The Night That Brought Light

JANMASHTAMI is on August 16, so let us recall that night in Mathura when it happened, drawing from the Srimad Bhagavatam: Mahavishnu meditated in heaven before taking his eighth descent to earth.

- RENUKA NARAYANAN

He put himself through these hardships for mortals because he was sworn to protect the good, punish the wicked and set the world right from age to age. As Krishna, he had chosen to be 'born' in jail.

His earthly parents, Princess Devaki and Prince Vasudev, had waved happily from their carriage at the cheering people of Mathura on their wedding day. Devaki's brother Kamsa, king of Mathura, drove them himself through the city to greet the people. But a bodiless voice had silenced them all when it rang through the air to say that Devaki's eighth child would kill Kamsa.

Kamsa had instantly drawn his sword to kill his sister. But Vasudev had caught his sword arm. "It is not your sister's fault, king," he had said steadily. "Take our eighth child, if you must, but do not kill Devaki."

Kamsa had locked them up in Mathura Jail, and each time a child appeared, he had dashed the baby's head against the stone walls, killing it instantly.

How afraid Vasudev and Devaki had been when she began to expect the dreaded eighth child. As her time drew near, they grew calm and resolute. They had clearly been chosen for some task beyond their understanding and would meet it with courage. Devaki sensed that her child would be born on the eighth night of the moon's dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada.