Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam: 17. THE MIRACLE

 

INDIAN MYTHOLOGY

Glimpses of The Devi Bhagavatam:

17. THE MIRACLE

Suddenly, they heard a voice from above. “All the guards have fallen into a stupor by the power I have imposed on them. The doors of the prison as well as the castle will now open up. There is nobody to check you. Go and leave the child with Yasoda.”

The voice was that of Yogamaya, the Divine Mother.

Vasudeva took the child in his arms and proceeded towards the door of the prison. The door flung open. So did the eight doors of the castle, one after another.

Vasudeva arrived on the banks of river Kalindi. The river was then in spate. Soon it began to rain. Everything was dark. But a shaft of light from above guided him. He could also feel as though a mighty hood, spread over his head, was protecting him from rain.

Soon he was with Yasoda who had just given birth to a female child. Vasudeva exchanged his baby boy with her newborn daughter. He then returned to his prison-cabin inside the castle.

The female baby cried out. At once the open doors got shut on their own and the guards woke up from their slumber. They ran to Kamsa and informed him that Devaki had just given birth to her eighth child.

Kamsa rushed into the cabin and looked at the child, his eyes spitting fire!

But what did he see? Vishnu’s incarnation ought to be a boy, not a girl! Was there any trick in the prophecy? Kamsa felt uncertain for a while. He decided not to waste any more time. He snatched the child from Devaki and came out hurriedly. Then he caught hold of the child’s legs and raised it, intending to bring it down on a slab of stone.

But a miracle took place. The child slipped out of Kamsa’s hands. He could see the glimpse of a luminous figure disappearing in the sky.

“You may live in a fool’s paradise, Kamsa, sure that you have forestalled your doom. But know that your destroyer is growing up, safely, elsewhere!” announced a soft voice.

Kamsa thought he was going crazy.

He summoned his lieutenants like Dhenuka, Vatsaka and Pralamva. “Kill all the newborn babes of Gokul. This must be done if you wish to see me alive. Let the demoness Pootana, an expert at killing kids, direct this operation.

In the morning everybody heard that Nanda’s wife, Yasoda, had given birth to a son. Kamsa, too, heard the news. But it was not easy to kill Nanda’s son, after all. Pootana tried to kill the child feeding him with the poisoned milk from her breasts, but she herself died in the process. Thereafter Kamsa’s lieutenants tried to kill the boy under some pretext or the other, but they all got themselves killed.

All the while Krishna grew up and did wonders. Once he protected the people from the wrath of Indra by lifting the Govardhana hill with one finger. The people took shelter under it and were saved from a terrible downpour.

By and by Kamsa realised that Krishna was the boy destined to kill him. He continued in his effort to kill Krishna. He proposed to perform a festive rite in his castle and sent Akrura to fetch Krishna and his brother, Balarama, to attend it.

As soon as the two boys reached Mathura, a ferocious elephant was directed to trample upon them. But the boys escaped. Kamsa’s wrestlers then challenged them to a combat, but they also got killed. At last, trying to push the boys to their death from a high platform, Kamsa himself was thrown to his death.

Vasudeva and Devaki were set at liberty. Krishna also liberated Kamsa’s father, Ugrasen, and gave back the throne of Mathura to him.

Vasudeva sent the two princes to sage Sandipani for their early education. The lived with the guru for twelve years and completed their studies.

In the meanwhile Jarasandha, father-in-law of Kamsa, attacked and wrought havoc in Mathura, to avenge the death of Kamsa. He continued to attack the city even after Krishna’s return from the ashram of Sandipani. He also instigated a tyrant, Kalayavan, to attack Mathura.

Krishna told his kinsmen, “We, the Yadavas, are the targets of Jarasandha. He is extremely cruel. I do not want to see the people of Mathura harassed on our count. Let us go away to the region of the Raivataka hills which, I have heard, is a charming place. The area is called Dwaraka.”

Everybody agreed to the proposal. Soon the Yadavas migrated to Dwaraka.

After the Yadavas had settled down in the new place, Krishna and Balarama paid a visit to Mathura.

Coming to learn of their visit, Kalayavan hurried to Mathura to confront them. Krishna, pretended to take to his heels. Kalayavan gleefully pursued him.

Krishna hid inside the hermitage of sage Muchukunda. He was fast asleep. Kalayavan entered the hermitage and gave a kick to the sage.

The sage sat up. Trembling with rage, he cast a look at Kalayavan. At once a fire consumed the tyrant. He was reduced to ashes. Krishna and Balarama returned to Dwaraka.

Rukmini, the princess of Vidarbha, loved Krishna. But the powerful Chedi prince, Sishupal, wished to marry her. On a request from the princess, Krishna led her away to Dwaraka and married her.