yuvāḿ na naḥ sutau sākṣāt
pradhāna-puruṣeśvarau
bhū-bhāra-kṣatra-kṣapaṇa
avatīrṇau tathāttha ha
yuvam -- You two; na -- not; nah -- our; sutau -- sons; sakshat -- directly; pradhana-purusha -- of nature and its creator (Maha-Vishnu); isvarau -- the supreme controllers; bhu -- of the earth; bhara -- the burden; kshatra -- royalty; kshapane -- for eradicating; avatirnau -- descended; tatha -- so; attha -- You have said; ha -- indeed.
You are not our sons but the very Lords of both material nature and its creator [Maha-Vishnu]. As You Yourself have told us, You have descended to rid the earth of the rulers who are a heavy burden upon her.
According to Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti, in this verse Vasudeva offers himself and his wife as excellent examples of those who are materially deluded. Although at the time of His birth in Kamsa's prison Lord Krishna told Vasudeva and Devaki that His mission was to rid the earth of unwanted kshatriyas, still His two parents could not avoid thinking of Him as their helpless son who needed protection from King Kamsa. In reality, of course, both Vasudeva and Devaki were participating in the divine pastime of the Lord's birth under the perfect direction of His internal energy; only out of transcendental humility does Vasudeva criticize himself in this way.
