of being a dwarf, I was also known as Vâmana. (Vedabase)
Take it for real from Me, o chaste lady, that I with you for the third time now in this same appearance [presently in full as Krishna], again by the forms of the two of you, have taken My birth.
O supremely chaste mother, I, the same personality, have now appeared of you both as your son for the third time. Take My words as the truth. (Vedabase)
This form [fourhanded] has been shown to you to remind you of My previous appearances, otherwise would the spiritual understanding of My identity not arise with this transient form.
I have shown you this form of Vishnu just to remind you of My previous births. Otherwise, if I appeared like an ordinary human child, you would not believe that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vishnu, has indeed appeared. (Vedabase)
Treating Me with love and affection will the two of you in the constant awareness of Me as being as well your son as the Spiritual Supreme, both obtain My transcendental abode.'
Both of you, husband and wife, constantly think of Me as your son, but always know that I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. By thus thinking of Me constantly with love and affection, you will achieve the highest perfection: returning home, back to Godhead. (Vedabase)
S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus having spoken remained the Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Lord, silent while He before the eyes of His parents by His own energy assumed the form of an ordinary human child.
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: After thus instructing His father and mother, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, remained silent. In their presence, by His internal energy, He then transformed Himself into a small human child. [In other words, He transformed Himself into His original form: krishnas tu bhagavân svayam]. (Vedabase)
And thereafter, when the son of S'ûrasena as instructed by the Supreme Lord carefully carried away his son from the place of delivery, took precisely at the time he wished to take Him outside Yogamâyâ [see 10.2: 6-12], the unborn of transcendence, her birth from the wife of Nanda.
Thereafter, exactly when Vasudeva, being inspired by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was about to take the newborn child from the delivery room, Yogamâyâ, the Lord's spiritual energy, took birth as the daughter of the wife of Mahârâja Nanda. (Vedabase)
By her influence had the guards as well as the rest of the people, fast asleep lost consciousness of all their senses and had also all the doors and the gates firmly constructed and sealed by bolts and chains of their own opened wide like darkness does before the sun, when Vasudeva appeared carrying Krishna. The clouds somewhat rumbling showered rain but followed by S'esha Nâga were the rains stopped by the spreaded hoods.
By the influence of Yogamâyâ, all the doorkeepers fell fast asleep, their senses unable to work, and the other inhabitants of the house also fell deeply asleep. When the sun rises, the darkness automatically disappears; similarly, when Vasudeva appeared, the closed doors, which were strongly pinned with iron and locked with iron chains, opened automatically. Since the clouds in the sky were mildly thundering and showering, Ananta-nâga, an expansion of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, followed Vasudeva, beginning from the door, with hoods expanded to protect Vasudeva and the transcendental child. (Vedabase)
Because of Indra's constant showers was of the deep waters of Yamarâja's younger sister, the Yamunâ, the surface foaming of the forceful waves but the whirling, agitated, fierce stream gave way just like the ocean had before the Husband of Sîtâ [Lord Râma, see 9.10: 13-15]
Because of constant rain sent by the demigod Indra, the River Yamunâ was filled with deep water, foaming about with fiercely whirling waves. But as the great Indian Ocean had formerly given way to Lord Râmacandra by allowing Him to construct a bridge, the River Yamunâ gave way to Vasudeva and allowed him to cross. (Vedabase)
The son of S'ûrasena reaching the cow-village of Nanda found all the cowherds there fast asleep and with them slumbering placed he his son on Yas'odâ's bed and picked he her daughter up to return to his own residence.
When Vasudeva reached the house of Nanda Mahârâja, he saw that all the cowherd men were fast asleep. Thus he placed his own son on the bed of Yas´odâ, picked up her daughter, an expansion of Yogamâyâ, and then returned to his residence, the prison house of Kamsa. (Vedabase)
He there placed the female child on Devakî's bed binding himself again with the shackles for his feet so that he remained bound as before.
Vasudeva placed the female child on the bed of Devakî, bound his legs with the iron shackles, and thus remained there as before. (Vedabase)
Yas'odâ, Nanda's wife, who also had delivered a child had no idea what it precisely looked like because overwhelmed by sleep of the hard labor her memory had left her.'
Exhausted by the labor of childbirth, Yas'odâ was overwhelmed with sleep and unable to understand what kind of child had been born to her. (Vedabase)
Footnote :
*: Svâmî Prabhupâda comments: 'If we regard this world as false, we fall into the category of Asuras, who say that this world is unreal, with no foundation and no God in control (asatyam apratishthham te jagad âhur anîs'varam). As described in the Sixteenth Chapter of Bhagavad Gîtâ, this is the conclusion of demons.'
For
this original translation was the only volume used that
Svâmî Prabhupâda could complete of the tenth
Canto.
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The first painting on this page is by Syamarani
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