When the sage Narada revealed the prophecy to Kamsa, the wicked king was seized by furious dread. In his rage, he bound his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva, keeping them confined and strictly guarded within his own house. Yet, just as Vasudeva had once promised Kamsa, so too did he now fulfill his word: each time a son was born to Devaki, Vasudeva handed the child over to Kamsa. These six sons, however, were not ordinary children. By the will of Vishnu, the six spirits who had once been the sons of the asura Hiranyakashipu entered Devaki’s womb, drawn there through the mysterious power of sleep, Yoganidra. Yoganidra, the great deluding force of Vishnu, who confounds the world in ignorance, was addressed by the blessed Lord Hari. The Lord spoke to her: “O Sleep, by my command, descend to the lower realms and, one by one, bring these six souls into the womb of Devaki. After Kamsa slays them, a portion of myself—Shesha, the divine serpent—will become the seventh child in her womb, manifesting only partially. At that time, Rohini, Vasudeva’s other wife, will be residing in Gokula. O goddess, you must transfer this embryo from Devaki to Rohini’s womb. Because of the terror and oppression inflicted by Kamsa, people will believe Devaki’s seventh child has been lost in miscarriage. But due to this secret transfer, that noble one, radiant as the peak of the white mountain, will be known in the world as Sankarshana. “Then, I will be born from the auspicious womb of Devaki. But you, O flawless one, must go to Yashoda, carrying my brilliance. On the eighth night of the dark fortnight, in the rainy season, I will be born at night; you will be born to Yashoda on the ninth day. On Yashoda’s bed, I will be placed, and you will be placed by Devaki. Vasudeva, his mind guided by my power, will accomplish this. “Kamsa, thinking you are the child, will seize you, O goddess, and cast you upon the rocky summit of a mountain. There, you will reveal your divine form. Then Indra, the thousand-eyed wielder of the discus, out of reverence for me, will bow to you and accept you as his sister. You will destroy thousands of demons, such as Shumbha and Nishumbha, and you will bless the earth with countless sacred abodes. “You are prosperity, humility, forbearance, beauty, the sky, the earth, steadfastness, modesty, nourishment, and wrath—indeed, whatever exists, you are that. Those who call you Arya, Durga, Vedagarbha, Ambika, Bhadra, Bhadrakali, Kshema-da, or Bhagya-da—these devoted ones, praising you morning and afternoon with bowed heads, will have their desires fulfilled by my grace. When you are worshipped with offerings of liquor, meat, and various foods, you will graciously fulfill the wishes of all people.” Thus instructed by the Lord of gods, Yoganidra, who sustains the world, set about her divine tasks. She arranged the transfer of the embryo from Devaki to Rohini, and the extraction of another. When the seventh month under the star Rohini arrived, Hari himself entered Devaki’s womb, for the welfare of all three worlds. On that very day, as the supreme Lord had declared, Yogamaya entered the womb of Yashoda. At this moment, the planets moved harmoniously in the heavens; the descent of Vishnu’s portion made the seasons auspicious. Devaki, now bearing the Lord within her, shone with such extraordinary radiance that no one could bear to gaze at her—her brilliance disturbed the minds of all who saw her. Invisible to mortals, hosts of gods gathered, ceaselessly praising Devaki, the bearer of Vishnu’s form. They sang: “You are the supreme, subtle nature, the source of Brahma’s creation; you became the speech of the world’s creator, the womb of the Vedas. You are the womb of the sun’s form, the eternal origin of all; you are the seed and the essence of sacrifice, the triple Veda itself. You are the womb of fruit, the object of worship; you are the womb of fire and the arani; you are Aditi, mother of gods, and Diti, mother of demons. You are the womb of light, of day, of knowledge, of humility, of guidance, of supreme conduct; you are modesty and the womb of respect. You are the womb of desire and will, satisfaction and contentment; you are intelligence, the womb of wisdom, fortitude, and courage. You are the womb of planets, stars, and constellations; the sky is your vast support. These are your powers, O goddess, and countless others as well. “O sustainer of the world, all the ornaments of creation—oceans, mountains, islands, forests, cities—are contained within your womb. All villages, hamlets, and settlements, the entire earth, all fires, waters, and every wind are within you. The sky, filled with planets, stars, and hundreds of flying vehicles, is the space in which all exists. The earth, atmosphere, heaven, and the higher worlds—Mahar, Jana, Tapas, and Brahma—all the universe is within you, O auspicious one. Within it dwell gods, demons, gandharvas, charanas, great serpents, yakshas, rakshasas, spirits, and hidden beings. All humans, animals, and other living things—within and without—all are pervaded by the infinite Lord, the creator of all existence. “He whose forms and actions cannot be defined, whose measures are all things—he, O Vishnu, abides within your womb. You are the ether, the sacred svadhā, knowledge, nectar, and the light in the sky; you are svāhā, svadhā, knowledge, nectar, and light. You have descended to earth for the protection of all worlds. “Be gracious, O goddess. Bring auspiciousness and peace to all the world. With loving care, you sustain the Lord, by whom the entire universe is upheld.