Months passed one after another until the month of Bhado arrived. Ever since the Akashvani had foretold his doom at the hands of Devaki's eighth child, Kans had his entire kingdom on high alert. Vasudev and Devaki remained locked in his grim jailhouse. Outside stood demonic guards, watching their every move. They had but one command from Kans: "The moment the child is born, inform me immediately."
With the onset of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksh), the days slowly ticked away. At last, the sacred Ashtami Tithi dawned. Day faded into night, and when the clock struck midnight, something mysterious occurred. Devaki's eighth child suddenly vanished from her womb, manifesting before the captive couple in His divine four-armed Form.
Mystery of the Lord’s Birth
The Lord's appearance is beautifully captured in these words,
आविरासीद् यथा प्राच्यां दिशीन्दुरिव पुष्कल: ~ 10.3.8
He manifested just like the full moon rising in the eastern sky.
The moon is not created anew when it climbs above the horizon. It already exists, merely revealing itself to our sight. Likewise, Bhagavan exists eternally, never created within a human womb. After all, what need has the Master of the Universe to undergo the ordinary process of gestation?
Instead, His descent transpired in this mysterious way: Bhagavan first resided in the mind of Vasudev. From there, He transferred Himself into the heart of Devaki. While residing within her heart, through His Yogamaya power, He caused her womb to expand. This allowed Devaki to experience all the tender signs of motherhood—even the phantom kicks of a growing infant. In this way, Yogmaya seamlessly arranged every detail. Finally, at the appropriate hour, Devaki's womb became empty, and the Lord unveiled His presence.
Beholding the transcendental vision, Vasudev gasped in reverence, “My Lord, I know who You are. You are not merely our child. You are that Supreme Being who infuses life and energy into the entire cosmos.”
Devaki too poured out her devotion,
रूपं यत् तत् प्राहुरव्यक्तमाद्यं ब्रह्म ज्योतिर्निर्गुणं निर्विकारम् ।
सत्तामात्रं निर्विशेषं निरीहं स त्वं साक्षाद् विष्णुरध्यात्मदीप: ॥ ~ 10.3.24
Maharaj, You are the One who resides in the hearts of all beings and is worshipped across the world as Vishnu. I also know why You have come. In my previous life, I had prayed for the boon of having You as my child.
Yet beneath the awe and reverence, flowed the affection of a mother. With folded hands, Devaki made a deeply moving plea.
उपसंहर विश्वात्मन्नदो रूपमलौकिकम् ।
शङ्खचक्रगदापद्मश्रिया जुष्टं चतुर्भुजम् ॥ ~ 10.3.30
Maharaj, if You remain in this cosmic Form, bearing the conch, discus, mace, and lotus—how will I ever experience the sweet bliss of seeing You as my child? Please hide this grandeur of Yours and begin Your leela.
Such is the wonder of leela. God conceals His infinite glory beneath the cloak of ordinariness. The Almighty appears vulnerable, the Ocean of Bliss sheds tears, and the All-Knowing wanders from place to place, innocently asking, "Where is My flute? I can't seem to find it."
Moved by Devaki’s loving prayer, the Lord prepared to begin His earthly Pastimes. He instructed Vasudev ji, "Kans will soon be here. Carry Me through the prison gates; they will unbolt and swing open before you. Take Me to the village of Braj, to the home of Nand Baba and Yashoda. There you will find a newborn baby girl. Bring her back here in My stead.” Having spoken, Bhagavan, by virtue of His Yogmaya shakti, assumed the enchanting Form of little baby Krishna.
Boliye Krishna Kanhaiya Laal ki Jai!
Across the Sacred Waters
As per the divine instructions, Vasudev placed little Krishna in a woven basket and stepped into the night. By divine arrangement, the prison guards fell into a deep sleep, the iron-bound gates unlocked on their own, and every barrier melted from his path.
It was the month of Bhado. A gentle drizzle fell, and flashes of lightning streaked across the skies. Shielding the newborn with a cloth, Vasudev ji waded into the waters of River Yamuna.
Yet with every step, the river grew deeper. Seeing his beloved Lord being carried through the swirling currents, Anant Shesh—the thousand-headed serpent—hastened to intervene. Gliding beneath the riverbed, he gently lifted Vasudev upon his coils, elevating the child safely above the waters. Vasudev pressed forward through the storm, unaware that his footsteps rested upon the divine serpent itself.
Meanwhile, Yamuna Devi was overwhelmed with ecstatic devotion. She marveled at the paradox unfolding before her: The Ocean Himself had come to a river.
As an eternal associate of Shree Krishna, Yamuna ji manifests in distinct Forms—one in the divine abode of Golok, another as the sacred river in Braj, and later as one of His queens in Dwarka. Souls who attain God-realization can assume any form to serve the Supreme. By appearing as the holy river, Yamuna Devi lovingly sweetens the Lord's earthly Pastimes.
As Yamuna ji watched her beloved Lord crossing her waters, she thought, "This is my very first darshan of Him in this avatar. At the very least, I should have the fortune of touching His lotus feet." With this yearning, River Yamuna began to swell. As the waves surged upward, Vasudev lifted the basket higher, holding it atop his head to protect the divine child. Yet the river kept rising.
Although little Krishna appeared to be asleep, He remained in Yog Nidra—fully aware of everything around Him. Moved by the love of His devotee, Bhagavan decided to bestow His grace. He gently slipped one tiny foot beyond the edge of the basket. Instantly, Yamuna leapt up in a single, ecstatic wave and touched the lotus feet of the Lord. Utterly contented, the waters gently receded, clearing a safe path to the opposite bank.
An Unexpected Twist
At last, Vasudev ji reached the house of Nand and Yashoda. It was well past midnight. The entire village of Braj lay wrapped in deep sleep. Quietly entering the chamber, Vasudev found a newborn baby girl resting beside Yashoda. With utmost tenderness, he laid baby Krishna in her place, lifted the little girl into his arms, and began his journey back.
Crossing the Yamuna once more, he returned to the prison cell, where Devaki waited in anticipation. The moment he stepped inside, the heavy iron doors swung shut and locked automatically, as though nothing had ever happened. The guards awoke from their slumber and soon realized that Devaki had given birth. Without losing a moment, they sprinted to alert Kans.
The news sent Kans racing to the dungeon in a fury. The child prophesied to be his slayer had finally arrived, and he was determined to crush the threat before fate could take its course. But as he burst into the cell, he froze. Instead of the long-awaited eighth son, a newborn baby girl lay before him.
Frustrated and feeling mocked by fate, he snarled, “What kind of trick has been played upon me?” Seizing the infant by her leg, he raised her high, intending to smash her against the floor. But before he could strike, the baby slipped from his grasp. Soaring above, she took on the form of the ten-armed Goddess Durga, her voice echoing like thunder, "Kans, you seek to kill me? The One who will end your life is already in Braj."
With those fateful words, Mother Durga disappeared into the sky.
The Aftermath
The sight left Kans shaken to his core. Overcome with remorse, he fell at the feet of Devaki and Vasudev. Tears of bitter repentance streamed down his face.
अहो भगिन्यहो भाम मया वां बत पाप्मना ।
पुरुषाद इवापत्यं बहवो हिंसिता: सुता: ॥ ~ 10.4.15
O my dear sister, O noble brother-in-law, please forgive me—a wretched sinner! Like a ruthless man-eating demon, I have mercilessly slaughtered your innocent children.
Unshackling Vasudev and Devaki, Kans released them from the prison, and returned to his court. However, back there sat his wicked ministers and allies—demons like Aghasur, Bakasur, and Dhenukasur. When they learned of his change of heart, they began to influence and incite him.
Such is the deadly venom of kusang (bad association). It is said that to know a person's character, one need only look at their closest companions; we inevitably become the average of the company we keep.
Surrounded by evil minds, Kans succumbed once more. His ministers poisoned his mind whispering, "Do you not know that Vishnu is treacherous and cannot be trusted?" Their words reignited his fear and suspicion. Swayed by their counsel, Kans reneged on his remorse and ordered for Vasudev and Devaki to be thrown back into the jailhouse.
The scene now turns towards the idyllic lanes of Gokul…
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: Why does God perform leelas?
Answer: The primary reason behind God’s leelas is to provide a basis for the soul to do bhakti. During His descent in the world, God manifests His divine Name, Form, Virtues, Pastimes, Abode and Associates. These go on to become the basis for the devotion of billions of souls in future. For example, Lord Ram displayed His Pastimes ages ago, but even today, innumerable souls remember them, and sing them from the Ramayan and feel blissful.
Saint Tulsidas writes,
राम एक तापस तिय तारी।
नाम कोटि खल कुमति सुधारी॥
In His Avatar period, Lord Ram saved only one Ahilya from the stone body. But He left His divine Name “Ram” behind and billions of fallen souls have saved themselves by taking His Name.
If God had not descended in the world, it would have been exceedingly difficult for us to fix our mind upon Him. Hence, the primary reason for His divine Pastimes is welfare of the souls.
Question: Why is kusang considered so dangerous, especially on the spiritual path?
Answer: A popular Hindi saying goes: संग का रंग पड़ता है। ‘You get coloured by the association you keep.’ If we keep the company of drunkards, we will also start believing that happiness is in the bottle. In the association of gamblers, we too will come to believe that gambling is profitable. And in the company of wasteful idlers, we will become like them. In this way, the faulty beliefs we acquire through bad association can completely ruin our life. Hence, Shree Ram explained to Vibheeshan,
बरु भल बास नरक कर ताता।
दुष्ट संग जनि देइ बिधाता॥ ~ Ramcharitmanas 5.45.4
It is preferable to live in hell than to do sang of terrible people.
From the point of view of spiritual practice, just as weeds choke a plant, bad association chokes the sapling of bhakti in our heart. Kusang tempts us towards worthless pursuits, away from our higher purpose. Further, Sage Narad says in his Bhakti Darshan,
तरङ्गाायिताा अपीीमेे सङ्गाात्समुुद्राायन्ति ॥ ~ Sutra 45
In bad association, even a small wave-like defect can swell to become an ocean.
As long as we are under maya, material infirmities do reside in our mind. Some may be like small ripples in the consciousness, while others lie latent. However, a defect that presently appears like a harmless wave, could swell to a treacherous storm in a provocative environment. This is why the scriptures and sages caution us against kusang.
