Narayaneeyam Dashakam 37
Krishna Jananam: The Lord Enters the World
सान्द्रानन्दतनो हरे ननु पुरा दैवासुरे सङ्गरे
त्वत्कृत्ता अपि कर्मशेषवशतो ये ते न याता गतिम् ।
तेषां भूतलजन्मनां दितिभुवां भारेण दूरार्दिता
भूमि: प्राप विरिञ्चमाश्रितपदं देवै: पुरैवागतै: ॥१॥
saandraanandatanO hare nanu puraa daivaasure sangare
tvatkR^ittaa api karmasheSha vashatO ye te na yaataa gatim |
teShaaM bhuutalajanmanaaM ditibhuvaaM bhaareNa duuraarditaa
bhuumiH praapa viri~nchamaashritapadaM devaiH puraivaagataiH ||1||
Narayaneeyam Dashakam 37 narrates the divine circumstances that led to the birth of Lord Krishna.This sloka explains the context of the Godly embodiment of Lord Krishna. A few Asuras that were killed by the Lord failed to receive moksha, due to their karma following the battle between Devas and Asuras. These leftover forces made them reappear in earth as mighty kings causing great repression and pain to the world. This intolerable burden of evil and unrighteousness could not be taken by the Bhumi Devi, who approached Brahma complaining. The Devas as well, came to her side to press on God.
This preconditions the appearance of the Lord as an avatara, in particular, Krishna, to deliver dharma, save the righteous and free the Earth of burden.
This verse is a universal fact: when negative forces, be it injustice, exploitation, or disharmony, become so cumbersome to the world to bear, some higher power or balancing force is created to bring harmony back.
हा हा दुर्जनभूरिभारमथितां पाथोनिधौ पातुका-
मेतां पालय हन्त मे विवशतां सम्पृच्छ देवानिमान् ।
इत्यादिप्रचुरप्रलापविवशामालोक्य धाता महीं
देवानां वदनानि वीक्ष्य परितो दध्यौ भवन्तं हरे ॥२॥
haa haa durjana bhuuribhaaramathitaaM paathO nidhau paatukaaM
etaaM paalaya hanta me vivashataaM sampR^ichCha devaanimaan |
ityaadi prachura pralaapa vivashaamaalOkya dhaataa mahiiM
devaanaaM vadanaani viikshya paritO dadhyau bhavantaM hare ||2||
This verse shows the helpless scream of Bhumi Devi who is oppressed by adharma. This cry is not a simple cry of relief of physical load rather a spiritual cry of restoration of righteousness and harmony. When Brahma realizes the suffering and the anxiety in the faces of the Devas, he shifts his thinking to the Lord, as he understands that it is only the divine action that will adjust the imbalance. This verse therefore emphasizes that when one feels that all human and cosmic measures are drained, the only thing that is left as the source of real refuge and change is to surrender to the Divine.
This verse teaches us that, when human arrogance goes over the limit, there is only one way out; going to the divine values; which are the truth, compassion, humility, and dharma. Like Lord Brahma sought Lord Hari, the contemporary world needs to go back to the Divine to find wisdom and strength to bring back equilibrium. It informs us that despair is a starting point; the point at which we are starting to transform as we connect with the elevated consciousness.
ऊचे चाम्बुजभूरमूनयि सुरा: सत्यं धरित्र्या वचो
नन्वस्या भवतां च रक्षणविधौ दक्षो हि लक्ष्मीपति: ।
सर्वे शर्वपुरस्सरा वयमितो गत्वा पयोवारिधिं
नत्वा तं स्तुमहे जवादिति ययु: साकं तवाकेतनम् ॥३॥
uuche chaambuja bhuuramuunayi suraaH satyaM dharitryaa vachO
nanvasyaa bhavataaM cha rakshaNavidhau dakshO hi lakshmiipatiH |
sarve sharvapurassaraa vayamitO gatvaa payO vaaridhiM
natvaa taM stumahe javaaditi yayussaakaM tavaaketanam ||3||
This verse is a beautiful description of the clarity of the wisdom of Brahma and the unity of the gods. As the burden of adharma became too much, Brahma reminds Devas that there is no power, not even his or that of Siva, that can actually help the world; only Lord Vishnu, the one who sustains everything, can help. It points out the crucial reality that the only thing that can give ultimate refuge is not human ego or piecemeal endeavors but complete submission to the Divine origin. The humility, cooperation and readiness to take guidance of the Supreme is presented by the picture of all the Devas, including the powerful Siva, heading to the Ksirasagara (Ocean of Milk).
The “Ocean of Milk” is a metaphor that represents the deepest level of our own inner world, in which we are forced to retreat in order to find divine wisdom. It teaches us that competition and blame do not lead to lasting solutions but rather to the collective submission to dharma, benevolence and truth. In the same way that the Devas saw the Lord as the supreme provider of restoration, we too need to know how to overcome our egos, divergences, and piecemeal answers, and unite in humility and prayer to be brought into higher values.
ते मुग्धानिलशालिदुग्धजलधेस्तीरं गता: सङ्गता
यावत्त्वत्पदचिन्तनैकमनसस्तावत् स पाथोजभू: ।
त्वद्वाचं हृदये निशम्य सकलानानन्दयन्नूचिवा-
नाख्यात: परमात्मना स्वयमहं वाक्यं तदाकर्ण्यताम् ॥४॥
te mugdhaanilashaali dugdhajaladhestiiraM gataaH sangataaH
yaavattvatpadachintanaika manasastaavatsa paathOjabhuuH |
tvadvaachaM hR^idaye nishamya sakalaan aanandayannuuchivaan
aakhyaataH paramaatmanaa svayamahaM vaakyaM tadaakarNyataam ||4||
This verse is essentially a divine conversation. The gods are all humble and devout, and their entire attention is to Narayana, and in that silence the voice of the Lord is heard– not with thunder or display, but as a faint voice within the heart of Brahma. It demonstrates that true prayer is not about pouring out our demands but it is a gradual process of aligning the thoughts of the mind with the Divine. The Lord is most present in silence, when your heart is open to receive His words.
जाने दीनदशामहं दिविषदां भूमेश्च भीमैर्नृपै-
स्तत्क्षेपाय भवामि यादवकुले सोऽहं समग्रात्मना ।
देवा वृष्णिकुले भवन्तु कलया देवाङ्गनाश्चावनौ
मत्सेवार्थमिति त्वदीयवचनं पाथोजभूरूचिवान् ॥५॥
jaane diinadashaamahaM diviShadaaM bhuumeshcha bhiimairnR^ipai
statkshepaayabhavaami yaadavakule sO(a)haM samagraatmanaa |
devaa vR^iShNikule bhavantu kalayaa devaanganaashchaavanau
matsevaarthamiti tvadiiya vachanaM paathOjabhuuruuchivaan ||5||
Lord Brahma gave the message of the Lord to the assembled gods. He said that the Supreme is aware of the depression of the devas, and of how the earth is languishing in the hands of ruthless kings. To be of help, the Lord will manifest completely to the Yadava clan. The other deities will be born in the Vrishni line in lesser forms and heavenly maids will be women here on earth. They will help the Lord in his work together to maintain dharma and bring back the balance.
The promise of the Lord demonstrates that at any age, God sends assistance to those who are the representatives of truth and justice. We have to go with that greater aim and be instruments of dharma, however insignificant our role might be.
श्रुत्वा कर्णरसायनं तव वच: सर्वेषु निर्वापित-
स्वान्तेष्वीश गतेषु तावककृपापीयूषतृप्तात्मसु ।
विख्याते मधुरापुरे किल भवत्सान्निध्यपुण्योत्तरे
धन्यां देवकनन्दनामुदवहद्राजा स शूरात्मज: ॥६॥
shrutvaa karNarasaayanaM tava vachassarveShu nirvaapitasvaanteShviisha
gateShu taavakakR^ipaa piiyuuShatR^iptaatmasu |
vikhyaate madhuraapurekila bhavatsaannidhya puNyOttare
dhanyaaM devakanandanaamudavahadraajaa sa shuuraatmajaH ||6||
The gods heard the words of the Lord, which were as nectar to their ears, and they felt their fears melted away and their hearts comforted, as though they were being nourished by the nectar of love of the Lord. Events on earth started happening in accordance to His will and their spirits were uplifted. It was in the holy and famous city of Mathra–which became holier than ever by the promise of the arrival of the Lord–that King Vasudeva, son of Sura, was blessed with the good fortune of marrying Devaki, who was the daughter of Devaka. This nuptial union was the commencement of a larger cosmic purpose, because it is out of this blessed marriage that the incarnation would arise to make right judgment and relieve the burden on the earth.
This verse makes us remember that sometimes, the divine grace acts silently by the way of human life and human relations. As the union between Vasudeva and Devaki was not simply a family affair but a milestone in the history of the universe, our own unions, devotion, and decisions can have hidden meaning to the greater good. It challenges us to look beyond the trivialities of life events to have faith in the fact that higher reasons might be in action even in the mundane events, as led by divine love.
उद्वाहावसितौ तदीयसहज: कंसोऽथ सम्मानय-
न्नेतौ सूततया गत: पथि रथे व्योमोत्थया त्वद्गिरा ।
अस्यास्त्वामतिदुष्टमष्टमसुतो हन्तेति हन्तेरित:
सन्त्रासात् स तु हन्तुमन्तिकगतां तन्वीं कृपाणीमधात् ॥७॥
udvaahaavasitautadiiya sahajaH kamsO(a)tha sammaanayan
etau suutatayaa gataH pathi rathe vyOmOtthayaa tvadgiraa |
asyaastvaamatiduShTamaShTamasutO hanteti hanteritaH
santraasaatsa tu hantumantikagataaM tanviiM kR^ipaaNiimadhaat ||7||
The marriage between Devaki and Vasudeva ended, and Kamsa himself, the brother of Devaki, drove the reins of the chariot to celebrate the new marriage and escort the new couple. However, on their way, the voice of the gods echoed in the sky–Your sacred announcement–that the eighth son of Devaki should be the downfall of Kamsa. Kamsa started to be afraid and becomes cruel, frightened with this prophecy. and in his frenzy, he drew out his sword and was about to kill his own sister, the tender bride Devaki, just next him.
This scene depicts that fear can distort human nature and blind a person to love, faithfulness, and even simple compassion. The act of Kamsa was not based on strength and was rather based on lack of security and attachment to power and thus it teaches how destructive fear can be when it dominates our thought process and the act of kindness. Thus we must not allow fear to dominate our thoughts and actions. Rather, we are challenged to confront uncertainties with faith, fearlessness and a greater trust in the plan of life.
गृह्णानश्चिकुरेषु तां खलमति: शौरेश्चिरं सान्त्वनै-
र्नो मुञ्चन् पुनरात्मजार्पणगिरा प्रीतोऽथ यातो गृहान् ।
आद्यं त्वत्सहजं तथाऽर्पितमपि स्नेहेन नाहन्नसौ
दुष्टानामपि देव पुष्टकरुणा दृष्टा हि धीरेकदा ॥८॥
gR^ihNaanashchikureShu taaM khalamatiH shaureshchiraM saantvanairnO
mu~nchan punaraatmajaarpaNagiraa priitO(a)tha yaatO gR^ihaan |
aadyaM tvatsahajaM tathaarpitamapi snehena naahannasau
duShTaanaamapi deva puShTakaruNaa dR^iShTaa hi dhiirekadaa ||8||
Kamsa, filled with his sadistic spirit, caught Devaki by the hair, and resolved to kill her. But at last wise and patient Vasudeva, begged him on, using soft words of persuasion and entreaty. Finally, he suggested that any child that they might have in the future could be given away to Kamsa. Kamsa, contented temporarily by this pledge, gave his sister her liberty, and went home with his anger suppressed. As he said so, Vasudeva subsequently gave the first born to Kamsa. But Kamsa, struck by the innocence of the babe, and hindered by a sudden impulse of pity, did not slay the babe.
This sloka tells us that even the most callous of hearts are occasionally touched by mercy, however momentary. In the world today it instructs that conversation, patience and level-headed thinking may be more effective than anger or opposition otherwise. It further demonstrates that even the people who seem to be engulfed by pessimism can react with a fragment of humanity at some moments of clarity. These occasional glimpses of grace are just recollections that the seed of compassion is latent even in the most errant natures–and that it can grow, albeit very momentarily, when cultivated by wisdom and forbearance.
तावत्त्वन्मनसैव नारदमुनि: प्रोचे स भोजेश्वरं
यूयं नन्वसुरा: सुराश्च यदवो जानासि किं न प्रभो ।
मायावी स हरिर्भवद्वधकृते भावी सुरप्रार्थना-
दित्याकर्ण्य यदूनदूधुनदसौ शौरेश्च सूनूनहन् ॥९॥
taavattvanmanasaiva naaradamuniH prOche sa bhOjeshvaraM
yuuyaM nanvasuraaH suraashcha yadavO jaanaasi kiM na prabhO |
maayaavii sa harirbhavadvadhakR^itebhaavii surapraarthanaadityaakarNya
yaduunaduudhunadasau shaureshcha suunuunahan ||9||
Sage Narada, at the same time, under the influence of the divine, approached Kamsa, the king of the Bhojas. He was clear and sharp in his words, informing the king that the Yadavas, seemingly mortal, were in reality allied to the gods, and that Kamsa and his family were of asuric origin. Hari Himself–master of illusion–was to be born among the Yadavas, sent by the gods to destroy Kamsa. Kamsa, on hearing these words,was filled with terror and rage. He became so convinced that the prophecy was going to come true that he became violently opposed to the children of Surasena, and killed them in his endeavour to flee the fate which awaited him.
प्राप्ते सप्तमगर्भतामहिपतौ त्वत्प्रेरणान्मायया
नीते माधव रोहिणीं त्वमपि भो:सच्चित्सुखैकात्मक: ।
देवक्या जठरं विवेशिथ विभो संस्तूयमान: सुरै:
स त्वं कृष्ण विधूय रोगपटलीं भक्तिं परां देहि मे ॥१०॥
praapte saptamagarbhataamahipatau tvatpreraNaanmaayayaa
niite maadhava rOhiNiiM tvamapi bhOH sachchitsukhaikaatmakaH |
devakyaa jaTharaM viveshitha vibhO samstuuyamaanaH suraiH
sa tvaM kR^iShNa vidhuuya rOgapaTaliiM bhaktiM paraaM dehi me ||10||
At the seventh conception of Devaki, the child, who was none other than Ananta, the serpent-king, by the law of divinity, was mystically transported into the womb of Rohini. This was done by the play of Maya, guaranteeing the safety of the child against the cruelty of Kamsa. Then the Supreme Being Himself, the personification of immortality, cognition and happiness, descended into the womb of Devaki. During that holy hour, the Gods gleefully assembled and paid their praises, as their long-awaited savior was born. This Krishna, the all-powerful, hid his boundless glory in a human body started his divine work on earth.