Text 5] The Atrocities of King Karhsa 281

bahavah—many; himsitah—killed out of envy; bhraétah—my dear
brother; sisavah—small children; pdévaka-upamaéh—all of them equal
to fire in brightness and beauty; tuaya—by you; daiva-nisrstena—as
spoken by destiny; putrika—daughter; eka—one; pradiyatam—give me
as your gift.

TRANSLATION

My dear brother, by the influence of destiny you have already
killed many babies, each of them as bright and beautiful as fire.
But kindly spare this daughter. Give her to me as your gift.

PURPORT

Here we see that Devaki first focused Karnsa’s attention on his
atrocious activities, his killing of her many sons. Then she wanted to
compromise with him by saying that whatever he had done was not his
fault, but was ordained by destiny. Then she appealed to him to give her
the daughter as a gift. Devaki was the daughter of a ksatriya and knew
how to play the political game. In politics there are different methods of
achieving success: first repression (dama), then compromise (sama), and
then asking for a gift (dana). Devaki first adopted the policy of repres-
sion by directly attacking Karnsa for having cruelly, atrociously killed
her babies. Then she compromised by saying that this was not his fault,
and then she begged for a gift. As we learn from the history of the
Mahabharata, or “Greater India,” the wives and daughters of the ruling
class, the ksatriyas, knew the political game, but we never find that a
woman was given the post of chief executive. This is in accordance with
the injunctions of Manu-samhitd, but unfortunately Manu-samhita is
now being insulted, and the Aryans, the members of Vedic society, can-
not do anything. Such is the nature of Kali-yuga.

Nothing happens unless ordained by destiny.

tasyaiva hetoh prayateta kovido
na labhyate yad bhramataém upary adhah
tal labhyate duhkhavad anyatah sukham
kdlena sarvatra gabhira-ramhasa
(Bhag. 1.5.18)
