It is always fascinating to know and learn about the ‘blue god’ Krishna. A god who is criticized by and loved by many. Krishna was a playful child whose birth was really miraculous. Every child needs parents to take care of and to have fun with. More than that, they need uncles and aunts. But what if the uncle is pure evil and wants to kill his own nephew? It is heartbreaking to know that Kansa, the uncle of Krishna, wants to kill an innocent child. A mother always protects her children from harm. Yashoda did justice for being a mother.
Kansa: A human or an asura?
Kansa, the son of Ugrasena and queen Padmavati, is the king of Madura, who is also mentioned as an asura in Hindu literature. A wicked king who imprisoned his own father and installed himself as the king of Madura. Despite his hatred towards his father, Kansa poured his love on his sister Devaki. But what happened on the special day of Devaki’s life had turned Kansa’s love into loathing.
Prophecy about Krishna’s birth
On the wonderful occasion of Devaki and Vasudeva’s marriage, this miracle happened. The beloved brother Kansa was driving the chariot with Devaki and her husband Vasudeva. Kansa has given more gold, wealth, and two hundred servants to his sister. This shows his love for his sister. But that love turned upside down when he learned that his life was in danger. Suddenly, everything was quiet and strange. There comes an (Asareeri) divine voice, which says, “Kansa, you will be killed by the eighth son of your sister Devaki.” Kansa got furious and tried to kill his sister Devaki. Vasudeva, the beloved of Devaki, pleaded with him to spare her life, and he promised that he would give all eight children to Kansa. Kansa agreed; even though he agreed to it, Kansa was afraid, and he wanted to put them up in prison, and he did so.
Birth and Death of Children
Devaki and Vasudeva were locked up in a cell, and they were tied with iron chains. Soon, Devaki got pregnant, and she gave birth to a baby boy. Vasudeva took the baby to Kansa. But he said that he doesn’t want the first child; he wants only the eighth child. Vasudeva happily returned, but his happiness was snatched away quickly from him due to ‘Naratha’s play.’
Naratha is an evil-minded man who can persuade everyone with his words. He coaxed Kansa that if you let all the kids live, there are chances for you to be cheated by them. So, be careful and do not let anyone deceive you. This unleashed another bundle of fear for Kansa. Now Kansa wants to kill all of his nephews. All six children were killed by Kansa. The seventh son, Balaram, was moved to Rohini’s womb by the goddess Kali.
Birth of a Hero
Devaki got pregnant for the eighth time. After the birth of the eighth child, Vishnu, the protector of the universe, appeared in front of them. Devaki and Vasudeva worshipped him, and they forgot about the situation they were in. Vishnu then made everyone sleep, unlocked the cell, and let Vasudeva go out with the child. Vasudeva went to Gokulam, where Yashoda and Nanda were expecting a baby of their own. Vasudeva exchanged babies and went to Madura with the baby girl. Yashoda, who was exhausted, was not aware of the happenings around her. When she woke up, she was extremely happy about the baby.
On the other hand, Vasudeva went to Madura with Yashoda’s girl baby. When Kansa got the baby, he threw the baby to the wall, and suddenly the baby transformed into an eight-armed goddess and vanished after saying, “Kansa, your destroyer is living in Gokulam.”
Yashoda and her adopted son Krishna
Yashoda didn’t know that Krishna was not her own son. She loved him dearly as her own son, and Krishna was also very fond of her. One day, when eating the soil, Yashoda caught him red-handed and told him to open his mouth. Little Krishna opened his mouth, and Yashoda was shocked to see the whole universe inside his mouth. Yashoda was shocked, and this proved that Krishna was a divine child. When days passed, Krishna became very naughty, and he loved butter. He plays with the kids, and he goes grazing with neighbourhood friends. Krishna has a marvellous talent for playing the flute. Everybody is mesmerized by the sweet flute of Krishna.
Conclusion
Yashoda, a simple and humble mother who raised the divine child without even knowing it, was really a great mother. But it is hard to realize that she is not his own mother. It is good that she doesn’t know, or else she would have lamented for the lost child. Knowingly or unknowingly, Yashoda raised the divine child as her own son. She has saved the life of Krishna from Kansa. By saving his life, she has saved Madura from Kansa.
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