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Narayaneeyam Dasakam: 42 -- Slaying of Sakatasura
In his previous life Sakatasura was born in the Caksusa Manvantara as tha son of Hiranyaksa ana was name Utkatca He had the body of a giant and was extremely powerful. In order to give vent to his strength he would sometimes go to harass Lomasá muni á great sage by uprooting and scattering the trees near his ashrama.
One day after doing his mischief Utkatcá insolently approached the muni and towering over him sneered contemptuously Infuriated by this arrogant display of defiance Lomasá muni addressed him sternly: "O fool, because your intelligence is diseased you erroneously think that you can vandalize and defile my asramá with impunity considering me á helpless old man and nothing more Because you have so grieviously abused the facility of physical form I curse you to henceforth become á ghost." As á serpent leaves its skin Utkatcá immediately vacated his body. As he found himself floating in the ether he became very astonished. With á new found respect and repentant heart he humbly submitted himself at the feet of the sage saying: "O best of the rsis. O ocean of mercy kindly be compassionate to me. Until now I was completely unaware of your potency. I beg you to allow me to enter my body again."
In his lifetime Lomasá muni had seen 10 Brahmas come and go. If the curse of such a person is in itself a benediction then what to speak of his blessing!
Seeing the demon's change of heart Lomasá muni relented somewhat saying: "You must remain in this subtle form until the present 6th manvantará is finished. Then in the following Vaivasvatá Manvantara, at the end of the 28th Dvapará yuga the Supreme Personality of Godhead Lord Krsna wilì manifest His earthly pastimes. At that time you will be liberated when He kills you with á strike of His lotus foot."As fortold by Lomasá muni Utkatcá became Sakatasurá in Krisná Lila and was sent byu Kamsá to kill the Lord.
"When Sri Krsna was only three months old and was just trying to turn backside up, before He even attempted to crawl, mother Yasoda wanted to observe a ritualistic ceremony with her friends for the good fortune of the child. Such a ritualistic ceremony is generally performed with ladies who also have small children.
When mother Yasoda saw that Krsna was falling asleep, because of other engagements she put the child underneath a household cart, called sakata, and while the child was sleeping, she engaged herself in other business pertaining to the auspicious ritualistic ceremony. Underneath the cart was a cradle, and mother Yasoda placed the child in that cradle. Because ghosts drift helplessly when in open air they try to occupy some place where the air is not moving when they wish to remain stationary. Considering this, as soon as Sakatasurá had spotted baby Krsná lying underneath á heavy cart, he entered it in his ethereal body and caused it to collapse violently on the Lord The child was sleeping, but suddenly He awakened and, as usual for a child, began to kick His small legs. This kicking shook the cart, which collapsed with a great sound, breaking completely and spilling all its contents.
At once Krishná kicked the dismantled cart and thus Sakatasurá was immediately freed from his subtle body Attaining his spiritual form he spontaneously offered his obeisances to the Lord Children who were playing nearby immediately informed mother Yasoda that the cart had broken, and therefore she hastily arrived there in great anxiety with the other gopis. Mother Yasoda immediately took the child on her lap and allowed Him to suck her breast. Then various types of Vedic ritualistic ceremonies were performed with the help of the brahmanas. Not knowing the real identity of the child, the brahmanas showered the child with blessings." .