The Prison of Tears
Didn’t catch the last chapter of how Vasudeva and Devaki survived? Read the first part of Lord Krishna’s birth here.
Imprisonment of Krishna’s parents (Vasudeva Anakadundubhi and Devaki), the murder of His siblings – these few words in the Bhagavata Purana hide a story of unimaginable suffering.
Kamsa, driven by paranoia and the prophecy that echoed in his nightmares, couldn’t bear to have Vasudeva and Devaki living freely. What if they tried to hide a child? What if they fled to another kingdom? What if, what if, what if…
Fear makes monsters of us all.
So he imprisoned them in his own palace – but not in any ordinary cell. This was a prison designed to break spirits: thick stone walls that blocked out the sun, iron bars that seemed to mock any hope of escape, and guards who watched them every moment of every day.
One by one, Devaki gave birth to children who were the light of her life. And one by one, Kamsa tore them from her arms and dashed them against the prison walls. Six beautiful babies – six pieces of her heart – destroyed before they could even speak their first words.
The Bhagavata Purana describes how Devaki’s screams echoed through the palace corridors and how Vasudeva’s heart broke a little more with each loss.
The people of Mathura whispered in dark corners: “What kind of king kills innocent babies?” But none dared speak openly. Kamsa had allies—powerful demons like Putana, Aghasura, and Bakasura, who terrorised anyone who opposed him.
From the Harivamsa: “Pāpasya hi phalaṁ pāpaṁ” – “The fruit of evil is evil itself.”
Meanwhile, in the heavens, the gods were growing restless. Lord Vishnu’s previous avatars—Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, and others—had dealt with specific threats. But now, the Earth herself, personified as Bhumi Devi, approached Lord Brahma with tears in her eyes.
“The burden of evil has become unbearable,” she pleaded. “Kamsa and his demon allies are turning my sacred soil into a graveyard. When will relief come?”
But here’s what the scriptures tell us that most people don’t know: The six brothers of Krishna, known as the Shadgarbhas, were previously the sons of the great asura (demon) Kalnemi. In some accounts, their mother is identified as Urna-devi. Kalnemi was himself the son of Virochana and the grandson of the powerful Danava king, Hiranyaksha. This lineage is a key part of their story.
The six brothers, whose names were Haṁsa, Suvikrama, Krātha, Damana, Ripurmardana, and Krodhahantā, chose to abandon their great-uncle Hiranyakashipu and began a period of rigorous penance to please Lord Brahma. Pleased with their devotion, Brahma granted them a boon that they would be invincible to all demigods, sages, and humans. However, when the brothers returned, Hiranyakashipu was enraged. He saw their actions as a betrayal of his family and authority, as they had sought blessings from Brahma instead of him.
In a fit of fury, Hiranyakashipu cursed the Shadgarbhas. He declared that since they had abandoned him, they would be born again and be killed by their own father. Specifically, he cursed them, “The same father who called you ShaDgarbhA and brought you up, will kill all of you when you are conceived.” He further prophesied, “All six of you, great asuras Shadgarbha will become Devaki’s conceptions. Then Kaṃsa (incarnation of your father Kalanemi) will kill you at conception.”
This curse set in motion the events that would lead to their rebirth. Kalnemi, their father from the previous life, was reborn as Kansa.
In a cosmic sense, Krishna’s birth was facilitating their liberation from this curse. But try explaining cosmic justice to a grieving mother’s heart!
Do you wish that your kids also learn about our ancient wisdom? Explore the complete Krishna birth story for kids with this highly-rated book.
What new challenges await our beloved Kanhaa? Find out in the next part of the miraculous birth of Lord Krishna.
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