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BIRTH OF SHRI KRISHNA [part one]

BIRTH OF SHRI KRISHNA [part one]

In the country named India, in the modern day state of Uttar Pradesh stands a little town near the river Yamuna. it is known as - Mathura, a holy city. it is the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Nearly 5,000 years ago, Mathura was under the rule of a tyrannical king named Kamsa. Kamsa was so greedy and cunning that he not even spared his father Ugrasena; having imprisoned him kamsa declared himself to be the King of Mathura. Ugrasena was a nice ruler, and Kamsa was just the opposite. It was a trying time for the commoners of Mathura to put up with Kamsa's extravagance and unfair rule. above all this, Kamsa locked his horns time and again with the rulers of the Yadu dynasty which led to frequent wars and troubled the peace-loving citizens of Mathura.

But soon a happy news came. Crown princess Devaki was getting married to King Vasudev of the Yadus. The Mathura citizens welcomed the wedding, for it surely meant that Kamsa's frequent wars with the Yadu dynasty would come to an end.

Soon the much-awaited day arrived. Mathura wore a festive look. Everyone was in festive spirits. Even the usually desolate citizens of Mathura were looking happy. and that was a great thing to see, since the people of Mathura did not smile often. How cold they, with such an awful king like Kamsa to guide them.

Soon, Devaki was married to King Vasudev. Kamsa, cunning as he was, thought, "Now, Vasudev's kingdom is as good as mine".

After the wedding, he decided to drive the royal couple home himself to shower on them a kingly courtesy as was prevalent in those days. But it so happened that as soon as Kamsa took the reins of the wedding chariot, a divine voice thundered from the sky," Evil Kamsa, you don't know it. But know now that by giving Devaki's hand to Vasudev, you have signed your own death warrant. The eighth son born to Vasudev and Devaki will kill you!"

Hearing this, Kamsa froze with fear. But then he became angry. He immediately thought of killing Devaki for he thought, "How can a child be born when the mother is dead?" So he drew out his sword and raised it to kill Devaki.

King Vasudev was horrified at this cruelty and fell on his knees. "O Kamsa.." he begged, "...please don't kill your sister. I shall personally surrender to you all the children she gives birth to, so that the voice of the Oracle doesn't come true."

The evil king vacillated. "Then you will live in my palace as prisoners," he declared and Vasudev had no choice than accepting his verdict. Kamsa smiled happily. The one person he loved in the whole wide world was his sister and he decided to spare her life. He was content at the thought that the situation was under his control. After all, he was not going to let her children live, was he?

Kamsa confined Devaki and her husband King Vasudev in the palace dungeons and kept them under constant watch. Every time Devaki gave birth to a child in the dungeons, Kamsa destroyed the child. In this manner, he killed seven children born to Devaki. He turned a deaf ear to all the heart- rending cries of his sister.

Nine years passed before Devaki got pregnant for the eighth time. Kamsa, troubled by the fear of his possible death, lost his appetite and slept poorly at night. But he waited for the birth of his nemesis with murderous thoughts.

In the palace dungeons, Vasudev was trying his best to console his wife, but Devaki was terrified." My eighth child will be born in a day," she wailed. "And my cruel brother will kill this one too. Oh mighty Gods, please save my child!"

The night soon ended and the next day arrived. Devaki spent most of the day in tears. Dusk gave way to a terrible night as had not been seen earlier in Mathura. It seemed that the whole world understood Devaki's mind and joined her in mourning for the unborn child. The winds howled angrily and skies seemed to have split apart to pour wrathful rains.

Suddenly there was pin drop silence. And then it was broken by the sound of the cry of a divine child. It was of the eighth child, a son, born to Queen Devaki at midnight in the prison.

As soon the child was born, the prison was filled with a dazzling, blinding light. Devaki fainted at the sight and Vasudev was mesmerized. The light converged into a sphere and the same voice of the Oracle that scared Kamsa, now spoke to Vasudev:

"Take this child across the River Yamuna to the Gokul kingdom, ruled by your friend King Nanda. His wife Queen Yashoda has just given birth to a daughter. Exchange your son for this girl child and return to the prison immediately, before anyone comes to know about the birth of this child."

Without a word, he new father picked up his son to follow the Oracle's advice. He felt grieved to separate the newborn child from his mother but he knew that there was no other way he could save his son.

Vasudev also felt very doubtful. There were a hundred soldiers waiting outside. And it was a dark, fearsome night. How could he go out, unnoticed and unscathed?

But what he saw astonished him greatly. All his questions were answered one by one. As he approached the gate with the child in his arms, the prison doors opened automatically. He came out slowly to find to his utter surprise that all the guards were in a state of hypnotic sleep.