Part 48 (1/2)
THE BIRTH OF SRI KRISHNA.
*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 1-3.*
_Said Suka_: - The G.o.ddess Earth, being oppressed by the heavy load of tens of thousands of Daitya hosts, who were born as arrogant kings, sought the shelter of Brahma. She took the form of a cow, and with tears running down her cheeks, piteously related her grievances to the Lord of Creation. Brahma took Siva and the Devas with him, and went over to the Ocean of milk (Ks.h.i.+ra Samudra), the abode of Vishnu. There he adored the Lord of Preservation and heard the Divine voice, which he thus explained to the Devas: -
”Even before this, the Lord knew about the grievances of the G.o.ddess of Earth. Go, take your births, as parts of yourselves, in the clan of the Yadus. The Lord of Lords, by governing His Kala Sakti, shall appear on the Earth and relieve her pressure. The Supreme Purusha Himself shall be born in the family of Vasudeva. Let the Deva girls take their births for His gratification. The thousand-mouthed, self-illumining Ananta, who is only a part of Vasudeva, shall be the elder-born, that he may do what pleases Hari. Bhagavati, the Maya of Vishnu, who keeps the whole world under delusion, shall also incarnate in part, as desired by the Lord, for doing His work.”
Saying all this to the Devas, and giving words of consolation to the G.o.ddess of Earth, Brahma went back to his own abode.
Sura Sena, the chief of the Yadus, ruled over the town of Mathura. Hence it became the chief seat of the Yadu kings. It is a sacred town, the constant seat of Hari.
Once upon a time, at Mathura. Vasudeva drove in his chariot with his newly married wife Devaki. The marriage presents were innumerable.
Kansa, the son of Ugrasena, held the reins of the horses himself, so eager was he to please his sister Devaki.
On the way, an incorporeal voice, addressing Kansa, said: -
”O ignorant one! the eighth child of her whom thou art now driving shall be thy slayer.”
The cruel Kansa instantly took sword in hand and caught Devaki by her hair.
Vasudeva pacified him with these words: -
”Thy virtues are well known. Why shouldst thou kill a female, thine own sister, at marriage. Death is certain, this day or a hundred years hence. Man takes body after body under the action of Karma, as he takes step after step in walking, or even as the leech takes blade after blade of gra.s.s in moving.
”As in dream there is a reflex perception of what is seen and heard in waking, and as in that perception the man forgets his former self and becomes a reflex of that self, so a man gives up his former body and becomes forgetful of it.
”To whatever body the mind is drawn by fruit - bearing Karma, the Jiva a.s.sumes that body as its own.
”The wind shakes the water and the Son or moon, reflected on its bosom, appears as if shaken. So by ascription, the Purusha has the attributes of the body. He who does evil to another has to fear evil from others.
”This girl, thy younger sister, is motionless with fear. Thou art not ent.i.tled to kill her.”
But persuasion was of no avail, as Kansa was under the influence of the Daityas.
Vasudeva then thought how he could ward off the present danger, leaving the future to take care of itself.
Addressing Kansa he said: -
”But, O King, thon hast no fear from her: Surely I would make over to thee her sons, from whom thou hast fear.” Kansa desisted from his cruel act and Vasudeva went home with his bride, pleased for the time being.
In time Devaki brought forth eight sons and one daughter.
The truthful Vasudeva presented his first son Kirtimat to Kansa. The king admired the firmness of his brother-in-law and smilingly said: - ”Take back this child. I have no fear from him. From your eighth born my death is ordained.” ”So let it be” exclaimed Vasudeva, and he took back his son. But he had very little faith in the words of Kansa.
Kansa learned from Narada that Nanda, Vasudeva and others of their dan, their wives and even the clansmen of Kansa, his friends and relatives, were partial incarnations of the Devas. He further learned from the Ris.h.i.+ that preparations were being made for the lolling of the Daityas, whose power menaced the Earth.
When the Ris.h.i.+ left Kansa, he took all the members of the Yadu clan for Devas and every child of Devaki for Vishnu that was to kill him. He now confined Vasudeva and Devaki in his own house and put them in fetters.
He put to death every son that was born to them.
He knew himself to be Kalanemi who had been, in another birth, killed by Vishnu. He fell out with the Yadus, deposed his own father Ugra Sena and became himself the King.