TEXTS 4950
pradaya mrtyave putran
mocaye krpanam imam
suta me yadi jayeran
mrtyur va na mriyeta cet
viparyayo va kim na syad
gatir dhatur duratyaya
upasthito nivarteta
nivrttah punar apatet
SYNONYMS
pradayapromising to deliver; mrtyaveunto Kamsa, who is death personified for Devaki; putranmy sons; mocayeI am releasing her from imminent danger; krpanaminnocent; imamDevaki; sutahsons; memy; yadiwhether; jayeranshould take birth; mrtyuhKamsa; vaor; nanot; mriyetashould die; cetif; viparyayahjust the opposite; vaor; kimwhether; nanot; syatit may happen; gatihthe movement; dhatuhof providence; duratyayavery difficult to understand; upasthitahthat which is presently obtained; nivartetamay stop; nivrttahDevakis death being stopped; punah apatetin the future it may happen again (but what can I do).
TRANSLATION
Vasudeva considered: By delivering all my sons to Kamsa, who is death personified, I shall save the life of Devaki. Perhaps Kamsa will die before my sons take birth, or, since he is already destined to die at the hands of my son, one of my sons may kill him. For the time being, let me promise to hand over my sons so that Kamsa will give up this immediate threat, and if in due course of time Kamsa dies, I shall have nothing to fear.
PURPORT
Vasudeva wanted to save the life of Devaki by promising to deliver his sons to Kamsa. In the future, he thought, Kamsa may die, or I may not beget any sons. Even if a son is born and I deliver him to Kamsa, Kamsa may die at his hands, for by providence anything could happen. It is very difficult to understand how things are managed by providence. Thus Vasudeva decided that he would promise to deliver his sons to the hands of Kamsa in order to save Devaki from the imminent danger of death.

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