Shloka 20
Vasudeva and Devakī Glorify Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; The Recovery of Devakī’s Six Sons from Sutala
सूतीगृहे ननु जगाद भवानजो नौ सञ्जज्ञ इत्यनुयुगं निजधर्मगुप्त्यै । नानातनूर्गगनवद् विदधज्जहासि को वेद भूम्न उरुगाय विभूतिमायाम् ॥ २० ॥
sūtī-gṛhe nanu jagāda bhavān ajo nau sañjajña ity anu-yugaṁ nija-dharma-guptyai nānā-tanūr gagana-vad vidadhaj jahāsi ko veda bhūmna uru-gāya vibhūti-māyām
産室においてさえ、あなたは私たちに告げられました――あなたは不生の主でありながら、過去の諸時代に幾度も私たちの子としてお生まれになった、と。ご自身のダルマを護るため、さまざまな超越の御身を顕し、また雲のように現れては隠されました。広く讃えられ、遍満する主よ、あなたの威徳の展開に宿る幻惑の神秘力を誰が測り得ましょうか。
Lord Kṛṣṇa was first born to Vasudeva and Devakī in their previous lives as Sutapā and Pṛśni. Later they again became His parents as Kaśyapa and Aditi. This, then, was the third time He had appeared as their son.
FAQs
This verse states that Kṛṣṇa is aja (unborn), yet He declares “I have taken birth,” showing His appearance is a divine manifestation, not forced by karma.
Vasudeva is offering reverent praise, recalling Kṛṣṇa’s words at His birth and acknowledging that the Lord appears in every age to protect dharma through His inconceivable potency.
It encourages humility and faith: rather than trying to reduce the Divine to ordinary logic, one can focus on dharma, devotion, and gratitude for the Lord’s guidance across changing times.