Fourth Skandha · Chapter 23
Sourceव्यास उवाच हतेषु षट्सु पुत्रेषु देवक्या औग्रसेनिना । सप्तमे पतिते गर्भे वचनान्नारदस्य च ॥ १ ॥ अष्टमस्य च गर्भस्य रक्षणार्थमतन्द्रितः । प्रयत्नमकरोद्राजा मरणं स्वं विचिन्तयन् ॥ २ ॥ समये देवकीगर्भे प्रवेशमकरोद्धरिः । अंशेन वसुदेवे तु समागत्य यथाक्रमम् ॥ ३ ॥ तदेयं योगमाया च यशोदायां यथेच्छया । प्रवेशमकरोद्देवी देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥ ४ ॥ रोहिण्यास्तनयो रामो गोकुले समजायत । यतः कंसभयोद्विग्ना संस्थिता सा च कामिनी ॥ ५ ॥ कारागारे ततः कंसो देवकीं देवसंस्तुताम् । स्थापयामास रक्षार्थं सेवकान्समकल्पयत् ॥ ६ ॥ वसुदेवस्तु कामिन्याः प्रेमतन्तुनियन्त्रितः । पुत्रोत्पत्तिं च सञ्चिन्त्य प्रविष्टः सह भार्यया ॥ ७ ॥ देवकीगर्भगो विष्णुर्देवकार्यार्थसिद्धये । संस्तुतोऽमरसङ्घैश्च व्यवर्धत यथाक्रमम् ॥ ८ ॥ सञ्जाते दशमे तत्र मासेऽथ श्रावणे शुभे । प्राजापत्यर्क्षसंयुक्ते कृष्णपक्षेऽष्टमीदिने ॥ ९ ॥ कंसस्तु दानवान्सर्वानुवाच भयविह्वलः । रक्षणीया भवद्भिश्च देवकी गर्भमन्दिरे ॥ १० ॥ अष्टमो देवकीगर्भः शत्रुर्मे प्रभविष्यति । रक्षणीयः प्रयत्नेन मृत्युरूपः स बालकः ॥ ११ ॥ हत्वैनं बालकं दैत्याः सुखं स्वप्स्यामि मन्दिरे । निवृत्तिवर्जिते दुःखे नाशिते चाष्टमे सुते ॥ १२ ॥ खड्गप्रासधराः सर्वे तिष्ठन्तु धृतकार्मुकाः । निद्रातन्द्राविहीनाश्च सर्वत्र निहितेक्षणाः ॥ १३ ॥ व्यास उवाच इत्यादिश्यासुरगणान् कृशोऽतिभयविह्वलः । मन्दिरं स्वं जगामाशु न लेभे दानवः सुखम् ॥ १४ ॥ निशीथे देवकी तत्र वसुदेवमुवाच ह । किं करोमि महाराज प्रसवावसरो मम ॥ १५ ॥ बहवो रक्षपालाश्च तिष्ठन्त्यत्र भयानकाः । नन्दपत्न्या मया सार्धं कृतोऽस्ति समयः पुरा ॥ १६ ॥ प्रेषितव्यस्त्वया पुत्रो मन्दिरे मम मानिनि । पालयिष्याम्यहं तत्र तवातिमनसा किल ॥ १७ ॥ अपत्यं ते प्रदास्यामि कंसस्य प्रत्ययाय वै । किं कर्तव्यं प्रभो चात्र विषमे समुपस्थिते ॥ १८ ॥ व्यत्ययः सन्ततेः शौरे कथं कर्तुं क्षमो भवेः । दूरे तिष्ठस्व कान्ताद्य लज्जा मेऽतिदुरत्यया ॥ १९ ॥ परावृत्य मुखं स्वामिन्नन्यथा किं करोम्यहम् । इत्युक्त्वा तं महाभागं देवकी देवसम्मतम् ॥ २० ॥ बालकं सुषुवे तत्र निशीथे परमाद्भुतम् । तं दृष्ट्वा विस्मयं प्राप देवकी बालकं शुभम् ॥ २१ ॥ पतिं प्राह महाभागा हर्षोत्कुल्लकलेवरा । पश्य पुत्रमुखं कान्त दुर्लभं हि तव प्रभो ॥ २२ ॥ अद्यैनं कालरूपोऽसौ घातयिष्यति भ्रातृजः । वसुदेवस्तथेत्युक्त्वा तमादाय करे सुतम् ॥ २३ ॥ अपश्यच्चाननं तस्य सुतस्याद्भुतकर्मणः । वीक्ष्य पुत्रमुखं शौरिश्चिन्ताविष्टो बभूव ह ॥ २४ ॥ किं करोमि कथं न स्याद्दुःखमस्य कृते मम । एवं चिन्तातुरे तस्मिन्वागुवाचाशरीरिणी ॥ २५ ॥ वसुदेवं समाभाष्य गगने विशदाक्षरा । वसुदेव गृहीत्वैनं गोकुलं नय सत्वरः ॥ २६ ॥ रक्षपालास्तथा सर्वे मया निद्राविमोहिताः । विवृतानि कृतान्यष्ट कपाटानि च शृङ्खलाः ॥ २७ ॥ मुक्त्वैनं नन्दगेहे त्वं योगमायां समानय । श्रुत्वैवं वसुदेवस्तु तस्मिन्कारागृहे गतः ॥ २८ ॥ विवृतं द्वारमालोक्य बभूव तरसा नृप । तमादाय ययावाशु द्वारपालैरलक्षितः ॥ २९ ॥ कालिन्दीतटमासाद्य पूरं दृष्ट्वा सुनिश्चितम् । तदैव कटिदघ्नी सा बभूवाशु सरिद्वरा ॥ ३० ॥ योगमायाप्रभावेण ततारानकदुन्दुभिः । गत्वा तु गोकुलं शौरिर्निशीथे निर्जने पथि ॥ ३१ ॥ नन्दद्वारे स्थितः पश्यन्विभूतिं पशुसंज्ञिताम् । तदैव तत्र सञ्जाता यशोदा गर्भसम्भवा ॥ ३२ ॥ योगमायांशजा देवी त्रिगुणा दिव्यरूपिणी । जातां तां बालिकां दिव्यां गृहीत्वा करपङ्कजे ॥ ३३ ॥ तत्रागत्य ददौ देवी सैरन्ध्रीरूपधारिणी । वसुदेवः सुतं दत्त्वा सैरन्ध्रीकरपङ्कजे ॥ ३४ ॥ तामादाय ययौ शीघ्रं बालिकां मुदिताशयः । कारागारे ततो गत्वा देवक्याः शयने सुताम् ॥ ३५ ॥ निःक्षिप्य संस्थितः पार्श्वे चिन्ताविष्टो भयातुरः । रुरोद सुस्वरं कन्या तदैवागतसंज्ञकाः ॥ ३६ ॥ उत्तस्थुः सेवका राज्ञः श्रुत्वा तद्रुदितं निशि । तमूचुर्भूपतिं गत्वा त्वरितास्तेऽतिविह्वलाः ॥ ३७ ॥ देवक्याश्च सुतो जातः शीघ्रमेहि महामते । तदाकर्ण्य वचस्तेषां शीघ्रं भोजपतिर्ययौ ॥ ३८ ॥ प्रावृतं द्वारमालोक्य वसुदेवमथाह्वयत् । कंस उवाच सुतमानय देवक्या वसुदेव महामते ॥ ३९ ॥ मृत्युर्मे चाष्टमो गर्भस्तन्निहन्मि रिपुं हरिम् । व्यास उवाच श्रुत्वा कंसवचः शौरिर्भयत्रस्तविलोचनः ॥ ४० ॥ तामादाय सुतां पाणौ ददौ चाशु रुदन्निव । दृष्ट्वाथ दारिकां राजा विस्मयं परमं गतः ॥ ४१ ॥ देववाणी वृथा जाता नारदस्य च भाषितम् । वसुदेवः कथं कुर्यादनृतं सङ्कटे स्थितः ॥ ४२ ॥ रक्षपालाश्च मे सर्वे सावधाना न संशयः । कुतोऽत्र कन्यका कामं क्व गतः स सुतः किल ॥ ४३ ॥ सन्देहोऽत्र न कर्तव्यः कालस्य विषमा गतिः । इति सञ्चिन्त्य तां बालां गृहीत्वा पादयोः खलः ॥ ४४ ॥ पोथयामास पाषाणे निर्घृणः कुलपांसनः । सा करान्निःसृता बाला ययावाकाशमण्डलम् ॥ ४५ ॥ दिव्यरूपा तदा भूत्वा तमुवाच मृदुस्वना । किं मया हतया पाप जातस्ते बलवान् रिपुः ॥ ४६ ॥ हनिष्यति दुराराध्यः सर्वथा त्वां नराधमम् । इत्युक्त्वा सा गता कन्या गगनं कामगा शिवा ॥ ४७ ॥ कंसस्तु विस्मयाविष्टो गतो निजगृहं तदा । आनाय्य दानवान्सर्वानिदं वचनमब्रवीत् ॥ ४८ ॥ बकधेनुकवत्सादीन्क्रोधाविष्टो भयातुरः । गच्छन्तु दानवाः सर्वे मम कार्यार्थसिद्धये ॥ ४९ ॥ जातमात्राश्च हन्तव्या बालका यत्र कुत्रचित् । पूतनैषा व्रजत्वद्य बालघ्नी नन्दगोकुलम् ॥ ५० ॥ जातमात्रान्विनिघ्नन्ती शिशूंस्तत्र ममाज्ञया । धेनुको वत्सकः केशी प्रलम्बो बक एव च ॥ ५१ ॥ सर्वे तिष्ठन्तु तत्रैव मम कार्यचिकीर्षया । इत्याज्ञाप्यासुरान्कंसो ययौ निजगृहं खलः ॥ ५२ ॥ चिन्ताविष्टोऽतिदीनात्मा चिन्तयित्वैव तं पुनः ॥ ५३ ॥
vyāsa uvāca hateṣu ṣaṭsu putreṣu devakyā augraseninā | saptame patite garbhe vacanānnāradasya ca || 1 || aṣṭamasya ca garbhasya rakṣaṇārthamatandritaḥ | prayatnamakarodrājā maraṇaṃ svaṃ vicintayan || 2 || samaye devakīgarbhe praveśamakaroddhariḥ | aṃśena vasudeve tu samāgatya yathākramam || 3 || tadeyaṃ yogamāyā ca yaśodāyāṃ yathecchayā | praveśamakaroddevī devakāryārthasiddhaye || 4 || rohiṇyāstanayo rāmo gokule samajāyata | yataḥ kaṃsabhayodvignā saṃsthitā sā ca kāminī || 5 || kārāgāre tataḥ kaṃso devakīṃ devasaṃstutām | sthāpayāmāsa rakṣārthaṃ sevakānsamakalpayat || 6 || vasudevastu kāminyāḥ prematantuniyantritaḥ | putrotpattiṃ ca sañcintya praviṣṭaḥ saha bhāryayā || 7 || devakīgarbhago viṣṇurdevakāryārthasiddhaye | saṃstuto'marasaṅghaiśca vyavardhata yathākramam || 8 || sañjāte daśame tatra māse'tha śrāvaṇe śubhe | prājāpatyarkṣasaṃyukte kṛṣṇapakṣe'ṣṭamīdine || 9 || kaṃsastu dānavānsarvānuvāca bhayavihvalaḥ | rakṣaṇīyā bhavadbhiśca devakī garbhamandire || 10 || aṣṭamo devakīgarbhaḥ śatrurme prabhaviṣyati | rakṣaṇīyaḥ prayatnena mṛtyurūpaḥ sa bālakaḥ || 11 || hatvainaṃ bālakaṃ daityāḥ sukhaṃ svapsyāmi mandire | nivṛttivarjite duḥkhe nāśite cāṣṭame sute || 12 || khaḍgaprāsadharāḥ sarve tiṣṭhantu dhṛtakārmukāḥ | nidrātandrāvihīnāśca sarvatra nihitekṣaṇāḥ || 13 || vyāsa uvāca ityādiśyāsuragaṇān kṛśo'tibhayavihvalaḥ | mandiraṃ svaṃ jagāmāśu na lebhe dānavaḥ sukham || 14 || niśīthe devakī tatra vasudevamuvāca ha | kiṃ karomi mahārāja prasavāvasaro mama || 15 || bahavo rakṣapālāśca tiṣṭhantyatra bhayānakāḥ | nandapatnyā mayā sārdhaṃ kṛto'sti samayaḥ purā || 16 || preṣitavyastvayā putro mandire mama mānini | pālayiṣyāmyahaṃ tatra tavātimanasā kila || 17 || apatyaṃ te pradāsyāmi kaṃsasya pratyayāya vai | kiṃ kartavyaṃ prabho cātra viṣame samupasthite || 18 || vyatyayaḥ santateḥ śaure kathaṃ kartuṃ kṣamo bhaveḥ | dūre tiṣṭhasva kāntādya lajjā me'tiduratyayā || 19 || parāvṛtya mukhaṃ svāminnanyathā kiṃ karomyaham | ityuktvā taṃ mahābhāgaṃ devakī devasammatam || 20 || bālakaṃ suṣuve tatra niśīthe paramādbhutam | taṃ dṛṣṭvā vismayaṃ prāpa devakī bālakaṃ śubham || 21 || patiṃ prāha mahābhāgā harṣotkullakalevarā | paśya putramukhaṃ kānta durlabhaṃ hi tava prabho || 22 || adyainaṃ kālarūpo'sau ghātayiṣyati bhrātṛjaḥ | vasudevastathetyuktvā tamādāya kare sutam || 23 || apaśyaccānanaṃ tasya sutasyādbhutakarmaṇaḥ | vīkṣya putramukhaṃ śauriścintāviṣṭo babhūva ha || 24 || kiṃ karomi kathaṃ na syādduḥkhamasya kṛte mama | evaṃ cintāture tasminvāguvācāśarīriṇī || 25 || vasudevaṃ samābhāṣya gagane viśadākṣarā | vasudeva gṛhītvainaṃ gokulaṃ naya satvaraḥ || 26 || rakṣapālāstathā sarve mayā nidrāvimohitāḥ | vivṛtāni kṛtānyaṣṭa kapāṭāni ca śṛṅkhalāḥ || 27 || muktvainaṃ nandagehe tvaṃ yogamāyāṃ samānaya | śrutvaivaṃ vasudevastu tasminkārāgṛhe gataḥ || 28 || vivṛtaṃ dvāramālokya babhūva tarasā nṛpa | tamādāya yayāvāśu dvārapālairalakṣitaḥ || 29 || kālindītaṭamāsādya pūraṃ dṛṣṭvā suniścitam | tadaiva kaṭidaghnī sā babhūvāśu saridvarā || 30 || yogamāyāprabhāveṇa tatārānakadundubhiḥ | gatvā tu gokulaṃ śaurirniśīthe nirjane pathi || 31 || nandadvāre sthitaḥ paśyanvibhūtiṃ paśusaṃjñitām | tadaiva tatra sañjātā yaśodā garbhasambhavā || 32 || yogamāyāṃśajā devī triguṇā divyarūpiṇī | jātāṃ tāṃ bālikāṃ divyāṃ gṛhītvā karapaṅkaje || 33 || tatrāgatya dadau devī sairandhrīrūpadhāriṇī | vasudevaḥ sutaṃ dattvā sairandhrīkarapaṅkaje || 34 || tāmādāya yayau śīghraṃ bālikāṃ muditāśayaḥ | kārāgāre tato gatvā devakyāḥ śayane sutām || 35 || niḥkṣipya saṃsthitaḥ pārśve cintāviṣṭo bhayāturaḥ | ruroda susvaraṃ kanyā tadaivāgatasaṃjñakāḥ || 36 || uttasthuḥ sevakā rājñaḥ śrutvā tadruditaṃ niśi | tamūcurbhūpatiṃ gatvā tvaritāste'tivihvalāḥ || 37 || devakyāśca suto jātaḥ śīghramehi mahāmate | tadākarṇya vacasteṣāṃ śīghraṃ bhojapatiryayau || 38 || prāvṛtaṃ dvāramālokya vasudevamathāhvayat | kaṃsa uvāca sutamānaya devakyā vasudeva mahāmate || 39 || mṛtyurme cāṣṭamo garbhastannihanmi ripuṃ harim | vyāsa uvāca śrutvā kaṃsavacaḥ śaurirbhayatrastavilocanaḥ || 40 || tāmādāya sutāṃ pāṇau dadau cāśu rudanniva | dṛṣṭvātha dārikāṃ rājā vismayaṃ paramaṃ gataḥ || 41 || devavāṇī vṛthā jātā nāradasya ca bhāṣitam | vasudevaḥ kathaṃ kuryādanṛtaṃ saṅkaṭe sthitaḥ || 42 || rakṣapālāśca me sarve sāvadhānā na saṃśayaḥ | kuto'tra kanyakā kāmaṃ kva gataḥ sa sutaḥ kila || 43 || sandeho'tra na kartavyaḥ kālasya viṣamā gatiḥ | iti sañcintya tāṃ bālāṃ gṛhītvā pādayoḥ khalaḥ || 44 || pothayāmāsa pāṣāṇe nirghṛṇaḥ kulapāṃsanaḥ | sā karānniḥsṛtā bālā yayāvākāśamaṇḍalam || 45 || divyarūpā tadā bhūtvā tamuvāca mṛdusvanā | kiṃ mayā hatayā pāpa jātaste balavān ripuḥ || 46 || haniṣyati durārādhyaḥ sarvathā tvāṃ narādhamam | ityuktvā sā gatā kanyā gaganaṃ kāmagā śivā || 47 || kaṃsastu vismayāviṣṭo gato nijagṛhaṃ tadā | ānāyya dānavānsarvānidaṃ vacanamabravīt || 48 || bakadhenukavatsādīnkrodhāviṣṭo bhayāturaḥ | gacchantu dānavāḥ sarve mama kāryārthasiddhaye || 49 || jātamātrāśca hantavyā bālakā yatra kutracit | pūtanaiṣā vrajatvadya bālaghnī nandagokulam || 50 || jātamātrānvinighnantī śiśūṃstatra mamājñayā | dhenuko vatsakaḥ keśī pralambo baka eva ca || 51 || sarve tiṣṭhantu tatraiva mama kāryacikīrṣayā | ityājñāpyāsurānkaṃso yayau nijagṛhaṃ khalaḥ || 52 || cintāviṣṭo'tidīnātmā cintayitvaiva taṃ punaḥ || 53 ||
English translation
1-2. Vyasa said The six sons of Devaki being thus killed by Kannsa and the seventh womb being miscarried, Kamsa began, when Devaki was pregnant for the eighth time, to think of the cause of his own death as advised by Narada and watched carefully, day and night, so that this time there would be born a son and there be no miscarriage.
3. On the other hand the Bhagavan Hari came down and rested on the body of Vasudeva as part incarnate and then entered into the womb of Devaki, in due order.
4. That very time the Goddess Yogamaya, of Her own accord, enters into the womb of Yasoda in order to help the workings of the gods.
5. Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva was anxiously dwelling at that time through the fear of Kamsa in the Nanda Gokula; Balarama, the part incarnate of Ananta, took his birth there as Her son.
6. Kamsa then imprisoned Devaki, who was being worshipped by gods, and engaged servants to take care of her.
7. Vasudeva, too, entered into the prison with his wife Devaki, thinking of his issue and also being attracted by his attachment towards his wife.
8. Visnu, here, the Deva of the Devas, to accomplish the purpose of the gods began to grow regularly in the womb of Devaki, being incessantly adored and praised by the gods.
9-10. When the tenth month was complete, on the eighth day of the dark fortnight, under the star Rohini, Kamsa became much bewildered with fear and called on his Danava followers and said “You must all carefully protect Devaki in the prison.
11-12. The son born from this eighth womb of Devaki will turn out my dire enemy; therefore do you all very carefully protect that child, my death incarnate (so that the child may not be transferred anywhere else). O Daityas! I will be able to sleep without any anxiety then, when I will be successful. Kill this eighth son of Devaki who has become the source of my constant worries and endless troubles.
13. Equipped with swords, shafts and bow and darts do you all incessantly watch with eyes open on all sides, leaving off your sleep and drowsiness.”
14. Vyasa said Thus ordering the Demons, the king Kamsa who had become worn out with this anxiety and was bewildered with fear, went quickly to his own palace room; but he could not find any trace of happiness.
15-18. On the other hand, Devaki, at dead of night, in that prison, told Vasudeva “O king! My birth pain has come; I see here many guards, terrific, who are watching and protecting us; what shall I do now? Yasoda, the wife of Nanda, promised me before this. O respected one! Your heart is almost burnt up with the fire of grief;
therefore do you send to my house your son; I will protect it with utmost care; and especially to incur Kamsa’s faith and belief, I will give you another son. O Lord! This is now a very hard moment; what are we to do now?
19. And again how are you to exchange the two sons? However let what may come, come to pass; now the moment of child birth has come; I am possessed by a feeling of shame not liable to be overcome. You better turn away your face; there is no other remedy here.”
20. Thus saying to that blessed Vasudeva, worshipped by the gods, Devaki, at dead of night, delivered a wonderful child.
21. The blessed Devaki looking on that exceedingly beautiful child, was struck with wonder and told her husband, her whole body being filled with joy.
22. O Lord! Look at the face of your new born child, a very rare thing to see such a face as this. Alas! The son of my paternal uncle, Kamsa, will kill my this new born child.
23. “Kamsa will do so.” Saying this, Vasudeva took up that child in his arms and began to look amorously at the face of that child of wonderful deeds.
24. Thus looking, Vasudeva thought “What can I do now so as to relieve me from my sorrows owing to the future destruction of this child.”
25-27. While Vasudeva was thus anxiously pondering over, the Heaven Voice clearly said thus “O Vasudeva! Quickly go to Gokula with the child. The keepers and guards I have made dead asleep by My Maya. The eight very strong doors are now lying wide open. You better free yourself from your chains and take this child, keep it in the house of Nanda and bring Yoga Maya from there and come back here.”
28-29. Thus hearing the Heavenly Voice, he cast his glance at the doors and found them all wide open. O King! Very quickly then he took the child and stepped out of the prison, quite unnoticed by the guards and watchmen. Going to the banks of the Jumna he found there the daughter of Kalindi, flowing with great force and became anxious.
30-31. But the river Jumna instantaneously turned out to be easily fordable just knee deep; then Vasudeva, guided by Yoga Maya, crossed the Jumna and betaking to an unfrequented road arrived at Gokul at dead of night. There, at the doorway of the house of Nanda, he began to see the cows, buffaloes, the wealth and property of Nanda.
32. At that very moment, there was born of Yos’oda, the Maha Devi, the part of the Divine Yoga Maya, the Incarnate of the three qualities.
33. Then the Mahadevi Yoga Maya, assuming the appearance of a female artisan, taking that divine female child in her arms came there and handed her over to Vasudeva.
34. Vasudeva, too, delivered his child over to the lotus like hands of the Devi and, taking the female child instead, quickly returned with his heart full of joy.
35. He went unto the prison and kept that female child in the bed of Devaki and remained aside, fearful and anxious.
36-37. But that child, the moment she was lulled to sleep, began to cry in a sonorous voice; the royal guards at once woke up on that cry, and being bewildered with fear, hurriedly went to their king and said “O King! Come quickly. Devaki has brought forth a child.”
38-39. The King of the Bhojas, hearing their words, went there quickly and saw the doors open, called on Vasudeva “O blessed one! Let me have the eighth son of Devaki, my death incarnate; I will at once kill that enemy of mine, born as part incarnate of Hah.”
40. Vyasa said O King! Hearing Kamsa’s words, Vasudeva handed over to him the female child crying and very much bewildered with fear.
41. At the sight of the female child, the king was very much astonished and began to think that the Heavenly Voice and the Seer Narada’s words turned out false.
42. How can Vasudeva be able to bring about, in this dreadful place, the unnatural act of turning male into a female. Especially my guards are carefully watching the place. There is no doubt in this.
43. How has this female child come here? Where has that eighth born child gone? I ought not to doubt in this matter. For the ways of Time are mysterious!
44-46. Thinking thus, the cruel King Kamsa caught hold of that female child by her legs and, raising her high up in the air, was going to strike her against a stone, when the female child slipped out of his hands and flying into the air assumed a divine appearance and gently spoke to Kamsa, thus “What will you get by killing me?
Your powerful enemy is already born on the earth. O vilest of men! Disgrace to your family! He, the Excellent Human being Who is very difficult to be worshiped will certainly kill you.”
47-49. Saying thus, the auspicious female child, able to go anywhere according to her will, disappeared. Kamsa astonished returned to his own home and, becoming impatient with fear and anger, called all the Danavas Baka, Dhenuka, Vatsa and others, and addressed them thus “O Danavas. Go all of you to serve my purpose. Kill anywhere the child whom you see just born.
50. Let Putana, expert in killing children go today to Nanda’s Gokula. My order is this Any child recently born they must kill.
51. Dhenuka, Vatsaka, Kes’i, Pralamba, and Vaka, etc., all should remain in Gokula to carry out my order.”
52. The cruel king Kamsa, thus ordering the Demons, went away to his own palace, and, thinking on this matter over and over again
became, very much afflicted with fear and his mind got immensely depressed.
Thus ends the 23rd Chapter in the 4th Skandha of S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam, the Maha Puranam, of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa, on the birth of S’ri Krisna.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 33254, revision 86843 (2016-10-24T01:20:24Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk04ch23.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.