Who is Krishna?
Who is Krishna Next | Back | Section | Home | Index

Before the time of Krishna's birth an evil king named Kamsa ruled Mathura, a kingdom on the Yamuna River. Kamsa's beautiful and kind sister Devaki had just married Vasudeva; Kamsa, Devaki and Vasudeva rode through the streets of Mathura in the marriage chariot when Kamsa received a prophecy:

"..A voice in the atmosphere, deep-sounding and rumbling like the clouds, spoke aloud, 'Fool! You will be robbed of your life by the eighth embryo of that woman you are carrying in your chariot along with her spouse!' Giving ear to this Kamsa unsheathed his sword and threatened Devaki, whereupon Vasudeva spoke up, 'Don't kill Devaki, o blameless lord! I will deliver over to you each embryo that arises in her womb." (Dimmit & van Buitenen, 1978:106)

To ensure that this promise was kept, Kamsa imprisoned Devaki and her husband Vasudeva in the deepest level of the darkest dungeon of his palace. Here they began their new life together as husband and wife. Meanwhile the Earth herself went to beg for help from Brahma and all the gods. Praising the gods and giving them offerings, she begged for them to intervene. It was Vishnu who responded to her prayers. Removing two hairs from his head, one black and one white, Vishnu said:

"These two hairs of mine will descend to earth and remove the painful burden of the world....One of my hairs, O Gods, will become the eighth embryo in the womb of the divine Devaki, Vasudeva's wife. Descending on earth in this form, it will destroy Kalanemi who has been reborn as Kamsa."(Dimmit & van Buitenen, 1978: 107)

"...Devaki bore in her womb the god with the lotus eyes, savior of the world. On the day of his birth...virtuous people were satisfied, fierce winds grew calm, and the rivers ran clear when Krishna was born. The oceans made sweet music with their waves while the lords of the Gandharvas sang and bevies of Apsarases danced. Gods in the heaven rained showers of flowers upon earth and smokeless fires blazed up afresh when Krishna was born. rainclouds rumbled softly, pouring down showers of blossoms, O brahmin, midway throught the night when Krishna, support of all was born. When his father, Vasudeva, saw his son born with four arms, pure as the petal of a blue lotus blossom, and with the srivatsa whorl on his chest, he celebrated him with song." (Dimmit & van Buitenen, 1978:107-8)

Despite their joy, Devaki and Vasudeva still faced the terrible problem of how to save their son from King Kamsa, who had killed each of their seven children in turn on the day after their birth. Praying to Vishnu, they devised a plan to exchange Krishna for a daughter born across the Yamuna river to the cowherd Nanda and his wife Yashoda.