| Ugrasenan ruled 
        Mathura. He had a daughter called Devaki who was married to Vasudevar. 
        Devaki's brother Kamsan was driving the chariot with the newly wed 
        couple. An asariri (divine voice) called out that the eighth child of 
        Devaki would kill Kamsan. The outraged Kamsan rushed to kill Devaki, but 
        Vasudevar pleaded, that since the trouble was from Devaki's children, he 
        would hand over all her children to Kamsan. Kamsan put Devaki, Vasudevar 
        and Ugrasenan in prison. Kamsan mercilessly killed six of Devaki's 
        children. Devaki was pregnant for the seventh time and this time it was 
        Adisesha's amsam in her womb. Lord Vishnu arranged for this child to be 
        transferred to the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudevar, who lived 
        in Aayarpaadi. Rohini gave birth to a beautiful and powerful child who 
        was named Balarama. Kamsan assumed that Devaki had lost her seventh 
        child.    The eighth child was 
        Lord Krishna. When Krishna was born Vasudevar, carried the child by 
        God's grace from the locked prison through rain and floods to the house 
        of Nandagopar and Yasodha in Aayarpaadi. On the way, Aadiseshan covered 
        the basket, protecting the child Krishna from the ravages of nature. 
        Vasudeva left Krishna beside Yasodha and carried away her new born child 
        (Parameswari, the maya child) to the prison.    Kamsan, on hearing the 
        birth of Krishna rushed to the prison, grabbed the child and tried to 
        kill the child. The child however, rose up to the skies and ridiculed 
        kamsan, that his arch enemy was still alive elsewhere and vanished.   
         Krishna as a child
        
 In Aayarpaadi, everybody was thrilled and 
        overjoyed. There were great celebrations. Krishna grew up enjoying the 
        love and affection showered by all. Kamsan started sending asuras in 
        search of Krishna. Even as a child, Krishna killed several asuras such 
        as Boodaki, Thirunavardhan, Denukan, Bagan, Sagadasuran, and several 
        others. He revealed to his mother Yasodha, the entire universe within 
        his tiny open mouth. The mighty Kaalinga (snake) was subdued by him. He 
        controlled the snake and danced on its head. He gave protection to the 
        people of Gokulam for over a week from the heavy rains caused by Indra, 
        by lifting the Govardana giri (mountain) and holding it as an umbrella. 
        He killed Kamsan of Mathura. The Gopikas were thrilled by his venu 
        gaanam (flute).
 Krishna married 
        Rukmini. (Rukmini's brother Rukmi wanted her to marry his friend 
        Sisubaalan. Krishna lifted Rukmini on to his chariot, swiftly reached 
        Dwaraka and married Rukmini).    The day that Krishna 
        killed Naragasuran is celbrated as Deepavali. In the episode of 
        obtaining the Syamantakamani, he married Jambavati, Jambavan's daughter 
        and Satyabama Satrajit's daughter.   (Krishna's sister 
        Subadra was married to Arjuna. Their son Abhimanyu married Vatsala, 
        Balarama's daughter).   The pancha Pandavas 
        were cheated of their kingdom by Duryodhana, his brothers and 
        Duryodhana's uncle Sakuni. With Krishna by thier side, the Pandavas 
        ultimately defeated the Gauravas and got back their kingdom. (In the war 
        field Krishna advised Arjuna to do his duty only and not to worry about 
        the consequences, when Arjuna worried over killing his relatives.) 
        Geethopadesam to Arjuna by Lord Krishna is truly a way of living to be 
        followed by all human beings.   |