Text 32] The Birth of Lord Krsna 249

Not wanting to be ridiculed for having given birth to Visnu, Devaki
wanted Krsna, with two hands, and therefore she requested the Lord to
change His form.

TEXT 32

tPA SUVA
ART AAS: TH: ATIETT aT |
AT AMM ATA AANTMATHeAT: 122i

Sri-bhagavan uvdaca
tvam eva pirva-sarge *bhiih
prsnih svéyambhuve sati
taddyam sutapéd naéma

prajapatir akalmasah

$ri-bhagavan uvaca—the Supreme Personality of Godhead said to
Devaki; tuam—you; eva—indeed; pirva-sarge—in a previous millen-
nium; abhiih—became; prsnih—by the name Préni; svéyambhuve —the
millennium of Svayambhuva Manu; sati—O supremely chaste; tada—at
that time; ayam—Vasudeva; sutapd—Sutapa; ndma—by the name;
prajapatih—a Prajapati; akalmasah—a spotlessly pious person.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Personality of Godhead replied: My dear mother,
best of the chaste, in your previous birth, in the Svayambhuva
millennium, you were known as Présni, and Vasudeva, who was the
most pious Prajapati, was named Sutapa.

PURPORT

The Supreme Personality of Godhead made it clear that Devaki had
not become His mother only now; rather, she had been His mother pre-
viously also. Krsna is eternal, and His selection of a father and mother
from among His devotees takes place eternally. Previously also, Devaki
had been the Lord’s mother and Vasudeva the Lord’s father, and they
were named Prsni and Sutapa. When the Supreme Personality of God-
head appears, He accepts His eternal father and mother, and they accept
