Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.36.17
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesNārada Reveals Kṛṣṇa’s Identity
“[Nārada told Kaṁsa:] Yaśodā’s child was actually a daughter, and Kṛṣṇa is the son of Devakī. Also, Rāma is the son of Rohiṇī. Out of fear, Vasudeva entrusted Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to his friend Nanda Mahārāja, and it is these two boys who have killed your men.”
What the purport teaches
- Nārada tells Kaṁsa that Yaśodā’s child was a daughter and that Kṛṣṇa is Devakī’s son. Rāma is the son of Rohiṇī.
- Out of fear, Vasudeva had entrusted Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to his friend Nanda Mahārāja. These two boys had killed Kaṁsa’s men.
- The prophecy about Devakī’s eighth child made this revelation crucial to Kaṁsa. Nārada’s words implied that the prophecy should be taken very seriously, but Kaṁsa would now intensify his efforts to kill the boys.
Try this today
Write one sentence explaining why learning Kṛṣṇa’s identity mattered so much to Kaṁsa.
Ask yourself
What does Kaṁsa’s response suggest about hearing a truth while remaining hostile to it?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.