(Image source from: Isha Foundation)

Krishna Janmashtami, also known as Gokulashtami or Janmashtami, is celebrated widely by Hindus marking the birth of Lord Krishna, born on the eighth day or Ashtami of Krishna Paksha in Shravan month in Mathura in northern India.

This year, Janmashtami falls on August 24.

Lord Krishna is considered a supreme godhead in Hinduism and a central figure in the Bhagavad Gita. He is known by names such as Janardhana, Mukunda and Satchitananda.

Believed to be the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu, Krishna is the three principal deities in Hinduism besides Shiva and Brahma.

Said to be born in 3,228 BCE to Yadava prince Vasudeva and his wife Devaki, Lord Krishna was brought up in a cow-herding family by Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul.  

Destruction of Devaki’s Seven Unborn Children   

During Devaki and Vasudeva’s wedding, their chariot was driven by her cousin King Kamsa, a tyrant who confined his father Ugrasena and took the throne. At that very moment, a voice boomed from the skies: “Devaki’s eighth child will be the cause of your death. Oh, Kamsa!”

                        (Image source from: iStoryBooks)

At once Kamsa grabbed Devaki by the hair ready to strike a blow with his sword. Vasudeva stepped in on time and pleaded Kamsa to spare her with a promise that he would hand over each of their children to him if he spared Devaki.

Kamsa agreed but not before imprisoning Devaki and Vasudeva in the dungeons. Every time a child was born to them, Kamsa would kill each of them by smashing their heads against the wall.

After killing seven of Vasudeva and Devaki’s children, Kamsa was gearing up to kill the eighth, the child prophesied to kill him.

Devaki was distressed about the destiny of the unborn child as she spent her days in the dungeon.

Krishna’s Birth on a Rainy Night

                        (Image source from: coremc.us)

One stormy night when heavy rains lashed outside and the being Yamuna over flooded, her eighth child was born. But the birth of the child set off a series of godly events. The dungeon was flooded with celestial light. A voice from the heavens told Vasudeva: “Take your newborn son to Nanda and Yashoda in Gokul. He will be safe there. Yashoda has given birth to a daughter. Switch the children’s places.”

Vasudeva was perplexed to find the prison guards asleep as if they had fallen prey to a magical spell. He opened the prison doors and headed out in the torrential rains.

                        (Image source from: Isha Foundation)

Vasudeva thought he and his infant son would never survive the rains. But just then, a colossal thousand-headed snake came out from the floodwaters sheltering the two from the storm.

                       (Image source from: Vrindavan Chandrodaya Mandir)

Once he reached Nanda’s house, he left the child by Yashoda’s side and took the girl child born to them back to the dungeons.

The prison guards informed Kamsa about Devaki and Vasudev’s eighth child. He stormed into the dungeon, grasped the infant and threw it against the wall. As soon as he did this, the girl child turned into the eight-handed goddess Durga. She roared: “Fool! Your killer is already born and sheltered elsewhere. One day, he will come for you. Count your days!”

Kamsa’s Death

                        (Image source from: Godhead)

The gods ordained the birth of Krishna. As the world was reeling under evil men, like Kamsa, Lord Vishnu himself made up his mind to rid the evil by taking birth as Lord Krishna.

Raised as a cowherd in a rustic surrounding, Krishna soon realized his life’s purpose and killed his evil uncle, Kamsa. After killing him, he reinstated his grandfather Ugrasena back on Mathura’s throne.

By Sowmya Sangam