I thought of writing on Krishna after narrating the whole story of Rama avatar of Lord Vishnu in the Vedic Story. But, Krishna birth story, 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu perplexed me. I started to question myself that how dare I write about Krishna. He is the ultimate source of all life and present everywhere in every soul. I got goosebumps.

I read many stories in my short journey of reading Hindu myths, Bhagavad Gita, Shrimad Bhagavatam, Puranas, Mahabharata, and Ramayana. There is no story without him in all these ancient texts.

Then I encountered a quote by Krishna on Bhagavad Gita.

It is better to do one’s duties imperfectly than to master the duty of others. By fulfilling the desires of the soul a person is born with never griefs. –Krishna, Bhagavad Gita

I never read this quote so intensely, but today. Thereafter, I decided to try to write what I read and understood.

Krishna avatar is not only about the birth story of our Chitchor. It is about enjoying one’s life, fulfilling the duties or Dharma we are born with, and returning to the divine abode of Lord Krishna, Vaikund.

I quoted as I understood his narrative.

Krishna: Darling of Vrindavan: 8th Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Krishna is Vishnu. Vishnu is Krishna. Thus, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu is considered Krishna, the most loved and worshiped deity in Hindu Religious . Devotees pour their love into the feet of Lord Krishna and feel peace within their hearts. Therefore, he comes to every Yuga Chakra to protect them and restore Dharma.

Krishna has always been depicted as a mischievous baby to an adult, dark-skinned but attractive youth in the Vedic scriptures. Krishna means night or black. He has a playful manner to attract young gopis and Vrindavan people with his bright eyes and divine glow on his dark or blue aura. He plays the flute and steals their heart.

Legend of Krishna Birth Story: Raas Leela at Golokdham, Vaikund

The Supreme Lord Krishna and the Queen of Golok, Radharani, were enjoying divine dance or rasa (raas leela) with the gopis.

Sridama, the great devotee of Lord Krishna, visited Vaikund and witnessed the rasa. He saw Radha dancing and loving Krishna. He thought Radha imposed Maya on his Lord and felt dismayed.

Krishna sensed and asked Sridama about his problem. Sridama tried to hide his concern. Krishna is a Lord. He knows everything about his devotees and the entire world.

Therefore, he again asked Sridama about what was bothering him so that he could solve the issue.

“Is love not an illusion?”
“Is Radha not imposing an illusion on you, dear Lord?”, Sridama asked Krishna.

“Radha is Maya, the great illusion. Isn’t she taking you toward the material world from the spiritual world?” Krishna listened to Sridama and tried to make him understand the true nature of Radharani. Lord Hari pointed out at the waterfall that was racing upwards.

Generally, water flows downwards, but the waterfall that was presented at Vaikund flew upwards.

“Radhe! Krishna breathed heavily and said, Radha is a harbinger of Moksh from the birth cycle. She is the ultimate destination to reach. Radha is the fountain of kindness, love, and devotion. I take refuge in her feet. She is the center of all my mischiefs and power”.

Sridama refused to accept Radha as worshipable and called her the goddess of illusion.

He then requested Krishna he could help to be free from worldly illusion. The temple bell rang. Listening to its soothing music, Krishna said, “I think you will get a chance today to make me illusion-free.”

Radha-Krishna sat in the temple so all the devotees could shower their devotion and love. Gopis came with beautiful garments, jewels, and flowers to present. Lord Krishna and Radharani accepted them and blessed them with their divine love.

Sridama came with a butter bowl and presented it to Krishna, neglecting Radha. The event gave immense pain to the divine couple, but they remained quiet as Sridama was a great devotee, and they respected his devotion.

However, Krishna accepted the butter bowl and presented it to Radharani. She tasted the butter first and then offered the same to the Supreme Lord. Krishna blissfully ate the butter, but Sridama did not like the act. He got furious and started to speak angrily.

“You ate the butter and offered the half-eaten to the Lord. We, all the devotees, consider Krishna’s eaten butter as prasadam. How could you do that?” Radharani said, “I checked if the butter was sweet or sour.” But Sridama did not understand and started to speak to her with foil words. He then asked the Gopis to call Krishna’s name.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna to see the miracle.

When the Gopis chanted the mantra, everything around them turned gold and beautiful.

To insult Radha, Sridama asked Gopis again to chant, Radhe Radhe, to witness what happened and pointed out a worm.

Gopis chanted Radhe Radhe, and the worm was destroyed. Seeing that, everyone was stunned.

Thereafter, Sridama asked the Gopis again to chant Radhe Radhe, which they did by targeting a butterfly. The butterfly got destroyed.

Then he again asked the Gopis to chant Radhe Radhe pointed out a little girl. Gopis got terrified and thought she would, too, get destroyed.

Sridama ingested confusion in Gopis’ mind that Radha was not worthy of worship. They denied chanting Radhe Radhe to save the girl.

Seeing the impact, Sridama asked Krishna to decide on whether Radha was worthy of worship. Sridama Cursed Radha

Krishna asked for some time before declaring Radha’s fate. He asked Sridama to be his gatekeeper so that he could not get disturbed by anyone.

Radha, on the other hand, was consoling the little girl. Gopis witnessed this and understood everything. They realized their mistake and wanted to apologize.

Krishna remembered Radha. Radha ran towards the chamber of Krishna, where Sridama was gatekeeping.

Sridama did not allow Radha to go inside as he asked to do. Radha said Krishna remembered her and needed to meet him, but Sridama said he did not listen to Krishna’s call.

Radha responded that true devotion needs no calling out loud; one can listen at heart if the Lord remembers.

Sridama felt insulted, and in anger, he stopped Radha’s path. Radha informed Sridama that Krishna is her memory and resides in her whole body and breath, crossing Sridama.

Sridama got so furious that he said, “I curse you to lose your memory and stay away from Krishna for one hundred years on Earth”.

Radha opened the door of Krishna’s chamber and entered. They both came out and were in tears.

Sridama narrated the whole story about the curse on Radha. Krishna asked Sridama to tell him what news he brought from Brahmalok.

Lord Brahma asked me to inform you my Lord that the time of your birth on the Earth has come. Sridama understood the whole point of his visiting Vaikund and cursing Radha. He started crying for his mistake and apologized.

Radha-Krishna forgave Sridama and said he was only doing what was determined by the Lord himself.

Little girl and gopis came, and they too apologized for their mistake. The girl asked Sridama to chant Radhe Radhe. She narrated that she was the tiny worm and the butterfly he targeted. She got the body of a human due to the kindness of Radha without attaining 84 lac yonis or species.

The little girl requested Sridama for her liberation from the birth cycle and asked him to chant Radhe Radhe.

Sridama understood his mistake as he called Radha, an illusion or Maya, and chanted Radhe Radhe. The girl got liberated, and thus the birth story of Krishna and Radha began.

Krishna Birth Story: An Enchanting Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu, was the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. He was the eighth son of Devaki, sister of King Kansa, and daughter of Uggarsen of Mathura. Kamsa was the most cruel King and brother in the entire history of humanity. Kansa arranged Devaki’s marriage with friend Vasudev as he loved her a lot. After the marriage, he decided to make her farewell grand.

During the ride of the marriage chariot of Devaki and Vasudev, a voice thundered from the sky. The Akashvani announced the death of Kamsa by the eight sons of Devaki.

On hearing such devastating news of his death by his nephew, Kansa decided to kill Devaki at that very moment. However, Vasudeva stopped Kansa and convinced him with a promise that they would offer the child to him. King Kansa did not want to lose any chance, and thus, he imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva.

After the imprisonment of Devaki and Vasudeva, he even imprisoned his father at his palace so that he could not save his daughter. With time, Devaki gave birth to her first child, and Kamsa began to kill the newborn. Not a single child escaped their tyrannical fate and fell prey to the hands of cruel Kamsa. He killed every child of Devaki the day they took birth mercilessly.

Devaki with the Seventh Child, Balarama

After killing all six children of Devaki and Vasudeva, they were terrified for their seventh son. On the other hand, Lord Vishnu decided to save the child and asked Goddess Mahamaya to transfer Balaram from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s womb. Rohini was the first wife of Vasudeva and was living in Gokula. Mahamaya transferred the child to Rohini’s womb and saved Devaki’s son. Rohini was living with Yasodha and Nanda Raj, brother-in-law of Vasudeva.

Janmashtami: Birth of Lord Krishna-8th Avatar of Lord Vishnu

Kansa was surprised by this miracle when he knew that Devaki’s seventh son had a miscarriage. However, Goddess Mahamaya came to inform Devaki and Vasudeva that she was transferring the seventh child to Rohini’s womb to save his life. Devaki and Vasudeva were happy that their child got saved by Lord Vishnu and Mahamaya.

After a year, Devaki was pregnant with the eighth child, Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu. Kamsa placed his guards to keep eyes on them. He even asked the guards to give him every information about the birth of Devaki’s son. At the midnight of Ashtami, heavy rain began to pour, and Lord Vishnu himself appeared and blessed Devaki and Vasudeva by becoming their son.

Soon, Devaki gave birth to Krishna. The guards and the informers of Kamsa were fast asleep. Devaki prayed to the Lord to keep mercy on her son and protect the child from Kamsa’s wrath.

Miracle Happened in the Mathura Prison

Miraculously, the heavy iron chain of Vasudeva broke, and the prison doors opened. Devaki hugged Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu, one last time and handed over Vasudeva. Vasudeva held Krishna as per the Indian Mythology and Bhagavata Purana and rushed toward Gokula.

The rain was pouring so heavily, and the river Yamuna was overflowing. Out of nowhere, a basket came on the river bank. Vasudeva placed his son Krishna on it, and without wasting any second, he carried him over his head to cross the river.

Sheshnaag Avatar, of Lord Vishnu, Protected Krishna from Rain

The water of the Yamuna River was rising and flowing vigorously and creating hurdles for Vasudeva. However, Vasudeva still managed to keep his son safe and slowly started to cross it. The river water kept rising higher and reached Vasudeva’s head. He submerged under the Yamuna water, and the basket touched the water.

Little Krishna turned around, and his little foot touched Yamuna and calmed her water flow. Instantly, Yamuna’s water level dropped, but the rain poured on. Sheshanaag, the bed of Lord Vishnu, came to the rescue.

Vasudeva at first feared, but soon realized, the huge snake came to protect Krishna and help him cross the river until he reached Gokula. With his hood spread, Sheshnaag stopped the raindrop on Krishna.

Yashoda Gave Birth To A Girl

Vasudeva reached Nandaraja’s home and found out Yashoda had given birth to a baby girl. Nandaraj and Yashoda were shocked by the arrival of Vasudeva and were happy too. Vasudeva narrated the whole traumatic story to them.

Yashoda felt the same grief and heartfelt kindness. Yashoda was ready to save Devaki’s eighth son, Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu and asked Vasudeva to exchange her girl with his son so that Kamsa could not find the truth.

Vasudeva broke into tears with this great gesture and placed the little girl in his basket and returned for Mathura.

On reaching the prison, the iron chains bound him again, and doors closed.

The newborn baby girl began to cry so hard and woke the guards. They informed Kamsa about Devaki’s eighth child. Kamsa came and snatched the little girl from the hand of Devaki.

Devaki and Vasudeva told him that the baby was a girl and asked him for mercy and to spare the child. When Kamsa was about to kill the baby, she vanished into the sky and turned into a goddess Mahamaya. She warned Kamsa that his destroyer was in Gokul and soon would come to kill him.

Naming Ceremony for Krishna

Yashoda and Nandaraj arranged a naming ceremony for the baby. They named him Krishna, the dearest son of Nand and Yashoda. He was brought up by Yashoda and Rohini with Balarama.

Krishna Brought Up at Gokula with Radha and Friends

Little Kanha grew up joyfully in the friendly company of Radha, Gopis, and other cow herd boys at Gokula. He was a dark-blue-skinned little boy with beautiful limbs and lotus eyes. He was the most charming boy in his company, who carried a flute and mesmerized them with his divine music. Everyone in the Gokula loved him, and whoever came across him fell for the dark-skinned enchanter.

Krishna was so naughty and full of pranks. He loved to steal Makhan or butter and consume it with his cow herd boys. Radha and Gopis loved him. They were always around him during the herding of their cows in Govardhan Parvat.

Krishna Avatar of Lord Vishnu Killed Putna

While Krishna was an infant and crawling, Kamsa sent Putna to kill Krishna. Putna formed herself into a nursemaid and visited Nandaraj and Yashoda’s home. She offered her care and took Krishna to feed him with her poisonous milk. Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu sucked her all milk and even life and eventually killed her.

Meanwhile, Kamsa sends many powerful, dangerous demons in disguises to search for little Krishna to kill him. Krishna, the 8th avatar of Lord Vishnu, encountered Sakatasura, Bakasura, Trinavarta, Aghasura, Varsavia, and many others. They all tried to kill Kanha but
lost their lives instead.

Krishna Taught Lesson to Arrogant Kaliya Snake

Once upon a time, Krishna and his cow herd friends played in the waters of Yamuna, but suddenly his friends began to be unconscious.

He found out it was happening due to poison in the river. Krishna dived into the river and found Kaliya Naag was living with his family and poisoning the water. He extracted the Kaliya from the river and danced upon his hood until he surrendered and agreed to leave Yamuna and stay in the ocean.

Govardhan Parvat Puja

As per the Hindu myth and several ancient texts, Indra, the Lord of Heaven, poured heavy rain at Gokula to teach a lesson to the Gokuldam people. Krishna banned Indra Yagna, and worship. He said it was Indra’s duty to nourish people on Earth. The furious Indra poured heavy rain on Gokula for seven long days and nights. However, Krishna protected the entire community, animals, birds, and other creatures lifting the Govardhan Hill. He held the hill like an umbrella with his tiny finger and saved the lives of Gokula.

Krishna and Balarama Visited Mathura at the Invitation of Kansa

When Kansa failed in his every attempt to kill Krishna, he planned to organize Dhanoriya Yagna. He invited Krishna and Balarama to bring them to Mathura and kill them by his, Akrura. Nobody in Gokula wanted Krishna to go to Mathura to challenge Kamsa, but Krishna convinced the entire Gokula. He told them that he had to serve the duty towards his parents and the purpose of life. Akrura drove Krishna and Balarama to Mathura.

Krishna Met Tribakra, A Lady with Deformed Body

As soon as they reached Mathura, an old lady appeared before the Chariot. She brought Sandalwood for Krishna and Balarama. She was Tribakra, her body in a deformed shape. It was believed that she got cursed due her precious life activities, therefore, got a deformed body. She was Manthara in her earlier life. She applied Chandan on Krishna, the 8th Avatar of Lord Vishnu and turned into a beautiful lady with a perfect body.

On hearing such good news, Kamsa asked his minister to unchain the Kuvalayapida, a mad elephant.

Kamsa asked to release the elephant in the market of Mathura, where Krishna and Balaram were exploring and enjoying the time. Kuvalayapida destroyed the whole market and ran towards Krishna. He cut off the elephant’s trunk with his sword and killed the animal.

Krishna and Balaram Killed Mushtika and Chanura

Kamsa arranged a wrestling match and sat on his throne to witness the challenge. He declared if a rival loses may face death. King Kamsa organized a fight between Mushitaka and Krishna and Chanura and Balarama. They were the invincible and strongest demon warriors of Kamsa. Balarama, son of Rohini, attacked Mushtika with his mace.

Mushtika fell with a dynamic thud. Mushtika roared in pain. Thereafter, Krishna fought with Chanura, which went on for a long, but he got killed.

Krishna Killed Kamsa

Mushtika and Chanura’s death shocked Kansa. They were the best warriors in his army but could not survive in the clutches of Krishna and Balarama.

Krishna roared and warned Kamsa of his inevitable death. Kamsa ran for his life and tried his best to defeat Krishna, the 8th Avatar of Lord Vishnu and escape the ground. Krishna held Kamsa and chopped off his head with Sudarshan Chakra.

Also Read

• Matsya Avatar: First Lord Vishnu Took the Fish Incarnation
• Kurma Avatar: Second Incarnation of Lord Vishnu
• Varaha Avatar: Third Incarnation of Lord Vishnu
• Narasimha Avatar Story: 4th Incarnation of Lord Vishnu
• Vamana Avatar of Lord Vishnu: 5th Incarnation of the Dashavatar
• Parashurama Avatar Story: 6th incarnation of Lord Vishnu
• Story of Rama: 7th Avatar of Lord Vishnu

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