90 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 10, Ch. 1
Devaki. Therefore he wanted to deliver all the children quickly so that
the eighth turn would come and Krsna would appear. He begot one child
every year so that Krsna’s turn to appear would come as soon as possible.
TEXT 59
CHAN TS: TY eq Say |
RAMA Ty Teac 4S
drstvad samatvam tac chaureh
satye caiva vyavasthitim
kamsas tusta-mand rdajan
prahasann idam abravit

drstva—by seeing; samatvam—being equipoised, undisturbed in dis-
tress or happiness; tat—that; saureh—of Vasudeva; satye—in truthful-
ness; ca—indeed; eva—certainly; vyavasthitim—the firm situation;
karnsah—Kamnsa; tusta-manah—being very satisfied (with Vasudeva’s
behavior in delivering the first child to keep his promise); rdéjan—
O Maharaja Pariksit; prahasan—with a smiling face; idam—this;
abravit—said.

TRANSLATION

My dear King Pariksit, when Karinsa saw that Vasudeva, being
situated in truthfulness, was completely equipoised in giving him
the child, he was very happy. Therefore, with a smiling face, he
spoke as follows.

PURPORT

The word samatvam is very significant in this verse. Samatvam refers
to one who is always equipoised, unaffected by either happiness or dis-
tress. Vasudeva was so steadily equipoised that he did not seem in the
least agitated when delivering his first-born child into the hands of
Karnsa to be killed. In Bhagavad-gita (2.56) it is said, duhkhesv
anudvigna-manadh sukhesu vigata-sprhah. In the material world, one
should not be very eager to be happy, nor should one be very much dis-
turbed by material distress. Lord Krsna advised Arjuna:
