BIRTH OF THE BLUE GOD: KRISHNA

  It was midnight and pitch dark on the 8^th day of the Lunar month and the 8^th month of the        solar     year. The Star Rohini was in the ascendant. All the other stars were in their respective auspicious positions. This was about 5000 years ago. It was stormy and raining. The wind was howling furiously. Lightning flashed across the sky. This was the situation described at the time of the birth of Krishna, the most important character of Mahabharata. If there were no Krishna there would not have been Mahabharata.

      Devaki, Krishna’s mother was in labour pain. Devaki and her husband Vasudeva were put in a jail by Kamsa, the wicket brother of Devaki for the fear that the son born to his sister would kill him. Both Devaki and Vasudeva intensely prayed that the baby should not be born to be butchered like the 7 babies previously. Then an unseen divine voice was heard and assured them that the wicked Kamsa would be killed. The voice guided them to take the new born baby to Vasudeva’s friend Nanda’s house in Gokula, as Nanda’s wife has also just given birth to a daughter and to place the new born male child there and bring Nanda’s daughter back here. This was the way wicked Kamsa would be misguided because he only kills the boy baby.   ‘’The path is open to you’’. The divine voice had said. When Devaki gave birth to a boy baby (Krishna), Vasudeva tenderly took the baby in his hand. The heavy doors of the jail gently opened.  It was still raining heavily. The gate keepers were sleeping. Vasudeva started to move towards Gokula, the other side of the river Yamuna. Shesha, the divine serpent protected the father and the child against the rain and wind. 

    Vasudeva holding the baby tenderly, reached his friend Nanda’s house.  Even there all the doors were wide open as if to invite Vasudeva and the divine child. He went into the room of Yashoda. Yashoda and her maid companions were fast asleep influenced by Maya.  In no time, Vasudeva placed the male child (Krishna) on Yashoda’s lap and took the female child and started returning back.  The return journey was also a success.  He returned to prison.  Heavy doors which were opened automatically closed again.

          All babies cry soon after the birth.  But Krishna, the divine child came into the world not crying but smiling.

(Next week discussion: - Vishwaroopa Darshana (Cosmic form)