Chapter Four

The Atrocities of King Kamsa

This chapter describes how Kamsa, following the advice of his demoniac friends, considered the persecution of small children to be very diplomatic.

After Vasudeva bound himself with iron shackles as before, all the doors of the prison house closed by the influence of Yogamaya, who then began crying as a newborn child, This crying awakened the doorkeepers, who immediately informed Kamsa that a child had been born to Devaki. Upon hearing this news, Kamsa appeared with great force in the maternity room, and in spite of Devaki's pleas that the child be saved, the demon forcibly snatched the child from Devaki's hands and dashed the child against a rock. Unfortunately for Kamsa, however, the newborn child slipped away from his hands, rose above his head and appeared as the eight-armed form of Durga. Durga then told Kamsa, "The enemy you contemplate has taken birth somewhere else. Therefore your plan to persecute all the children will prove futile."

According to the prophecy, the eighth child of Devaki would kill Kamsa, and therefore when Kamsa saw that the eighth child was a female and heard that his so-called enemy had taken birth elsewhere, he was struck with wonder. He decided to release Devaki and Vasudeva, and he admitted before them the wrongness of his atrocities. Falling at the feet of Devaki and Vasudeva, he begged their pardon and tried to convince them that because the events that had taken place were destined to happen, they should not be unhappy for his having killed so many of their children. Devaki and Vasudeva, being naturally very pious, immediately excused Kamsa for his atrocities, and Kamsa, after seeing that his sister and brother-in-law were happy, returned to his home.

After the night passed, however, Kamsa called for his ministers and informed them of all that had happened. The ministers, who were all demons, advised Kamsa that because his enemy had already taken birth somewhere else, all the children born within the past ten days in the villages within Kamsa's kingdom should be killed. Although the demigods always feared Kamsa, they should not be treated leniently; since they were enemies, Kamsa should try his best to uproot their existence. The demoniac ministers further advised that Kamsa and the demons continue their enmity toward Visnu because Visnu is the original person among all the demigods. The brahmanas, the cows, the Vedas, austerity, truthfulness, control of the senses and mind, faithfulness and mercy are among the different parts of the body of Visnu, who is the origin of all the demigods, including Lord Brahma and Lord Siva. Therefore, the ministers advised, the demigods, the saintly persons, the cows and the brahmanas should be systematically persecuted. Strongly advised in this way by his friends, the demoniac ministers, Kamsa approved of their instructions and considered it beneficial to be envious of the brahmanas. Following Kamsa's orders, therefore, the demons began committing their atrocities all over Vrajabhumi.

TEXT 1

TEXT

sri-suka uvaca

bahir-antah-pura-dvarah

sarvah purvavad avrtah

tato bala-dhvanim srutva

grha-palah samutthitah

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; bahih-antah-pura-dvarah--the doors inside and outside the house; sarvah--all; purva-vat--like before; avrtah--closed; tatah--thereafter; bala-dhvanim--the crying of the newborn child; srutva--hearing; grha-palah--all the inhabitants of the house, especially the doormen; samutthitah--awakened.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King Pariksit, the doors inside and outside the house closed as before. Thereafter, the inhabitants of the house, especially the watchmen, heard the crying of the newborn child and thus awakened from their beds.

PURPORT

The activities of Yogamaya are distinctly visible in this chapter, in which Devaki and Vasudeva excuse Kamsa for his many devious, atrocious activities and Kamsa becomes repentant and falls at their feet. Before the awakening of the watchmen and the others in the prison house, many other things happened. Krsna was born and transferred to the home of Yasoda in Gokula, the strong doors opened and again closed, and Vasudeva resumed his former condition of being shackled. The watchmen, however, could not understand all this. They awakened only when they heard the crying of the newborn child, Yogamaya.

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has remarked that the watchmen were just like dogs. At night the dogs in the street act like watchmen. If one dog barks, many other dogs immediately follow it by barking. Although the street dogs are not appointed by anyone to act as watchmen, they think they are responsible for protecting the neighborhood, and as soon as someone unknown enters it, they all begin to bark. Both Yogamaya and Mahamaya act in all material activities (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah), but although the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead acts under the Supreme Lord's direction (mayadhyaksena prakrtih suyate sa-caracaram), doglike watchmen such as politicians and diplomats think that they are protecting their neighborhoods from the dangers of the outside world. These are the actions of maya. But one who surrenders to Krsna is relieved of the protection afforded by the dogs and doglike guardians of this material world.

TEXT 2

TEXT

te tu turnam upavrajya

devakya garbha-janma tat

acakhyur bhoja-rajaya

yad udvignah pratiksate

SYNONYMS

te--all the watchmen; tu--indeed; turnam--very quickly; upavrajya--going before (the King); devakyah--of Devaki; garbha-janma--the deliverance from the womb; tat--that (child); acakhyuh--submitted; bhoja-rajaya--unto the King of the Bhojas, Kamsa; yat--of whom; udvignah--with great anxiety; pratiksate--was waiting (for the child's birth).

TRANSLATION

Thereafter, all the watchmen very quickly approached King Kamsa, the ruler of the Bhoja dynasty, and submitted the news of the birth of Devaki's child. Kamsa, who had awaited this news very anxiously, immediately took action.

PURPORT

Kamsa was very anxiously waiting because of the prophecy that the eighth child of Devaki would kill him. This time, naturally, he was awake and waiting, and when the watchmen approached him, he immediately took action to kill the child.

TEXT 3

TEXT

sa talpat turnam utthaya

kalo 'yam iti vihvalah

suti-grham agat turnam

praskhalan mukta-murdhajah

SYNONYMS

sah--he (King Kamsa); talpat--from the bed; turnam--very quickly; utthaya--getting up; kalah ayam--here is my death, the supreme time; iti--in this way; vihvalah--overwhelmed; suti-grham--to the maternity home; agat--went; turnam--without delay; praskhalan--scattering; mukta--had become opened; murdha-jah--the hair on the head.

TRANSLATION

Kamsa immediately got up from bed, thinking, "Here is Kala, the supreme time factor, which has taken birth to kill me!" Thus overwhelmed, Kamsa, his hair scattered on his head, at once approached the place where the child had been born.

PURPORT

The word kalah is significant. Although the child was born to kill Kamsa, Kamsa thought that this was the proper time to kill the child so that he himself would be saved. Kala is actually another name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead when He appears only for the purpose of killing. When Arjuna inquired from Krsna in His universal form, "Who are You?" the Lord presented Himself as kala, death personified to kill. By nature's law, when there is an unwanted increase in population, kala appears, and by some arrangement of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, people are killed wholesale in different ways, by war, pestilence, famine and so on. At that time, even atheistic political leaders go to a church, mosque or temple for protection by God or gods and submissively say, "God willing." Before that, they pay no attention to God, not caring to know God or His will, but when kala appears, they say, "God willing." Death is but another feature of the supreme kala, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. At the time of death, the atheist must submit to this supreme kala, and then the Supreme Personality of Godhead takes away all his possessions (mrtyuh sarva-haras caham) and forces him to accept another body (tatha dehantara-praptih). This the atheists do not know, and if they do know, they neglect it so that they may go on with their normal life. The Krsna consciousness movement is trying to teach them that although for a few years one may act as a great protector or great watchman, with the appearance of kala, death, one must take another body by the laws of nature. Not knowing this, they unnecessarily waste their time in their occupation as watchdogs and do not try to get the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As it is clearly said, aprapya mam nivartante mrtyu-samsara-vartmani: without Krsna consciousness, one is condemned to continue wandering in birth and death, not knowing what will happen in one's next birth.

TEXT 4

TEXT

tam aha bhrataram devi

krpana karunam sati

snuseyam tava kalyana

striyam ma hantum arhasi

SYNONYMS

tam--unto Kamsa; aha--said; bhrataram--her brother; devi--mother Devaki; krpana--helplessly; karunam--piteously; sati--the chaste lady; snusa iyam tava--this child will be your daughter-in-law, the wife of your future son; kalyana--O all-auspicious one; striyam--a woman; ma--not; hantum--to kill; arhasi--you deserve.

TRANSLATION

Devaki helplessly, piteously appealed to Kamsa: My dear brother, all good fortune unto you. Don't kill this girl. She will be your daughter-in-law. Indeed, it is unworthy of you to kill a woman.

PURPORT

Kamsa had previously excused Devaki because he thought that a woman should not be killed, especially when pregnant. But now, by the influence of maya, he was prepared to kill a woman--not only a woman, but a small, helpless newborn child. Devaki wanted to save her brother from this terrible, sinful act. Therefore she told him, "Don't be so atrocious as to kill a female child. Let there be all good fortune for you." Demons can do anything for their personal benefit, not considering what is pious or vicious. But Devaki, on the contrary, although safe because she had already given birth to her own son, Krsna, was anxious to save the daughter of someone else. This was natural for her.

TEXT 5

TEXT

bahavo himsita bhratah

sisavah pavakopamah

tvaya daiva-nisrstena

putrikaika pradiyatam

SYNONYMS

bahavah--many; himsitah--killed out of envy; bhratah--my dear brother; sisavah--small children; pavaka-upamah--all of them equal to fire in brightness and beauty; tvaya--by you; daiva-nisrstena--as spoken by destiny; putrika--daughter; eka--one; pradiyatam--give me as your gift.

TRANSLATION

My dear brother, by the influence of destiny you have already killed many babies, each of them as bright and beautiful as fire. But kindly spare this daughter. Give her to me as your gift.

PURPORT

Here we see that Devaki first focused Kamsa's attention on his atrocious activities, his killing of her many sons. Then she wanted to compromise with him by saying that whatever he had done was not his fault, but was ordained by destiny. Then she appealed to him to give her the daughter as a gift. Devaki was the daughter of a ksatriya and knew how to play the political game. In politics there are different methods of achieving success: first repression (dama), then compromise (sama), and then asking for a gift (dana). Devaki first adopted the policy of repression by directly attacking Kamsa for having cruelly, atrociously killed her babies. Then she compromised by saying that this was not his fault, and then she begged for a gift. As we learn from the history of the Mahabharata, or "Greater India," the wives and daughters of the ruling class, the ksatriyas, knew the political game, but we never find that a woman was given the post of chief executive. This is in accordance with the injunctions of Manu-samhita, but unfortunately Manu-samhita is now being insulted, and the Aryans, the members of Vedic society, cannot do anything. Such is the nature of Kali-yuga.

Nothing happens unless ordained by destiny.

tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido

na labhyate yad bhramatam upary adhah

tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham

kalena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa

(Bhag. 1.5.18)

Devaki knew very well that because the killing of her many children had been ordained by destiny, Kamsa was not to be blamed. There was no need to give good instructions to Kamsa. Upadeso hi murkhanam prakopaya na santaye (Canakya Pandita). If a foolish person is given good instructions, he becomes more and more angry. Moreover, a cruel person is more dangerous than a snake. A snake and a cruel person are both cruel, but a cruel person is more dangerous because although a snake can be charmed by mantras or subdued by herbs, a cruel person cannot be subdued by any means. Such was the nature of Kamsa.

TEXT 6

TEXT

nanv aham te hy avaraja

dina hata-suta prabho

datum arhasi mandaya

angemam caramam prajam

SYNONYMS

nanu--however; aham--I am; te--your; hi--indeed; avaraja--younger sister; dina--very poor; hata-suta--deprived of all children; prabho--O my lord; datum arhasi--you deserve to give (some gift); mandayah--to me, who am so poor; anga--my dear brother; imam--this; caramam--last; prajam--child.

TRANSLATION

My lord, my brother, I am very poor, being bereft of all my children, but still I am your younger sister, and therefore it would be worthy of you to give me this last child as a gift.

TEXT 7

TEXT

sri-suka uvaca

upaguhyatmajam evam

rudatya dina-dinavat

yacitas tam vinirbhartsya

hastad acicchide khalah

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; upaguhya--embracing; atmajam--her daughter; evam--in this way; rudatya--by Devaki, who was crying; dina-dina-vat--very piteously, like a poor woman; yacitah--being begged; tam--her (Devaki); vinirbhartsya--chastising; hastat--from her hands; acicchide--separated the child by force; khalah--Kamsa, the most cruel.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: piteously embracing her daughter and crying, Devaki begged Kamsa for the child, but he was so cruel that he chastised her and forcibly snatched the child from her hands.

PURPORT

Although Devaki was crying like a very poor woman, actually she was not poor, and therefore the word used here is dinavat. She had already given birth to Krsna. Therefore, who could have been richer than she? Even the demigods had come to offer prayers to Devaki, but she played the part of a poor, piteously afflicted woman because she wanted to save the daughter of Yasoda.

TEXT 8

TEXT

tam grhitva caranayor

jata-matram svasuh sutam

apothayac chila-prsthe

svarthonmulita-sauhrdah

SYNONYMS

tam--the child; grhitva--taking by force; caranayoh--by the two legs; jata-matram--the newborn child; svasuh--of his sister; sutam--the daughter; apothayat--smashed; sila-prsthe--on the surface of a stone; sva-artha-unmulita--uprooted because of intense selfishness; sauhrdah--all friendship or family relationships.

TRANSLATION

Having uprooted all relationships with his sister because of intense selfishness, Kamsa, who was sitting on his knees, grasped the newborn child by the legs and tried to dash her against the surface of a stone.

TEXT 9

TEXT

sa tad-dhastat samutpatya

sadyo devy ambaram gata

adrsyatanuja visnoh

sayudhasta-mahabhuja

SYNONYMS

sa--that female child; tat-hastat--from the hand of Kamsa; sam-utpatya--slipped upward; sadyah--immediately; devi--the form of a demigoddess; ambaram--into the sky; gata--went; adrsyata--was seen; anuja--the younger sister; visnoh--of the Supreme personality of Godhead; sa-ayudha--with weapons; asta--eight; maha-bhuja--with mighty arms.

TRANSLATION

The child, Yogamaya-devi, the younger sister of Lord Visnu, slipped upward from Kamsa's hands and appeared in the sky as Devi, the goddess Durga, with eight arms, completely equipped with weapons.

PURPORT

Kamsa tried to dash the child downward against a piece of stone, but since she was Yogamaya, the younger sister of Lord Visnu, she slipped upward and assumed the form of the goddess Durga. The word anuja, meaning "the younger sister," is significant. When Visnu, or Krsna, took birth from Devaki, He must have simultaneously taken birth from Yasoda also. Otherwise how could Yogamaya have been anuja, the Lord's younger sister?

TEXTS 10-11

TEXT

divya-srag-ambaralepa-

ratnabharana-bhusita

dhanuh-sulesu-carmasi-

sankha-cakra-gada-dhara

siddha-carana-gandharvair

apsarah-kinnaroragaih

upahrtoru-balibhih

stuyamanedam abravit

SYNONYMS

divya-srak-ambara-alepa--she then assumed the form of a demigoddess, completely decorated with sandalwood pulp, flower garlands and a nice dress; ratna-abharana-bhusita--decorated with ornaments of valuable jewels; dhanuh-sula-isu-carma-asi--with bow, trident, arrows, shield and sword; sankha-cakra-gada-dhara--and holding the weapons of Visnu (conchshell, disc and club); siddha-carana-gandharvaih--by the Siddhas, Caranas and Gandharvas; apsarah-kinnara-uragaih--and by the Apsaras, Kinnaras and Uragas; upahrta-uru-balibhih--who brought all kinds of presentations to her; stuyamana--being praised; idam--these words; abravit--she said.

TRANSLATION

The goddess Durga was decorated with flower garlands, smeared with sandalwood pulp and dressed with excellent garments and ornaments made of valuable jewels. Holding in her hands a bow, a trident, arrows, a shield, a sword, a conchshell, a disc and a club, and being praised by celestial beings like Apsaras, Kinnaras, Uragas, Siddhas, Caranas and Gandharvas, who worshiped her with all kinds of presentations, she spoke as follows.

TEXT 12

TEXT

kim maya hataya manda

jatah khalu tavanta-krt

yatra kva va purva-satrur

ma himsih krpanan vrtha

SYNONYMS

kim--what is the use; maya--me; hataya--in killing; manda--O you fool; jatah--has already been born; khalu--indeed; tava anta-krt--who will kill you; yatra kva va--somewhere else; purva-satruh--your former enemy; ma--do not; himsih--kill; krpanan--other poor children; vrtha--unnecessarily.

TRANSLATION

O Kamsa, you fool, what will be the use of killing me? The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who has been your enemy from the very beginning and who will certainly kill you, has already taken His birth somewhere else. Therefore, do not unnecessarily kill other children.

TEXT 13

TEXT

iti prabhasya tam devi

maya bhagavati bhuvi

bahu-nama-niketesu

bahu-nama babhuva ha

SYNONYMS

iti--in this way; prabhasya--addressing; tam--Kamsa; devi--the goddess Durga; maya--Yogamaya; bhagavati--possessing immense power, like that of the Supreme personality of Godhead; bhuvi--on the surface of the earth; bahu-nama--of different names; niketesu--in different places; bahu-nama--different names; babhuva--became; ha--indeed.

TRANSLATION

After speaking to Kamsa in this way, the goddess Durga, Yogamaya, appeared in different places, such as Varanasi, and became celebrated by different names, such as Annapurna, Durga, Kali and Bhadra.

PURPORT

The goddess Durga is celebrated in Calcutta as Kali, in Bombay as Mumbadevi, in Varanasi as Annapurna, in Cuttack as Bhadrakali and in Ahmedabad as Bhadra. Thus in different places she is known by different names. Her devotees are known as saktas, or worshipers of the energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whereas worshipers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself are called Vaisnavas. Vaisnavas are destined to return home, back to Godhead, in the spiritual world, whereas the saktas are destined to live within this material world to enjoy different types of material happiness. In the material world, the living entity must accept different types of bodies. Bhramayan sarva-bhutani yantrarudhani mayaya (Bg. 18.61). According to the living entity's desire, Yogamaya, or Maya, the goddess Durga, gives him a particular type of body, which is mentioned as yantra, a machine. But the living entities who are promoted to the spiritual world do not return to the prison house of a material body (tyaktva deham punar janma naiti mam eti so'rjuna). The words janma na eti indicate that these living entities remain in their original, spiritual bodies to enjoy the company of the Supreme personality of Godhead in the transcendental abodes Vaikuntha and Vrndavana.

TEXT 14

TEXT

tayabhihitam akarnya

kamsah parama-vismitah

devakim vasudevam ca

vimucya prasrito 'bravit

SYNONYMS

taya--by the goddess Durga; abhihitam--the words spoken; akarnya--by hearing; kamsah--Kamsa; parama-vismitah--was struck with wonder; devakim--unto Devaki; vasudevam ca--and Vasudeva; vimucya--releasing immediately; prasritah--with great humility; abravit--spoke as follows.

TRANSLATION

After hearing the words of the goddess Durga, Kamsa was struck with wonder. Thus he approached his sister Devaki and brother-in-law Vasudeva, released them immediately from their shackles, and very humbly spoke as follows.

PURPORT

Kamsa was astonished because the goddess Durga had become the daughter of Devaki. Since Devaki was a human being, how could the goddess Durga become her daughter? This was one cause of his astonishment. Also, how is it that the eighth child of Devaki was a female? This also astonished him. Asuras are generally devotees of mother Durga, Sakti, or of demigods, especially Lord Siva. The appearance of Durga in her original eight-armed feature, holding various weapons, immediately changed Kamsa's mind about Devaki's being an ordinary human. Devaki must have had some transcendental qualities; otherwise why would the goddess Durga have taken birth from her womb? Under the circumstances, Kamsa, struck with wonder, wanted to compensate for his atrocities against his sister Devaki.

TEXT 15

TEXT

aho bhaginy aho bhama

maya vam bata papmana

purusada ivapatyam

bahavo himsitah sutah

SYNONYMS

aho--alas; bhagini--my dear sister; aho--alas; bhama--my dear brother-in-law; maya--by me; vam--of you; bata--indeed; papmana--because of sinful activities; purusa-adah--a Raksasa, man-eater; iva--like; apatyam--child; bahavah--many; himsitah--have been killed; sutah--sons.

TRANSLATION

Alas, my sister! Alas, my brother-in-law! I am indeed so sinful that exactly like a man-eater [Raksasa] who eats his own child, I have killed so many sons born of you.

PURPORT

Raksasas are understood to be accustomed to eating their own sons, as snakes and many other animals sometimes do. At the present moment in Kali-yuga, Raksasa fathers and mothers are killing their own children in the womb, and some are even eating the fetus with great relish. Thus the so-called civilization is gradually advancing by producing Raksasas.

TEXT 16

TEXT

sa tv aham tyakta-karunyas

tyakta-jnati-suhrt khalah

kan lokan vai gamisyami

brahma-heva mrtah svasan

SYNONYMS

sah--that person (Kamsa); tu--indeed; aham--I; tyakta-karunyah--devoid of all mercy; tyakta-jnati-suhrt--my relatives and friends have been rejected by me; khalah--cruel; kan lokan--which planets; vai--indeed; gamisyami--shall go; brahma-ha iva--like the killer of a brahmana; mrtah svasan--either after death or while breathing.

TRANSLATION

Being merciless and cruel, I have forsaken all my relatives and friends. Therefore, like a person who has killed a brahmana, I do not know to which planet I shall go, either after death or while breathing.

TEXT 17

TEXT

daivam apy anrtam vakti

na martya eva kevalam

yad-visrambhad aham papah

svasur nihatavan chisun

SYNONYMS

daivam--providence; api--also; anrtam--lies; vakti--say; na--not; martyah--human beings; eva--certainly; kevalam--only; yat-visrambhat--because of believing that prophecy; aham--I; papah--the most sinful; svasuh--of my sister; nihatavan--killed; sisun--so many children.

TRANSLATION

Alas, not only human beings but sometimes even providence lies. And I am so sinful that I believed the omen of providence and killed so many of my sister's children.

TEXT 18

TEXT

ma socatam maha-bhagav

atmajan sva-krtam bhujah

jantavo na sadaikatra

daivadhinas tadasate

SYNONYMS

ma socatam--kindly do not be aggrieved (for what happened in the past); maha-bhagau--O you who are learned and fortunate in spiritual knowledge; atmajan--for your sons; sva-krtam--only because of their own acts; bhujah--who are suffering; jantavah--all living entities; na--not; sada--always; ekatra--in one place; daiva-adhinah--who are under the control of providence; tada--hence; asate--live.

TRANSLATION

O great souls, your children have suffered their own misfortune. Therefore, please do not lament for them. All living entities are under the control of the Supreme, and they cannot always live together.

PURPORT

Kamsa addressed his sister and brother-in-law as maha-bhagau because although he killed their ordinary children, the goddess Durga took birth from them. Because Devaki bore Durgadevi in her womb, Kamsa praised both Devaki and her husband. Asuras are very devoted to the goddess Durga, Kali and so forth. Kamsa, therefore, truly astonished, appreciated the exalted position of his sister and brother-in-law. Durga is certainly not under the laws of nature, because she herself is the controller of the laws of nature. Ordinary living beings, however, are controlled by these laws (prakrteh kriyamanani gunaih karmani sarvasah). Consequently, none of us are allowed to live together for any long period. By speaking in this way, Kamsa tried to pacify his sister and brother-in-law.

TEXT 19

TEXT

bhuvi bhaumani bhutani

yatha yanty apayanti ca

nayam atma tathaitesu

viparyeti yathaiva bhuh

SYNONYMS

bhuvi--on the surface of the world; bhaumani--all material products from earth, such as pots; bhutani--which are produced; yatha--as; yanti--appear (in form); apayanti--disappear (broken or mixed with the earth); ca--and; na--not; ayam atma--the soul or spiritual identity; tatha--similarly; etesu--among all these (products of material elements); viparyeti--is changed or broken; yatha--as; eva--certainly; bhuh--the earth.

TRANSLATION

In this world, we can see that pots, dolls and other products of the earth appear, break and then disappear, mixing with the earth. Similarly, the bodies of all conditioned living entities are annihilated, but the living entities, like the earth itself, are unchanging and never annihilated [na hanyate hanyamane sarire].

PURPORT

Although Kamsa is described as a demon, he had good knowledge of the affairs of atma-tattva, the truth of the self. Five thousand years ago, there were kings like Kamsa, who is described as an asura, but he was better than modern politicians and diplomats, who have no knowledge about atma-tattva. As stated in the Vedas, asango hy ayam purusah: the spirit soul has no connection with the changes of the material body. The body undergoes six changes--birth, growth, sustenance, by-products, dwindling and then annihilation--but the soul undergoes no such changes. Even after the annihilation of a particular bodily form, the original source of the bodily elements does not change. The living entity enjoys the material body, which appears and disappears, but the five elements earth, water, fire, air and ether remain the same. The example given here is that pots and dolls are produced from the earth, and when broken or destroyed they mingle with their original ingredients. In any case, the source of supply remains the same.

As already discussed, the body is made according to the desires of the soul. The soul desires, and thus the body is formed. Krsna therefore says in Bhagavad-gita (18.61):

isvarah sarva-bhutanam

hrd-dese 'rjuna tisthati

bhramayan sarva-bhutani

yantrarudhani mayaya

"The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a machine, made of the material energy." Neither the Supersoul, Paramatma, nor the individual soul changes its original, spiritual identity. The atma does not undergo birth, death or changes like the body. Therefore a Vedic aphorism says, asango hy ayam purusah: although the soul is conditioned within this material world, he has no connections with the changes of the material body.

TEXT 20

TEXT

yathanevam-vido bhedo

yata atma-viparyayah

deha-yoga-viyogau ca

samsrtir na nivartate

SYNONYMS

yatha--as; an-evam-vidah--of a person who has no knowledge (about atma-tattva and the steadiness of the atma in his own identity, despite the changes of the body); bhedah--the idea of difference between body and self; yatah--because of which; atma-viparyayah--the foolish understanding that one is the body; deha-yoga-viyogau ca--and this causes connections and separations among different bodies; samsrtih--the continuation of conditioned life; na--not; nivartate--does stop.

TRANSLATION

One who does not understand the constitutional position of the body and the soul [atma] becomes too attached to the bodily concept of life. Consequently, because of attachment to the body and its by-products, he feels affected by union with and separation from his family, society and nation. As long as this continues, one continues his material life. [Otherwise, one is liberated.]

PURPORT

As confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.6):

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo

yato bhaktir adhoksaje

ahaituky apratihata

yayatma suprasidati

The word dharma means "engagement." One who is engaged in the service of the Lord (yato bhaktir adhoksaje), without impediment and without cessation, is understood to be situated in his original, spiritual status. When one is promoted to this status, one is always happy in transcendental bliss. Otherwise, as long as one is in the bodily concept of life, one must suffer material conditions. Janma-mrtyu jara-vyadhi-duhkha-dosanudarsanam. The body is subject to its own principles of birth, death, old age and disease, but one who is situated in spiritual life (yato bhaktir adhoksaje) has no birth, no death, no old age and no disease. One may argue that we may see a person who is spiritually engaged twenty-four hours a day but is still suffering from disease. In fact, however, he is neither suffering nor diseased; otherwise he could not be engaged twenty-four hours a day in spiritual activities. The example may be given in this connection that sometimes dirty foam or garbage is seen floating on the water of the Ganges. This is called nira-dharma, a function of the water. But one who goes to the Ganges does not mind the foam and dirty things floating in the water. With his hand, he pushes away such nasty things, bathes in the Ganges and gains the beneficial results. Therefore, one who is situated in the spiritual status of life is unaffected by foam and garbage--or any superficial dirty things. This is confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

iha yasya harer dasye

karmana manasa gira

nikhilasv apy avasthasu

jivan-muktah sa ucyate

"A person acting in the service of Krsna with his body, mind and words is a liberated person, even within the material world." (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.187) Therefore, one is forbidden to regard the guru as an ordinary human being (gurusu nara-matir. .. naraki sah). The spiritual master, or acarya, is always situated in the spiritual status of life. Birth, death, old age and disease do not affect him. According to the Hari-bhakti-vilasa, therefore, after the disappearance of an acarya, his body is never burnt to ashes, for it is a spiritual body. The spiritual body is always unaffected by material conditions.

TEXT 21

TEXT

tasmad bhadre sva-tanayan

maya vyapaditan api

manusoca yatah sarvah

sva-krtam vindate 'vasah

SYNONYMS

tasmat--therefore; bhadre--my dear sister (all auspiciousness unto you); sva-tanayan--for your own sons; maya--by me; vyapaditan--unfortunately killed; api--although; ma anusoca--do not be aggrieved; yatah--because; sarvah--everyone; sva-krtam--the fruitive results of one's own deeds; vindate--suffers or enjoys; avasah--under the control of providence.

TRANSLATION

My dear sister Devaki, all good fortune unto you. Everyone suffers and enjoys the results of his own work under the control of providence. Therefore, although your sons have unfortunately been killed by me, please do not lament for them.

PURPORT

As stated in the Brahma-samhita (5.54):

yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-

bandhanurupa-phala-bhajanam atanoti

karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam

govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami

Everyone, beginning from the small insect known as indra-gopa up to Indra, the King of the heavenly planets, is obliged to undergo the results of his fruitive activities. We may superficially see that one is suffering or enjoying because of some external causes, but the real cause is one's own fruitive activities. Even when someone kills someone else, it is to be understood that the person who was killed met the fruitive results of his own work and that the man who killed him acted as the agent of material nature. Thus Kamsa begged Devaki's pardon by analyzing the matter deeply. He was not the cause of the death of Devaki's sons. Rather, this was their own destiny. Under the circumstances, Devaki should excuse Kamsa and forget his past deeds without lamentation. Kamsa admitted his own fault, but whatever he had done was under the control of providence. Kamsa might have been the immediate cause for the death of Devaki's sons, but the remote cause was their past deeds. This was an actual fact.

TEXT 22

TEXT

yavad dhato 'smi hantasmi-

ty atmanam manyate 'sva-drk

tavat tad-abhimany ajno

badhya-badhakatam iyat

SYNONYMS

yavat--as long as; hatah asmi--I am now being killed (by others); hanta asmi--I am the killer (of others); iti--thus; atmanam--own self; manyate--he considers; a-sva-drk--one who has not seen himself (because of the darkness of the bodily conception of life); tavat--for that long; tat-abhimani--regarding himself as the killed or the killer; ajnah--a foolish person; badhya-badhakatam--the worldly transaction of being obliged to execute some responsibility; iyat--continues.

TRANSLATION

In the bodily conception of life, one remains in darkness, without self-realization, thinking, "I am being killed" or "I have killed my enemies." As long as a foolish person thus considers the self to be the killer or the killed, he continues to be responsible for material obligations, and consequently he suffers the reactions of happiness and distress.

PURPORT

By the grace of the Lord, Kamsa felt sincere regret for having unnecessarily persecuted such Vaisnavas as Devaki and Vasudeva, and thus he came to the transcendental stage of knowledge. "Because I am situated on the platform of knowledge," Kamsa said, "understanding that I am not at all the killer of your sons, I have no responsibility for their death. As long as I thought that I would be killed by your son, I was in ignorance, but now I am free from this ignorance, which was due to a bodily conception of life." As stated in Bhagavad-gita (18.17):

yasya nahankrto bhavo

buddhir yasya na lipyate

hatvapi sa imal lokan

na hanti na nibadhyate

"One who is not motivated by false ego, whose intelligence is not entangled, though he kills men in this world, is not the slayer. Nor is he bound by his actions." According to this axiomatic truth, Kamsa pleaded that he was not responsible for having killed the sons of Devaki and Vasudeva. "Please try to excuse me for such false, external activities," he said, "and be pacified with this same knowledge."

TEXT 23

TEXT

ksamadhvam mama dauratmyam

sadhavo dina-vatsalah

ity uktvasru-mukhah padau

syalah svasror athagrahit

SYNONYMS

ksamadhvam--kindly excuse; mama--my; dauratmyam--atrocious activities; sadhavah--both of you are great saintly persons; dina-vatsalah--and are very kind to poor, cripple-minded persons; iti uktva--saying this; asru-mukhah--his face full of tears; padau--the feet; syalah--his brother-in-law Kamsa; svasrah--of his sister and brother-in-law; atha--thus; agrahit--captured.

TRANSLATION

Kamsa begged, "My dear sister and brother-in-law, please be merciful to such a poor-hearted person as me, since both of you are saintly persons. Please excuse my atrocities." Having said this, Kamsa fell at the feet of Vasudeva and Devaki, his eyes full of tears of regret.

PURPORT

Although Kamsa had spoken very nicely on the subject of real knowledge, his past deeds were abominable and atrocious, and therefore he further begged forgiveness from his sister and brother-in-law by falling at their feet and admitting that he was a most sinful person.

TEXT 24

TEXT

mocayam asa nigadad

visrabdhah kanyaka-gira

devakim vasudevam ca

darsayann atma-sauhrdam

SYNONYMS

mocayam asa--Kamsa released them; nigadat--from their iron shackles; visrabdhah--with full confidence; kanyaka-gira--in the words of the goddess Durga; devakim--toward his sister Devaki; vasudevam ca--and his brother-in-law Vasudeva; darsayan--fully exhibiting; atma-sauhrdam--his family relationship.

TRANSLATION

Fully believing in the words of the goddess Durga, Kamsa exhibited his familial affection for Devaki and Vasudeva by immediately releasing them from their iron shackles.

TEXT 25

TEXT

bhratuh samanutaptasya

ksanta-rosa ca devaki

vyasrjad vasudevas ca

prahasya tam uvaca ha

SYNONYMS

bhratuh--toward her brother Kamsa; samanutaptasya--because of his being regretful; ksanta-rosa--was relieved of anger; ca--also; devaki--Krsna's mother, Devaki; vyasrjat--gave up; vasudevah ca--Vasudeva also; prahasya--smiling; tam--unto Kamsa; uvaca--said; ha--in the past.

TRANSLATION

When Devaki saw her brother actually repentant while explaining ordained events, she was relieved of all anger. Similarly, Vasudeva was also free from anger. Smiling, he spoke to Kamsa as follows.

PURPORT

Devaki and Vasudeva, both highly elevated personalities, accepted the truth presented by Kamsa that everything is ordained by providence. According to the prophecy, Kamsa would be killed by the eighth child of Devaki. Therefore, Vasudeva and Devaki saw that behind all these incidents was a great plan devised by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Because the Lord had already taken birth, just like a human child, and was in the safe custody of Yasoda, everything was happening according to plan, and there was no need to continue their ill feeling toward Kamsa. Thus they accepted Kamsa's words.

TEXT 26

TEXT

evam etan maha-bhaga

yatha vadasi dehinam

ajnana-prabhavaham-dhih

sva-pareti bhida yatah

SYNONYMS

evam--yes, this is right; etat--what you have said; maha-bhaga--O great personality; yatha--as; vadasi--you are speaking; dehinam--about living entities (accepting material bodies); ajnana-prabhava--by the influence of ignorance; aham-dhih--this is my interest (false ego); sva-para iti--this is another's interest; bhida--differentiation; yatah--because of such a conception of life.

TRANSLATION

O great personality Kamsa, only by the influence of ignorance does one accept the material body and bodily ego. What you have said about this philosophy is correct. Persons in the bodily concept of life, lacking self-realization, differentiate in terms of "This is mine" and "This belongs to another."

PURPORT

Everything is done automatically by the laws of nature, which work under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no question of doing anything independently, for one who has put himself in this material atmosphere is fully under the control of nature's laws. Our main business, therefore, should be to get out of this conditioned life and again become situated in spiritual existence. Only due to ignorance does a person think, "I am a demigod," "I am a human being," "I am a dog," "I am a cat," or, when the ignorance is still further advanced, "I am God." Unless one is fully self-realized, one's life of ignorance will continue.

TEXT 27

TEXT

soka-harsa-bhaya-dvesa-

lobha-moha-madanvitah

mitho ghnantam na pasyanti

bhavair bhavam prthag-drsah

SYNONYMS

soka--lamentation; harsa--jubilation; bhaya--fear; dvesa--envy; lobha--greed; moha--illusion; mada--madness; anvitah--endowed with; mithah--one another; ghnantam--engaged in killing; na pasyanti--do not see; bhavaih--because of such differentiation; bhavam--the situation in relation to the Supreme Lord; prthak-drsah--persons who see everything as separate from the control of the Lord.

TRANSLATION

Persons with the vision of differentiation are imbued with the material qualities lamentation, jubilation, fear, envy, greed, illusion and madness. They are influenced by the immediate cause, which they are busy counteracting, because they have no knowledge of the remote, supreme cause, the Personality of Godhead.

PURPORT

Krsna is the cause of all causes (sarva-karana-karanam), but one who has no connection with Krsna is disturbed by immediate causes and cannot restrain his vision of separation or differences. When an expert physician treats a patient, he tries to find the original cause of the disease and is not diverted by the symptoms of that original cause. Similarly, a devotee is never disturbed by reverses in life. Tat te 'nukampam susamiksamanah (Bhag. 10.14.8). A devotee understands that when he is in distress, this is due to his own past misdeeds, which are now accruing reactions, although by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead these are only very slight. Karmani nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhajam (Brahma-samhita 5.54). When a devotee under the protection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is to suffer because of faults in his past deeds, he passes through only a little misery by the grace of the Lord. Although the disease of a devotee is due to mistakes committed sometime in the past, he agrees to suffer and tolerate such miseries, and he depends fully on the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Thus he is never affected by material conditions of lamentation, jubilation, fear and so on. A devotee never sees anything to be unconnected with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Srila Madhvacarya, quoting from the Bhavisya Purana, says:

bhagavad-darsanad yasya

virodhad darsanam prthak

prthag-drstih sa vijneyo

na tu sad-bheda-darsanah

TEXT 28

TEXT

sri-suka uvaca

kamsa evam prasannabhyam

visuddham pratibhasitah

devaki-vasudevabhyam

anujnato 'visad grham

SYNONYMS

sri-sukah uvaca--Sri Sukadeva Gosvami said; kamsah--King Kamsa; evam--thus; prasannabhyam--who were very much appeased; visuddham--in purity; pratibhasitah--being answered; devaki-vasudevabhyam--by Devaki and Vasudeva; anujnatah--taking permission; avisat--entered; grham--his own palace.

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Thus having been addressed in purity by Devaki and Vasudeva, who were very much appeased, Kamsa felt pleased, and with their permission he entered his home.

TEXT 29

TEXT

tasyam ratryam vyatitayam

kamsa ahuya mantrinah

tebhya acasta tat sarvam

yad uktam yoga-nidraya

SYNONYMS

tasyam--that; ratryam--night; vyatitayam--having passed; kamsah--King Kamsa; ahuya--calling for; mantrinah--all the ministers; tebhyah--them; acasta--informed; tat--that; sarvam--all; yat uktam--which was spoken (that Kamsa's murderer was already somewhere else); yoga-nidraya--by Yogamaya, the goddess Durga.

TRANSLATION

After that night passed, Kamsa summoned his ministers and informed them of all that had been spoken by Yogamaya [who had revealed that He who was to slay Kamsa had already been born somewhere else].

PURPORT

The Vedic scripture Candi describes maya, the energy of the Supreme Lord, as nidra: durga devi sarva-bhutesu nidra-rupena samasthitah. The energy of Yogamaya and Mahamaya keeps the living entities sleeping in this material world in the great darkness of ignorance. Yogamaya, the goddess Durga, kept Kamsa in darkness about Krsna's birth and misled him to believe that his enemy Krsna had been born elsewhere. Krsna was born the son of Devaki, but according to the Lord's original plan, as prophesied to Brahma, He went to Vrndavana to give pleasure to mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja and other intimate friends and devotees for eleven years. Then He would return to kill Kamsa. Because Kamsa did not know this, he believed Yogamaya's statement that Krsna was born elsewhere, not of Devaki.

TEXT 30

TEXT

akarnya bhartur gaditam

tam ucur deva-satravah

devan prati krtamarsa

daiteya nati-kovidah

SYNONYMS

akarnya--after hearing; bhartuh--of their master; gaditam--the words or statement; tam ucuh--replied to him; deva-satravah--all the asuras, who were enemies of the demigods; devan--the demigods; prati--toward; krta-amarsah--who were envious; daiteyah--the asuras; na--not; ati-kovidah--who were very expert in executing transactions.

TRANSLATION

After hearing their master's statement, the envious asuras, who were enemies of the demigods and were not very expert in their dealings, advised Kamsa as follows.

PURPORT

There are two different types of men--the asuras and the suras.

dvau bhuta-sargau loke 'smin

daiva asura eva ca

visnu-bhaktah smrto daiva

asuras tad-viparyayah

(Padma Purana)

Those who are devotees of Lord Visnu, Krsna, are suras, or devas, whereas those who are opposed to the devotees are called asuras. Devotees are expert in all transactions (yasyasti bhaktir bhagavaty akincana sarvair gunais tatra samasate surah). Therefore they are called kovida, which means "expert." Asuras, however, although superficially showing expertise in passionate activities, are actually all fools. They are neither sober nor expert. Whatever they do is imperfect. Moghasa mogha-karmanah. According to this description of the asuras given in Bhagavad-gita (9.12), whatever they do will ultimately be baffled. It was such persons who advised Kamsa because they were his chief friends and ministers.

TEXT 31

TEXT

evam cet tarhi bhojendra

pura-grama-vrajadisu

anirdasan nirdasams ca

hanisyamo 'dya vai sisun

SYNONYMS

evam--thus; cet--if it is so; tarhi--then; bhoja-indra--O King of Bhoja; pura-grama-vraja-adisu--in all the towns, villages and pasturing grounds; anirdasan--those who are less than ten days old; nirdasan ca--and those who are just over ten days old; hanisyamah--we shall kill; adya--beginning from today; vai--indeed; sisun--all such children.

TRANSLATION

If this is so, O King of the Bhoja dynasty, beginning today we shall kill all the children born in all the villages, towns and pasturing grounds within the past ten days or slightly more.

TEXT 32

TEXT

kim udyamaih karisyanti

devah samara-bhiravah

nityam udvigna-manaso

jya-ghosair dhanusas tava

SYNONYMS

kim--what; udyamaih--by their endeavors; karisyanti--will do; devah--all the demigods; samara-bhiravah--who are afraid of fighting; nityam--always; udvigna-manasah--with agitated minds; jya-ghosaih--by the sound of the string; dhanusah--of the bow; tava--your.

TRANSLATION

The demigods always fear the sound of your bowstring. They are constantly in anxiety, afraid of fighting. Therefore, what can they do by their endeavors to harm you?

TEXT 33

TEXT

asyatas te sara-vratair

hanyamanah samantatah

jijivisava utsrjya

palayana-para yayuh

SYNONYMS

asyatah--pierced by your discharged arrows; te--your; sara-vrataih--by the multitude of arrows; hanyamanah--being killed; samantatah--here and there; jijivisavah--aspiring to live; utsrjya--giving up the battlefield; palayana-parah--intent on escaping; yayuh--they fled (the fighting).

TRANSLATION

While being pierced by your arrows, which you discharged on all sides, some of them, who were injured by the multitude of arrows but who desired to live, fled the battlefield, intent on escaping.

TEXT 34

TEXT

kecit pranjalayo dina

nyasta-sastra divaukasah

mukta-kaccha-sikhah kecid

bhitah sma iti vadinah