Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 19
Vasudeva and Devakī Glorify Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; The Recovery of Devakī’s Six Sons from Sutala
तत्ते गतोऽस्म्यरणमद्य पदारविन्द- मापन्नसंसृतिभयापहमार्तबन्धो । एतावतालमलमिन्द्रियलालसेन मर्त्यात्मदृक् त्वयि परे यदपत्यबुद्धि: ॥ १९ ॥
tat te gato ’smy araṇam adya padāravindam āpanna-saṁsṛti-bhayāpaham ārta-bandho etāvatālam alam indriya-lālasena martyātma-dṛk tvayi pare yad apatya-buddhiḥ
Kaya nga, O kaibigan ng mga nagdurusa, ngayon ay lumalapit ako sa Iyong mga paang-loto bilang kanlungan—yaong mga paa na nag-aalis ng takot sa pag-iral sa sanlibutan para sa mga sumuko. Sapat na! Sapat na ang pagnanasa sa pandama; dahil dito, inakala kong ang katawang mortal na ito ang sarili at inisip kong Ikaw, ang Kataas-taasan, ay aking anak.
Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī suggests that Vasudeva condemns himself here for thinking of trying to gain special opulences because he is the father of the Supreme Lord. Thus Vasudeva contrasts himself with Nanda, the King of Vraja, who was satisfied with pure love of God and nothing else.
FAQs
This verse says that Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet are the refuge that removes the fear of material existence for one who has fallen into saṁsāra.
Devakī, overwhelmed by maternal affection, had related to Kṛṣṇa as her son; here she repents that this was a “mortal” misunderstanding of His supreme, transcendental position.
She models turning from sense-craving toward śaraṇāgati—consciously placing one’s life at Kṛṣṇa’s feet and letting devotion, not indulgence, guide choices.