Text 52] The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 83

when a living being accepts one kind of body and leaves aside
another, there is no other reason than unseen destiny.

PURPORT

When there is a fire in a village, the fire sometimes jumps over one
house and burns another. Similarly, when there is a forest fire, the fire
sometimes jumps over one tree and catches another. Why this happens,
no one can say. One may set forth some imaginary reason why the
nearest tree or house did not catch fire whereas a tree or house in a dis-
tant place did, but actually the reason is destiny. This reason also applies
to the transmigration of the soul, by which a prime minister in one life
may become a dog in the next. The work of unseen destiny cannot be
ascertained by practical experimental knowledge, and therefore one must
be satisfied by reasoning that everything is done by supreme providence.

TEXT 52

° e e iy
aq ae a a MARTA AAT |
qa Fait garageaT URI

evam vimrsya tam padpam
yavad-atmani-darsanam

pijayam dsa vai saurir
bahu-mana-purahsaram

evam—in this way; vimrsya—after contemplating; tam—unto
Karnsa; paépam—the most sinful; ydvat—as far as possible; dtmani-
darsanam—with all the intelligence possible within himself; pijayam
dsa—praised; vai—indeed; saurih—Vasudeva; bahu-mdna—offering
all respect; purahsaram—before him.

TRANSLATION

After thus considering the matter as far as his knowledge would
allow, Vasudeva submitted his proposal to the sinful Karnsa with
great respect.
