Pasuram 6.4.5

Tamil text and transliteration:

வேண்டித் தேவர் இரக்க வந்து பிறந்ததும் வீங்கு இருள்வாய்-
பூண்டு அன்று அன்னைப் புலம்ப போய் அங்கு ஓர் ஆய்க்குலம் புக்கதும்
காண்டல் இன்றி வளர்ந்து கஞ்சனைத் துஞ்ச வஞ்சம் செய்ததும்,
ஈண்டு நான் அலற்றப்பெற்றேன் எனக்கு என்ன இகல் உளதே?

vēṇṭit tēvar irakka vantu piṟantatum vīṅku iruḷvāy-
pūṇṭu aṉṟu aṉṉaip pulampa pōy aṅku ōr āykkulam pukkatum
kāṇṭal iṉṟi vaḷarntu kañcaṉait tuñca vañcam ceytatum,
īṇṭu nāṉ alaṟṟappeṟṟēṉ eṉakku eṉṉa ikal uḷatē?

English translation of verse 6.4.5:

Full-throated do I recount, right here, the deeds golden,
Of my Lord Who incarnated (as Kṛṣṇa) at Devas’ request,
And to set at naught the mother’s fears did retreat.
Under cover of night, into the shepherd clan and hidden
From enemies grew, outwitted Kañcaṉ and him did slay;
Is there for me any want that needs to be allayed?

Notes

(i) The Lord's incarnation is ostensibly at the request of the Devas but intrinsically to fulfil His own urge to mingle freely with the devout, over here, and feed them with His exquisite charm and exhilarating traits—the ‘Sādhu paritrāṇāṃ’ (Sustenance of the devout), in its true sense.

(ii) King Kaṃsa, simulating affection for Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, his nephews, invited them to attend the festival of archery so that they could be vanquished by the one or the other agency, set up by him for the purpose and then openly bemoan their loss, to avoid public suspicion. But, alas! he was outwitted by the Omniscient Kṛṣṇa, who was well aware of Kaṃsa’s nefarious designs on Him, and put an end to him and his evil intentions.

(iii) Having lost all the earlier babes, right at emergence from her womb, Devaki caught hold of the Divine Babe’s feet and begged of Him, both, out of maternal love and fear of the tyrant of a brother (Kaṃsa), to retreat elsewhere and remain safe.