Text 54] The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 85

violent gentleman. Rather, he tried his best to fight the battle and be
victorious.

TEXT 54

MATa Tay
ATTA TG ALT AZ ATEANAF |
TAM THAIS TIA ATTA 148!

Sri-vasudeva uvdca
na hy asyds te bhayam saumya
yad vai sahdsarira-vak
putrdn samarpayisye ’sya
yatas te bhayam utthitam

Sri-vasudevah uvaca—Sri Vasudeva said; na—not; hi—indeed;
asyah—from Devaki; te—of you; bhayam—fear; saumya—O most
sober; yat—which; vai—indeed; sé—that omen; dha—dictated; a-
Sarira-vak—a vibration without a body; putrdn—all my sons; samar-
payisye—I shall deliver to you; asyah—of her (Devaki); yatah—from
whom; te—your; bhayam—fear; utthitam—has arisen.

TRANSLATION

Vasudeva said: O best of the sober, you have nothing to fear
from your sister Devaki because of what you have heard from the
unseen omen. The cause of death will be her sons. Therefore I
promise that when she gives birth to the sons from whom your
fear has arisen, I shall deliver them all unto your hands.

PURPORT

Karnsa feared Devaki’s existence because after her eighth pregnancy
she would give birth to a son who would kill him. Vasudeva, therefore, to
assure his brother-in-law the utmost safety, promised to bring him all
the sons. He would not wait for the eighth son, but from the very begin-
ning would deliver to the hands of Karnsa all the sons to which Devaki
would give birth. This was the most liberal proposition offered by
Vasudeva to Karnsa.
