Neither the burning heat of summers nor the torrential downpours of rain disturbed the steadfastness of the couple’s penance.
Sutapa, the son of Brahma, and his wife Prishni were assigned as progenitors. Their duty was to populate the world. Yet they desired to have no child but one identical to Sriman Narayana. Just to obtain such a child, they performed rigorous penance for thousands of years.
At last, Sriman Narayana himself appeared before them. The delighted couple expressed their desire. “Lord, we wish to have a child just like you.”
Narayana was pleased with their dedication and blessed them thrice. He agreed to grant their wish. There was only one catch. Who in this world could be like Sriman Narayana but himself? So, the Lord himself was born to Prishni and Sutapa as Prishnigarbha.
During the couple’s next birth, Sriman Narayana was again born to them as Vamana.
After that, the couple was born as Devaki and Vasudeva in the city of Mathura. Because Sriman Narayana had blessed them thrice, He was born to them for the third time as Sri Krishna.
This story is narrated in the tenth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam by Sriman Narayana to Devaki and Vasudeva.
