Story of Devakī

Mother of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Genealogy.

Descended from Viṣṇu thus:—Brahmā -Atri—Candra—Budha—Purūravas—Āyus—Nahuṣa—Yayāti—Yadu—Sahasrajit—Śatajit—Hehaya—Dharman—Kuṇi—Bhadrasena—Dhanaka -Kṛtavīrya—Kārtavīryārjuna—Madhu—Vṛṣṇi—Yudhājit—Śini—Satyaka—Sātyaki—Yuyudhāna—Jaya—Kuṇi—Anamitra—Pṛśni—Citraratha—Kukura—Vahni—Vilomā—Kapotaromā—Tumburu—Dundubhi—Daridra—Vasu—Nāhuka—Āhuka—Devaka—Devāpa—Devakī.

Devāpa had seven daughters, viz. Śrutadevā, Śāntidevā, Upadevā, Śrīdevā, Devarakṣitā, Sahadevā and Devakī. Devakī was married to Vasudeva. The statement that Devakī and Kaṃsa were sister and brother is not fully correct. Kaṃsa was the son of Ugrasena, the brother of Devaka. Devakī was the grand-daughter of Devaka. Certain Purāṇas refer to Devakī as the daughter of Devaka. According to them Kaṃsa and Devakī were children of the elder and the younger brothers respectively. According to the Agni Purāṇa Devakī was the niece of Kaṃsa. Thus it is equally correct to say that between Kaṃsa and Devakī there was brother-sister relationship as also uncle-niece relationship.

Devakī in previous birth.

Devakī in her previous birth was Aditi, the daughter of Dakṣa and wife of Kaśyapaprajāpati. (See Aditi, Parva 3).

Marriage and children.

Vasudeva, the Yādava married Devakī. Śrī Kṛṣṇa was their eighth child. Six sons of theirs born elder to Kṛṣṇa were killed by Kaṃsa. (See Kaṃsa, Para 2). The seventh child, from the very womb itself of Devakī was passed on to the womb of Rohiṇī, who was another wife of Vasudeva. Balabhadra was the child thus born to Rohiṇī. The eighth child was Kṛṣṇa. (For details see Kṛṣṇa, Para 3-8).

Other information relating to Devakī.

(1) Many Kṣatriya kings attended the svayaṃvara of Devakī. (Droṇa Parva, Chapter 144, Verse 9).

(2) Following Kṛṣṇa’s giving up of his body and the destruction, due to mutual fights, of the Yādavas, Vasudeva, Rohiṇī and Devakī also gave up their lives.* (Bhāgavata, Ekādaśa Skandha, Chapter 31, Verses 18, 19).

*) "devakī rohiṇī caiva vasudevastathā sutau / krṣṇarāmāvapaśyantaḥ śokārtā vi jahuḥ smṛtim // prāṇāṃśca vijahustatra bhagavadvirahāturāḥ."