In the seat of Hari, the sacred city of Mathura on the Jumnā, Vāsudeva
in love and humbleness took unto himself Devaki as bride, who by all was
known as the most holy and virtuous maiden of that land.
Pear unto the heart of her brother, the Prince of Mathura, she was, and
beloved among his people and among all women because of the purity of
her heart and the sweetness of her face. To show to all the world his
love for her, the prince himself, in proud fondness, drove the
marriage-car of his little sister princess and the new brother-in-law,
who, by right of great wisdom, a Pundit of high standing among the
learned was.
Gentle was the new bridegroom, even as he was wise. Fond glances of love
he cast upon the radiant face of the young princess, and from all sides
the blessings fell from the lips of the populace on the sweet bride, the
learned bridegroom, and the gallant prince who held the reins because of
his love for them both.
But lo! in the span of a moment all was changed, for a voice there was
which seemed to come out of space: "O thou fool! Why, even he for whom
in pride and love thou dost hold the reins to her marriage-car, even she
shall bear the child in her womb who shall sweep thy life from off the
earth. Her son, the eighth, shall be the cause of thy death."
The reins dropped from the hands of the prince, and, springing to his
feet, he caught the young bride by the hair as if to slay her, but was
arrested by Vāsudeva, who cried, "O prince! Noble wast thou ever, and
ill would it be for thee to slay thy sister on the eve of her marriage.
It is not for thee to take life, O King, thou who canst not give it.
Death must come, but let it not be by thy hand, O prince, nor yet before
her time. Take not the life of her who is thy sister and thereby stain
the heritage of virtue such as has been ascribed unto thee.
"Listen to the words of wisdom that have come to us from the sages,
without whom all life a desert would be. Well thou knowest that a man's
actions do follow him from body to body even as in walking he leaveth
the imprint of each step behind the other, yet with each step doth he
carry the dust on his feet from the ground whereon he did walk.
"Man hath many existences, each one portraying a character which is the
outcome of his past self. As the present is the fulfilment of the
threatening past, so man is the unfoldment and fulfilment of his
previous existences.
"So seek not to blacken thy soul by the slaying of one of thine own
blood, but seek rather to add new glory to thy light by preserving her
who, all guiltless, thou dost seek to slay. Heap not thou upon thyself a
dark and evil Karma to confront thee and blight thee in thy other lives.
"It is but the chill breath of suspicion and the dread tremor of fear
that surges heavy and dark through thy mind. Be warned by me, O prince;
desist from thy unjust act and speedily thy heart shall glow again,
warmed by the embers of hope. A man too fearful of threatening danger,
in torment of that danger ever dwelleth. Even calamity may be turned
aside by the smile of distrust, and fatality may forget thee quite while
passing thy door.
"But when the soil of thy heart has been made fertile for fear, be sure
its seed therein will thrive, finding sustenance for sprouting and its
fruit it will bear.
"Stand valiant, O prince, and be not like the timorous woman who runneth
away from the shadow of danger but to flee into the arms of the foe. Thy
Karma that counteth up the reckonings cannot be cheated. So be not, O
prince, of timid heart; and each son that cometh from the womb of thy
sister, Devaki, shall be given to thee."
Listening to the wise counsels of Vāsudeva, the prince gave over his mad
desire to slay his sister with his own hand, and the newly wedded ones
proceeded to the home of Vāsudeva.