Shloka 57
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
कीर्तिमन्तं प्रथमजं कंसायानकदुन्दुभि: । अर्पयामास कृच्छ्रेण सोऽनृतादतिविह्वल: ॥ ५७ ॥
kīrtimantaṁ prathamajaṁ kaṁsāyānakadundubhiḥ arpayām āsa kṛcchreṇa so ’nṛtād ativihvalaḥ
Fearing that by breaking his vow he would become a liar, Vasudeva (Ānakadundubhi) was greatly shaken; thus, with deep anguish, he delivered his firstborn son, Kīrtimān, into Kaṁsa’s hands.
In the Vedic system, as soon as a child is born, especially a male child, the father calls for learned brāhmaṇas, and according to the description of the child’s horoscope the child is immediately given a name. This ceremony is called nāma-karaṇa. There are ten different saṁskāras, or reformatory methods, adopted in the system of varṇāśrama-dharma, and the name-giving ceremony is one of them. Although Vasudeva’s first son was to be delivered into the hands of Kaṁsa, the nāma-karaṇa ceremony was performed, and thus the child was named Kīrtimān. Such names are given immediately after birth.
FAQs
This verse shows Vasudeva’s intense distress at the idea of untruth, highlighting satya as a powerful dharmic principle—even under extreme pressure.
Vasudeva had pledged to deliver Devakī’s children to Kaṁsa; despite heartbreak, he honored his vow and handed over the firstborn, Kīrtimān.
It teaches integrity: honoring commitments even when difficult, while recognizing the emotional and ethical weight such choices can carry.