Shloka 57
The Yadu–Vṛṣṇi–Andhaka Genealogies and the Purpose of Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
न ह्यस्य जन्मनो हेतु: कर्मणो वा महीपते । आत्ममायां विनेशस्य परस्य द्रष्टुरात्मन: ॥ ५७ ॥
na hy asya janmano hetuḥ karmaṇo vā mahīpate ātma-māyāṁ vineśasya parasya draṣṭur ātmanaḥ
O King, the Lord’s appearance, disappearance, and deeds have no cause in karma. He is the Paramātmā, the supreme Witness; apart from His own will and His yoga-māyā, nothing can affect Him.
This verse points out the difference between the Supreme Personality of Godhead and an ordinary living being. An ordinary living being receives a particular type of body according to his past activities ( karmaṇā daiva-netreṇa jantur dehopapattaye ). A living being is never independent and can never appear independently. Rather, one is forced to accept a body imposed upon him by māyā according to his past karma. As explained in Bhagavad-gītā (18.61) , yantrārūḍhāni māyayā. The body is a kind of machine created and offered to the living entity by the material energy under the direction of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the living entity must accept a particular type of body awarded to him by māyā, the material energy, according to his karma. One cannot independently say, “Give me a body like this” or “Give me a body like that.” One must accept whatever body is offered by the material energy. This is the position of the ordinary living being.
FAQs
This verse states that the Lord’s appearance is not caused by karma or material reasons; He manifests solely by His own internal potency (ātma-māyā).
He clarifies that the Supreme Lord is transcendental and not bound by cause-and-effect like conditioned souls, so His incarnations are divine, not karmic.
It helps devotees distinguish the divine from the mundane—strengthening faith that God’s actions are compassionate and purposeful, not driven by personal karma or limitation.