Reading Notes: The Birth of Krishna, Part A

The Birth of Krishna

• Kansa is a tyrant king of Mathura. He loved his sister, Devaki, who married a noble named Vasudeva.
• One day a voice spoke to him saying his sister's 8th child from her husband would slay him.
• Ever since he heard this, he placed the couple in the prison and killed every child they had until the eight one. 
• When the eighth child was born, he showed signs of Vishnu. The parents soon heard a voice saying to take the child to the house of Nanda and switch the child with a baby girl who was just born there. 
• Vasudeva managed to escape the prison and sneak out to take his son to the village of Gokool to the King of Cowherds.
• They switch children and he went back to the prison with the baby girl.
• Kansa found out about the couple having another child and was surprised to find it was a girl. He thought a girl could not slay him and the voice made it sound like it was a man who will slay him. 
• When he went to go pick up the baby girl to kill her, she turns into a form of a goddess and mentions how the man that will slay him is growing up in the village of Gokool. She disappears after saying that message. 
• Kansa was filled with anger after finding that out. 
• I think it would be interesting to tell a part of this story of Krishna's birth from the parent's perspective since they were kept imprisoned for so long. Also, the fact they lost 7 other children by the hands of Kansa. 

Vasudeva sneaking baby Krishna out of the prison.
(Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Cradle Tales of Hinduism-"The Birth of Krishna" by Sister Nivedita.