Chapter III

AGAIN SHUKADEVA Jee began to say to the Raja Parikshit,—O Raja! I will now narrate how Hari came into the womb, and how Brahma and the other gods sung the praises of the fœtus, and how Devi took Baladeva Jee to Gokula—One day the Raja Kamsa came and sat in his court, and having summoned all his demons said to them, "All the gods have been born upon the earth, and amongst them Krishna will also make his descent. Narada, the sage, has explained this secret to me; for this reason, it is right, that you should go, and utterly destroy all the family of Yadu, so that not one of them may be left alive."

Having obtained this order, all made their obeisance and departed, and after coming to the city, searching for and seizing the members of the family of Yadu, they began to bind them,-and whether they were eating, drinking, standing, sitting, asleep, awake, or going to and fro from place to place, they did not let go a single one; and having surrounded them, they brought them into one place, and put them all to death by burning, drowning, dashing them against stones, and other tortures.—In this manner, all the devils both great and small, assuming various frightful shapes, began to search every city, village, lane, and house for the members of the family of Yadu, and to destroy them; and the family of Yadu being distressed, and abandoning their country, fled, taking only their lives with them. All this time, all the other wives of Vasudeva came with Rohini from Mathura to Gokula, where Vasudeva’s chief friend, Nanda Jee was dwelling, who received them with great affection, and restored them to confidence, and they dwelt in his house with great delight. When Kamsa began thus to vex the gods, and to commit great crimes, Vishnu created an illusive form from his eyes, which, joining its hands, came before him Vishnu said to it, "Go thou now, and make a descent into the city of Mathura, where the demon Kamsa is causing distress to my worshippers, and Kashyapa and Adit, that is, Yashoda and Devaki, have gone; Kamsa has closely confined them, and put six of their children to death; the seventh in the womb now is Luchman Jee, whom having taken from the womb of Devaki, and carried to Gokula, place in such a manner in the womb of Rohini, that no devil may know of it, and all the people of that part of the country will celebrate your praises."

Having thus instructed the illusive form, Shri Narayun said, "Having first gone, and completed this work, be born in the house of Nanda, and afterwards in that of Vasudeva; I also will come to Nanda’s house." On hearing this, the illusive form came quickly to Mathura, and entered the house of Vasudeva, in the form of Mohnee. The fœtus she took away secretly, she went and gave to Rohini; all people thought it her first pregnancy—Bhagavan was born from Rohini.

In this manner on the fourteenth of the light part of the month Sawun, on a Wednesday, Baladeva Jee was born in Gokula; and the illusion caused Vasudeva and Devaki to dream, that she had carried away their child from the womb of Devaki, and given it to Rohini, and told them not to be at all anxious. On hearing this in their dream, Vasudeva and Devaki awoke from sleep, and began to say to each other, "Bhagavan has done well in this, but we must now inform Kamsa of the circumstance; otherwise, there is no knowing what pain he may inflict on us hereafter." Thinking thus, they informed their guards, who went and said to Kamsa, "O great king! Devaki has miscarried; no child has been born." On hearing this Kamsa said in alarm, "Be very careful this time, because I have a dread of the eighth pregnancy, which the voice from heaven spoke of." Having narrated thus much, SHRI SHUKADEVA Jee said, Raja! Baladeva Jee having thus appeared, when Shri Krishna came into the womb of Devaki, the illusion went and took up its abode in the womb of Yashoda, the wife of Nanda. Both were pregnant, when Devaki during a festival went to the Yamuna to bathe; by chance Yashoda came, and met her there—They began to talk of their mutual troubles: suddenly, Yashoda said to Devaki, "I will keep your child, and give you mine." After this conversation, they both returned to their respective homes. Afterwards, when Kamsa learnt that Devaki was pregnant with her eighth child, he surrounded Vasudeva’s house; he placed guards of devils on all four sides, and having sent for Vasudeva, said to him, "Do not deceive me this time, bring your child to me; because on a former occasion I believed what you said." Having thus spoken, he placed fetters and handcuffs on Vasudeva and Devaki; and having shut them up in one room, placing locks upon locks to prevent access, Kamsa came to his own house, and fasting through fear went to sleep; and again very early in the morning went to the place, where Vasudeva and Devaki were. Seeing that the pregnancy was clearly manifest, he exclaimed, "In this cave of death, my destruction is contained; I could kill the mother, but I am afraid of the infamy which would attach to me from the act, because it would not be right for me, who am so powerful, to kill a woman—well, I will destroy her son." Saying this, and coming outside, he placed as guards elephants, lions, dogs, and his own powerful warriors—and he himself watched constantly—but did not obtain a moment’s ease. Wherever he looked, he beheld during the eight puhurs and sixty-four ghurees Krishna in the form of death, from dread of which, he spent every night and day in most anxious thought. This was the state of Kamsa; while Vasudeva and Devaki in great affliction, the time for the birth having arrived, were propitiating Shri Krishna, when Bhagavan came, and caused them to dream, and banished all their care by telling them, that he would soon be born, and put an end to all their anxiety, and told them not to indulge in regrets. On hearing this, Vasudeva and Devaki awoke. At this time Brahma, Rudra, Indra and all the gods, having left their chariots in mid air, and being invisible, came to Vasudeva’s house, and joining their hands, and singing the Vedas, they began to celebrate the praises of the child in the womb. At which time, no one saw them, but all heard the musical sounds of the singing of the Vedas. All the guards were amazed at this strange circumstance, and Vasudeva and Devaki were certain, that Bhagavan would quickly put an end to their troubles.