← Canto 10: The Summum Bonum

Chapter 3: The Birth of Lord Kṛṣṇa

Verse 23 of 42
SB 10.3.23

श्रीशुक उवाच अथैनमात्मजं वीक्ष्य महापुरुषलक्षणम् देवकी तमुपाधावत्कंसाद्भीता सुविस्मिता

śrī-śuka uvāca athainam ātmajaṁ vīkṣya mahā-puruṣa-lakṣaṇam devakī tam upādhāvat kaṁsād bhītā suvismitā

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvācaŚrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; athaafter this offering of prayers by Vasudeva; enamthis Kṛṣṇa; ātmajamtheir son; vīkṣyaobserving; mahā-puruṣa-lakṣaṇamwith all the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu; devakīKṛṣṇa's mother; tamunto Him (Kṛṣṇa); upādhāvatoffered prayers; kaṁsātof Kaṁsa; bhītābeing afraid; su-vismitāand also being astonished by seeing such a wonderful child..

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Thereafter, having seen that her child had all the symptoms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Devakī, who was very much afraid of Kaṁsa and unusually astonished, began to offer prayers to the Lord.

Purport

The word suvismitā, meaning "astonished," is significant in this verse. Devakī and her husband, Vasudeva, were assured that their child was the Supreme Personality of Godhead and could not be killed by Kaṁsa, but because of affection, as they thought of Kaṁsa's previous atrocities, they were simultaneously afraid that Kṛṣṇa would be killed. This is why the word suvismitā has been used. Similarly, we are also astounded upon thinking of whether this movement will be killed by the asuras or will continue to advance without fear.

Verse 23 of 42
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