Text 58] The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 89

TEXT 58

fe ga J arrat gat ferahaay |
farard acai geasi f sereTATT IIe

kim duhsaham nu sadhinam
vidusam kim apeksitam

kim akaryam kadaryanam
dustyajam kim dhrtatmanam

kim—what is; duhsaham—painful; nu—indeed; sddhiinam—for
saintly persons; vidusém—of learned persons; kim apeksitam—what is
dependence; kim akaryam—what is forbidden work; kadaryanaém—of
persons in the lowest grade; dustyajam—very difficult to give up; kim—
what is; dhrta-4tmanaém—of persons who are self-realized.

TRANSLATION

What is painful for saintly persons who strictly adhere to the
truth? How could there not be independence for pure devotees
who know the Supreme Lord as the substance? What deeds are
forbidden for persons of the lowest character? And what cannot
be given up for the sake of Lord Krsna by those who have fully
surrendered at His lotus feet?

PURPORT

Since the eighth son of Devaki was to kill Karnsa, one might ask what
the need was for Vasudeva to deliver the first-born child. The answer is
that Vasudeva had promised Karmsa that he would deliver all the
children born of Devaki. Karnsa, being an asura, did not believe that the
eighth child would kill him; he took it for granted that he might be
killed by any of the children of Devaki. Vasudeva, therefore, to save
Devaki, promised to give Karnsa every child, whether male or female.
From another point of view, Vasudeva and Devaki were very pleased
when they understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna,
would come as their eighth son. Vasudeva, a pure devotee of the Lord,
was eager to see Krsna appear as his child from the eighth pregnancy of
