34 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

killed. My dear sister D. and brother-in-law Vasudeva, kindly excuse the
atrocities I have committed against you. I am very poor-hearted, and you
are so great-hearted, so take compassion upon me and excuse me.”

While Karsa was speaking to his brother-in-law and sister, tears flowed
from his eyes and he fell down at their feet. Believing the words of Durga-
devi, whom he had tried to kill, Kamsa immediately released his brother-
in-law and sister. He personally unlocked the iron shackles and very sym-
pathetically showed his friendship, just like a family member.

When Devaki saw her brother so repentent, she also became pacified
and forgot all his atrocious activities against her children. Vasudeva also,
forgetting all past incidents, spoke smilingly with his brother-in-law.
Vasudeva told Kamsa, “My dear fortunate brother-in-law, what you are
saying about the material body and the soul is correct. Every living entity
is born ignorant, understanding this material body to be his self. This
conception of life is due to ignorance, and on the basis of this ignorance
we create enmity or friendship. Lamentation, jubilation, fearfulness, envy,
greed, illusion and madness are different features of our material concept
of life. A person influenced like this engages in enmity due only to the
material body. Being engaged in such activities, we forget our eternal
relationship with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Vasudeva took the opportunity of Karnsa’s benevolence and informed
him that his atheistic activities were also due to this misconception of life
—namely taking the material body to be the self. When Vasudeva talked
with Karmsa in such an illuminating way, Kamsa became very pleased, and
his guilt for killing his nephews subdued. With the permission of his sister
Devaki and brother-in-law Vasudeva, he returned to his home with a
relieved mind.

But the next day Kamsa called all his counsellors together and narrated
to them all the incidents that had happened the night before. All the
counsellors of Kamsa were demons and eternal enemies of the demigods, so
they became depressed upon hearing their master speak of the night’s
events. And although they were not very much experienced or learned,
they began to give instructions to Kamsa as follows: “Dear sir, let us now
make arrangements to kill all children who were born within the last ten
days in all towns, countries, villages and pasturing grounds. Let us execute
this plan indiscriminately. We think that the demigods cannot do anything
against us if we perform these atrocities. They are always afraid of fighting
with us, and even if they wish to check our activities, they will not dare to
do so. Because of the immeasurable strength of your bow, they fear you.
Indeed, we have practical experience that whenever you stood to fight
