Text 35] The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 59

asyas tvam astamo garbho
hanté yam vahase *budha

pathi—on the way; pragrahinam—who was managing the reins of the
horses; karnsam—unto Karnsa; abhdsya—addressing; adha—said; a-
Sarira-vak—a voice coming from someone whose body was invisible;
asyah—of this girl (Devaki); tuam—you; astamah—the eighth; gar-
bhah—pregnancy; hanté—killer; yam—her whom; vahase—you are
carrying; abudha—you foolish rascal.

TRANSLATION

While Karnsa, controlling the reins of the horses, was driv-
ing 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!”

PURPORT

The omen spoke of astamo garbhah, referring to the eighth preg-
nancy, but did not clearly say whether the child was to be a son or a
daughter. Even if Karnsa were to see that the eighth child of Devaki was
a daughter, he should have no doubt that the eighth child was to kill him.
According to the Visva-kosa dictionary, the word garbha means
“embryo” and also arbhaka, or “‘child.”” Karnsa was affectionate toward
his sister, and therefore he had become the chariot driver to carry her
and his brother-in-law to their home. The demigods, however, did not
want Karnsa to be affectionate toward Devaki, and therefore, from an
unseen position, they encouraged Karnsa to offend her. Moreover, the six
sons of Marici had been cursed to take birth from the womb of Devaki,
and upon being killed by Karnsa they would be delivered. When Devaki
understood that Karnsa would be killed by the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who would appear from her womb, she felt great joy. The word
vahase is also significant because it indicates that the ominous vibration
condemned Karnsa for acting just like a beast of burden by carrying his
enemy’s mother.

TEXT 35
AH! A AS! WN AA FTA: |
afi eqAey ARMM: HAsMAT 13411
