Harivamsa

2 - kaṁsasaṁketaḥ ārṣānuśāsanaṁ ca - Kamsa's Fear, and Vishnu's Instruction to Yogamaya

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca

so'jṣāpayata saṁrabdhaḥ sachivānātmano hitān |

yattā bhavata sarve vai devakyā garbhakṛntane ||2-2-1

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

Angrlly, kaṁsa ordered the ministers who follow his wishes: All of you shall be engaged in destroying the conception of devakī.

prathamādeva hantavyā garbhāste sapta eva hi |

mūlādeva tu hantavyaḥ so'nartho yatra saṁśayaḥ ||2-2-2

Starting with the first, all the seven conceptions shall be destroyed as they are born. Where there is an apprehension about a danger, it should be destroyed at the root.

devakī ca gṛhe guptā pracchannairabhirakṣitā |

svairaṁ charatu viśrabdhā garbhakāle tu rakṣyatām ||2-2-3

Let devakī move freely in the house, guarded by my men in disguise. When she becomes pregnant, she should be placed under guard.

māsānvai puṣpamāsādīngaṇayantu mama striyaḥ |

pariṇāme tu garbhasya śeṣaṁ jn~āsyāmahe vayam ||2-2-4

My women will track her pregnancy from the month of menstruation. We will do the needful at the time of delivery.

vasudevastu saṁrakṣyaḥ strīsanāthāsu bhūmiṣu |

apramattairmama hitai rātrāvahani caiva hi |

strībhirvarṣavaraiścaiva vaktavyaṁ na tu kāraṇam ||2-2-5

Servants desiring my benefit shall guard vasudeva in the women’s quarters throughout day and night. Women and eunuchs shall keep an eye on him without telling the reason.

eṣa mānuṣyako yatno mānuṣaireva sādhyate |

śrūyatāṁ yena daivaṁ hi madvidhaiḥ pratihanyate ||2-2-6

Only such human efforts are possible by humans. But a powerful man like me can thwart the course of fate by certain means. Listen.

mantragrāmaiḥ suvihitairauṣadhaiścha suyojitaiḥ |

yatnena cānukūlena daivamapyanulomyate ||2-2-7

With the chanting of mantras, appropriate use of medicines and using suitable tactics, fate can be made favourable.

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca

evaṁ sa yatnavānkaṁso devakīgarbhakṛntane |

bhayena mantrayāmāsa śrutārtho nāradātsa vai ||2-2-8

vaisahṁpāyana said :

Thus kaṁsa began to make efforts to destroy devakī’s conception. He had understood everything from nārada. Frightened, he began to make plans for his protection.

evaṁ śrutvā prayatnaṁ vai kaṁsasyāriṣṭasaṁjṣitam |

antardhānaṁ gato viṣṇūścintayāmāsa vīryavān ||2-2-9

Hearing about the disastrous efforts of kaṁsa, the invisible, valiant (vīryavān) viṣṇu contemplated as follows:

saptemāndevakīgarbhānbhojaputro vadhiṣyati |

aṣṭame ca mayā garbhe kāryamādhānamātmanaḥ ||2-2-10

The son of bhoja (kaṁsa) will definitely kill the seven conceptions of devakī. I should install myself as her eighth conception.

tasya cintayatastvevaṁ pātālamagamanmanaḥ |

yatra te garbhaśayanāḥ śaḍgarbhā nāma dānavāḥ ||2-2-11

While thinking like this, viṣṇu’s mind was suddenly drawn to pātāla (netherworld), where dānava-s named ṣaḍgarbhā were lying in water.

vikrāntavapuṣo dīptāste'mṛtaprāśanopamāḥ |

amarapratimā yuddhe putrā vai kālaneminaḥ ||2-2-12

These dānava-s who had powerful bodies, were bright like deva-s who drink amṛta. They displayed vigor like deva-s in battle. They were sons of kālanemi.

te tātatātaṁ saṁtyajya hiraṇyakaśipuṁ purā |

upāsāṁcakrire daityāḥ purā lokapitāmaham ||2-2-13

Long ago, these daitya-s abandoned their grandfather hiraṇyakaśipu and started worshipping the grandfather of the world (brahmā).

tapyamānāstapastīvraṁ jaṭāmaṇḍaladhāriṇaḥ |

teṣāṁ prīto'bhavadbrahmā ṣaḍgarbhāṇāṁ varaṁ dadau ||2-2-14

Wearing matted hair (jaṭā) on their heads, they performed severe penance. brahmā, pleased with ṣaḍgarbhā gave them boons.

brahmovāca

bho bho dānavaśārdūlāstapasāhaṁ sutoṣitaḥ |

brūta vo yasya yaḥ kāmastasya taṁ taṁ karomyaham ||2-2-15

brahmā said:

O tiger-like valiant dānava heroes! I am highly pleased with your penance. Tell me your desires. I shall do accordingly.

te tu sarve samānārthā daityā brahmāṇamabruvan |

yadi no bhagavānprīto dīyatāṁ no varo varaḥ ||2-2-16

All those like-minded daitya-s, told brahmā: O Lord! If you are pleased, kindly grant us this boon.

avadhyāḥ syāma bhagavandevataiḥ samahoragaiḥ |

śāpapraharaṇaiścaivaṁ svasti no'stu maharṣibhiḥ ||2-2-17

We shall not be killed by deva-s or great Serpents. Even the great Sages (maharṣi-s), who are capable of striking with curses, shall wish us well.

yakṣagandharvapatibhissiddhacāraṇamānavaiḥ |

mā bhūdvadho no bhagavandadāsi yadi no varam ||2-2-18

Lord! if you are giving us a boon, then let us not be killed by yakṣa-s, gandharva-s, siddha-s, cāraṇa-s and men as well.

tānuvāca tato brahmā suprītenāntarātmanā |

bhavadbhiryadidaṁ proktaṁ sarvametadbhaviṣyati ||2-2-19

Then brahmā said with a well-pleased mind: What is said by you, all will be fulfilled.

ṣaḍgarbhāṇāṁ varaṁ datvā svayaṁbhūstridivaṁ gataḥ |

tato hiraṇyakaśipuḥ saroṣo vākyamabravīt ||2-2-20

After granting the boon to ṣaḍgarbhā, the self-born brahmā returned to his heavenly abode. Then hiraṇyakaśipu angrily spoke these words:

māmutsṛjya varo yasmādvṛto vaḥ padmasaṁbhavāt |

tasmādvastyājitaḥ snehaḥ śatrubhūtāṁstyajāmyaham ||2-2-21

Abandoning me, you have received boons from brahmā. Hence you have rejected my affection. I am rejecting you, who have become my enemies.

ṣaḍgarbhā iti yo'yaṁ vaḥ śabdaḥ pitrābhivardhitaḥ |

sa eva vo garbhagatānpitā sarvānvadhiṣyati ||2-2-22

The same father who called you ṣaḍgarbhā and brought you up, will kill all of you when you are conceived.

ṣaḍeva devakīgarbhāḥ śaḍgarbhā vai mahāsurāḥ |

bhaviṣyatha tataḥ kaṁso garbhasthānvo vadhiṣyati ||2-2-23

All six of you, great asuras ṣaḍgarbhā will becomes devakī’s conceptions. Then kaṁsa, (incarnation of your father kālanemi) will kill you at conception.

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca

jagāmātha tato viṣṇuḥ pātālaṁ yatra te'surāḥ |

ṣaḍgarbhāḥ saṁyatāḥ santi jale garbhagṛheśayāḥ ||2-2-24

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

As soon as viṣṇu remembered these asura-s ṣaḍgarbhā, he went to pātāLa, where they were undergoing austerities lying in water.

saṁdadarśa jale suptānṣaḍgarbhāngarbhasaṁsthitān |

nidrayā kālarūpiṇyā sarvānantarhitāntsa vai ||2-2-25

viṣṇu saw the ṣaḍgarbhā sleeping in water influenced by the Goddess of sleep (nidrā) in the form of Time.

svapnarūpeṇa teṣāṁ vai viṣṇurdehānathāviśat |

prāṇeśvarāṁścha niṣkṛṣya nidrāyai pradadau tadā ||2-2-26

viṣṇu entered their bodies in the form of dream, forcibly took away their souls and handed them to the Goddess of sleep (nidrā).

tāṁ chovāca tato nidrāṁ viṣṇuḥ satyaparākramaḥ |

gaccha nidre mayotsṛṣṭā devakībhavanāntikam ||2-2-27

Then the truly valiant viṣṇu said: nidrā! By my instruction, go to devakī’s residence.

imānprāṇeśvarāngṛhya śadgarbhāndānavottamān |

sarvaprāṇeśvarāṁścaiva ṣādgarbhānnāma dehinaḥ |

ṣaḍgarbhāndevakīgarbhe yojayasva yathākramam || 2-2-28

Take these souls of ṣaḍgarbhā, the best of dānavas. Implant them in the womb of devakī in sequence.

jāteṣveteṣu garbheṣu nīteṣu ca yamakṣayam |

kaṁsasya viphale yatne devakyāḥ saphale shrame ||2-2-29

when they are born from womb and taken to the world of yama (death) (killed by kaṁsa), kaṁsa’s efforts will be fruitless and devakī's endeavour will be fruitful.

prasādaṁ te kariṣyāmi matprabhāvasamaṁ bhuvi |

yena sarvasya lokasya devi devī bhaviṣyasi ||2-2-30

I will then be pleased with you and you will have the same splendour as me in the world. You will become the Goddess worshipped by all worlds.

saptamo devakīgarbho yo'ṁśaḥ saumyo mamāgrajaḥ |

sa saṁkrāmayitavyaste saptame māsi rohiṇīm ||2-2-31

The seventh conception of devakī, a gentle portion of me, will be my elder brother. In the seventh month you will transfer him to rohiṇī’s womb.

saṁkarṣaṇāttu garbhasya sa tu saṁkarṣaṇo yuvā |

bhaviṣyatyagrajo bhrātā mama śītāṁśudarśanaḥ ||2-2-32

Since the conception will be transferred, he will be known as saṁkarśaṇa. He, my elder brother in future, will appear with the splendour of moon (śītāṁśu).

patito devakīgarbhaḥ saptamo'yaṁ bhayāditi |

aṣṭame mayi garbhasthe kaṁso yatnaṁ kariṣyati ||2-2-33

kaṁsa will think that the seventh conception of devakī was miscarried due to fear of him. When I become the eighth conception kaṁsa will try to kill me.

yā tu sā nandagopasya dayitā bhuvi viśrutā |

yaśodā nāma bhadraṁ te bhāryā gopakulodvahā ||2-2-34

All the best for you. There is a lady named yaśodā, well-known in the world, wife of nandagopa, uplifter of the race of cowherds.

asyāstvaṁ navamo garbhaḥ kule'smākaṁ bhaviṣyasi |

navamyāmeva saṁjātā kṛṣṇapakṣasya vai tithau ||2-2-35

You will be born as the ninth conception in our race, on the ninth day of kṛṣṇapakṣa, dark half of the month.

ahaṁ tvabhijito yoge niśāyāṁ yauvane sthite |

ardharātre kariṣyāmi garbhamokṣaṁ yathāsukham ||2-2-36

In the midnight, at the auspicious time of Abhijit, I will comfortably liberate from the womb.

aṣatamasya tu māsasya jātāvāvāṁ tataḥ samam |

prāpsyāvo garbhavyatyāsaṁ prāpte kaṁsasya nāśane ||2-2-37

We both, brother and sister will be born during the eighth month of pregnancy. To achieve the destruction of kaṁsa, we will be interchanged from one mother to another.

ahaṁ yaśodāṁ yāsyāmi tvaṁ devi bhaja devakīm |

āvayorgarbhasaṁyoge kaṁso gacchatu mūḍhatām ||2-2-38

I will go to yaśodā and you, Goddess, will take resourse in devakī. This interchange of new-born babies will confound kaṁsa.

tatastvāṁ gṛhya charaṇe śilāyāṁ pātayiṣyati |

nirasyamānā gagane sthānaṁ prāpsyasi śāśvatam ||2-2-39

Catching your legs, he will try to smash you against a stone. You will slip out (of his hands), arise in the sky, and will attain an eternal place.

macchavīsadṛśī kṛṣṇā saṁkarṣaṇasamānanā |

bibratī vipulau bāhū mama bāhūpamau divi ||2-2-40

You will have the same complexion, dark, as mine. Your face will be similar to saṁkarśaṇa. In the sky you will appear with vastly spread arms like mine.

triśikhaṁ śūlamudyamya khaḍgaṁ ca kanakatsarum |

pātrīṁ ca pūrṇāṁ madhunā paṅkajaṁ ca sunirmalam ||2-2-41

In your four arms, you will carry a trident, a sword with golden handle, a pot filled with honey (madhu) and a pure lotus.

nīlakauśeyasaṁvītā pītenottaravāsasā |

śaśiraśmiprakāśena hāreṇorasi rājatā ||2-2-42

You will wear blue silk and a yellow silk shawl. Your bosom will be adorned by a white necklace shining brightly like moon rays.

divyakuṇḍalapūrṇābhyāṁ śravaṇābhyāṁ vibhūṣitā |

candrasāpatnabhūtena mukhena tvaṁ virājitā ||2-2-43

Your ears will be decorated with divine earrings. You will shine with your face, beautiful like moon.

mukuṭena vicitreṇa keshabandhena śobhinā |

bhujaṅgābhairbhujairbhīmairbhūṣayantī disho daśa ||2-2-44

You will shine with an exquisite crown and a beautiful hair style. With your vast arms beautiful like the hood of a serpent you will enchant the ten directions.

dhvajena śikhibarheṇa ucchritena virājitā |

aṅgajena mayūrāṇāmaṅgadena ca bhāsvatā ||2-2-45

You will shine with a flag adorned with peacock feathers. You will dazzle with armlets decorated with peacock feathers.

kīrṇā bhūtagaṇairghorairmanniyogānuvartinī |

kaumāraṁ vratamāsthāya tridivaṁ tvaṁ gamiṣyasi ||2-2-46

Always surrounded by terrifying bhūtagaṇa-s, you will follow my orders. Taking a vow of celebacy (kaumāraṁ vrataṁ) you will go to heaven.

tatra tvāṁ śatadṛkcakro matpradiṣṭena karmaṇā |

abhiṣekeṇa divyena devataiḥ saha yokṣyase ||2-2-47

There the thousand eyed indra, along with deva-s will perform your abhiṣeka, according to my order in the prescribed manner.

tatraiva tvāṁ bhaginyarthe grahīṣyati sa vāsavaḥ |

kushikasya tu gotreṇa kauśikī tvaṁ bhaviṣyasi ||2-2-48

Then indra will formally accept you as his sister. As you are connected with the lineage of kushika, you will become known as kaushiki.

sa te vindhye nagaśreṣṭhe sthānaṁ dāsyati śāśvatam |

tataḥ sthānasahasraistvaṁ pṛthivīṁ śobhayiṣyasi ||2-2-49

indra will allot you a permanent place in the best among the mountains, vindhya. Afterwards, you will glorify the earth with thousand installations.

trailokyacāriṇī sā tvaṁ bhuvi satyopayācanā |

chariṣyasi mahābhāge varadā kāmarūpiṇī ||2-2-50

You will travel in all three worlds and any prayer to you will be fruitful. You will assume any form at your will and grant boons.

tatra śuṁbhaniśuṁbhau dvau dānavau nagacāriṇau |

tau ca kṛtvā manasi māṁ sānugau nāśayiṣyasi ||2-2-51

There, fixing me in your mind, you will destroy two mountain-living dānava-s shumbha and nishumbha, along with their followers.

kṛtvānuyātrāṁ bhūtastvaṁ surāmāṁsabalipriyā |

tithau navaṁyāṁ pūjāṁ tvaṁ prāpsyase sapaśukriyām ||2-2-52

Followed by bhūtagaṇa-s, you are fond of offerings with liquor and meat. On the navami day (ninth day of the dark half of the month) you will receive worship with animal sacrifice.

ye ca tvāṁ matprabhāvajṣāḥ praṇamiṣyanti mānavāḥ |

teṣāṁ na durlabhaṁ kiṁchitputrato dhanato'pi vā ||2-2-53

If any one who knows my splendour offers his obeisance to you, nothing is scarce to him such as children, wealth, etc.

kāntāreṣvavasannānāṁ magnānāṁ ca mahārṇave |

dasyubhirvā niruddhānāṁ tvaṁ gatiḥ paramā nṛṇām ||2-2-54

You will be the ultimate remover of danger for all those who are trapped in a forest or drowned in a great ocean or captured by robbers.

tvāṁ tu stoṣyanti ye bhaktyā stavenānena vai śubhe |

tasyāhaṁ na praṇaśyāmi sa ca me na praṇaśyati ||2-2-55

O auspicious one! Anyone who pleases you with this hymn (*) with devotion, will never be out of my sight nor will I be out of his.

(*) See next chapter.

iti śrīmahābhārate khileṣu harivāṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi bhārāvataraṇe nidrāsaṁvijṣāne dvtīyo'dhyāyaḥ

Thus, this is the second chapter of the second book called viṣṇu-parva, in harivaṁśa, the sequel to mahābhārata, narrating kaṁsa's fear and viṣṇu's instruction to yogamāya.

nīlakaṇṭha commentary

asmindvitīye hyadhyāye kaṁsasyākulatocyate |

viṣuṇā yogamāyāyai devakāryānuśāsanam ||

· 2-2-1 saṁrabdhaḥ kruddhaḥ | ājṣāpayata ajṣāpitavān |

· 2-2-2 prathamāt prathamaṁ janmadinaṁ prāpyetayrthaḥ | so'ṣṭamo mūlādgarbhadhāraṇādevauṣadhādyairupāyairhantavya ityarthaḥ

· 2-2-3 pracchannairantaḥpurarakṣakaiḥ

· 2-2-4 pariṇāme daśamāsādau

· 2-2-5 strīsanāthāsu antaḥpurabhūmiṣu | varṣavaraiḥ napuṁsakaiḥ | vasudevasaṁnidhau prasave sati sa garbhamanyatra mā nayatvityetadarthaṁ so'pi rakṣya ityarthaḥ |

· 2-2-7 anulomyate anukūlaṁ kriyate |

· 2-2-8 śrutārthaḥ jṣātaprayojanaḥ |

· 2-2-9 ariṣṭam akṣemamiti saṁjṣitaṁ utpātarūpamityarthaḥ

· 2-2-10 ādhānam sthāpanam

· 2-2-11 garbhaśayanāḥ jalagarbhaśāyinaḥ | ṣaḍgarbhā nāmataḥ nāmnā |

haṁsaḥ suvikramaḥ krātho damano ripumardanaḥ

krodhahanteti vikhyātāḥ ṣaḍgarbhā nāma dānavā

iti purāṇaprasiddhāḥ

· 2-2-12 amṛtaprāśanopamāḥ devatulyā amarakalpā ityartha |

· 2-2-13 tātatātaṁ svapitāmaham | lokapitāmaham brahmāṇam |

· 2-2-16 varaḥ śreṣṭhaḥ varaḥ prārthitorthaḥ |

· 2-2-21 vo yuṣmābhiḥ |

· 2-2-24 samyatāḥ hiraṇyakaśipuśāpena niruddhāḥ |

· 2-2-25 saṁdadarśa saḥ viṣṇuḥ |

· 2-2-26 svapneti | brahmavaradānātvinaṣṭasthūladehānāmeva teṣāṁ viṣṇumāyābalena svapnavajjanmāntarapratibhāso hiraṇyakaśipuśāpanimitto lavaṇasyeva jāta ityarthaḥ | prāṇeśvarān jīvān | nanvevaṁ svadehādbahirgataiḥ puruṣairdarśanāntare svapnaprapaṣcho jāgradvatsatyata eva pratīyata iti darshitam | tena asmaddṛṣṭyā ṣaḍgarbhāṇāṁ janma yogamāyākṛtatvādindrajālapuravat vyāvahārikam | ṣaḍgarbhadṛṣṭyā tu svapnavatprātibhāsikamiti siddherna kaśviddoṣaḥ |

· 2-2-27 utsṛṣṭā ājṣaptā |

· 2-2-30 devī pūjyā |

· 2-2-31 saptama iti saptamasya garbhasya yadyapi prasave jīvanamaviruddhaṁ tathāpi rohiṇyuadare praveśastasyāṁ garbhasaṁkramaścha māyābalādeveti jṣeyam |

· 2-2-35 navamatvaṁ kṛṣṇamanu tasyā api devakyudare svalpakālaṁ praveśo'stīti siddhayati | navamyāmiti tvaṣṭamyāṁ kṛṣṇajanma tadanantaraṁ devyāṁ iti yuktam | ekasyāmapi rātrau tātkālikatithibhedasaṁbhavāt |

· 2-2-36 abhijito niśāyā aṣṭamamuhūrtasya garbhamokṣaṁ udarānniragamam |

· 2-2-37 vyatyāsamevāha - ahamiti | garbhasaṁyoge anyonyavyatyāse |

· 2-2-39 nirasyamānā asāphalyamanā |

· 2-2-41 kanakatsarum suvarṇamuṣṭhim |

· 2-2-45 aṅgajena picchena |

· 2-2-46 kīrṇā parivṛtā | kaumāraṁ kumārīyogyam |

· 2-2-47 śatadṛk sahasrākṣaḥ |

· 2-2-50 satyā avaśyaphalā upayācanā mamedaṁ īpsitaṁ kuru ahaṁ tvāṁ pūjayiṣyāmityevaṁrūpā prārthanā satyā upayācanā yasyāṁ sā tathā |

· 2-2-53 putrataḥ putraprabhṛtītyarthaḥ |

· 2.2.54 gatiḥ āpannivārayitrī |

· 2.2.55 anena vakṣyamāṇena tasya stoturahaṁ na praṇaśyāmi adṛśyo na bhavāmi | sa nityaṁ madbhaktiṁ labhate'haṁ ca taṁ na tyajāmītyarthaḥ |

4 – viśnvavatāravarṇanam - Vishnu's Incarnation

vaiśaṁpāyana uvāca

kṛte garbhavidhāne tu devakī devatopamā |

jagrāha sapta tāngarbhānyathāvatsamudāhṛtān ||2-4-1

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

After being conceived, goddess-like devakī, had seven conceptions, as pronounced (by viṣṇu to yogamāyā) before.

ṣaḍgarbhānnissṛtānkaṁsastāṣjaghāna śilātale |

āpannaṁ saptamaṁ garbhaṁ sā nināyātha rohiṇīm ||2-4-2

kaṁsa killed those śaḍgarbhā-s (first six conceptions) by smashing them against rock. She (yogamāyā) transferred the seventh conception to rohiṇī.

ardharātre sthitaṁ garbhaṁ pātayantī rajasvalā |

nidrayā sahasāviṣṭā papāta dharaṇītale ||2-4-3

rohiṇī, who was in her menstrual period, felt in the midnight that the conception in her (womb) was leaving her (womb). Possessed by Goddess nidrā, she fell on the floor.

sā svapnamiva taṁ dṛṣṭvā sve garbhe garbhamādadhat |

apaśyantī ca tam garbhaṁ muhūrtaṁ vyathitābhavat ||2-4-4

She saw the conception in her womb, as if in a dream. Thereafter it was invisible to her. Hence she became distressed for some time.

tāmāha nidrā saṁvignāṁ naishe tamasi rohiṇīm |

rohiṇīmiva somasya vasudevasya dhīmataḥ ||2-4-5

Then nidrā spoke to plaintive rohiṇī. In the dark of the night, she, the wife of intelligent vasudeva, appeared like rohiṇi, the wife of soma (moon).

karṣaṇenāsya garbhasya svagarbhe cāhitasya vai |

saṁkarṣaṇo nāma sutaḥ śubhe tava bhaviṣyati ||2-4-6

O Auspicious one, the conception in your womb was transferred to you. Hence you will have a son named saṁkarṣaṇa.

sā taṁ putramavāpyaivaṁ hṛṣṭā kiṣchidavāṅmukhā |

vivesha rohiṇī veshma suprabhā rohiṇī yathā ||2-4-7

rohiṇī was joyous knowing that she has obtained that son. Her face bent down with modesty, she went inside the house, like shining rohiṇī (star, wife of moon).

tasya garbhasya mārgeṇa garbhamādhatta devakī |

yadarthaṁ sapta te garbhāḥ kaṁsena vinipātitāḥ ||2-4-8

After her (seventh) conception was aborted, devakī conceived (for the eighth time), for which, kaṁsa had destroyed her seven conceptions.

taṁ tu garbhaṁ prayatnena rarakṣustasya mantriṇaḥ |

so'pyatra garbhavasatau vasatyātmecchayā hariḥ ||2-4-9

The ministers (of kaṁsa) guarded that conception with careful efforts. But then, hari (viṣṇu) was residing in her womb at his self will.

yaśodāpi samādhatta garbhaṁ tadahareva tu |

viṣṇoḥ śarīrajāṁ nidrāṁ viṣṇunirdeśakāriṇīm ||2-4-10

The same day, yaśodā, conceived nidrā who carries out the instructions of viṣṇu and who manifested from viṣṇu's body.