"What else can be the cause of Thy birth but a mere fancy on Thy part, for even the birth, life and death of Jivâtmas are but seeming things caused by Thy Avidyâ." "The Fish, the Horse, the Tortoise, the Man Lion, the Boar, the Swan, in these and in Kings, Brâhmanas and wise men, Thou hast incarnated. As thou dost preserve us and preserve this Trilokî, so dost Thou take away the load from off the Earth. Our salutations to Thee." "And mother Devaki, the Great Purusha Himself is in Thy womb in part, for our good. Fear not then from Kansa, whose death is near at hand. Thy Son shall be the Saviour of the Yadus." Having thus adored the Lord, the Devas left the place. In time, when all nature looked still and there was joy in heaven and earth, Sri Krishna was born under the influence of the Rohini constellation. It was all dark at dead of night. He had four hands bearing Sankha, Chakra, Gadâ, and Padma. The mark of Srivatsa the Kaustubha gem, the yellow cloth, the crown on the head glittering with stones, the brilliant ear-rings all marked Him out as the Purusha, and Vâsudeva and Devaki adored Him as such. Devaki asked him to withdraw his lordly form with four hands. Said Bhagavân, addressing Devaki. "In the Svayambhuva Manvantara, thou wert called Prisni, and this Vâsudeva, Prajâpati Sutapas. Commanded by Brahmâ to beget progeny, thou didst make austere Tapas and prayed for a son even like unto my own self. So I was born of thee as Prisni-Garbha. This was my first Incarnation. When you two were Aditi and Kasyapa, I was born of you as Upendra, otherwised called Vâmana (the Dwarf). This was my second Incarnation. In this my third Incarnation, I am again born unto you. This form is shown to thee to remind thee of those previous births. Thou shalt attain my supreme state by meditating on me both as a son and as Brahmâ." Then He assumed the form of an ordinary child. Directed by Him, Vâsudeva took Him to Vraja, the Kingdom of Nanda. The fetters loosened. The gate opened wide. The gate keepers fell into deep sleep. Though there was a heavy downpour of rain, the serpent Sesha gave shelter under his thousand hoods. The river Yamunâ, deep in flood, fretting and foaming under the storm, made way for Vâsudeva. The Gopas were all fast asleep in Vraja. Vâsudeva placed his own son by the side of Yasodâ and took her new born daughter away and placed her near Devaki. He then put on his fetters and remained confined as before. Yasodâ knew that she had a child, but the labour pains and sleep made her quite forget the sex of the child. COUNSEL WITH THE DAITYAS. *SKANDHA X. CHAP. 4.*