Shloka 23
Kuntī’s Prayers and the Neutralization of the Brahmāstra
Uttarā Protected; Yudhiṣṭhira’s Grief Begins
यथा हृषीकेश खलेन देवकी कंसेन रुद्धातिचिरं शुचार्पिता । विमोचिताहं च सहात्मजा विभो त्वयैव नाथेन मुहुर्विपद्गणात् ॥ २३ ॥
yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt
โอ้ หฤษีเกศ! กษัตริย์กังสะผู้ริษยาได้จองจำเทวคีไว้นานให้ทุกข์โศก; แต่พระองค์ผู้เป็นนาย ได้ทรงปลดปล่อยนาง และข้าพเจ้าพร้อมบุตรทั้งหลาย จากหมู่ภัยซ้ำแล้วซ้ำเล่า
Devakī, the mother of Kṛṣṇa and sister of King Kaṁsa, was put into prison along with her husband, Vasudeva, because the envious King was afraid of being killed by Devakī’s eighth son (Kṛṣṇa). He killed all the sons of Devakī who were born before Kṛṣṇa, but Kṛṣṇa escaped the danger of child-slaughter because He was transferred to the house of Nanda Mahārāja, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s foster father. Kuntīdevī, along with her children, was also saved from a series of dangers. But Kuntīdevī was shown far more favor because Lord Kṛṣṇa did not save the other children of Devakī, whereas He saved the children of Kuntīdevī. This was done because Devakī’s husband, Vasudeva, was living, whereas Kuntīdevī was a widow, and there was none to help her except Kṛṣṇa. The conclusion is that Kṛṣṇa endows more favor to a devotee who is in greater dangers. Sometimes He puts His pure devotees in such dangers because in that condition of helplessness the devotee becomes more attached to the Lord. The more the attachment is there for the Lord, the more success is there for the devotee.
FAQs
This verse states that Kuntī was repeatedly saved from many calamities by Kṛṣṇa alone, showing the Lord’s personal protection of surrendered devotees.
Kuntī draws a parallel: just as Devakī suffered imprisonment under Kaṁsa and was ultimately delivered by Kṛṣṇa’s plan, Kuntī and the Pāṇḍavas were also rescued again and again by Him.
Remember the Lord as your nātha (protector), cultivate steady prayer and dependence on Him, and see hardships as moments to deepen surrender rather than lose faith.