The Shreemad Bhagavatam | Episode 24: Kans and the Prophecy of Shree Krishna’s Birth
It was the twenty-eighth Chaturyug of the Vaivasvat Manvantar. The grand chronicle of the Chandravansh was about to take an unexpected turn.
In Mathura, Vrishni Vanshi King Ugrasen held the throne. One day, while his queen was walking through the forest, the shadow of the demon Drumil fell upon her. In the wake of this ominous encounter, she found herself carrying a child.
When the baby was born, Ugrasen realized that the child was not his own but a demon. Horrified, the queen shrank from the newborn, while Ugrasen placed the infant upon a leaf and set him afloat in a river.
Further downstream, Sursen was bathing when he spotted the infant drifting upon the currents. He picked the child up from the waters, carried him home, and raised him. That child was Kans.
Kans's Tyranny
Years rolled by, and as Kans came of age, Sage Narad arrived with a startling message for him. “Kans, you are not the son of Sursen. You are a Vrishni Vanshi born from the womb of Ugrasen's wife. Ugrasen is your real father."
The revelation unleashed the demonic nature that had long slumbered within Kans. He attacked Mathura, toppled Ugrasen’s reign, and seized the throne for himself. When Ugrasen’s brother, Devak, protested this injustice, Kans had him thrown into prison. Even when Ugrasen rebuked him, saying, "You should be ashamed of yourself," the words fell upon a heart of stone. Without hesitation, Kans imprisoned his own father as well. Anyone who dared oppose him met a ruthless fate. Thus, a reign of tyranny began in Mathura.
Yet amid this cruelty, a flicker of affection lingered. Devak’s daughter, Devaki was Kans’s cousin, and she lived in absolute terror of the monster her brother had become. The sight of her distress moved Kans to pity. To ease her fears, he resolved to arrange her marriage.
At that time, another prominent ruler resided in the region—King Devmid. He had two sons, Shursen and Parjanya, born to two different queens. One queen was a Kshatriya, the other belonged to the Vaishya caste. Shursen followed his father's lineage as a Kshatriya, while Parjanya, embraced his mother's varna and lived as a Vaishya. Parjanya fathered five sons, including Nand, Upanand, Sanand. As for Shursen, he had a son named Vasudev.
Devaki was married to Vasudev in a grand celebration in Mathura. Such was Kans's affection for his sister that he insisted on personally escorting the couple to her sasural. As Vasudev and Devaki settled into the chariot, Kans took the reins, his heart brimming with brotherly love.
Just then, an Akashvani rang through the skies: Kans! Do you not know whom you are escorting? The eighth child born from Devaki's womb shall become your kaal—the cause of your death.
The proclamation struck Kans like a bolt of lightning. Though he was a brave warrior, a cold dread shuddered through him. He leapt from the chariot, grabbed Devaki by her hair, dragged her to the ground, and unsheathed his sword to kill her where she stood.
Seeing his wife's life in grave danger, Vasudev quickly resorted to Neeti (wise statecraft). In moments of mortal peril, policy dictates using any means necessary to save a life. "Kans!" Vasudev pleaded, stepping between the blade and his wife. "Why do you fear Devaki? The prophecy did not say she would harm you. It is her eighth child who poses a threat. I give you my word: when that child is born, I shall place him in your hands. You may do with him as you wish."
Kans paused, weighing the proposition.
Divine Orchestration
Vasudev sensed that Kans was not yet fully persuaded. To leave no room for doubt, he added, "Very well. I shall entrust not only the eighth child but all eight of my children into your hands.” Knowing Vasudev to be a man of integrity, Kans was appeased. He lowered his sword, seated Vasudev and Devaki back into the chariot, escorted them to their destination, and returned to Mathura.
From that day onward, Kans tightened his tyrannical grip over the kingdom.
He commanded his demoniac followers to destroy every vestige of righteousness. The Brahmins were persecuted, Vedic rituals were brought to a halt, and no yagya was to be offered to Bhagavan Vishnu. Instead, anyone performing a sacrifice was ordered to chant the mantra, "Om Kansai Namah Swaha." And so, a dark shroud of adharma draped itself over the land.
Unable to bear the atrocities any longer, the celestial gods fled to the shores of Ksheer Sagar, praying for deliverance from the demon. As they wondered how to call upon the Lord swiftly, Shankar ji intervened with divine counsel, "Invoke Him through kirtan."
As Sage Narad writes in his Bhakti Darshan,
स कीर्त्यमानः शीघ्रमेवाविर्भवति। ~ Sutra 80
Through kirtan, God reveals Himself quickly.
Along the pristine shores, the devi-devatas poured out their anguish in a fervent kirtan. In response, an Akashvani echoed as the Lord spoke: Fear not. I am aware of your suffering. Be patient for a little while longer, for I shall soon descend to the earthly realm. If you wish, you too may participate in My divine pastimes in the pastoral lands of Braj.
Meanwhile, Devaki gave birth to her firstborn son. Bound by his commitment, Vasudev cradled the newborn and walked into Kans’s palace. “Here is the child, as promised.” Kans gazed at the helpless baby. A rare ember of compassion flickered within him. "No," he said, waving his hand dismissively. "This innocent child has done me no wrong. Take him back." Relieved, Vasudev hurried home, clutching his son to his chest.
But somewhere up in the celestial realms, Sage Narad watched this display of mercy with deep concern. He reflected: If Kans succumbs to compassion, the Lord’s avatar will be delayed. His descent to earth must not be hindered.
With that intent, Narad ji went to meet Kans. Holding up a flower, the sage asked, "Tell me, Kans, how many petals do you see on this blossom?"
"Eight," Kans replied.
"And which one," Narad asked, "is the eighth petal?"
Kans counted clockwise from the top and pointed to the last petal.
"Fascinating” Narad murmured. "Now begin your count from the petal to its left."
Kans counted again. This time, a different petal became the eighth.
"Now start from another petal."
Once again, the count changed.
Narad concluded, “Which petal is truly the eighth? It all depends on where the counting begins. Then how can you be certain which of Devaki's children will be the eighth? Any one of them could be your executioner."
Kans's eyes widened. The sage is right, he thought. Every child born to Devaki was a potential death sentence.
The Countdown Begins
Without wasting a moment, Kans stormed to Vasudev and Devaki's home. Snatching the infant from their arms, he mercilessly slew the child before their very eyes.
Thus began a grim cycle of blood and sorrow. Each time Devaki gave birth, Kans would arrive and put the infant to death. Nor did he stop there. He imprisoned Vasudev and Devaki, ensuring they remained under unblinking watch. The mere whisper of another birth filled him with dread, sending him racing back to the dungeon to slaughter the newborn. One by one, he murdered their first six children.
When Devaki conceived for the seventh time, the Lord intervened.
Bhagavan addressed His Yogmaya shakti: The child now in Devaki's womb is none other than a manifestation of Anant Shesh. To shield Him from Kans, transfer Him to Rohini’s womb.
Rohini, another wife of Vasudev, was residing in Braj in the home of Nand Baba.
Bhagavan continued: Thereafter, I shall descend as Devaki's eighth child. You, meanwhile, take birth in the home of Nand and Yashoda.
Yogmaya carried out His divine will, and the unborn child came to reside in Rohini's womb. As Kans anxiously awaited the birth of Devaki's seventh child, news reached him that the baby had mysteriously disappeared. Baffled by this strange turn of events, he could not fathom what had happened.
Soon afterward, Devaki conceived once again.
By now, Kans's fear had metastasized into an all-consuming obsession. Everywhere he glanced, he saw Lord Krishna. Every thought, every moment, seemed haunted by the One foretold to end his life.
आसीन: संवशं स्तष्ठन् भुञ्जान: पयटन् महीम् ।
चन्तयानो हृषीकेशमपश्यत् तन्मयं जगत् ॥ ~ verse 10.2.24
While seated on his throne, resting in his chamber, lying on his bed, or engaged in any activity—be it eating, sleeping, or walking—Kansa's mind was consumed by the thought of his enemy, the Supreme Lord, Hrishikesh (Krishna). Thus, even in his hostility, Kansa became absorbed in Krishna, though in an unfavorable manner.
What happens next? Find out in the next episode...
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: How did Kans become absorbed in God through fear and hostility?
Answer: This can be understood through the principle known as Keet-Bhringi Nyay.
A worm, captured by the bee, becomes so overwhelmed by fear that it can think of nothing else. Its entire consciousness remains fixed upon the very creature that terrifies it. In the same way, Kans was incessantly haunted by the thought of Shree Krishna. Although Kans’s remembrance of the Lord did not arise from devotional sentiments, it still bound his thoughts to Bhagavan day and night.
Question: We have all heard of Maya. But what is Yogmaya?
Answer: God possesses innumerable powers, and each is unlimited in extent. One of them is Maya, the material energy. It is the external power of God with which He creates the world. It is insentient, and all the gross and subtle objects in this world are made from Maya.
Yogmaya is God’s divine energy, His personal power with which He governs all His other powers.
● It is through this Yogmaya that God descends as an Avatar in this world, and reveals His Abode and Pastimes.
● It is called 'कर्तुम्-अकर्तुम्-समर्थः', or ‘that which can make the impossible possible,’ and is responsible for many of the amazing things we attribute to His personality. For example, God is seated in our hearts, yet we have no perception of Him.
● Most importantly for us, by virtue of Yogmaya, God bestows grace upon the souls, granting them God-realization and divine love and bliss.
This is but one of the many profound mysteries of the universe. If you wish to delve deeper into such timeless truths, read Spiritual Dialectics or Spiritual Secrets from Hinduism by Swami Mukundananda.