FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.8.33

अपरे वसुदेवस्य देवक्यां याचितोऽभ्यगात् । अजस्त्वमस्य क्षेमाय वधाय च सुरद्विषाम् ॥ ३३ ॥
apare vasudevasya
[apare vasudevasya]
devakyāṁ yācito ’bhyagāt
[devakyaam yaachito ’bhyagaat]
ajas tvam asya kṣemāya
[ajas tvam asya kshemaaya]
vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām
[vadhaaya cha sura-dvishaam]
Word-for-word
apare — others vasudevasya — of Vasudeva devakyām — of Devakī yācitaḥ — being prayed for abhyagāt — took birth ajaḥ — unborn tvam — You are asya — of him kṣemāya — for the good vadhāya — for the purpose of killing ca — and sura-dviṣām — of those who are envious of the demigods.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
apare vasudevasya
apare
others
vasudevasya
of Vasudeva
devakyāṁ yācito ’bhyagāt
devakyām
of Devakī
yācitaḥ
being prayed for
abhyagāt
took birth
ajas tvam asya kṣemāya
ajaḥ
unborn
tvam
You are
asya
of him
kṣemāya
for the good
vadhāya ca sura-dviṣām
vadhāya
for the purpose of killing
ca
and
sura-dviṣām
of those who are envious of the demigods.
Others say that since both Vasudeva and Devakī prayed for You, You have taken Your birth as their son. Undoubtedly You are unborn, yet You take Your birth for their welfare and to kill those who are envious of the demigods.
Purport

It is also said that Vasudeva and Devakī, in their previous birth as Sutapā and Pṛśni, underwent a severe type of penance to get the Lord as their son, and as a result of such austerities the Lord appeared as their son. It is already declared in the Bhagavad-gītā that the Lord appears for the welfare of all people of the world and to vanquish the asuras, or the materialistic atheists.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Some say that you, though unborn, appeared as the son of Vasudeva in Devakī upon their request, in order to protect the world and kill the demons.
Commentary

You are unborn yet you came as the son of Vasudeva. Using third person (abhyagāt) instead of second person verb ending with tvam is poetic license. Previously in the form of Sutapa and Pṛśni they asked the Lord to be their son. You appeared for protecting the world (asya) and killing the demons.

Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Others say You took birth because Vasudeva and Devakī prayed. The Lord, unborn, is born for His devotees' welfare and to remove the envious. Prayer brings God to earth.
Reflection Questions
  • What prayer of mine has the Lord 'descended' into already?
  • Where am I underestimating how my prayer might shape outcomes?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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