Devanagari
यथा हृषीकेश खलेन देवकी
कंसेन रुद्धातिचिरं शुचार्पिता ।
विमोचिताहं च सहात्मजा विभो
त्वयैव नाथेन मुहुर्विपद्गणात् ॥ २३ ॥
Verse text
yathā hṛṣīkeśa khalena devakī
kaṁsena ruddhāticiraṁ śucārpitā
vimocitāhaṁ ca sahātmajā vibho
tvayaiva nāthena muhur vipad-gaṇāt
Synonyms
yathā
—
as it were
;
hṛṣīkeśa
—
the master of the senses
;
khalena
—
by the envious
;
devakī
—
Devakī (the mother of Śrī Kṛṣṇa)
;
kaṁsena
—
by King Kaṁsa
;
ruddhā
—
imprisoned
;
ati
—
ciram — for a long time
;
śuca
—
arpitā — distressed
;
vimocitā
—
released
;
aham ca
—
also myself
;
saha
—
ātma — jā — along with my children
;
vibho
—
O great one
;
tvayā eva
—
by Your Lordship
;
nāthena
—
as the protector
;
muhuḥ
—
constantly
;
vipat
—
gaṇāt — from a series of dangers .
Translation
O Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses and Lord of lords, You have released Your mother, Devakī, who was long imprisoned and distressed by the envious King Kaṁsa, and me and my children from a series of constant dangers.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O master of the senses! O Lord! Just as you protected Devakī imprisoned by evil Kaṁsa one time, you, my master, released me along with my sons repeatedly from even greater dangers, since I was afflicted with great suffering.
Purport
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.
Commentary (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
You protected me when I was helpless as if I were your mother.
O Hṛṣīkeśa, master of the senses! You alone know my heart since you are master of the senses. I was rescued from danger along with my sons. You showed special mercy to me (since you did not protect her (Devakī’s) other children). What was the reason? I was more afflicted with suffering by my karmas (śucārpitā). I was suffering even more than Devakī. I was saved by you, my master (nāthena). She had a husband (nātha), Vasudeva and thus had the possibility of having more children. And since you were the crest jewel among all children, what need was there for her previous inferior children who were not saved? Moreover, I was again and again saved from a host of dangers, whereas she was saved from one little danger caused by Kaṁsa. She had not even a trace of danger since she was happy with repeated expectations that the Supreme Lord would be born from her womb. And after you were born, she had no danger at all. I was in all ways wretched. You were merciful to me because you are the friend of the most fallen. I was not like fortunate Devakī who had prema for you.