In time, when all nature looked still and there was joy in heaven and earth, Sri Krishna was born under the influence of the Rohini constellation. It was all dark at dead of night. He had four hands bearing Sankha, Chakra, Gada, and Padma. The mark of Srivatsa the Kaustubha gem, the yellow cloth, the crown on the head glittering with stones, the brilliant ear-rings all marked Him out as the Purusha, and Vasudeva and Devaki adored Him as such. Devaki asked him to withdraw his lordly form with four hands.

Said Bhagavan, addressing Devaki.

"In the Svayambhuva Manvantara, thou wert called Prisni, and this Vasudeva, Praj.a.pati Sutapas. Commanded by Brahma to beget progeny, thou didst make austere Tapas and prayed for a son even like unto my own self. So I was born of thee as Prisni-Garbha. This was my first Incarnation. When you two were Aditi and Kasyapa, I was born of you as Upendra, otherwised called Vamana (the Dwarf). This was my second Incarnation. In this my third Incarnation, I am again born unto you.

This form is shown to thee to remind thee of those previous births. Thou shalt attain my supreme state by meditating on me both as a son and as Brahma."

Then He a.s.sumed the form of an ordinary child.

Directed by Him, Vasudeva took Him to Vraja, the Kingdom of Nanda. The fetters loosened. The gate opened wide. The gate keepers fell into deep sleep. Though there was a heavy downpour of rain, the serpent Sesha gave shelter under his thousand hoods. The river Yamuna, deep in flood, fretting and foaming under the storm, made way for Vasudeva. The Gopas were all fast asleep in Vraja. Vasudeva placed his own son by the side of Yasoda and took her new born daughter away and placed her near Devaki. He then put on his fetters and remained confined as before.

Yasoda knew that she had a child, but the labour pains and sleep made her quite forget the s.e.x of the child.

COUNSEL WITH THE DAITYAS.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 4.*

The gates closed again, the gate-keepers woke up and, on hearing a child's voice, they forthwith informed their King. Kansa had been anxiously waiting for the birth of this child. So he lost no time in getting up and appearing before Devaki. He s.n.a.t.c.hed away the child from her. Devaki remonstrated with her brother praying for the life of her daughter. Kansa heeded not her words. He raised the child aloft and cast it down to strike it against a stone. The child slipped away from his hands, and rose high up. This younger born of Vishnu appeared with eight hands, bearing eight weapons, - Dha.n.u.s (bow) Sula (spear) Isha (arrow), Charma (hide protector), Asi (sword), Sankha (conch), Chakra (Disc), and Gada (club). She had divine garlands and garments and was adorned with ornaments. Siddhas, Charanas, Gandharvas, Apsarasas, Kinnaras and Nagas worshiped her with profuse offerings.

"Fool that thou art" she thundered forth, "What if I am killed. He who shall make an end of thee, thy former enemy, is born somewhere else. Do not kill other children in vain."

The G.o.ddess Maya then became known by different names in different parts of the earth.

Kansa was wonder-struck. He removed the fetters of Vasudeva and Devaki and begged their pardon, saying, "Like a Rakshasa, I have killed your sons. I do not know what fate awaits me after death. Not only men tell lies, but the Devas too."

Kansa then called the Daityas together. These sworn enemies of the Devas heard their master and then broke forth thus: -

"If it be so, O King of Bhoja, we will kill all children, whether ten days old or not, whether found in towns, villages, or pasture grounds.

What can the Devas do, cowards in battle? They are always afraid of the sound of thy bow. Dost thou not remember how, pierced by thy arrows, they fled for their lives. The Devas are only bold when they are safe, and they indulge in tall talk outside the battle ground. Vishnu seeks solitude. Siva dwells in forests. Indra has but little might. Brahma is an ascetic. But still the Devas are enemies. They are not to be slighted. Therefore engage us, your followers, in digging out the very root of the Devas, for like disease and sensuality when neglected at first, they become difficult of suppression. Vishnu is the root of the Devas, and he represents the eternal religion (Sanatana Dharma _i.e._ Dharma that follows the eternal course of time, or is based on the eternal truths of nature, hence eternal religion, a term applied to Hinduism proper). And the roots of Dharma are the Vedas, the Cows, the Brahmanas, Tapas and Yajna. Therefore by all means, O King, we shall kill the Deva-knowing, Yajna-performing and ascetic Brahmanas and cows that supply the sacrificial ghee. Brahmanas, Cows, Vedas, asceticism, truth, restraint of the senses, restraint of the mind, faith, kindness, forbearance and sacrifices these are the parts of Vishnu's body.

Therefore the best way to kill him is to kill these. Vishnu, who pervades all hearts, is the guide of all Devas, the enemy of Asuras. He is the root of all Devas, including Siva and Brahma."

Kansa approved of this counsel. He directed the Kamarupa bearing (_i.e._ bearing forms at will) Asuras to oppress all good people and they readily took to their work.

NANDA AND VASUDEVA.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 5.*

Nanda performed the birth ceremony of his son with great pomp. His gifts knew no bounds. Vishnu was worshipped and there was plenty in Vraja. The time came for payment of the year's dues to Kansa. So Nanda left Gokula ( _i.e._ Vraja ) in charge of the Gopas and himself went with the dues to Mathura. Vasudeva learned of Nanda's arrival and went to meet him.

Nanda stood up to receive him and embraced him heartily. Said Vasudeva: -

"Brother, you grew old and gave up all hopes of having a child. Luckily a son is now born unto you. It is indeed a new birth to you, that you are blessed with the sight of a lovely son. Friends cannot live pleasantly together as their manifold Karma, like a strong wind, forces them asunder. Is it all right with the big forest, with the pasture lands where you now dwell with friends? Is it all right with my son (Balarama) who lives at your place with her mother, and who looks upon you as his parent?"

Nanda replied: -

"Alas! your sons by Devaki were all killed by Kansa; even the daughter that was born last has ascended to the heavens. Surely man is governed by the unseen. Those that know are not deluded." Said Vasudeva: -

"You have paid your yearly dues and have also met me. Now do not remain here any longer. For evils befall Gokula."

Nanda left Mathura for Gokula.

PUTANa

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 6.*

With evil forebodings, Nanda made his way to Vraja, for he thought Vasudeva would not tell a lie. And he was right. By Kansa's orders, the fierce Putana went about killing children in towns, villages and pasture lands, for verily she was a killer of children. That wanderer of the skies entered Gokula at will, a.s.suming the form of a woman most beautiful to look at. So no one stopped her pa.s.sage. She moved freely here and there and at last entered the house of Nanda. She looked like a kind mother and Yasoda and Rohini were so much struck by her fine exterior that they did not stop her access to Krishna. Putana placed the child on her lap and gave him milk from her breast full of deadly poison. The divine child knew who Putana was and what she was about. He held fast her breast with both hands and in anger drank in the very life juice of the Asura woman. She screamed forth "Let go", "Let go", "No more". Her eyes expanded. She cast up and down her hands and feet again and again in profuse perspiration. Her groans made heaven and earth tremble and s.p.a.ce itself resounded on all sides. At last she fell dead like a great mountain, crushing down trees within an ambit of twelve miles. Fearlessly the boy played on her body.

The Gopa ladies hurried to the place with Rohini and Yasoda. They bathed the boy in cows' urine and dust from cow's feet. They p.r.o.nounced the twelve names of Vishnu (Kesava and others) over twelve parts of his body. Then after touching water, they duly uttered the root mantras over their own body and that of the child. Lastly they invoked Vishnu by different names to protect the child from danger of all sorts. (The protective mantra uttered by the mother with pa.s.ses of the hand over different parts of the body was supposed to shield the child from danger. Latterly the custom has been to get the mantra written, with due ceremonies, by a qualified Brahman, on the sacred bark (Bhurja) and then to tie it round the hand.)

Yasoda then placed the child on her lap and gave him milk.

By this time Nanda had returned to Vrindabana. He saw the huge body of the Asura woman and realised the force of Vasudeva's warning.

The people of Vraja cut the body into parts and burnt them with fuel.

The smoke was sweet-scented, as the touch of Krishna's body purifies even the enemy.

THE UPTURNING OF THE CART.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 7.*

The ceremony observable on the child being able to stand on his legs and the birth-day ceremony were observed together and there was a great feast at the house of Nanda. Yasoda placed the child near a cart, containing bra.s.s vessels with articles of food, and became busily engaged in receiving her guests. The child wept but she did not hear. He then raised his feet aloft, weeping for his mother's milk, and struck the cart with his feet. The cart was upset, the bra.s.s vessels broken and the wheel and axle upturned. The Gopa ladies could not account for this wonderful phenomenon. The boys, who sat near the child, told all that they saw, but people could not easily believe what they said.

TRINAVARTA OR THE WHIRLWIND.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 7.*

The child was once on the lap of Yasoda when he suddenly became so heavy that Yasoda had to throw him on the ground. The Asura Trinavarta or Whirlwind made an attack on the child and a violent dust storm overtook Gokula. The Asura had scarcely raised Krishna to a certain height, when his weight almost crushed him to death. Krishna did not let go his hold and the Asura breathed his last and fell dead. Yasoda kissed her son again and again, but when he opened His mouth, the mother saw the whole Universe within it.

THE NAMES "KRISHNA" AND "RAMA."

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 8.*

Garga, the family priest of the Yadus, came to Vraja at the request of Vasudeva. Nanda duly received him and said: - "You are versed in the Vedas and you are the author of an astrological treatise. Please perform the Naming ceremony of the two boys." Garga replied: "I am known as the priest of the Yadus and, if I officiate at the ceremony, Kansa might suspect your son to be the eighth son of Devaki." Nanda promised strict privacy, and the Rishi performed the ceremony. Addressing Nanda, he then said: -

"This son of Rohini shall be called Rama or the charming one, as he shall charm his friends by his virtues. He shall be called Bala, from possessing excessive strength. From his bringing together the Yadus, he shall be called Sankarshana.

"This other boy, taking body, yuga after yuga, had three colors, White (_Sukla_), Red (_Rakta_) and Yellow, (_Pita_). Now he has got the black color (_Krishna_). In the past, he was born as the son of Vasudeva. So those that know call him Srimat Vasudeva. He has many names and many forms, according to his deeds and attributes. Neither I nor other people know them all. He shall give you the greatest blessings and protect you against all dangers. In days of yore, good people conquered the ill-doers by his help. Those that are attached to him are not conquered by enemies, even as followers of Vishnu are not conquered by the Asuras.

Therefore this son of Nanda is equal to Narayana by his virtues, powers and fame."