Text 66] The Advent of Lord Krsna: Introduction 97

womb; visnum— (accepting) as Visnu; ca—and; sva-vadham prati—
fearing his own death from Visnu; devakim—Devaki; vasudevam ca—
and her husband, Vasudeva; nigrhya—arresting; nigadaih—by iron
shackles; grhe—confined at home; jdtam jdtam—each one who was
born, one after another; ahan—killed; putram—the sons; tayoh—of
Vasudeva and Devaki; ajana-sarikayaé—with the doubt that they would
be Visnu.

TRANSLATION

After the departure of the great saint Narada, Karnsa thought
that all the members of the Yadu dynasty were demigods and that
any of the children born from the womb of Devaki might be
Visnu. Fearing his death, Karnsa arrested Vasudeva and Devaki and
chained them with iron shackles. Suspecting each of the children
to be Visnu, Karnsa killed them one after another because of the
prophecy that Visnu would kill him.

PURPORT

Srila Jiva Gosvami, in his notes on this verse, has mentioned how
Narada Muni gave Karhsa this information. This incident is described in
the Hari-vamsa. Narada Muni went to see Karnsa by providence, and
Karnsa received him very well. Narada, therefore, informed him that any
one of the sons of Devaki might be Visnu. Because Visnu was to kill him,
Karnsa should not spare any of Devaki’s children, Narada Muni advised.
Narada’s intention was that Karnsa, by killing the children, would in-
crease his sinful activities so that Krsna would soon appear to kill him.
Upon receiving the instructions of Narada Muni, Karnsa killed all the
children of Devaki one after another.

The word ajana-sarikaya indicates that Lord Visnu never takes birth
(ajana) and that He therefore appeared as Krsna, taking birth just like a
human being (mdnusirh tanum dsritam). Karnsa attempted to kill all the
babies born of Devaki and Vasudeva, although he knew that if Visnu
were born, He would not be killed. Actually it came to pass that when
Visnu appeared as Krsna, Karhsa could not kill Him; rather, as foretold,
it was He who killed Karnsa. One should know in truth how Krsna, who
takes His birth transcendentally, acts to kill the demons but is never
