Devanagari
जन्म ते मय्यसौ पापो मा विद्यान्मधुसूदन ।
समुद्विजे भवद्धेतो: कंसादहमधीरधी: ॥ २९ ॥
Verse text
janma te mayy asau pāpo
mā vidyān madhusūdana
samudvije bhavad-dhetoḥ
kaṁsād aham adhīra-dhīḥ
Synonyms
janma
—
the birth
;
te
—
of Your Lordship
;
mayi
—
in my (womb)
;
asau
—
that Kaṁsa
;
pāpaḥ
—
extremely sinful
;
mā vidyāt
—
may be unable to understand
;
madhusūdana
—
O Madhusūdana
;
samudvije
—
I am full of anxiety
;
bhavat
—
hetoḥ — because of Your appearance
;
kaṁsāt
—
because of Kaṁsa, with whom I have had such bad experience
;
aham
—
I
;
adhīra
—
dhīḥ — have become more and more anxious .
Translation
O Madhusūdana, because of Your appearance, I am becoming more and more anxious in fear of Kaṁsa. Therefore, please arrange for that sinful Kaṁsa to be unable to understand that You have taken birth from my womb.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
O Madhusūdana, because of Your appearance, I am becoming more and more anxious in fear of Kaṁsa. Therefore, please arrange for that sinful Kaṁsa to be unable to understand that You have taken birth from my womb.
KB 10.3.29
In other words, she requested the Lord to assume the form of an ordinary child. “My only cause of fear from my brother Kaṁsa is due to Your appearance. My Lord Madhusūdana, Kaṁsa may not know that You are already born.
Purport
Devakī addressed the Supreme Personality of Godhead as Madhusūdana. She was aware that the Lord had killed many demons like Madhu who were hundreds and thousands of times more powerful than Kaṁsa, yet because of affection for the transcendental child, she believed that Kaṁsa could kill Him. Instead of thinking of the unlimited power of the Lord, she thought of the Lord with affection, and therefore she requested the transcendental child to disappear.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
"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."
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
“What is your fear, O mother? If I disappear you will have fear that he will steal your future children.” Fearing such a statement, Devakī speaks. I fear for you, not for myself. Though you cannot have fear of insignificant Kaṁsa since you are the killer of the Madhu demon, my mind is suddenly unsteady because of your great mercy to me. She says this with great desire that the child should not be taken away by Kaṁsa’s men.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
“Your pregnancy was clear. Being born, the child has been taken away somewhere by his father.”
Thinking in this way, Kaṁsa will then kill the child, who was promised to him. Fearing this, Devakī prays. He should not know of your birth from me. O killer of the great demon Madhu! Though you and your devotees have no fear, I have strong fear of the wicked Kaṁsa for your sake since I have no steadiness because of my great affection (adhīra-dhīḥ).