Shloka 15
The Lord’s Advent: Yoga-māyā’s Mission, Saṅkarṣaṇa’s Transfer, and the Demigods’ Prayers
गर्भे प्रणीते देवक्या रोहिणीं योगनिद्रया । अहो विस्रंसितो गर्भ इति पौरा विचुक्रुशु: ॥ १५ ॥
garbhe praṇīte devakyā rohiṇīṁ yoga-nidrayā aho visraṁsito garbha iti paurā vicukruśuḥ
When Yoga-nidrā (Yoga-māyā) drew Devakī’s child and transferred Him into the womb of Rohiṇī, Devakī appeared to have miscarried. Therefore the people of the palace cried out in lamentation, “Alas! Devakī has lost her child!”
“All the inhabitants of the palace” includes Kaṁsa. When everyone lamented, Kaṁsa joined in compassion, thinking that perhaps because of drugs or some other external means, Devakī had undergone this abortion. The real story of what happened after Yoga-māyā attracted the child of Devakī into the womb of Rohiṇī in the seventh month of Rohiṇī’s pregnancy is described as follows in the Hari-vaṁśa. At midnight, while Rohiṇī was deeply sleeping, she experienced, as if in a dream, that she had undergone a miscarriage. After some time, when she awoke, she saw that this had indeed happened, and she was in great anxiety. But Yoga-māyā then informed her, “O auspicious lady, your child is now being replaced. I am attracting a child from the womb of Devakī, and therefore your child will be known as Saṅkarṣaṇa.”
FAQs
This verse states that Yogamāyā moved the embryo from Devakī’s womb to Rohiṇī’s, and the citizens then believed Devakī had lost her pregnancy.
Because the embryo was mystically transferred by Yogamāyā, Devakī no longer appeared pregnant, so the townspeople assumed a miscarriage and lamented.
It reminds us that divine arrangements may be misunderstood externally; steadiness and faith help a devotee remain calm when events appear unfavorable.