Story of Krishna

Pre-birth Background

About 5,000 years ago, the King Ugrasena was ruling over the Mathura (Northern part of Bharat). King Ugrasena had two children: Prince Kamsa and Princess Devaki. Meanwhile, in the kingdom of King Ugrasena, there was internal conflict. King Ugrasena was a good king, but Prince Kamsa was an unjust and tyrannical ruler. Prince Kamsa wanted to take over his father’s throne because he wanted power. He threw King Ugrasena into prison and became king of Mathura. No one in the kingdom was happy when Kamsa was king. Mother Earth who saw this danger, took the form of a cow and went to Brahma, with her problem. Brahma brought Vishnu, who told Mother Earth not to worry because he would take birth as Krishna to end Kamsa’s evil rule.

Even though Kamsa was an evil person, he loved his sister very much. He married his sister, Princess Devaki, to the prince of the Yadu dynasty, Prince Vasudeva. After the wedding, Kamsa drove the newlyweds to their palace in the royal chariot. On the way, a divine voice from the heavens boomed. It was a sky prophecy, which informed Kamsa that the eighth child of Vasudeva and Devaki would be his slayer. The sky prophecy said, “Kamsa! Devaki’s eighth child will kill you and end your tyrannical rule!”

Kamsa was scared of what might happen if the prophecy was true and did not want to take any chances. In rage, Kamsa drew his sword to kill Devaki so she could not have children. But Vasudeva came between them and begged Kamsa to stop. It was his duty to protect Devaki as her husband. He also promised that he would personally give Kamsa each child born to him and Devaki. Kamsa too didn’t want to kill his beloved sister and so he agreed. Kamsa’s rage went away, but to make sure they kept their promise, he locked Vasudeva and Devaki in the dungeon with guards everywhere.

Soon, Devaki gave birth to her first child. Kamsa originally only wanted to kill the eighth child, but his associates told him to kill all the children. When the guards informed Kamsa of the birth of the child, he came and killed it. Every time Devaki gave birth, Kamsa’s men would tell him and he would do the same thing. Six of Devaki and Vasudeva’s children died this way. They were very sad while Kamsa was waiting for the seventh and eighth child.  

While Devaki was pregnant with her seventh child, Vasudeva’s second wife Rohini came to visit them. Lord Vishnu, using his Maya, transferred Devaki’s child into Rohini’s womb, and Rohini was able to leave the prison without anyone knowing what had happened. Later, Devaki and Vasudeva told Kamsa that the baby had died before it was born, while Rohini raised the seventh child child, named Balarama, safely in Gokul (a place near Mathura).