Achyutaya namah

Canto Ten Chapter Two

In this chapter, the incarnation of Srikrishna and the Devatas glorifying Srikrishna who is in Devaki’s womb are covered.

Maharishi Śuka said, “Jarāsandha, the King of Magadha, was an ally who offered protection to the mighty Kamsa. With the help of followers such as Pralamba, Baka, Cānūra, Tṛnāvarta, Aghāsura, Muṣṭhika, Ariṣṭa, Dvivida, Pūtana, Kēśi and Dhenuka, and of associate demons such as Narakāsura and Bāṇāsura, Kamsa began to destroy the Yadavas.

All the mighty, powerful demons had gathered at one place. Equipped with the information that the Devatas had incarnated in the guise of Yadavas, each of them, in accordance to his/ her individual capabilities, began to persecute the Yadavas. The pious Yadavas, who were bound to truthfulness and righteousness, underwent untold suffering during this period.

Unable to withstand this torture, a few Yadavas migrated to Kuru, Pāncala, Kekaya, Śālva, Vidarbha, Niṣada, Vidēha and Kōśala kingdoms seeking shelter. Left with no choice, the immediate relatives of Kamsa began to helplessly serve him and abide by his dictates.

The degraded sinner Kamsa, the son of Ugrasena, killed six sons of his sister Devaki. During her seventh pregnancy Devaki was both overjoyed and dejected at the prospect of the birth of a child. In this pregnancy, she carried Adiśeṣa, the partial aspect of the Supreme Lord, in her womb. Great Mahatmas glorify Adiśeṣa as Ananta (the thousand-headed serpent).

Srihari, who resides as the Self within every living entity, is also the protector of the Yadavas. Understanding the anguish of the Yadavas, who were being tormented by Kamsa, the Supreme Lord commanded his illusory power (Yogamaya) as follows,

“O Devi! O bestower of auspiciousness! Proceed to the beautiful land called Gokula which is teeming with cows and cowherds. Fearing Kamsa, all the wives of Vasudeva are living incognito in different lands. Rohini, one of Vasudeva’s wives, resides in Gokula. Śeṣa, who is my partial incarnation, is growing within Devaki’s womb. You have to draw out this pregnancy from Devaki’s womb and transfer it into Rohini’s womb.

Thereafter I shall, with strength, knowledge and My other transcendental qualities incarnate as the son of Devaki in a form that will attract the devotees. You will be born to Nanda’s wife Yashoda.

O Yogamaya, you are the most supreme amongst Devatas who fulfills desires. With flowers, fruits, incense sticks and other ingredients, humans will elaborately worship you, as you fulfill all their desires.

Nāmadheyāni kurvanti sthānāni ca narā bhuvi

Durgeti bhadrakālīti vijayā vaiṣṇavīti ca

Kumudā caṇḍikā kṛṣṇā mādhavī kanyaketi ca

Māyā nārāyaṇīśānī śāradety ambiketi ca

Human beings on earth will glorify you as Durga, Bhadrakāli, Vijaya, Vaishnavi, Kumuda, Chandika, Krishna, Madhavi, Kanyaka, Māya, Nārāyani, Iśāni, Shārada and Ambika. They will consecrate holy temples for you on earth.

The boy who will be born to Rohini due to this transfer of pregnancy from Devaki will become famous in this world as Sankarṣana. For showering bliss upon people, he will also be addressed as Rama. For being the mightiest amongst the mighty he will be renowned as Bala”.

Yogamaya circumambulated the Lord who had thus commanded her. She then left for earth and executed the instructions issued to her by the Lord. She extracted the pregnancy from Devaki and transferred it into Rohini. The citizens of the land grieved that Devaki had miscarried.

Bhagavān api viśvātmā bhaktānām abhayaṅkaraḥ

Āviveśāṁśa-bhāgena mana ānakadundubheḥ

Together with His six opulences, Srihari, the Universal Lord who offers protection to all devotees, incarnated in a form that would be visible to the devotees.

He entered into the mind of Vasudeva. Vasudeva, who was carrying the radiance of the Lord, began to glow brightly like the Sun. Living beings, including the fearsome Kamsa, feared to approach Vasudeva who was illumining divinely and radiantly.

Srihari the Supreme Lord fills every living entity with life and movement. It is He who exists within every living entity in the form of the Self. Through her mind, Devaki devi absorbed from her husband, this radiance of the Supreme Lord, who was incarnating for the well-being of the universe. She now began to carry the Supreme Lord within her.

Just as the eastern direction carries the rising moon, the glowing Mother Devaki carried in her womb that Lord in whom this entire creation rests. Just as flames remain invisible when fire is hidden in a pot, just as the knowledgeable person who fails to share his knowledge with others cannot benefit the world, Mother Devaki who was placed under arrest by the arrogant Kamsa did not illumine. Nevertheless, due to the presence of the indestructible Supreme Lord in her womb, the prison cell wherein she was located began to glow effulgently”.

Narayana