Puranic Encyclopaedia: A Comprehensive Dictionary with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature c7.2671

c7.2671

Devakī conceived for the eighth time, and on Aṣṭamī day in the month of Simha (Leo, August-September) when the Brāhma stars were collected on the same day was Śrī Kṛṣṇa born. Mahāviṣṇu incarnated himself as Kṛṣṇa with the conch, the discus, the club and the lotus flower in his four hands. Vasudeva saluted the marvellous child, and the chain that bound himself and Devakī broke asunder, and the new-born child spoke thus to Vasudeva:—"In Svāyambhuva Manvantara the Prajāpati called Sutapas with his wife Pṛśni meditated upon me for 12,000 years, and when I appeared to them and asked them to choose any boon they prayed for my being born as their son. In the next life Sutapas was born as Kaśyapa and Pṛśni as Aditi, and I incarnated in the form of Vāmana (Dwarf) as their son. Afterwards Kaśyapa and Aditi took various births, and I too took various births as their son. Now also, Kaśyapa and Aditi, are born as Vasudeva and Devakī. Just at this time a daughter has been born to Nandagopa and Yaśodā at Gokula. You shall take me over there and replace me with the child born at Gokula." After having told Vasudeva the above facts Kṛṣṇa assumed the form of an ordinary child and lay by the side of its mother. At mid-night when the guards at the prison house were deep in sleep the doors of the prison opened by themselves. Vasudeva with the child Kṛṣṇa, started for Gokula and on his way the river Yamunā changed its course for him to proceed. The doors of Yaśodā's house were open. Owing to the divine prowess of Māyādevī, the child of Yaśodā, everybody in the house went into deep sleep. Vasudeva placed Kṛṣṇa by the side of Yśodā and returned home with her child. As soon as he had thus returned the prison-guards woke up and reported to Kaṁsa about the delivery of a child by Devakī. Kaṁsa rushed to the house, caught hold of the child and was about to dash it against the rock when lo! the child slipped free of his hands and rose in the sky wherefrom it spoke as follows:—