The Birth of Lord Krishna

In this chapter there is a description of the time and place becoming jubilant at the appearance of the Lord, a description of the Lord’s appearance, and the prayers of Vasudeva and Devaki.

When (yarhi) the birth constellation (janma rksa) of the Lord who has no birth (ajana) arrived, at that time (atha), time itself became endowed with all good qualities. Ajana janma can also be taken as the name of the naksatra. Ajana means Visnu. Ajana janma means he who is born from Visnu, that is Prajapati. Prajapati’s naksatra is Rohini. The name of the naksatra is not mentioned directly because the scriptures enjoin that the birth naksatra of a person should not be named directly. At this time also the other naksatras such as Asvini, the planets such as the sun, and the stars, all assumed a peaceful state.

The next verse expresses the fact that the directions (dik) also assumed all good qualities. In this verse the qualities of the autumn season are described even though it was rainy season, because all the elements-earth, water ,fire, air and ether were jubilant. The joy above (ether or akasa)) is indicated by the phrase “ the stars shone brilliantly in the sky.” The joy on earth is expressed next in the description of the towns and cities and mines. The joy between earth and sky is expressed in two verses beginning with a description of the water. The lotus usually blooms during the day and closes at night, but now the lotus bloomed in the night. Night assumed the qualities of the day. The forest resounded with the cries of cuckoos and humming of bees, and was resplendent with leaves and flowers. Though it was monsoon season, spring’s qualities are described next. The wind (air) had the coolness of spring’s breezes (sukha sparsa), laden with the fragrance of spring flowers (punya gandha), free from dust etc. (sucih). Though the fires had almost all been extinguished, (santa) they now blazed, turning to the right (samindhata). Though it was dvapara yuga, the quality of treta yuga now manifested. Manamsi (minds) indicates that the mind, intelligence, senses, sense objects, and five gross elements all become joyful. Being previously afflicted by the harassment of the asuras, the devotees’ minds, intellects, senses and body now became joyful. They became blissful because of the approaching appearance (jayamana) of Visnu (ajana, the unborn).

–8. The clouds are described as anu sagaram (following the ocean). That means they imitated the roaring of the ocean. But previously it was stated that all directions were overjoyed, and the cloudless sky was filled with stars. So how could there be rumbling of clouds? Therefore it is described that deep in the night, everything become covered in darkness (tama udbhute). There was thunder at that time because thick clouds covered the sky after two praharas of night. The Lord is addressed as Janardana because he is being requested (ardana) by the devotees, munis and devatas (jana), “Oh Lord, now is the time for your birth.”. When the time came for the Lord’s birth, from the womb of Devaki, whose eternal body was full of knowledge and bliss like the Lord’s ( deva rupinyam), appeared Visnu, who sleeps in the heart of all souls and in Mathura and Vaikuntha, invisible to the common man, like an inaccessible cave in mountain (sarva guhasayah). But he was not born with pain like a normal child. He appeared like the full moon rising in the eastern sky. The subject of the simile (moon) at that time began to act out the role. Though the moon was eight days waning at the time, the moon thought in bliss, “The Lord is ornamenting our dynasty of the moon with his birth in this world.” Then it became round like the full moon. In this way also Visnu appeared in full form, along with all his amsas. According to the Hari Vamsa the birth took place in the eighth month of pregnancy, before the expected time, in order to bewilder Kamsa. In the Kha Manikya, an astrological work, the birth is described: The moon, mars, mercury and Saturn were exalted. The ascendent was Taurus. Jupiter was in pisces, sun in leo, venus in libra and rahu in scorpio. At midnight, on Wednesday with the moon in rohini naksatra, Lord Krsna appeared.

9-10Verses nine and ten describe the astonishing child that Vasudeva saw, listing the features of astonishment-- his lotus eyes, four arms holding conch and club etc. Vaidurya refers to a jewel which shines blue, yellow and red. The Lord wore a crown of vaidurya, of triangular shape.

11What was Vasudeva’s wonder? 1. That form which is rarely seen by liberated souls, I am seeing with my material eyes. I am a soul bound by ignorance, externally also bound up in the prison of Kamsa. 2. The Lord has taken birth in a human womb. 3. When the child came out of the womb, he was ornamented in all his limbs with weapons, cloth, belt, earrings and crown. 4. The Supreme Lord, whom fear itself fears, has taken me as a father out of fear.

The Lord is addresses as Hari (god) and suta (son) because simultaneously Vasudeva knew Him to be the Lord and his son. On the birth of ordinary children a father will celebrate with charity and meditation. What should I do in this condition, when the Lord is born as my son? Thinking like this respectfully, and filled with joy (muda), submerged in an ocean of bliss (apluta), he gave cows in charity to brahmanas through his mind (asprsat-without touching).

12: Fixing his mind on the Lord (krtadhih), Vasudeva thought of the Lord with reverence as God and affection as his son. : Though he had fear for his tender child being harmed by Kamsa’s weapons, out of parental love, that fear vanished when he realized that his child was the Supreme Lord (gata bhi prabhava vit)

13Your intention in showing this form is as follows: “My father has fear for me because of Kamsa, so therefore I will make him fearless by showing him that I am God.” Accordingly, I have become fearless on understanding that you are God.” With this understanding Vasudeva speaks this verse. “I can understand that you are the supreme person, Karnodasayi Visnu, who activates prakrti by his glance. You are the soul of Brahman realization. You are the pervading supersoul (sarva buddhi drk). You are all these things because you are directly svayam bhagavan.”

“O father, you know that I have been born with limitation in your house. But do you know the truth about me?” To destroy this doubt, Vasudeva expresses his realization. Sa eva means “That form of yours about which I previously spoke, that is you.” “You create this universe by your material energy and seem to enter and not enter simultaneously. Because you are seen inside the universe, we cannot say that you do not enter. Because you are seen outside the universe, we cannot say you do not enter there. You seemed to have entered my house, as you are also present everywhere. You seemed have been born, but we also cannot say that, because you are always existing. Thus I know that Kamsa cannot do anything to you, as you are all pervading.”

–16: This verse gives an example. You enter into Devaki’s womb just like the undifferentiated mahat tattva and other elements (ime) enter the universe but do not enter it, or appear to be created but actually are not. Though you appear to be born, you are not. The maha tattva, possessing within it various distinct elements such as earth, joining with consciousness, creates the material universe. Though the elements appear to have entered into the creation (anugata iva), because they remain present outside as well, one cannot say they have entered. Though they appear to arise within the universe, they actually existed before the universe.

The elements are touched by the gunas , but you as the supreme cause are not touched by the gunas, though you enter into the universe. Though you are perceived as full of qualities which can be perceived by the intelligence, you, full of bliss, do not accept the qualities of matter, whose essence is suffering. Why? Because you are not covered by the gunas of matter. Those who are covered by the material gunas take up those qualities. The gunas do not contaminate you internally or externally. The jiva however, contacts the objects of sound and touch externally, and internally experiences lamentation, and illusion. Not only you , pervading everywhere as Paramatma (sarvatmanah), but also all objects related to you in the spiritual world (atma vastunah), such as the devotee, dhama and pastimes, are untouched by matter.

But can the material gunas bestow some sort of happiness? This verse answers. He is unintelligent who thinks that the objects seen such as a woman, garland etc. are enjoyable, because they give misery, lamentation and illusion, since they can only be possessed temporarily. They induce one to repeated birth. The mimasakas conclude that wealth and possessions are the most valuable things and think themselves intelligent. But their arguments are not without rebuttal. They don’t have true wisdom. What the devotee rejects with scorn they accept with eagerness.

From your statements that you are the creator through prakrti it is understood that prakrti is your energy and non different from you. You are the material cause of the universe. But you are without contact with the gunas internally or externally. How is that possible? This verse answers the question. O Lord, the sruti says that creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe arise from you, who are without action, quality and change. But how can the creator be inactive? Though you are Brahma and Siva, the creator and destroyer, at the same time you are without action (aniha), You are the reservoir of opposite qualities. How? Because you are the shelter of the gunas, the action of creation and destruction are ascribed upon you. Though prakrti is the Lord’s energy ,it is his external energy. It is not his svarupa or svabhava. Thus you are not in contact with the gunas internally or externally. This conclusion is established here. Or, how can my son be Brahma and Siva? Actually you are not Brahma or Siva--you are the shelter of both. You says this yourself: brahmano hi pratithaham. Brahma says: adyo’vatarah purusah parasya…. Since you are the shelter of Brahma and Siva (tad asrayatvat) you are called the creator and destroyer indirectly. The qualities of a person being sheltered are often ascribed to the shelterer. Just as when the country is fortunate, the king is called fortunate. In this way you are Brahma and Siva. This is also in accordance with the concept of rasa. The form of Krsna is distinct in terms of rasa, though though he is one with other forms of the Lord. Brahma, Siva and Krsna are one form: Rasenotkrsyate krsna rupam esa rasa sthiti. (bhaki rasamrta sindhu)

Concerning this there is a question. It is well known that the creation takes place through Brahma. Then, how are you also the creator? Brahma and others are your forms alone. That is the intention of this verse. You, by your svarupa (svamayaya), manifest yourself as pure (sukla) Visnu. Here sukla cannot mean white, because Visnu is black. At the time of destruction of all people you are black in color and for creation in the mode of passion you are red. But we cannot say that Visnu is nourished or influenced by sattva guna and therefore described as white. Visnu does not have connection with sattva guna as Brahma and Siva have with the other gunas. Visnu is close to sattva but does not touch it. In 10.88.55 it is said: Harir hi nirgunah saksat, sattvadayo na santise and sruti says. saksi cetah kevalo nirgunas ca

O father, in truth you know about me. But if you know, then say why I have appeared in your house? This verse answers. “Taking the name of a king you will kill all the troops directed by the asuras in order to protect the devotees and also the citizens in general.”

22.”Though I know all your glories, I cannot cross the ocean of unintelligence. So now I will inform you all evil Kamsa.” Anticipating that his son will say, “No father, he will not kill me because he will be overcome with the sweetness of my form,” Vasudeva answers, “He is uncivilized, without taste for rasa. His servants will inform him of your birth and he will come here. I can see him come now. So hide your form. I am afraid of what will happen when he comes desiring to kill you.”

23 Seeing her husband’s fear, seeing that her newly born child did not withdraw his form, but was instead smiling, Devaki became astonished. “What shall I do? This child, identifying himself as God, has no fear of Kamsa.” She became completely wonder struck. “In front of the supreme Lord, Kamsa is nothing. So why should we be afraid? What nonsense we are.”

24.”As it is well known that the devotees control the Lord by praising him, I will make this child submissive by my prayers and then express my desires.” Thinking in this way, she speaks. “O Lord, we are afflicted by fear at every second, but you are not fearful at all.” She expresses this in four verses. “The Vedas describe your famous form as avyaka or beyond the material senses, adyam without birth, whose bodily effulgence is without material qualities and unchanging.” This statement about Brahman is supported in the scriptures in many places. The sruti says:

yasya bhasa sarvam idam vibhati

(whose light supports the whole universe…)

satyam jnanam anantam yad brahma jyotih santananam

Bhagavatam. 10.28.14

Tat param paramam brahma sarvam vibhajate jagat

mamaiva tad bhanam tejo jnatum arhasi bharata .

I am the supreme Brahman, and the whole universe serves me. You should know that Brahman is my effulgence.

Harivamsa (the Lord speaks to Arjuna)

Yasya prabha prabhavato jagadanda koti kotisvasesa vasudadhi vibhuti binnam …..

Brahma Samhita.

Brahmano hi pritisthaham. Gita

I am the source of Brahman

In relation to the Lord’s vibhuti or powers, Sridha Swami in his commentary on Gita mentions that the impersonal feature of the Lord is called Brahman, indicated by the use of the word param.

In Bhagavatam 8.24.38 Matsya speaks:

madiyam mahimanam ca param brahmeti sabditam.

paratparam brahma ca te vibhutayah

The supreme Brahman is your vibhuti.

Yamunacarya’s stotra

tad brahma krsnayor aikyam mam kiranarkopamayujor

The Brahman and Krsna are one as in the example of the rays and the sun.

Bhakti rasamrta sindhu.

“The associates, devotees, dhama and your forms all arise from the suddha sattva (satta matram). means that you are beyond the particulars of the material world (nirvisesa) You are niriham, without material thirst because you are full and perfect.” Or it can mean “You are the person who takes away material desire from the devotee’s heart, and gives that devotee the desire to attain the Lord.” Iha means desire, endeavour, thirst in the Amara kosa dictionary. “You are Visnu, adyatma dipah, because You reveal all truths. Though I am ignorant, I have spoken as you have revealed yourself to me.”

For one who is not destroyed during mahapralaya, what is the question of fear? The five elements(mahabhutam) merge into adibhutam or ahankara. Ahankara merges into vyaktam or mahat tattva. The mahat tattva merges into avyakta or prakrti. Then only you remain. Those things mentioned in the previous verse, the forms of Narayan and others, brahma jyoti and the dhama (sattamatram) also remain. The Lord’s associates, place and cloth are all eternal. You are called sesa because you remain (avasesa). This is a way of deriving the name Sesa.

26.In the previous verse it appears that time is independent. Thus this verse speaks of time’s origin. It speaks of the cause of time-- who does not fear fearful time? That time is your kriya sakti or cesta. Therefore the Lord is addressed as the instigator of prakriti (avyakta (prakrti) bandho). By the influence of time, the universe runs. What is time? Time is nimesa or moments amounting to years, which again multiply into a day of brahma (dvi prarardha). I surrender to you (tva). Since you are fearless, you can make me fearless.

Since those who take shelter of your lotus feet become fearless, what to speak of those who meet you face to face. Wandering throughout the universe, one cannot become free from fear. By the devotion attained by great mercy (yadrcchaya), one attains your lotus feet which are abjam or Dhanvatari, Lord of medicine. By this medicine the person becomes healthy. (Medini says that abja means lotus, dhanvantari, conch and moon.) “O Lord, origin of all, though I am your devotee, and have been accepted by you as your mother, I am still afflicted by fear of Kamsa.”

“You are fearless and your devotees are fearless. Then why, o Lord, do you keep your mother and father in fear?” This is the intention of this verse. Ghora here means great fear. Out of fear she does not mention the name of Kamsa directly but uses the word Ugrasena atmaja, son of Ugrasena. “You destroy the fears of your devotees, but why do you not remove our fear?” “O mother, I have appeared to kill Kamsa. Bring Kamsa here and I will kill him before your eyes.” Fearing such talk from Krsna, Devaki, out of motherly affection, thinking that her small child could not kill Kamsa, and rather worrying about harm coming to the child from Kamsa, became more fearful. Her body began shaking. “It is not suitable to follow the strategy of showing fear before my child who is showing himself as God. Rather using sweet words is a better policy.” Thinking in this way, she began to reason in another way in order to get her child to change his form. “O master, this splendid form, which is the object of meditation, should not be visible to human eyes.”

“O mother, if I make this four armed form disappear, when Kamsa comes he will ask, ‘Where is the child?’” And thinking you have stolen the child, he will commit violence against you, will he not?” To answer this Devaki replies “I have no fear of that.” Thus she speaks this verse. “Do something so Kamsa (papa) will not know that you have taken birth from me”. “Having killed the Madhu demon, is it necessary that I kill Kamsa?” Fearing this question Devaki says, “O Madhusudana, Kamsa at present is thousands of times more powerful than Madhu of the past. Let Kamsa beat me for my offense. But I am desiring only your safety.” “You have spoken of my powers in the previous verses, but was all that emply words?” She answers, “Truly, o son, as your mother I am unsteady of mind (adhira dhih). Do not be sad. This is my fault. I take responsibility. But out of affection for your mother, please withdraw your form.”

30“As you pervade the whole universe and I reside within the universe, you also reside within me. How then has this weakness of heart arisen in me? It must be your fault.” Thus she addresses the Lord as visvatma, soul of the universe. “Withdraw this uncommon form and assume a form of a normal human baby, and I will quickly hide you.”

“Why should I withdraw this form? You should not become proud to attain the Lord as your son.” Fearing this words from the Lord, Devaki speaks. “I do not want fame or position. You hold the universe within the temple (nisanta) of your body comfortably (yathavakasam) but you have appeared in my womb. Common people will make fun of me, for how is this possible? The neighbors will joke, “O foolish Devaki, the Lord who has a gigantic form of thousands of universes is situated as a son in your little womb. Are you not ashamed to make this claim?” I will not get any fame for this event.

Here a question arises: How is it that Devaki, and Vasudeva who realize directly with their senses the supreme Lord can be afflicted with fear and lamentation arising from ignorance? One should not raise such a question. This fear and lamentation arises from prema of the cit sakti, the internal energy, which is the root of the external energy and material knowledge and ignorance. This fear is part of vyabhicari bhava. It does not arise from ignorance. Such an idea would attribute fault to prema.

What is the proof that prema is beyond maya? One must certainly accept that the Lord is controlled by prema. If prema is maya then the Lord would be controlled by maya. This is explained elsewhere as well. Bhaktya mam abhijanati…. I am known only by devotion. In the words of the Lord himself, he is known only by devotion or prema.

Bhakti is of three types: guni bhuta, pradhani bhuta and kevala. The results are also different. From guni bhuta bhakti comes jnana, from pradhani bhuta bhakti comes jnana mayi rati and from kevala bhakti comes prema. Through jnana one realizes the Brahman (cit sukha mayam), through jnana mayi rati one realizes the Lord in majesty (cid aisvarya mayam), and through prema one realizes the sweet aspect of Krsna, Rama and others (madhurya mayam).

Although all the forms of God are one, by difference of taste there is different appearances of God. There are seven types of sweetness pertaining to the form of the Lord, sweetness of form, touch, smell, sound and taste, as well as sweetness of affection for the devotee and sweetness of pastimes. The sweetness of Vraja has two additional types of sweetness: that of the flute and his powers. In total there are nine types of sweetness. It is said in scriptures: “In Vraja there are four types of sweetness: his powers, his pastimes, his flute and his form.”

Prema has four types: dasya, sakhya , vatsalya and ujjvala. The glory of vatsalya is that it makes Krsna the object of pity and extreme attachment. Although his majesty (aisvarya) is present, this mood of vatsalya covers it in such a way that Krsna, bound by ropes of attachment and becoming subservient, gives those devotees a taste of sweetness unavailable to others. The taste arising from great attachment is millions of times greater than that of the experience of the Lord through jnana or jnana mayi rati. Because of great attachment, the mother derives more pleasure from her son, though full of faults and lacking all good qualities, than from seeing the moon which extinguishes all suffering and bestows all bliss. If that is so, then what to speak of having a son who is the supreme Lord? This is the difference between jnana and prema. Just as ignorance binds the jiva with attachment to give suffering, so prema binds Krsna, who is already the very form of bliss, with attachment that gives rise to greater joy. Though an offender is bound with ropes and chains, and a respectable man is honored by binding him with valuable, soft and fragrant turban and coat, one bondage gives suffering and the other bondage gives pleasure. The jiva subjected to ignorance gets suffering, and Krsna subjected to prema gets joy.

Just as there are degrees of the five types of suffering according to the covering of ignorance, so there are different degrees of happiness in prema due to the different degrees of covering of jnana and aisvarya. The prema of Yasoda and others, by ropes of attachment mutually bind together that devotee and Krsna, and cover jnana and aisvarya. This gives a type of happiness not available in Devaki’s prema. Her prema has less strength due to mixture with asivarya and jnana. Why do they have different types of prema? Because they are both nitya siddha devotees, their difference in prema is also nitya siddha. There can be no further discussion on this.

The Lord said, “O mother, not only in this birth, but in previous births I have appeared in your womb. Why are you thinking yourself so fallen? You are not an ordinary human.” Thus in four verses he speaks. “During the reign of Svayambhuva you were (abhut) Prsni, O sati (Devaki). He (ayam) Vasudeva was Sutapa.”

33 none

34-35 atapah means burning due to the sun’s rays. Gharma means heat.

mad atmanoh means absorbing your minds in me.

–38. “Because of your meditation on me, I am very pleased. I appeared in that form (four handed).” The austerity performed was constant meditation on the Lord with devotion and faith. The use of the three words, bhakti, sraddha and nitya indicate that the devotion was not merely an anga of yoga practice. Rather it was absorption in the Lord. That by itself leads to perfection; it is a cause of prema. Their bhakti was mixed however with jnana and aisvarya because of practice of yoga and austerity.

Some also reason that since nitya siddha Vasudeva and Devaki had nitya siddha aisvarya-jnana mixed bhakti, their amsas Prsni and Sutapa also had mixed bhakti. The tapa and yoga practice were therefore incidental.

In this verse the word bhavita is used instead of cintata. Their meditation was filled with bhava. In other words they had genuine bhakti for the Lord.

39Maya here refers to affection for their son, for Bhagavatam 10.8.43 says: Vaisnavi vyatanon mayam putra sneha mayim vibhur (Krsna spread out his maya in the form of affection for a son)P. Mohitau here means that they were overcome with bliss. “Being childless and detached from material enjoyment, but overcome with bliss by parental affection, you did not pray for liberation.”

Desiring in this way for a son, you then engaged in sexual intercourse. Vyavyah means sex act according to the amara kosa.

“In my first birth I appeared as Prsnigarbha.” This refers to the treta yuga avatara, for this is mentioned in the eleventh canto visnu yajnah prsni garbha…..

“He who appeared as Vamana to Aditi and Kasyapa has now appeared as your son, as myself.”

“In the present birth I have been born with four arms. I was born in the first birth as Prsnigarbha, and in the second birth as Vamana. In the third birth I am born.” This indicates that the birth as Krsna is the full,complete form and the previous two are his amsas. In verse 31 the Lord says to Devaki, “You were previously Prsni” but he did not say “Prsni is you.” In verse 45 he says, “After thinking of me as your son in this you will go to my spiritual abode.” By these evidences it is shown that Prsni and Sutapa are expansions of Devaki and Vasudeva.

I have appeared in the four armed form because you would not recognize me as God if I appeared in my complete, original, two armed human-like form.

45In the scriptures indicating worship of Krsna through mantras, Vasudeva is mentioned as the father of Krsna. Therefore this shows without doubt that Vasudeva is eternally in that position. But in order to increase their bliss by promising perfection of their sadhana in this birth, their nitya siddha status is hidden in this verse. “By thinking of me you will attain me.”

The actual meaning of the verse however is: “I will now go to my most excellent eternal dhama Gokula. After eleven years, I will return to Mathura and you will attain me there at that time. But now I will be separated from you.”

46 According to the Maha Samhita, atma mayaya means “by ones own free will.” Babhuva prakrtah sisuh here means that he became, not a material baby, but his eternally perfect form as a baby. Prakrta means prakrti, svarupa and svabhava. In referring to great souls on earth, they are called prakrti siddha. Thus the word here means svabhava or svarupa. It cannot mean material in this context because there are statements like the following which contradict this. Na cantar na bahir yasya… in this statement it is clear that He who mother Yasoda bound up was like a material (prakrta mata) child, but actually he wasn’t prakrta, he was aprakrta, spiritual. Therefore the Lord showed his original spiritual form as a human-like baby.

47He was instructed by the Lord “If you are afraid, then take me to Gokula and bring the child of Yasoda, my maya, back here. “ After being instructed, Vasudeva saw that his chains automatically were loosened. When he developed the desire to depart to Gokula, Maya took her birth through Yasoda. In the Hari Vamsa it says that in the eighth month of incomplete pregnancy Devaki and Yasoda gave birth at the same time to their children. But here in Bhagavatam it is stated that Yasoda gave birth after Devaki. How to correlate the two contradictory statements? Exactly when Devaki gave birth to Krsna, Yasoda also gave birth to Krsna. After that, as described in this verse, Yasoda gave birth to Yogamaya. Yasoda gave birth to two children at different times. This is confirmed in text 10.4.9, for when Yogamaya falls from the hands of Kamsa, she is called the younger sister of Krsna. But when Krsna was born to Yasoda it is not stated that he had four hands. It is understood that he was born from Yasoda with two hands.

48-49 Yoga maya through her amsa covered the knowledge gathering senses of the door keepers, and they fell into deep sleep. The doors were insurmountable because of thick panels, huge bolds and chains. But they opened by themselves (svayam vyavaryanta), just like the sun driving away darkness. The clouds began to rumble softly (upamsu). Sesa spread his hood like an umbrella. Brahmanada Purana says: sayyasana paridhana paduka chatra camaraih kim nabhus tasya krsnasya murtibhedais ca murtisu

(As Krsna took different forms, You served Krsna in the form of bed, seat, shoes, umbrella and camara.)

50.The Yamuna river was filled with excessive water ( toyaughah), but she made a path for Vasudeva just as the ocean did for Rama (sriyah pati).

Taking Yasoda’s daughter, Vasudeva returned to the prison. From the ordinary point of view it appears unjustified that Vasudeva, who was supposed to be following the highest principles, accepted the murder of Yasoda’s daughter to save the life of his son. But his normal sense of discrimination was covered by the paternal prema for the Lord who had appeared as his son.

52.He placed the chains on his feet again (prati mucya).

Yasoda just (param) knew that she had given birth Whether her offspring was a boy or girl she did not know. That was because of the labor of childbirth. After the birth, with relief from the labor pains, she slept, and lost consciousness.

Ca can also mean everything. So Yasoda, like Devaki, understood that her offspring was param, all attractive. She could understand he was supreme by tasting his sweetness. She was able to realize his true nature through the sakti bestowed by the Lord. But unlike Devaki, she did not know that he was the Supreme Lord because of his specific insignia (four arms etc.)

The fact that Krsna was also born to Yasoda is not very well known. But because of friendship, Yasoda gave her fame to Devaki (and let Devaki become famous as the mother of Krsna). In the puranas it is said

dve namni nanda bharyaya yasoda devakiti ca

atah sakhyam abhut tasya devakya sauri jayaya

Nanda’s wife had two names, Yasoda and Devaki. Therefore she had great friendship with Devaki, the wife of Vasudeva (sauri).

This is also in accordance with Vaisnava Tosani, Ananda Vrndavana and Bhagavatmrta.