In Treta Yuga, Lord Vishnu lived amongst us three times. He came as Vamana, Parasurama and King Rama. In Dwapar Yuga once again Mother Earth felt burdened by evil kings and rakshasas. Once again, she approached Lord Vishnu and asked him to protect Dharma. Lord Vishnu promised to take birth in Mathura, destroy evil and save Dharma once again. The story of his birth begins in Mathura on the day of Devaki and Vasudeva’s marriage. Devaki was Mathura’s princess and sister to Prince Kansa. Kansa was known far and wide for his cruelty and feared by everyone. People dreaded the day when he would become king. The only person who received love from Kansa was his sister Devaki. They were very close and Devaki adored her brother. On the day of her marriage to Vasudev Kansa drove their chariot through Mathura’s streets. Their father’s army, singers and dancers followed the chariot. People showered flowers from their homes on the newly-wed couple. Kansa himself was singing songs of congratulations for Devaki and Vasudeva. Suddenly, a heavenly voice boomed and said “O Kansa! The marriage that you celebrate so much will cause your death. Eighth son of Devaki will be your death.” All celebrations stopped. Devaki’s face went white with terror. Vasudeva’s heart also started beating faster. Everyone’s eyes were on Kansa. Everyone was afraid of what he would do next. Kansa looked shocked and then rage replaced his shock. He jumped at Devaki, caught her hair and prepared to cut off her head. He declared “If your son will be my death then I will kill you so you may never give birth to anyone.” Vasudev caught Kansa’s hand. He knew he could not fight Kansa and win so he tried to reason with him. He said “Kansa, please have mercy on your sister. It is not her fault that fate has played such a cruel trick on her. She has always loved and obeyed you. Do not ruin your name by killing a woman, your sister on her wedding day!”. Kansa roared, “You want me to die too? I will kill you next Vasudev!” Vasudev replied, “No brother Kansa. The heavenly voice declared that Devaki’s eighth child will be your death. I promise you that I will bring you every child born to us. You can do what you will.” Kansa thought for a moment. He knew that Vasudev was a man who never broke his promise. Finally, he left Devaki’s hair and declared “Vasudev, bring me your child and I will spare your lives. Now go home.” Vasudev and Devaki’s hopes and dreams about their married life died in that moment. They felt their future darkened by fear. Kansa soon changed his mind and decided that it would be safer for him to put Devaki and Vasudeva in prison. He also put his father in prison and declared himself the king. Devaki gave birth to 7 kids and Kansa killed them all as soon as they were born. Finally one moonless stormy night Devaki gave birth to her eighth son in the prison. As soon as the baby was born Devaki and Vasudeva knew that this child was special and divine. Their chains fell away, guards fell into a deep sleep and the prison gates opened up. Vasudev crossed Yamuna river as a storm raged and reached his friend Nanda’s house in Gokul. Nanda’s wife Yashoda had given birth to a baby girl. Magically, here also everyone was fast asleep. Vasudev placed his son next to Yashoda and brought her daughter back to the prison. As soon as he put the chains back on his hands, the baby girl started crying and the guards woke up. Kansa hurried to the prison to kill the baby who was supposed to be his death. Devaki begged her brother to spare the baby girl. She fell in his feet and said “Brother, you are strong and mighty. This is a baby girl. No girl can ever kill you. My eighth son would have caused your death. The heavenly voice was wrong. Please leave her. Spare her.” Kansa kicked her away and prepared to throw the baby girl at the wall. But the baby flew into air and turned into a heavenly lady. She laughed at Kansa saying “Fool! Your death has already taken birth and far away from you.” After this she disappeared leaving Kansa with a sense of terror. Kansa’s terror proved unlucky for many families. Next morning he ordered his soldiers to kill every child born that night in Mathura. After that he asked Rakshasi Pootna to kill every child born that month. She smeared poison on her breasts and killed every baby born in that month by feeding them poisoned milk. She heard that a boy was born in Nanda and Yashoda’s house and so disguised herself as a royal woman and went to their house. Yashoda thought that she too was a woman who had come to congratulate the family and didn’t try to stop her when Pootna began playing with the baby boy. Pootna started feeding the baby her poisoned milk. But this time the result was very different. The baby who was Vishnu’s incarnation (avatar) sucked away Pootna’s life from her and killed her. In death, Pootna’s disguise fell away and everyone saw her as the demoness Pootna who had been killing babies. She was the first of many demons that Kansa regularly sent to Gokul to kill Nanda’s son Krishna.
