Legends of Janmashtami

A shloka taken from Bhagvat Gita where Shri Krishna while addressing Arjuna says “Whenever there is decay of righteousness, O! Bharata and a rise of unrighteousness, then I will manifest myself”. And so he did.

As mentioned in this shloka and also according to the legends, the birth of Lord Krishna took place under extraordinary circumstances. He was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu who comes to the world to get rid of all evil demons.

Mathura under Kansa

During that time Mathura was under the vicious rule of Kansa, who declared himself king after imprisoning his father Ugrasen. Lord Vishnu decided to save the earth by taking birth in the human form.  A divine prophecy proclaimed that the eighth son of Vasudev and Devki  would kill Kansa. Hearing this Kansa, put his brother-in-law and sister in prison after getting the assurance that Vasudev will hand over his children to Kansa.  All Devki’s children were eventually killed. However, the seventh child, Balram was saved miraculously by divine intervention when he was transferred from Devki s womb to that of Vasudev’s other wife Rohini.

Birth of Lord Krishna

Lord Krishna was born at midnight stroke on a dark, rainy night to Devaki and Vasudev who had been imprisoned by Devaki s brother Kansa. The guards had fallen into deep slumber and were unable to inform their master about the newborn child.

Krishna handed over to Yashoda

A heavenly voice commanded Vasudev to take the baby to Gokul and exchange with the newborn baby of Nanda and Yashoda. The shackles and the prison gates opened miraculously and Vasudev carried the child in a small basket, through the waters of Yamuna. As it was a dark stormy night, the waters of
Yamuna were raging but parted to let the carrier of the divine Krishna pass. A huge snake known as Adisesha with 2000 hoods, glided behind them, its hoods formed a protective canopy over the child.

Kansa Trying to Kill Yashoda s Child

When Vasudev returned back with Nanda s child the shackles fastened and the doors closed and the guards awakened. Kansa came and picked up the child to hurl it to the wall and kill him but somehow the baby slipped from his grasp and took the form of a Goddess laughing at Kansa, she vanished after telling him that the one who would kill him had already taken birth and was elsewhere. This Goddess was Yogmaya.

Young and Mischievous Krishna

As a little boy, Krishna was the heartbeat of Gokul, a mischievous prankster who was favourite amongst the gopikas. He used to steal curd and butter from the houses of gopikas. Even though he was a child, he performed several miracles. His exploits are now the immortal legends of Braj. He killed a number of asuras (devils), vanquished the Kali Nag and later he killed Kansa as it had been foretold.

श्रीकृष्ण की जीवन कथा हिंदी में पढ़ें, क्लिक करें