History
In Dwapara Yuga, around 5200 years ago, king Kamsa ruled the kingdom of Mathura (that belonged to the Yadava clan) by overthrowing his father, king Ugrasena. People on earth suffered immeasurably under his tyrannical rule. At that period, there were many more wicked and evil ones ruled on earth and the mother Earth suffered on account of it. Moved by the earnest prayers of the sufferers, Vishnu decided to take birth in human form to protect Dharma and to spread peace and love on earth by annihilating the evil forces.
King Kansa arranged the marriage of his sister Devaki with one of his friend Vasudeva, the Yadu king. After the marriage ceremony was over, King Kansa decided to bid farewell to Devaki, by riding their chariot to Vasudeva’s home. While he was riding their marriage chariot he heard the Aakashvani (the voice from Sky). According to the Aakashvani, Kansa would be killed by Devaki’s eighth son. On hearing this, Kansa tried to kill Devaki with his sword at that very moment but Vasudeva stopped him and convinced him saying that their eighth child will be submitted to Kansa and that he could do anything to him. Kansa didn’t want to take his chances and imprisoned Devaki and Vasudeva.
Kansa killed 6 children of Devaki and Vasudeva the day it was born by lumping it on the stone. The seventh child was transferred Devaki’s womb to Rohini's, the first wife of Vasudeva, womb by Mahamaya as per Vishnu’s instruction. This seventh child was Balraam. The eighth child was Krishna. It was midnight, Ashtami tithi and Rohini nakshatra when the birth took place.
The child was miraculously and secretively transported to Gokula (a community of cow herds belonging to Yadava clan at the banks of river Yamuna) to become the foster son of mother Yashoda and King Nanda. A female child born to them (Mahamaya) at the same time was transported back to the prison.
When Kamsa came to know of the birth of the eighth child, he came to the prison as usual and as he lifted the child to kill it, the girl child (Mahamaya) got freed from his clutches and flew away laughing aloud that the king was cheated squarely and the child meant to kill him was safe and alive elsewhere.
At Nandraja's house, in Gokula, the child was named Krishna, - the color of night.
