Shloka 58
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
किं दु:सहं नु साधूनां विदुषां किमपेक्षितम् । किमकार्यं कदर्याणां दुस्त्यजं किं धृतात्मनाम् ॥ ५८ ॥
kiṁ duḥsahaṁ nu sādhūnāṁ viduṣāṁ kim apekṣitam kim akāryaṁ kadaryāṇāṁ dustyajaṁ kiṁ dhṛtātmanām
What suffering is unbearable for saintly souls fixed in truth? What need remains for the wise, pure devotees who know the Supreme Lord as the very essence? What deed is forbidden to the base and miserly? And for those steady-hearted ones surrendered at Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, what cannot be renounced for His sake?
Since the eighth son of Devakī was to kill Kaṁsa, one might ask what the need was for Vasudeva to deliver the first-born child. The answer is that Vasudeva had promised Kaṁsa that he would deliver all the children born of Devakī. Kaṁsa, being an asura, did not believe that the eighth child would kill him; he took it for granted that he might be killed by any of the children of Devakī. Vasudeva, therefore, to save Devakī, promised to give Kaṁsa every child, whether male or female. From another point of view, Vasudeva and Devakī were very pleased when they understood that the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, would come as their eighth son. Vasudeva, a pure devotee of the Lord, was eager to see Kṛṣṇa appear as his child from the eighth pregnancy of Devakī. Therefore he wanted to deliver all the children quickly so that the eighth turn would come and Kṛṣṇa would appear. He begot one child every year so that Kṛṣṇa’s turn to appear would come as soon as possible.
FAQs
This verse teaches that a truly self-controlled person can renounce even what is normally difficult to give up, showing mastery over desire and attachment.
Devaki appeals to moral reason, contrasting the saintly and the miserly, to restrain Kamsa from committing further sinful acts—especially the killing of her children out of fear.
Cultivate steadiness and restraint: when desires arise, practice voluntary renunciation and ethical decision-making, rather than being driven by fear, greed, or impulse.