........but in order to play the role of a child He agreed to be carried by His father to the cow pastures of Nanda Maharaja because Vasudeva was afraid of Kamsa.

S.B. 3/2/26

Srimad Bhagavatam Canto Three Chapter Two Verse Twenty Six  S.B. 3/2/26

                        tato nanda-vrajam itah
                        pitra kamsad vibibhyata
                          ekadasa samas tatra
                       gudharcih sa-balo 'vasat

tatah--thereafter; nanda-vrajam--cow pastures of Nanda Maharaja; itah--being brought up; pitra--by His father; kamsat--from Kamsa; vibibhyata--being afraid of; ekadasa--eleven; samah--years; tatra--therein; gudha-arcih--covered fire; sa-balah--with Baladeva; avasat--resided.

                              TRANSLATION

     Thereafter, His father, being afraid of Kamsa, brought Him to the cow pastures of Maharaja Nanda, and there He lived for eleven years like a covered flame with His elder brother, Baladeva.

                                PURPORT

     There was no necessity of the Lord's being dispatched to the house of Nanda Maharaja out of fear of Kamsa's determination to kill Him as soon as He appeared. It is the business of the asuras to try to kill the Supreme Personality of Godhead or to prove by all means that there is no God or that Krsna is an ordinary human being and not God. Lord Krsna is not affected by such determination of men of Kamsa's class, but in order to play the role of a child He agreed to be carried by His father to the cow pastures of Nanda Maharaja because Vasudeva was afraid of Kamsa. Nanda Maharaja was due to receive Him as his child, and Yasodamayi was also to enjoy the childhood pastimes of the Lord, and therefore to fulfill everyone's desire, He was carried from Mathura to Vrndavana just after His appearance in the prison house of Kamsa. He lived there for eleven years and completed all His fascinating pastimes of childhood, boyhood and adolescence with His elder brother, Lord Baladeva, His first expansion. Vasudeva's thought of protecting Krsna from the wrath of Kamsa is part of a transcendental relationship. The Lord enjoys more when someone takes Him as his subordinate son who needs the protection of a father than He does when someone accepts Him as the Supreme Lord. He is the father of everyone, and He protects everyone, but when His devotee takes it for granted that the Lord is to be protected by the devotee's care, it is a transcendental joy for the Lord. Thus when Vasudeva, out of fear of Kamsa, carried Him to Vrndavana, the Lord enjoyed it; otherwise, He had no fear from Kamsa or anyone else.