The birth of Krishna
is in itself a transcendental phenomenon that generates awe among the
Hindus and overwhelms one and all with its supra mundane happenings.
Mother
Earth, unable to bear the burden of sins committed by evil kings and
rulers, appealed to Brahma, the Creator for help. Brahma prayed to the
Supreme Lord Vishnu, who assured him that he would soon be born on earth
to annihilate tyrannical forces.
One such evil force
was Kamsa, the ruler of Mathura (in northern India) and his people were
utterly terrified of him. On the day Kamsa's sister Devaki was married
off to Vasudeva, an akashvani or voice from the sky was heard
prophesying that Devaki's 8th son would be the destroyer of Kamsa. The
frightened Kamsa immediately unsheathed his sword to kill his sister but
Vasudeva intervened and implored Kamsa to spare his bride, and promised
to hand over every new born child to him. Kamsa relented but imprisoned
both Devaki and her husband Vasudeva.
When Devaki gave
birth to her first child, Kamsa came to the prison cell and slaughtered
the newborn. In this way, he killed the first six sons of Devaki. Even
before her 8th child was born, Devaki and Vasudeva started lamenting its
fate and theirs. Then suddenly Lord Vishnu appeared before them and
said he himself was coming to rescue them and the people of Mathura. He
asked Vasudeva to carry him to the house of his friend, the cowherd
chief Nanda in Gokula right after his birth, where Nanda's wife Yashoda
had given birth to a daughter.
He was to exchange his
boy and bring Yashoda's baby daughter back to the prison. Vishnu assured
them that "nothing shall bar your path".At midnight on ashtami,
the divine baby was born in Kamsa's prison. Remembering the divine
instructions, Vasudeva clasped the child to his bosom and started for
Gokula, but found that his legs were in chains. He jerked his legs and
was unfettered! The massive iron-barred doors unlocked and opened up.
While
crossing river Yamuna, Vasudeva held his baby high over his head. The
rain fell in torrents and the river was in spate. But the water made way
for Vasudeva and miraculously a five-mouthed snake followed him from
behind and provided shelter over the baby.
When
Vasudeva reached Gokula, he found the door of Nanda's house open. He
exchanged the babies and hurried back to the prison of Kamsa with the
baby girl. Early in the morning, all the people at Gokula rejoiced the
birth of Nanda's beautiful male child. Vasudeva came back to Mathura and
as he entered, the doors of the prison closed themselves.
When
Kamsa came to know about the birth, he rushed inside the prison and
tried to kill the baby. But this time it skipped from his hand and
reaching the sky. She was transformed into the goddess Yogamaya, who
told Kamsa: "O foolish! What will you get by killing me? Your nemesis is
already born somewhere else."
In his youth Krishna
killed Kamsa along with all his cruel associates, liberated his parents
from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.
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