Sri Krishna, the Lord of Gopis, the charioteer of Arjuna, the destroyer of sins, the teacher of mankind, Lord of Lakshmi, beloved of Rukmini, Radha and Satyabhama, who is an embodiment of Bliss, who is the Universe itself and who bore the Govardhana hill on the tip of His little finger.
Bhudevi was very much oppressed by the burden of several Asuras in the form of haughty kings. Therefore she sought refuge in Brahma. Brahma said, “Lord Narayana is going to incarnate in the house of Vasudeva as Krishna. Adisesha will be born as his elder brother to do service to him.
The celestial women also will be born in the world to serve Him. The sages will take the form of cows. You will not be troubled any more. Lord Krishna will punish the wicked and establish Dharma.” Kamsa imprisoned his father Ugrasena, the king of the Yadus, the Bhojas and the Andhakas. He himself reigned over the kingdom. He with the support of Jarasandha, the Magadha king, his father-in-law, oppressed the Yadus. The demon chiefs Baka, Chanura, Dhenuka, Putana, Kesi, Bana, Bhauma, Pralamba, Trinavarta, Mahasena, Mushtika, Arishta and Dvivida also helped Kamsa.
In the city of Mathura a king named Surasena reigned over the kingdom of Surasena. He was the chief of the Yadus. On one occasion in that city, Vasudeva, the son of Sura, ascended his chariot as bridegroom with his bride Devaki. For the procession, Kamsa the son of Ugrasena and brother of Devaki drove the chariot to please his sister.
On the way an aerial voice said to Kamsa, “Oh fool! The eighth child of Devaki, your sister whom you are taking, will kill you.” At once the wicked Kamsa caught his sister by the hair and tried to kill her with the sword in his hand.
Vasudeva pacified Kamsa and spoke to him in sweet words, “O Kamsa! You are praised by the warriors. You will have to bring glory to the Bhojas. You are a great hero. How can you kill a woman and that too your sister, during the marriage occasion. This is not a proper act. This will bring great disgrace and sin on you. Be not afraid of the aerial voice. I will surrender to you all the children from whom the fear arises.”
Kamsa desisted from his wicked act. Vasudeva praised him and reached his palace.
The six children of Devaki were killed by Kamsa. Kamsa put fetters for Devaki and Vasudeva. The seventh conception was that of a ray of Ananta. This was the boy Sankarshana, so called from his being drawn away from Devaki’s womb.
The Lord ordered Yoga Maya, His own Sakti and said, “O blessed Devi! Go to the hamlet Vraja in Nanda Gokula. There lives Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva. There is Adisesha my own Amsa (partial Avatara) in Devaki’s womb. Take him away and place him in Rohini’s womb. I will be born as the son of Devaki. You must be born in the womb of Yasoda, the wife of Nanda.”
Yoga Maya agreed and went to the earth and acted accordingly. The all-pervading Lord entered the mind of Vasudeva in full form. Devaki shone with the holy spirit of the universal Lord imparted mentally by Vasudeva. Vasudeva and Devaki did severe penance in their former lives to have Krishna as their child. Kamsa was more watchful at the eighth time. He kept Devaki and Vasudeva under close custody. Krishna was born in the prison house. Kamsa saw divine splendour in the face of his sister, as she was filled with the holy presence of the Lord. He thought within himself: “Hari, the destroyer of my life has already entered her. What could I do now in this emergency? The great Lord will surely fulfil his resolve. The murder of a woman and that too of a sister in confinement, will certainly destroy my fame, prosperity and life.” He desisted from his fierce resolve of killing his sister. He harboured intense hatred for the Lord. While sitting or lying down or standing or eating or walking or drinking, his mind was on the Lord. He saw the whole world as pervaded by the Lord. He developed devotion through hatred (Vaira Bhakti).
Brahma with Rudra, and Rishis like Narada, and Devas came and praised the God in the womb, “O Hari! By Thy Avatara the burden of this Bhudevi is removed. O Blessed Mother Devaki! the supreme Lord has incarnated in you for our glory and well-being and the welfare of this world at large. Your son will become a Saviour. Kamsa will be destroyed soon. Fear not.”
Then the auspicious hour came. The star Rohini was shining. It was Vijaya Muhurta. The elements were extremely pleasant at the birth of Krishna. Winds were blowing auspiciously. The stars were shining with lustre. The lakes were filled with lotuses. Lord Krishna incarnated at midnight on this earth. The gods played divine music. The Kinnaras and Gandharvas sang. Siddhas and Charanas praised. The Vidyadharas (various grades of celestial beings) danced along with Apsaras, sages and Devas. There was a rain of flowers from the heavens in joy. Vishnu incarnated with lotus eyes, with four hands, armed with conch, disc, mace and lotus, with the diamond Kausthuba, with the mark Srivatsa adorning the chest, wearing silk Pitambara, with ear ornaments made of diamonds, with the crown made of several emeralds, with bracelets in the lower and upper arms and valuable waist-string. Vasudeva saw this marvel of a divine child.
Vasudeva praised Him, “Thou art known to me already as the Supreme Being. Thou art an embodiment of knowledge and bliss. Thou art seated in the hearts of all beings. Thou art the witness of the minds of all. Thou art beyond Maya and Avidya.”
Devaki beheld marks of Vishnu on her son and praised Him, “Thou art beginningless, Omnipresent, self-luminous, attributeless, changeless and actionless. Thou art the source and place of dissolution for everything. Kindly do not show me this form with four hands. Let me see you as an ordinary child. Withdraw this divine transcendental form. We are afraid of Kamsa.”
The Lord said, “Let both of you often meditate with love on Me as a son and as the Supreme
Being as you will obtain eternal bliss and immortality.”
The Lord assumed the form of a handsome baby through the power of his own Maya. The Lord said, “If you are afraid of Kamsa, then take me to Gokula and bring my Maya that is born there of Yasoda immediately.” Vasudeva took the baby and came out. The sentries became stupefied under the influence of Lord’s Maya and the people were all asleep. The doors which were locked, opened of their own accord. There was gentle rain. Adisesha spread forth his hoods like an umbrella to ward off rain. The deep Yamuna which was in floods with strong currents, made way for Vasudeva. Vasudeva placed the child near the bed of Yasoda and took the female baby from there; he returned back to his prison-house and placed this Maya child near Devaki and put on his fetters as before on his legs.
The sentries ran and told Kamsa of the birth of the child for Devaki. Kamsa soon got up from his bed, repaired to the place where Devaki was confined, and entered the room in which she was lying. The helpless Devaki told Kamsa, “O Kamsa! This child is your niece. It is not proper for you to kill a female child.” Kamsa threatened his sister and seized the child by her hands and dashed it on a stone.
The child slipped from his hands and rose high up into the sky. It was seen as the sister of Vishnu with eight hands. She was wearing the divine garland and robes and ornaments and adorned with the bow, trident, knife, conch, disc and mace. She was praised by the Siddhas, Gandharvas and Kinnaras.
She said, “O fool! What benefit are you going to derive by killing me? He who is going to take your life is born elsewhere. He is your old enemy. Do not hurt in vain these helpless persons, Devaki, Vasudeva and other children.”
Kamsa was struck with wonder when he heard the words of the child. He released Devaki and Vasudeva and told them in humility, “O blessed souls! Though I have killed your children, do not be afflicted at heart. People reap the fruits of their Karmas in spite of themselves. I do not know what fate awaits me after death.” He released them from their fetters. Kamsa called his counsellors and told them all that Goddess Maya had spoken. The Ministers said, “If it be so, O king of Bhoja, we will kill all children whether ten days old or not,”
On the birth of his son, Nanda became very happy. At Gokula, Nanda performed the birth ceremony of his son with great pomp. He invited Veda-knowing Brahmins and performed the natal sacrament and worship of the ancestors and Gods in the prescribed manner. His gifts knew no bounds. The Brahmanas uttered their blessings. The musicians and bards sang. The houses of Vraja were decorated with flags and festoons. The houses were swept well and sprinkled with fragrant water. The Gopas put on valuable clothes, coats and turbans, and assembled in Nanda’s house with various presents in their hands.
The Gopis mixed saffron powder and oil and applied it to the child and sang delightful songs about the child, blessing him with long life. They decorated themselves with dress, ornaments and collyrium. They sprinkled each other with water mixed with turmeric powder. From that very day, the Vrajas of Nanda reached the height of prosperity in every respect.
The birth day of lord Krishna called Janmastaimi.
Krishna killed Kamsa in his youth along with all his cruel associates, liberated his parents from prison, and reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathura.
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