A Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology and Religion, Geography, History, and Literature c5.904.1

c5.904.1

The sage Nārada had foretold to Kansa that a son of Devakī, his brother’s daughter, should destroy him and overthrow his kingdom. To obviate this danger, Kansa kept his cousin Devakī confined in his own palace, and six children that she bore he caused to be put to death. She conceived a seventh time, but the child was an incarnation of Vishnu, and was miraculously preserved by being transferred from the womb of Devakī to that of Rohinī, who was Vasu-deva’s second wife. This child was Bala-rāma. Devakī again conceived, and her eighth child was born at midnight with a very dark skin, whence he was called Krishna. He had a peculiar curl of hair, called srī-vatsa, upon his breast. The gods interposed to preserve the life of this divinely begotten child. The guards of the palace were overpowered with sleep, and bolts and barriers were removed. Vasu-deva took up the child and escaped with him from Mathurā. He repaired to the bank of the Yamunā (Jumna), and, crossing the river, went to the house of Nanda, a cowherd, whose wife, Yasodā, had on that very night been delivered of a female child. Vasu-deva secretly changed the infants, and carried back the daughter of Yasodā to his wife Devakī. Kansa discovered that he had been cheated, and in his wrath he ordered that every male infant that gave signs of vigour should be put to death. Vasu-deva and Devakī, being no longer dangerous, were set at liberty.