Mahabharata – Chapter 1: Krishna's Birth and Early Life

Krishna's Birth and Early Life

In the previous chapter, we saw how Kansa usurped the throne of Mathura by imprisoning his father, Ugrasena. The Earth was burdened with sins, and to protect Dharma, Lord Vishnu decided to incarnate on Earth. The coming chapters are filled with the saga of this wonderful incarnation.

Birth in Mathura Prison

Dense darkness prevailed all around. Silence reigned in the Mathura prison, as if time itself was waiting. It was midnight on the Ashtami tithi of the Krishna Paksha in the month of Bhadrapada. Stars twinkled in the sky, as if eager to witness a wondrous event. Devaki and Vasudeva were anxious; one by one, Kansa had killed their seven children. Their hearts were filled with fear and sorrow, but within them, there was also a ray of hope – the assurance of Lord Vishnu.

"My Lord," Devaki said to Vasudeva, "What misfortune surrounds us? Will we ever experience happiness?" Vasudeva held Devaki's hand and said, "O Devaki, be patient. The divine play of the Lord is immeasurable. He himself has said that He will be born as our eighth child and will end Kansa."

Krishna in Gokul

Exactly at midnight, a wondrous child was born from Devaki's womb. The prison was illuminated with light. A divine aura emanated from the infant's body. Vasudeva saw that the child was in a four-armed form, holding a conch, discus, mace, and lotus in his hands. Vasudeva understood that this was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. At that very moment, the prison gates opened, and the guards fell into a deep sleep. Vasudeva immediately placed the child in a basket and set off towards Gokul.

The Yamuna River was in spate, as if eager to touch Vishnu's feet. Vasudeva began to cross the Yamuna with the child Krishna in the basket. By the Lord's grace, the Yamuna made way for them, and Vasudeva safely reached Gokul. In Gokul, Nanda and Yashoda had no children. Vasudeva placed Krishna in Yashoda's lap and returned to Mathura with their newborn daughter.

Childhood Leelas and the Slaying of Demons

When Kansa received the news of the birth of Devaki's eighth child, he was enraged. He tried to kill the infant girl, but she flew into the sky and said to Kansa, "O fool, the one who will kill you has already been born in Gokul!" Kansa was terrified and sent many demons to kill Krishna. Demons like Putana, Shaktasura, and Trinavarta tried to kill Krishna, but the child Krishna, with his childhood leelas, slew them all.