Kṛshṇa’s Birth and the Janmāshṭamī Vow

Chapter 13 of the Brahma Khaṇḍa of the Padma Mahā Purāṇa is told by Vasishṭha to King Dilīpa. It tells how Bhagavān Vishṇu was born as Kṛshṇa from Devakī. The Earth was troubled by Kaṃsa. She went to Bhagavān Śiva, who took her trouble to Brahmā. Brahmā and the devas went to Bhagavān Vishṇu at the Milky Ocean. Bhagavān Vishṇu agreed to be born from the womb of Devakī, and Devī Pārvatī agreed to be born from the womb of Yaśodā as a daughter. The chapter ends with the account of King Chitrasena, who kept the Janmāshṭamī vow by chance and reached Vaikuṇṭha.

The Earth’s trouble and the appeal to Bhagavān Vishṇu

Kings like Kaṃsa were crushing the Earth. A proud messenger of Kaṃsa struck her. She cried with rolling eyes and went to Bhagavān Śiva, the lord of Umā, in the form of a cow. Her face was pale with grief and insult.

Bhagavān Śiva saw her weeping. His lower lip trembled with anger. He came to Brahmā and asked him to find a way to destroy Kaṃsa.

Brahmā and the devas, led by Hara (Bhagavān Śiva), went to the Milky Ocean. There Bhagavān Vishṇu lay asleep on the serpent. Brahmā came down on his Haṃsa and praised Bhagavān Vishṇu: “Salutation to the lotus-eyed Vishṇu, the highest soul, the protector of the world. O lord of Lakshmī, salutation to you.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu asked the devas why they had come.

Brahmā’s appeal

Brahmā said: “O lord of the world, King Kaṃsa has become proud because of a vara (boon) given by Bhagavān Śiva. By it he cannot die except through his sister’s son. He cannot be conquered, and he has struck the Earth. O Bhagavān Vishṇu, go to Gokula and take birth from the womb of Devakī. Go yourself and kill that unconquerable Kaṃsa.”

Bhagavān Vishṇu, sent by Brahmā, said to Bhagavān Śiva: “O lord of the devas, hand over Pārvatī. After staying for a year, she will return.”

With Pārvatī as his protection, the bearer of the disc set out for Mathurā.

The births of Kṛshṇa and Pārvatī

The bearer of the mace took birth from the womb of Devakī at Mathurā. The lotus-eyed Pārvatī went into the womb of Yaśodā.

Bhagavān Kṛshṇa, the enemy of Kaṃsa and the son of Vasudeva, rested in the womb of Devakī for nine months and nine days. He was born on the Ashṭamī night of the dark fortnight of Bhādrapada, when Rohiṇī was joined with the Moon and the clouds were thundering.

At the same time Yaśodā, the daughter of Virāṭa and wife of Nanda, gave birth to a daughter. This daughter was Pārvatī herself.

Vasudeva crosses the Yamunā

Vasudeva, also called Ānakadundubhi, saw his son born with a lotus-like navel and lotus-like eyes. He was full of joy.

But Devakī trembled with fear of Kaṃsa. She said to him: “O lord, go and hand over the son to Vairāṭī (Yaśodā). After giving our son to Yaśodā, bring her daughter here.”

Vasudeva was sad. He placed the son at his side and went towards Yaśodā. On the way the Yamunā was in flood. It was fearful, with deep water. He stood on the bank in distress and cried: “What shall I do? Where shall I go? Destiny has deceived me.”

At that moment Bhagavān Vishṇu, by his māyā (power), made the waters of the Yamunā sink to the level of the knee.

The playful infant also fell from Vasudeva’s side into the water. The father cried out in alarm. Kṛshṇa, the enemy of Kaṃsa, played in the water. Then he kindly came back to his father’s chest.

So the best of the Yadus went with the infant to the house of Nanda.

The exchange and Kaṃsa’s attempt

Vasudeva gave the son to Yaśodā. He brought back her daughter, who was Pārvatī, and handed her to Devakī.

The news reached Kaṃsa that Devakī had given birth. His messengers came to take the child. They seized the daughter from Devakī and Vasudeva and gave her to Kaṃsa.

The great asura king saw the infant. She was golden in colour, her face was like the full moon, her eyes were like lightning, and she was smiling. He ordered his servants to kill her by dashing her on a stone slab.

But when the asuras tried to destroy her, Gaurī (Pārvatī) suddenly rose into the sky and spoke: “O king, listen. I shall tell you where your greatest enemy is. O greatest of asuras, your killer is hidden in the house of Nanda.”

Then the devī went to her own abode.

Pūtanā, Śakaṭa, Tṛṇāvarta and Kāliya

Kaṃsa heard the words of Gaurī and was seized with pain. He sent his sister Pūtanā to Gokula and told her to kill the infant son.

Pūtanā took the false form of a beautiful woman and entered Gokula. She went inside the house of the cowherds, took the child, and gave him her breast full of poison. By this she reached beatitude (moksha).

The infant then threw down the asura Śakaṭa and crushed Tṛṇāvarta and others. He tamed Kāliya. At last he went to Mathurā, killed the cruel Kaṃsa and overcame his wrestlers.

Chitrasena keeps the Janmāshṭamī vow by chance

Vasishṭha then tells the account of King Chitrasena, a man of great pāpa. He had illicit relations, stole gold from brāhmaṇas, drank liquor, ate flesh, killed animals, and always kept company with caṇḍālas and fallen people.

Once he went hunting. His army surrounded a tiger, and he chased it until evening. Hunger and thirst pressed on him as he stood on the bank of the Yamunā. That day was the Ashṭamī joined with Rohiṇī, the birthday of Kṛshṇa.

There he saw caṇḍāla girls keeping the Janmāshṭamī vow. They had flowers, sandal paste, saffron, lamps and good food as offerings. The king’s mind was shaken by hunger. He said that he would die if he did not eat.

The girls scolded him: “O king without pāpa, you should not eat on this Janmāshṭamī day. There is no doubt that you have eaten such food before. What pāpa (sin) will not come to men who eat on Kṛshṇāshṭamī? A man who has not kept the Jayantī fast while he lived goes to the abode of Yama. His ancestors do not accept what he offers them. All the ancestors are thrown down when food is taken on a Jayantī.”

Chitrasena heard this teaching from the caṇḍāla girls and then kept the vow. He brought a few flowers, a little sandal paste and a small piece of cloth. He broke his fast at the end of the Ashṭamī day.

By the power of this vow, Chitrasena and his dead ancestors got into a divine vimāna (flying chariot) and went to the abode of Bhagavān Vishṇu.

Sources

• Padma Mahā Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Chapter 13