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Krishna belonged to the royal family of Mathura, and was the eighth son born to
the princess Devaki, and her husband Vasudeva. Mathura was the capital of the
Yadavas, to which Krishna's parents Vasudeva and Devaki belonged to. The king Kamsa, Devaki's
cousin , had ascended the throne by imprisoning his father, King Ugrasena. Afraid of a prophecy that
predicted his death at the hands of Devaki's eighth son, he had locked the
couple into a prison cell. After killing the first six children, and Devaki's
apparent miscarriage of the seventh, being transfered to Rohini as
Balarama, Krishna took birth.
Since Vasudeva believed Krishna's life was in danger, Krishna was secretly taken
out of the prison cell to be raised by his foster parents, Yasoda and Nanda in
Gokula. Two of his other siblings also survived, Balarama
and Subhadra. When Krishna appeared, a tiny touch of His Divine power
shattered the defense system of the jail: locks broke, watchmen went into deep
sleep, gates opened and all the restrictions were eliminated.
The flooding Yamuna river gave way to Vasudeo so that he could safely transport
baby Krishna to his relative Nand Baba’s house which was in Gokul and on the
other side of river Yamuna. Thus, Krishna first descended in Mathura and on the
same night He came to Gokul. The next day, at the house of Nand Baba and Yashoda all the Brajwasis came
together to join the most joyous celebration of Krishna’s birthday.
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Krishna is carried by his father Vasudeva across river Yamuna to
Vrindavana, mid 18th century painting. |
