SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 10

(1) The honorable king said: 'Your Lordship extensively both described the dynasties of the kings of the sun- and moon-god and the exalted and wonderful characters of their members [*]. (2) Please describe to us Lord Vishnu who appeared as an incarnation in parts [that is: the full of Him along with His plenary expansion Sankarshana here being Baladeva] in the line of the strictly dharmic, well-behaved Yadus you also described, o best of the munis. (3) Be so kind to tell us all about whatever the Supreme Lord, the Cause of the Manifestation, did after descending in the Yadu dynasty. (4) The hearing [through the paramparâ] of the pleasing vibrations of the glorification of the Lord Praised in the Verses is the right medicine by which the mind is released from the material disease of its desires; a person, unless he is a killer of animals, can by such descriptions heard or sung keep himself away [from the falsehood, control himself, see also B.G. 2: 44]. (5-7) My grandfathers [the Pândavas] on the battlefield with imperishable fighters like Devavrata [Bhîshma] and other great commanders that were like timingilas [shark-eaters], in the past by the boat of Him crossed as easily the so very difficult to overcome ocean of Kaurava soldiers as one steps over a calf's hoofprint. This body of mine, the only seed of the Kurus and Pândavas left, was, doomed to perish by As'vatthâmâ's weapon, by Him, cakra in hand, protected, positioned within the womb of my mother who also had taken to the shelter of Him [1.8: 11 and 1.12: 7]. O man of learning, please describe the glories of the Lord who appeared as a normal human being, of the giver of death and eternal life as one says, of Him who in forms of Time is the Original Person inside as well as outside of the complete of all embodied beings. (8) Balarâma, who is Sankarshana, from you we know as the son of Rohinî; how can He without switching bodies be connected with the womb of Devakî? (9) Why went Mukunda, the Supreme Lord from the house of His father to Vraja and where did He, the Master of Vishnu's adherents, situate Himself with His relatives? (10) Residing in Vraja and the city of Mathurâ, what did He do and why did He, the killer of Kes'î, kill Kamsa the brother of His mother, which is something against the scriptures!? (11) For how many years did He, assuming a human body, live with the Vrishnis and lived He in the city of the Yadus [Dvârakâ]; and how many wives were there with the Master? (12) O sage, knowing everything are you the one to tell us about Lord Krishna's activities; describe to me, full of belief and surrender, in detail this all and everything there's more to say. (13) Not even the difficult to bear hunger or my forsaking of water hinders me anymore in my drinking the nectar of the talks about the Lord emanating from your lotus mouth.'

(14) Sûta [see: 1.1] said: "O son of Bhrigu [S'aunaka], the mighty son of Vyâsa, the purest of all devotees, thus hearing his pious questions paid the one blessed by Vishnu his respects and began to describe the topics of Krishna that put an end to the darkness of Kali-yuga [compare 1.7: 2-8]. (15) S'rî S'uka said: 'With your intelligence have you developed the proper determination, o best of the wise kings, because you as a consequence in your heart developed a lasting devotion for the stories about Vâsudeva [Krishna thus as the son of Vasudeva]. (16) The way the world is purified by the [Ganges] water from His toes [5.17: 1], are the three kinds of persons of the speaker, the inquirer and the one attending purified by bathing in the talks about Vâsudeva. (17) Mother earth overburdened by the endless numbers of the conceited, needless, daitya military forces [9.24: 67] and their fake nobles [once] went to take shelter with Lord Brahmâ. (18) Assuming the form of a cow appeared she before the Almighty greatly distressed weeping piteously [see also 1.16: 18] and submitted she her complaints. (19) Lord Brahmâ, understanding all, thereupon approached together with her, the godly and the Three-Eyed One [Lord S'iva] the shore of the milk ocean [wherein Vishnu resides, see also 8.7: 41]. (20) Reaching there worshiped they with full attention with the [Purusha-sûkta] hymns for the Original Person the Supreme Personality, the God of Gods and Master of the Universe taking care of all.

(21) The lord of the Veda [Brahmâ] in trance heard a vibration of words in the sky [see also 1.1: 1] and said to the servants of the three worlds, the demigods: 'Hear from me what the Original Person His order is, o immortal souls, and resume your duties immediately without delay, as it is told. (22) Before we came here knew the Personality of Godhead about the distress of the earth; He will by your good selves as His parts expand Himself in the family of the Yadus, and thus taking birth live on earth for as long as He, the Lord of Lords, needs to diminish by His own potency of Time the planet its burden. (23) In the house of Vasudeva will the Supreme Lord, the original transcendental person, personally appear and so should [also] the wives of the godly, in order to please Him, all take birth. (24) The part of Vâsudeva before known as the fully independent Ananta with the thousands of hoods [Sankarshana, see also 5.25] will as the Lord to the Lord appear [as Baladeva] with the desire to act for His pleasure. (25) The grace of Vishnu [Vishnu-mâyâ], as good as the Supreme Lord by whom all the worlds are captivated, is with all her different potencies by the Master being ordered to appear as well to manage His affairs [see also B.G. 9: 12 & 13].'

(26) S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus informing the immortals returned the almighty master of the founding fathers, having pacified mother earth with sweet words, to his own supreme abode. (27) S'ûrasena the king of the Yadus [see 9.23: 27] went to live in the city Mathurâ where he enjoyed the former kingdoms of Mâthura and S'ûrasena. (28) Mathurâ, intimately connected to the Supreme Lord Hari, was from that time the capital for all the kings of Yadu [see also the bhajan Sâvarana S'rî Gaura Mahimâ]. (29) It was in that place of God that a while ago the divine character of Vasudeva, after he had married Devakî, with his newly wed wife mounted a chariot to return home. (30) Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena held, to please his sister for the occasion, the reins of the horses in the midst of thousands of golden chariots. (31-32) With her leaving home had koning Devaka, fond of his daughter, as a dowry given away to her four hundred elephants hung with gold, ten thousand horses along with eighteen hundred chariots and a hundred maidservants young and beautiful, complete with jewelry. (33) O dearest King, conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums vibrated in concert to wish the bride and bridegroom the best with their departure. (34) Being on their way, addressed a voice from the beyond Kamsa who held the reins: 'The eighth child from this girl you are carrying you fool, will kill you!'

(35) Thus addressed took he, who mischievous and sinful had degraded the Bhoja-family, up a sword against his sister, grabbing her by her hair with the intention to kill her. (36) To pacify him who was ready to commit such a heinous and shameless crime then spoke Vasudeva, that greatly fortunate soul. (37) S'rî Vasudeva said: 'A man of so many qualities, such a brilliant star among the heroic Bhojas as your good self, how can you kill your sister, a woman notably, at the time of her marriage [see also 1.7: 53-54]? (38) Along with the body born is there death for all who took birth, o hero; whether one dies today or in a hundred years, in the end is each living being sure to die [see also B.G. 2: 27-28]. (39) When the body has to return to the five elements receives the indweller according his own karma automatically another body when he gives up the former frame. (40) Like a person walking changes from standing on one foot to the other and like a caterpillar on a plant [goes from one leaf to another], fares the same way the living entity undergoing the karmic consequence [see also B.G. 2: 22 and 2: 13]. (41) If one in the situation of a dream, when one in one's consciousness is fully absorbed by the mental images, has to surrender in one's thinking, feeling and willing to what one has seen or what one has heard, what then would would be the case when one has to forget one's present body [see also 4.29: 60-79 and 5.26]? (42) The mind, driven by God or deliberation, goes engaged in guesswork from this position to the other so that in the end, according the change in thought, feeling and action, the embodied one at the time of death takes his birth according the material mode he is subjected to [B.G. 13: 22, 14: 14-15 and 6: 34-35]. (43) The same way as the reflection of luminaries observed in water or other liquids moved by the wind offers distortions in different shapes, becomes the same way the person, the living entity in the situation created by his own imagining to the modes, bewildered according his own attachments [see also 5.5: 4 and B.G. 9: 12-13, 12: 5]. (44) Therefore should one, taking one's own interest to heart, not harm anybody, for the evil-doer has to live himself in fear for others. (45) This innocent woman, your younger sister, completely depends on you like she was your own daughter - do not kill her; she's good news for you and deserves your care and compassion!'

(46) S'rî S'uka said: 'He pitiless, could by the attempts of good advise this way not be stopped or pacified, o son of Kuru, for he followed the path of the man-eaters [the Râkshasas]. (47) Aware of his resolve thought Vasudeva deep on how he, with the threat of death at hand, could withhold him and so he came up with this other way. (48) By an intelligent person should, as long as he is in control of his faculties, death be avoided, but facing the inevitability of death this rule does not apply. (49-50) So he thought: 'If I promise to deliver my sons to this man of death, I might set my innocent Devakî free, for before this man of death will get that far he might die himself; and if that is not the case he might just as well find his death, [because it was foretold that he would be killed by my son]. Who knows what lies ahead? That is difficult to say. Even though the threat remains hereafter, will I, at least for the moment, be able to save her life. (51) When a piece of wood for some reason escapes a fire is that decided by providence and is there no other cause; the same way can one either make out why the one would be embodied while the other has to give the body up.' (52) After contemplating this way, paid the godloving man with all the intelligence he had, the sinner all respect, submitting the proposal to him in praise. (53) With a big smile externally posing himself as being happy before the cruelhearted, shameless man spoke he with a mind full of anxiety and sorrow. (54) S'rî Vasudeva said: 'From Devakî have you indeed, to that which the voice from the beyond vibrated, nothing to fear, o sober one; I'll deliver you all the sons born from her since it were they because of whom your fear has risen.'

(55) S'rî S'uka said: 'Kamsa, admitting to the truth of what he said, was for the time being stopped from killing his sister so that with him more at ease, Vasudeva was happy to reach his home in one piece. (56) In due course of time thereafter gave Devakî, the mother of all divinity [see 4.31: 14 and B.G. 10: 2], year after year birth to indeed [as said in 9.24: 53-55] eight sons and a daughter. (57) Very afraid not to be true to his word delivered Ânakadundubhi [or Vasudeva, see 9.24: 28-31] to Kamsa with great pain Kîrtimân, the baby firstborn. (58) What now would be too painful to the saintly, what does dependence mean to the learned, what would be forbidden to the lower grade and what is there hard to forsake for the selfrealized? (59) O King, seeing that Vasudeva was unperturbed, truthful and certain of himself, was Kamsa contented and said he with a grin on his face: (60) 'Take this child with you, my fear indeed is not there from him, it is from the eighth pregnancy you have with your wife that my death was predicted.'

(61) 'Very well' said Ânakadundubhi, taking his son back and leaving, without attaching too much value to the words of him who had no character or selfcontrol. (62-63) Beginning from Nanda [Krishna's foster-father] were all in Vraja, all the cowherds and inhabitants and women, as well as the Vrishnis beginning with Vasudeva and Devakî and the Yadu-women, in truth gods from heaven indeed, o scion of Bharata; and so were even all the relatives, friends and well-wishers following Kamsa [see also verse 22 and B.G. 6: 41-42]. (64) All this was communicated to Kamsa by the all-powerful Nârada [**]; who paid him a visit to tell him that all the Daityas and such who burdened the earth were going to be killed [see verse 17 and also 9.24: 56]. (65-66) After the rishi had left thought Kamsa that all the Yadus were divine and that thus any child born from Devakî could be Vishnu. So in fear of his own death arrested he Vasudeva and Devakî confining them at home in shackles and killed he each of their newborn sons one after the other not knowing whether it would be the 'Never-born' Lord or not [***]. (67) Mothers, fathers, brothers, friends or anyone else are put to death by kings like him who on this earth are driven by envy and greed. (68) He, well aware that in a previous life he as the great Asura Kâlanemi [literally: 'rim of the wheel of time'] personally had been killed by Vishnu [see 8.10: 56], became again born in this world inimical with the Yadu dynasty [declared blessed by Vishnu, as Nârada told him]. (69) His own father Ugrasena, the king of the Yadus, Bhojas and Andhakas was by him, the almighty ruler, subdued [- also imprisoned -] so that he all by himself could enjoy the states of S'ûrasena.

The honorable king said: 'Your Lordship extensively both described the dynasties of the kings of the sun- and moon-god and the exalted and wonderful characters of their members [¹] .

King Parîkshit said: My dear lord, you have elaborately described the dynasties of both the moon-god and the sun-god, with the exalted and wonderful character of their kings. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Please describe to us Lord Vishnu who appeared as an incarnation in parts [that is: the full of Him along with His plenary expansion Sankarshana here being Baladeva] in the line of the strictly dharmic, well-behaved Yadus you also described, o best of the munis.

O best of munis, you have also described the descendants of Yadu, who were very pious and strictly adherent to religious principles. Now, if you will, kindly describe the wonderful, glorious activities of Lord Vishnu, or Krishna, who appeared in that Yadu dynasty with Baladeva, His plenary expansion. (Vedabase)

Text 3

Be so kind to tell us all about whatever the Supreme Lord, the Cause of the Manifestation, did after descending in the Yadu dynasty.

The Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, S'rî Krishna, the cause of the cosmic manifestation, appeared in the dynasty of Yadu. Please tell me elaborately about His glorious activities and character, from the beginning to the end of His life. (Vedabase)

Text 4

The hearing [through the paramparâ] of the pleasing vibrations of the glorification of the Lord Praised in the Verses is the right medicine by which the mind is released from the material disease of its desires; a person, unless he is a killer of animals, can by such descriptions heard or sung keep himself away [from the falsehood, control himself, see also B.G. 2: 44].

Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the paramparâ system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self? (Vedabase)

Text 5-7:

My grandfathers [the Pândavas] on the battlefield with imperishable fighters like Devavrata [Bhîshma] and other great commanders that were like timingilas [shark-eaters], in the past by the boat of Him crossed as easily the so very difficult to overcome ocean of Kaurava soldiers as one steps over a calf's hoofprint. This body of mine, the only seed of the Kurus and Pândavas left, was, doomed to perish by As'vatthâmâ's weapon, by Him, cakra in hand, protected, positioned within the womb of my mother who also had taken to the shelter of Him [1.8: 11 and 1.12: 7]. O man of learning, please describe the glories of the Lord who appeared as a normal human being, of the giver of death and eternal life as one says, of Him who in forms of Time is the Original Person inside as well as outside of the complete of all embodied beings.

Taking the boat of Krishna's lotus feet, my grandfather Arjuna and others crossed the ocean of the Battlefield of Kurukshetra, in which such commanders as Bhîshmadeva resembled great fish that could very easily have swallowed them. By the mercy of Lord Krishna, my grandfathers crossed this ocean, which was very difficult to cross, as easily as one steps over the hoofprint of a calf. Because my mother surrendered unto Lord Krishna's lotus feet, the Lord, Sudars'ana-cakra in hand, entered her womb and saved my body, the body of the last remaining descendant of the Kurus and the Pândavas, which was almost destroyed by the fiery weapon of As'vatthâmâ. Lord S'rî Krishna, appearing within and outside of all materially embodied living beings by His own potency in the forms of eternal time: that is, as Paramâtmâ and as virâth-rûpa: gave liberation to everyone, either as cruel death or as life. Kindly enlighten me by describing His transcendental characteristics. (Vedabase)

Text 8

Balarâma, who is Sankarshana, from you we know as the son of Rohinî; how can He without switching bodies be connected with the womb of Devakî?

My dear S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, you have already explained that Sankarshana, who belongs to the second quadruple, appeared as the son of Rohinî named Balarâma. If Balarâma was not transferred from one body to another, how is it possible that He was first in the womb of Devakî and then in the womb of Rohinî? Kindly explain this to me. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Why went Mukunda, the Supreme Lord from the house of his father to Vraja and where did He, the Master of Vishnu's adherents, situate Himself with His relatives?

Why did Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, leave the house of His father, Vasudeva, and transfer Himself to the house of Nanda in Vrindâvana? Where did the Lord, the master of the Yadu dynasty, live with His relatives in Vrindâvana? (Vedabase)

Text 10

Residing in Vraja and the city of Mathurâ, what did He do and why did He, the killer of Kes'î, kill Kamsa the brother of His mother, which is something against the scriptures!?

Lord Krishna lived both in Vrindâvana and in Mathurâ. What did He do there? Why did He kill Kamsa, His mother's brother? Such killing is not at all sanctioned in the s'âstras. (Vedabase)

Text 11

For how many years did He, assuming a human body, live with the Vrishnis and lived He in the city of the Yadus [Dvârakâ]; and how many wives were there with the Master?

Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no material body, yet He appears as a human being. For how many years did He live with the descendants of Vrishni? How many wives did He marry, and for how many years did He live in Dvârakâ? (Vedabase)

Text 12

O sage, knowing everything are you the one to tell us about Lord Krishna's activities; describe to me, full of belief and surrender, in detail this all and everything there's more to say.

O great sage, who know everything about Krishna, please describe in detail all the activities of which I have inquired and also those of which I have not, for I have full faith and am very eager to hear of them. (Vedabase)

Text 13

Not even the difficult to bear hunger or my forsaking of water hinders me anymore in my drinking the nectar of the talks about the Lord emanating from your lotus mouth.'

Because of my vow on the verge of death, I have given up even drinking water, yet because I am drinking the nectar of topics about Krishna, which is flowing from the lotus mouth of Your Lordship, my hunger and thirst, which are extremely difficult to bear, cannot hinder me. (Vedabase)

Text 14

Sûta [see: 1.1] said: "O son of Bhrigu [S'aunaka], the mighty son of Vyâsa, the purest of all devotees, thus hearing his pious questions paid the one blessed by Vishnu his respects and began to describe the topics of Krishna that put an end to the darkness of Kali-yuga [compare 1.7: 2-8].

Sûta Gosvâmî said: O son of Bhrigu [S'aunaka Rishi], after S'ukadeva Gosvâmî, the most respectable devotee, the son of Vyâsadeva, heard the pious questions of Mahârâja Parîkshit, he thanked the King with great respect. Then he began to discourse on topics concerning Krishna, which are the remedy for all sufferings in this age of Kali. (Vedabase)

Text 15

S'rî S'uka said: 'With your intelligence have you developed the proper determination, o best of the wise kings, because you as a consequence in your heart developed a lasting devotion for the stories about Vâsudeva [Krishna thus as the son of Vasudeva].

S'rîla S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O Your Majesty, best of all saintly kings, because you are greatly attracted to topics of Vâsudeva, it is certain that your intelligence is firmly fixed in spiritual understanding, which is the only true goal for humanity. Because that attraction is unceasing, it is certainly sublime. (Vedabase)

Text 16

The way the world is purified by the [Ganges] water from His toes [5.17: 1], are the three kinds of persons of the speaker, the inquirer and the one attending purified by bathing in the talks about Vâsudeva.

The Ganges, emanating from the toe of Lord Vishnu, purifies the three worlds, the upper, middle and lower planetary systems. Similarly, when one asks questions about the pastimes and characteristics of Lord Vâsudeva, Krishna, three varieties of men are purified: the speaker or preacher, he who inquires, and the people in general who listen. (Ved a base)

Text 17

Mother earth overburdened by the endless numbers of the conceited, needless, daitya military forces [9.24: 67] and their fake nobles [once] went to take shelter with Lord Brahmâ.

Once when mother earth was overburdened by hundreds of thousands of military phalanxes of various conceited demons dressed like kings, she approached Lord Brahmâ for relief. (Vedabase)

Text 18:

Assuming the form of a cow appeared she before the Almighty greatly distressed weeping piteously [see also 1.16: 18] and submitted she her complaints.

Mother earth assumed the form of a cow. Very much distressed, with tears in her eyes, she appeared before Lord Brahmâ and told him about her misfortune. (Vedabase)

Text 19:

Lord Brahmâ, understanding all, thereupon approached together with her, the godly and the Three-Eyed One [Lord S'iva] the shore of the milk ocean [wherein Vishnu resides, see also 8.7: 41].

Thereafter, having heard of the distress of mother earth, Lord Brahmâ, with mother earth, Lord S'iva and all the other demigods, approached the shore of the ocean of milk. (Vedabase)

Text 20:

Reaching there worshiped they with full attention with the [Purusha-sûkta] hymns for the Original Person the Supreme Personality, the God of Gods and Master of the Universe taking care of all.

After reaching the shore of the ocean of milk, the demigods worshiped the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Vishnu, the master of the whole universe, the supreme God of all gods, who provides for everyone and diminishes everyone's suffering. With great attention, they worshiped Lord Vishnu, who lies on the ocean of milk, by reciting the Vedic mantras known as the Purusha-sûkta. (Vedabase)

Text 21

The lord of the Veda [Brahmâ] in trance heard a vibration of words in the sky [see also 1.1: 1] and said to the servants of the three worlds, the demigods: 'Hear from me what the Original Person His order is, o immortal souls, and resume your duties immediately without delay, as it is told.

While in trance, Lord Brahmâ heard the words of Lord Vishnu vibrating in the sky. Thus he told the demigods: O demigods, hear from me the order of Kshîrodakas'âyî Vishnu, the Supreme Person, and execute it attentively without delay. (Vedabase)

Text 22

Before we came here knew the Personality of Godhead about the distress of the earth; He will by your good selves as His parts expand Himself in the family of the Yadus, and thus taking birth live on earth for as long as He, the Lord of Lords, needs to diminish by His own potency of Time the planet its burden.

Lord Brahmâ informed the demigods: Before we submitted our petition to the Lord, He was already aware of the distress on earth. Consequently, for as long as the Lord moves on earth to diminish its burden by His own potency in the form of time, all of you demigods should appear through plenary portions as sons and grandsons in the family of the Yadus. (Vedabase)

Text 23

In the house of Vasudeva will the Supreme Lord, the original transcendental person, personally appear and so should [also] the wives of the godly, in order to please Him, all take birth.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, S'rî Krishna, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the demigods should also appear in order to satisfy Him. (Vedabase)

Text 24

The part of Vâsudeva before known as the fully independent Ananta with the thousands of hoods [Sankarshana, see also 5.25] will as the Lord to the Lord appear [as Baladeva] with the desire to act for His pleasure.

The foremost manifestation of Krishna is Sankarshana, who is known as Ananta. He is the origin of all incarnations within this material world. Previous to the appearance of Lord Krishna, this original Sankarshana will appear as Baladeva, just to please the Supreme Lord Krishna in His transcendental pastimes. (Vedabase)

Text 25

The grace of Vishnu [Vishnu-mâyâ], as good as the Supreme Lord by whom all the worlds are captivated, is with all her different potencies by the Master being ordered to appear as well to manage His affairs [see also B.G. 9: 12 & 13].'

The potency of the Lord, known as vishnu-mâyâ, who is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, will also appear with Lord Krishna. This potency, acting in different capacities, captivates all the worlds, both material and spiritual. At the request of her master, she will appear with her different potencies in order to execute the work of the Lord. (Vedabase)

Text 26

S'rî S'uka said: 'After thus informing the immortals returned the almighty master of the founding fathers, having pacified mother earth with sweet words, to his own supreme abode.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: After thus advising the demigods and pacifying mother earth, the very powerful Lord Brahmâ, who is the master of all other Prajâpatis and is therefore known as Prajâpati-pati, returned to his own abode, Brahmaloka. (Vedabase)

Text 27

S'ûrasena the king of the Yadus [see 9.23: 27] went to live in the city Mathurâ where he enjoyed the former kingdoms of Mâthura and S'ûrasena.

Formerly, S'ûrasena, the chief of the Yadu dynasty, had gone to live in the city of Mathurâ. There he enjoyed the places known as Mâthura and S'ûrasena. (Vedabase)

Text 28

Mathurâ, intimately connected to the Supreme Lord Hari, was from that time the capital for all the kings of Yadu [see also the bhajan Sâvarana S'rî Gaura Mahimâ].

Since that time, the city of Mathurâ had been the capital of all the kings of the Yadu dynasty. The city and district of Mathurâ are very intimately connected with Krishna, for Lord Krishna lives there eternally. (Vedabase)

Text 29

It was in that place of God that a while ago the divine character of Vasudeva, after he had married Devakî, with his newly wed wife mounted a chariot to return home.

Some time ago, Vasudeva, who belonged to the demigod family [or to the S'ûra dynasty], married Devakî. After the marriage, he mounted his chariot to return home with his newly married wife. (Vedabase)

Text 30

Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena held, to please his sister for the occasion, the reins of the horses in the midst of thousands of golden chariots.

Kamsa, the son of King Ugrasena, in order to please his sister Devakî on the occasion of her marriage, took charge of the reins of the horses and became the chariot driver. He was surrounded by hundreds of golden chariots. (Vedabase)

Text 31-32

With her leaving home had koning Devaka, fond of his daughter, as a dowry given away to her four hundred elephants hung with gold, ten thousand horses along with eighteen hundred chariots and a hundred maidservants young and beautiful, complete with jewelry.

Devakî's father, King Devaka, was very much affectionate to his daughter. Therefore, while she and her husband were leaving home, he gave her a dowry of four hundred elephants nicely decorated with golden garlands. He also gave ten thousand horses, eighteen hundred chariots, and two hundred very beautiful young maidservants, fully decorated with ornaments. (Vedabase)

Text 33

O dearest King, conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums vibrated in concert to wish the bride and bridegroom the best with their departure.

O beloved son, Mahârâja Parîkshit, when the bride and bridegroom were ready to start, conchshells, bugles, drums and kettledrums all vibrated in concert for their auspicious departure. (Veda b ase)

Text 34

Being on their way, addressed a voice from the beyond Kamsa who held the reins: 'The eighth child from this girl you are carrying you fool, will kill you!'

While Kamsa, controlling the reins of the horses, was driving the chariot along the way, an unembodied voice addressed him, "You foolish rascal, the eighth child of the woman you are carrying will kill you! (Vedab a se)

Text 35

Thus addressed took he, who mischievous and sinful had degraded the Bhoja-family, up a sword against his sister, grabbing her by her hair with the intention to kill her.

Kamsa was a condemned personality in the Bhoja dynasty because he was envious and sinful. Therefore, upon hearing this omen from the sky, he caught hold of his sister's hair with his left hand and took up his sword with his right hand to sever her head from her body. (Vedabase)

Text 36

To pacify him who was ready to commit such a heinous and shameless crime then spoke Vasudeva, that greatly fortunate soul.

Wanting to pacify Kamsa, who was so cruel and envious that he was shamelessly ready to kill his sister, the great soul Vasudeva, who was to be the father of Krishna, spoke to him in the following words. (Vedabase)

Text 37

S'rî Vasudeva said: 'A man of so many qualities, such a brilliant star among the heroic Bhojas as your good self, how can you kill your sister, a woman notably, at the time of her marriage [see also 1.7: 53-54]?

Vasudeva said: My dear brother-in-law Kamsa, you are the pride of your family, the Bhoja dynasty, and great heroes praise your qualities. How could such a qualified person as you kill a woman, your own sister, especially on the occasion of her marriage? (Vedabase)

Text 38

Along with the body born is there death for all who took birth, o hero; whether one dies today or in a hundred years, in the end is each living being sure to die [see also B.G. 2: 27-28].

O great hero, one who takes birth is sure to die, for death is born with the body. One may die today or after hundreds of years, but death is sure for every living entity. (Vedabase)

Text 39

When the body has to return to the five elements receives the indweller according his own karma automatically another body when he gives up the former frame.

When the present body turns to dust and is again reduced to five elements: earth, water, fire, air and ether: the proprietor of the body, the living being, automatically receives another body of material elements according to his fruitive activities. When the next body is obtained, he gives up the present body. (Vedabase)

Text 40

Like a person walking changes from standing on one foot to the other and like a caterpillar on a plant [goes from one leaf to another], fares the same way the living entity undergoing the karmic consequence [see also B.G. 2: 22 and 2: 13].

Just as a person traveling on the road rests one foot on the ground and then lifts the other, or as a worm on a vegetable transfers itself to one leaf and then gives up the previous one, the conditioned soul takes shelter of another body and then gives up the one he had before. (Vedabase)

Text 41

If one in the situation of a dream, when one in one's consciousness is fully absorbed by the mental images, has to surrender in one's thinking, feeling and willing to what one has seen or what one has heard, what then would would be the case when one has to forget one's present body [see also 4.29: 60-79 and 5.26]?

Having experienced a situation by seeing or hearing about it, one contemplates and speculates about that situation, and thus one surrenders to it, not considering his present body. Similarly, by mental adjustments one dreams at night of living under different circumstances, in different bodies, and forgets his actual position. Under this same process, one gives up his present body and accepts another [tathâ dehântara-prâptih]. (Vedabase)

Text 42

The mind, driven by God or deliberation, goes engaged in guesswork from this position to the other so that in the end, according the change in thought, feeling and action, the embodied one at the time of death takes his birth according the material mode he is subjected to [B.G. 13: 22, 14: 14-15 and 6: 34-35].

At the time of death, according to the thinking, feeling and willing of the mind, which is involved in fruitive activities, one receives a particular body. In other words, the body develops according to the activities of the mind. Changes of body are due to the flickering of the mind, for otherwise the soul could remain in its original, spiritual body. (Vedabase)

Text 43

The same way as the reflection of luminaries observed in water or other liquids moved by the wind offers distortions in different shapes, becomes the same way the person, the living entity in the situation created by his own imagining to the modes, bewildered according his own attachments [see also 5.5: 4 and B.G. 9: 12-13, 12: 5].

When the luminaries in the sky, such as the moon, the sun and the stars, are reflected in liquids like oil or water, they appear to be of different shapes: sometimes round, sometimes long, and so on: because of the movements of the wind. Similarly, when the living entity, the soul, is absorbed in materialistic thoughts, he accepts various manifestations as his own identity because of ignorance. In other words, one is bewildered by mental concoctions because of agitation from the material modes of nature. (Vedabase)

Text 44

Therefore should one, taking one's own interest to heart, not harm anybody, for the evil-doer has to live himself in fear for others.

Therefore, since envious, impious activities cause a body in which one suffers in the next life, why should one act impiously? Considering one's welfare, one should not envy anyone, for an envious person must always fear harm from his enemies, either in this life or in the next. (Vedabase)

Text 45

This innocent woman, your younger sister, completely depends on you like she was your own daughter - do not kill her; she's good news for you and deserves your care and compassion!'

As your younger sister, this poor girl Devakî is like your own daughter and deserves to be affectionately maintained. You are merciful, and therefore you should not kill her. Indeed, she deserves your affection. (Vedabase)

Text 46

S'rî S'uka said: 'He pitiless, could by the attempts of good advise this way not be stopped or pacified, o son of Kuru, for he followed the path of the man-eaters [the Râkshasas].

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: O best of the Kuru dynasty, Kamsa was fiercely cruel and was actually a follower of the Râkshasas. Therefore he could be neither pacified nor terrified by the good instructions given by Vasudeva. He did not care about the results of sinful activities, either in this life or in the next. (Vedabase)

Text 47

Aware of his resolve thought Vasudeva deep on how he, with the threat of death at hand, could withhold him and so he came up with this other way.

When Vasudeva saw that Kamsa was determined to kill his sister Devakî, he thought to himself very deeply. Considering the imminent danger of death, he thought of another plan to stop Kamsa. (Vedabase)

Text 48

By an intelligent person should, as long as he is in control of his faculties, death be avoided, but facing the inevitability of death this rule does not apply.

As long as he has intelligence and bodily strength, an intelligent person must try to avoid death. This is the duty of every embodied person. But if death cannot be avoided in spite of one's endeavors, a person facing death commits no offense. (Vedabase)

Text 49-50

So he thought: 'If I promise to deliver my sons to this man of death, I might set my innocent Devakî free, for before this man of death will get that far he might die himself; and if that is not the case he might just as well find his death, [because it was foretold that he would be killed by my son]. Who knows what lies ahead? That is difficult to say. Even though the threat remains hereafter, will I, at least for the moment, be able to save her life.

Vasudeva considered: By delivering all my sons to Kamsa, who is death personified, I shall save the life of Devakî. Perhaps Kamsa will die before my sons take birth, or, since he is already destined to die at the hands of my son, one of my sons may kill him. For the time being, let me promise to hand over my sons so that Kamsa will give up this immediate threat, and if in due course of time Kamsa dies, I shall have nothing to fear. (Vedabase)

Text 51

When a piece of wood for some reason escapes a fire is that decided by providence and is there no other cause; the same way can one either make out why the one would be embodied while the other has to give the body up.'

When a fire, for some unseen reason, leaps over one piece of wood and sets fire to the next, the reason is destiny. Similarly, when a living being accepts one kind of body and leaves aside another, there is no other reason than unseen destiny. (Vedabase)

Text 52

After contemplating this way, paid the godloving man with all the intelligence he had, the sinner all respect, submitting the proposal to him in praise.

After thus considering the matter as far as his knowledge would allow, Vasudeva submitted his proposal to the sinful Kamsa with great respect. (Vedabase)

Text 53

With a big smile externally posing himself as being happy before the cruelhearted, shameless man spoke he with a mind full of anxiety and sorrow.

Vasudeva's mind was full of anxiety because his wife was facing danger, but in order to please the cruel, shameless and sinful Kamsa, he externally smiled and spoke to him as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 54

S'rî Vasudeva said: 'From Devakî have you indeed, to that which the voice from the beyond vibrated, nothing to fear, o sober one; I'll deliver you all the sons born from her since it were they because of whom your fear has risen.'

Vasudeva said: O best of the sober, you have nothing to fear from your sister Devakî because of what you have heard from the unseen omen. The cause of death will be her sons. Therefore I promise that when she gives birth to the sons from whom your fear has arisen, I shall deliver them all unto your hands. (Vedabase)

Text 55

S'rî S'uka said: 'Kamsa, admitting to the truth of what he said, was for the time being stopped from killing his sister so that with him more at ease, Vasudeva was happy to reach his home in one piece.

S'rîla S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Kamsa agreed to the logical arguments of Vasudeva, and, having full faith in Vasudeva's words, he refrained from killing his sister. Vasudeva, being pleased with Kamsa, pacified him further and entered his own house. (Vedabase)

Text 56

In due course of time thereafter gave Devakî, the mother of all divinity [see 4.31: 14 and B.G. 10: 2], year after year birth to indeed [as said in 9.24: 53-55] eight sons and a daughter.

Each year thereafter, in due course of time, Devakî, the mother of God and all the demigods, gave birth to a child. Thus she bore eight sons, one after another, and a daughter named Subhadrâ. (Vedabase)

Text 57

Very afraid not to be true to his word delivered Ânakadundubhi [or Vasudeva, see 9.24: 28-31] to Kamsa with great pain Kîrtimân, the baby firstborn.

Vasudeva was very much disturbed by fear of becoming a liar by breaking his promise. Thus with great pain he delivered his first-born son, named Kîrtimân, into the hands of Kamsa. (Vedabase)

Text 58

What now would be too painful to the saintly, what does dependence mean to the learned, what would be forbidden to the lower grade and what is there hard to forsake for the selfrealized?

What is painful for saintly persons who strictly adhere to the truth? How could there not be independence for pure devotees who know the Supreme Lord as the substance? What deeds are forbidden for persons of the lowest character? And what cannot be given up for the sake of Lord Krishna by those who have fully surrendered at His lotus feet? (Vedabase)

Text 59

O King, seeing that Vasudeva was unperturbed, truthful and certain of himself, was Kamsa contented and said he with a grin on his face:

My dear King Parîkshit, when Kamsa saw that Vasudeva, being situated in truthfulness, was completely equipoised in giving him the child, he was very happy. Therefore, with a smiling face, he spoke as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 60

'Take this child with you, my fear indeed is not there from him, it is from the eighth pregnancy you have with your wife that my death was predicted.'

O Vasudeva, you may take back your child and go home. I have no fear of your first child. It is the eighth child of you and Devakî I am concerned with because that is the child by whom I am destined to be killed. (Vedabase)

Text 61

'Very well' said Ânakadundubhi, taking his son back and leaving, without attaching too much value to the words of him who had no character or selfcontrol.

Vasudeva agreed and took his child back home, but because Kamsa had no character and no self-control, Vasudeva knew that he could not rely on Kamsa's word. (Vedabase)

Text 62-63

Beginning from Nanda [Krishna's foster-father] were all in Vraja, all the cowherds and inhabitants and women, as well as the Vrishnis beginning with Vasudeva and Devakî and the Yadu-women, in truth gods from heaven indeed, o scion of Bharata; and so were even all the relatives, friends and well-wishers following Kamsa [see also verse 22 and B.G. 6: 41-42].

The inhabitants of Vrindâvana, headed by Nanda Mahârâja and including his associate cowherd men and their wives, were none but denizens of the heavenly planets, O Mahârâja Parîkshit, best of the descendants of Bharata, and so too were the descendants of the Vrishni dynasty, headed by Vasudeva, and Devakî and the other women of the dynasty of Yadu. The friends, relatives and well-wishers of both Nanda Mahârâja and Vasudeva and even those who externally appeared to be followers of Kamsa were all demigods. (Vedabase)

Text 64

All this was communicated to Kamsa by the all-powerful Nârada [**]; who paid him a visit to tell him that all the Daityas and such who burdened the earth were going to be killed [see verse 17 and also 9.24: 56].

Once the great saint Nârada approached Kamsa and informed him of how the demoniac persons who were a great burden on the earth were going to be killed. Thus Kamsa was placed into great fear and doubt. (Vedabase)

Text 65-66

After the rishi had left thought Kamsa that all the Yadus were divine and that thus any child born from Devakî could be Vishnu. So in fear of his own death arrested he Vasudeva and Devakî confining them at home in shackles and killed he each of their newborn sons one after the other not knowing whether it would be the 'Never-born' Lord or not [***].

After the departure of the great saint Nârada, Kamsa thought that all the members of the Yadu dynasty were demigods and that any of the children born from the womb of Devakî might be Vishnu. Fearing his death, Kamsa arrested Vasudeva and Devakî and chained them with iron shackles. Suspecting each of the children to be Vishnu, Kamsa killed them one after another because of the prophecy that Vishnu would kill him. (Vedabase)

Text 67

Mothers, fathers, brothers, friends or anyone else are put to death by kings like him who on this earth are driven by envy and greed.

Kings greedy for sense gratification on this earth almost always kill their enemies indiscriminately. To satisfy their own whims, they may kill anyone, even their mothers, fathers, brothers or friends. (Vedabase)

Text 68

He, well aware that in a previous life he as the great Asura Kâlanemi [literally: 'rim of the wheel of time'] personally had been killed by Vishnu [see 8.10: 56], again born in this world, became inimical with the Yadu dynasty [declared blessed by Vishnu, as Nârada told him].

In his previous birth, Kamsa had been a great demon named Kâlanemi and been killed by Vishnu. Upon learning this information from Nârada, Kamsa became envious of everyone connected with the Yadu dynasty. (Vedabase)

Text 69

His own father Ugrasena, the king of the Yadus, Bhojas and Andhakas was by him, the almighty ruler, subdued [- also imprisoned -] so that he all by himself could enjoy the states of S'ûrasena.

Kamsa, the most powerful son of Ugrasena, even imprisoned his own father, the King of the Yadu, Bhoja and Andhaka dynasties, and personally ruled the states known as S'ûrasena. (Vedabase)

*: To recall what was described in the previous chapters: Lord Râma appeared in the sûrya-vams'a of Iksvâku or sun-dynasty and Lord Krishna appeared in the candra-vams'a or moon-dynasty.

**: An additional verse in this chapter of S'rîmad-Bhâgavatam is accepted by the Madhvâcârya-sampradâya, represented by Vijayadhvaja Tîrtha. The verse is as follows:

Word-for-word:
atha: in this way; kamsam: unto Kamsa; upâgamya: after going; nâradah: the great sage Nârada; brahma-nandanah: who is the son of Brahmâ; ekântam upasangamya: after going to a very solitary place; vâkyam: the following instruction; etat: this; uvâca: said; ha: in the past.
Translation:
"Thereafter, Nârada, the mental son of Lord Brahmâ, approached Kamsa and, in a very solitary place, informed him of the following news."

***: Svâmî Prabhupâda comments: 'Formerly an Asura named Kâlanemi had six sons, named Hamsa, Suvikrama, Krâtha, Damana, Ripurmardana and Krodhahantâ. They were known as the Shad-garbhas, or six Garbhas, and they were all equally powerful and expert in military affairs. These Shad-garbhas gave up the association of Hiranyakas'ipu, their grandfather, and underwent great austerities to satisfy Lord Brahmâ, who, upon being satisfied, agreed to give them whatever benediction they might desire. When asked by Lord Brahmâ to state what they wanted, the Shad-garbhas replied: "Dear Lord Brahmâ, if you want to give us a benediction, give us the blessing that we will not be killed by any demigod, Mahâ-roga, Yaksha, Gandharva-pati, Siddha, Cârana or human being, nor by great sages who are perfect in their penances and austerities." Brahmâ understood their purpose and fulfilled their desire. But when Hiranyakas'ipu came to know of these events, he was very angry at his grandsons. "You have given up my association and have gone to worship Lord Brahmâ" he said, "and therefore I no longer have any affection for you. You have tried to save yourselves from the hands of the demigods, but I curse you in this way: Your father will take birth as Kamsa and kill all of you because you will take birth as sons of Devakî." Because of this curse, the grandsons of Hiranyakas'ipu had to take birth from the womb of Devakî and be killed by Kamsa, although he was previously their father. This description is mentioned in the Hari-vams'a, Vishnu-parva, Second Chapter. According to the comments of the Vaishnava-toshanî, the son of Devakî known as Kîrtimân was the third incarnation. In his first incarnation he was known as Smara and was the son of Marîci, and later he became the son of Kâlanemi. This is mentioned in the histories.'