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Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 1: Verses 40-49
As indeed a walking man paces forward with another leg while sticking to the earth by one leg or even as a caterpillar leaves a blade of grass (only) when it has caught hold of another, so does the embodied soul, following the course of its destiny, leave the former body only when it has caught hold of another. Just as a man in a dream state or one whose mind is entirely possessed with a longing and who is contemplating on the object of his desire with a mind coloured by that which has (either) been (actually) perceived (by him in his waking life) or heard of, visualizes a corresponding conceptual form (of the kind actually seen or heard of by him) and (unconsciously) comes to identify himself with it, and (forthwith) indeed forgets his (living) body, so does the embodied soul quit the previous body on attaining a new one.
Identifying itself with that (particular) body out of the (numberless) material bodies (which are nothing but the five elements) moulded (into diverse forms) by Maya (the creative energy of the Lord)-which his mind, consisting of (various) ideas and impelled by destiny, flows towards and clings to, the embodied soul passes into that very form along with the mind. Even as the sun or the moon, with which we are so familiar, when reflected in earthen vessels full of water, appears as shaking due to the force of the wind (though not actually shaking), so does the soul, entering through attachment the material forms brought forth by its own ignorance, gets deluded (seized with the fear of death and so on). As such (i.e., inevitably exposed to the fear of death), the embodied soul, seeking after its own welfare, should not therefore do wrong to anyone; for there is fear to the wrong-doer from others (viz., from the individual wronged, its kith and kin and the god of retribution).
This younger cousin of yours is a (mere) helpless girl and is like a daughter to you.
You ought not (therefore) to kill this girl, who has just gone through the auspicious nuptial rites, kind as you are to the helpless. Sri Suka went on: Even though admonished through conciliatory words and those inspiring fear as aforesaid, Kamsa, who was heartless (by nature) and followed the ways of ogres (besides), did not desist (from his purpose), 0 Pariksit (a scion of Kuru)! Perceiving such obstinacy of his (in the matter of slaying Devaki) and contemplating how to avert her imminent death, Anakadundubhi (Vasudeva) resolved upon the following expedient in that behalf. (47) (He said to himself,) "Death should be warded off by a wise man so long as his reason and might are intact. If, however, death does not turn back there is nothing wrong on the part of the embodied soul. Promising to hand over sons (that may be born to Devaki) to Kamsa (who is death personified), I ought to rescue this helpless girl and I shall have to forgo my sons only in case they are actually born (hereafter) and provided Kamsa (himself) does not expire (in the meantime).
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