Krishna Janmashtami is also known as Gokulashtami, Shrikrishna Jayanti and also only Janmashtami. It marks the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna who is the eight avatar of Lord Vishnu. There are various events associated with Lord Krishna’s life that are narrated time and again which symbolize the victory of good over evil. One of these events is the killing of King Kansa, the cruel king of Mathura by Lord Krishna. King Ugrasena was reinstated as the rightful king of Mathura after the killing of Kansa.
Kansa had a cousin sister named Devaki, who tied the nuptial knot with a nobleman named Vasudeva. On their wedding day, a voice from the heavens warned Kansa that Devaki’s eighth child would be the one to end his reign of terror. The Mathura King was so scared with prophecy that he decided to imprison Devaki and Vasudeva immediately. Kansa also intended to kill Devaki fearing the prophecy that her eighth child was fated to kill him.
How Vasudeva managed to save Devaki’s life from Kansa?
However, Vasudeva managed to save his wife’s life by promising Kansa that he would deliver all their children to the latter. The Mathura king accepted this proposition and spared Devaki. In the confines of the prison, Devaki repeatedly conceived and Kamsa cruelly killed the first six children. Before the seventh child was born, Lord Vishnu directed the goddess Yogamaya to transfer the seventh child of Devaki into the womb of Rohini. Rohini was one of the other wives of Vasudeva. This child was named Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother. Goddess Yogamaya was tasked to be born as the daughter of Yashoda.
How Lord Krishna’s birth took place?
Before the birth of Krishna, Goddess Yogamaya made the guards of Kansa unconsciousness. When Krishna was born to Devaki, Vasudeva followed the deity’s instructions and carried the infant to Nanda and Yashoda’s house. He then swapped his child with their infant daughter, Goddess Yogamaya. Meanwhile, Kansa presumed the infant to be Devaki’s eighth child and prepared to murder her. However, the girl slipped out of his hands, assumed her true form as Goddess Yogamaya and proclaimed to Kansa, “The eighth child, who shall kill you, has been born. He is in Gokula.”
How the killing of Kansa took place?
When Lord Krishna grew up, he returned to the kingdom and eventually killed and beheaded Kansa.
Also read: Janamasthami Celebrations In North India: Date, Rituals And All You Need To Know
