Shri Krishna’s Birth Story - 14 Minute Beautiful Explanation By Vinay Varanasi

Summary

The script narrates the story of Krishna's birth and early life, focusing on the prophecy that led to Kamsa's tyranny. It explores the divine plan behind Krishna's survival, including his exchange with a baby girl to evade Kamsa's wrath. The narrative delves into the concept of 'Yoga' and 'Bhakti', illustrating how even Kamsa's fear and obsession with Krishna led to his eventual deliverance. It also touches upon the roles of various characters, the significance of Krishna's birth in Gokul, and the broader implications of his avatar.

Takeaways

• 👑 Kamsa, the cousin of Daki, conducted the wedding in a grand way but later imprisoned his sister and her husband out of fear of a prophecy.
• 🔮 The prophecy stated that the eighth child of Devaki would be the cause of Kamsa's death, leading to his obsession with killing that child.
• 🤰 Devaki promised to give all her children to Kamsa to prevent him from killing her, highlighting the lengths she went to protect her offspring.
• 👶 Krishna's birth was extraordinary, with divine signs and events surrounding it, including the river Yamuna parting to let Vasudeva cross.
• 🌀 Vasudeva was instructed by Krishna to take him across the Yamuna to be placed with Nanda and Yashoda, while a baby girl was brought back in his place.
• 🌌 The story of Krishna's birth involves the merging of two divine entities, Krishna from Goloka and Vishnu from Vaikuntha, signifying the importance of this avatar.
• 🎉 Janmashtami celebrations are split into two days, with the first day marking the birth of Krishna and the second day celebrating Gokul Asami.
• 👼 Yoga Maya played a crucial role in the story, being born to Devaki and later slipping from Kamsa's hands to reveal the location of Krishna.
• 🐉 Kamsa sent demons to kill Krishna, which became part of Krishna's leelas, or divine plays.
• 🔙 The story of Krishna's birth and early life is filled with layers of meaning and symbolism, reflecting the deeper spiritual truths of the avatar.

Q & A

Who is Kamsa and what is his relationship with Vasudeva and Devaki?

Kamsa is the cousin brother of Devaki. He is very fond of Devaki and conducts her wedding in a grand way. However, after hearing a prophecy that Devaki's eighth child will be responsible for his death, Kamsa becomes obsessed with killing that child.

What is the prophecy that Kamsa hears after Devaki's wedding?

The prophecy states that the eighth child of Devaki will be responsible for Kamsa's death.

Why does Kamsa imprison Devaki and Vasudeva?

Kamsa imprisons Devaki and Vasudeva to control the birth of their children and to ensure that he can kill the eighth child as per the prophecy.

Who is Nara and what advice does he give to Kamsa?

Nara is a character who advises Kamsa to kill all of Devaki and Vasudeva's children, not just the eighth, to ensure his safety from the prophecy.

What is the significance of Krishna's birth and the events surrounding it?

Krishna's birth is significant because it marks the beginning of his avatara, or divine descent, to the Earth. The events surrounding his birth, including the prophecy and the attempts on his life, highlight the divine plan and the struggle between good and evil.

Why does Vasudeva take Krishna across the Yamuna river?

Vasudeva takes Krishna across the Yamuna river to exchange him with a baby girl born to Nanda and Yashoda, in order to protect Krishna from Kamsa's wrath.

What is the rahasyam or secret related to Krishna's birth at Nanda and Yashoda's house?

The rahasyam is that along with the baby girl, Yashoda gave birth to a beam of light, which is actually Krishna's eternal form from Goloka merging with the baby boy Vasudeva brought.

What is the significance of Janmashtami and how is it celebrated?

Janmashtami is the celebration of Krishna's birth. It is split across two days, with the first day culminating in a puja at midnight, the time of Krishna's birth, and the second day known as Gokul Asami, celebrating the realization of Krishna's presence in Gokul.

Who is Yoga Maya and what is her role in Krishna's story?

Yoga Maya is Vishnu's sister and a manifestation of his divine power. She plays a role in Krishna's story by creating a delusion that allows Vasudeva to take Krishna across the Yamuna river safely. She also reassures Devaki and Vasudeva that Krishna is safe and will come to relieve them.

What happens when Kamsa tries to kill the baby girl brought back by Vasudeva?

When Kamsa tries to kill the baby girl, she slips out of his hands, ascends into the sky, and reveals that Krishna, her killer, is on the other side of the Yamuna river.

How does the story of Krishna's birth relate to the concept of avatara?

The story of Krishna's birth illustrates the concept of avatara by showing how a divine being descends to Earth in human form to fulfill a divine purpose, in this case, to eliminate evil and restore balance.

Outlines

00:00

🔮 The Birth of Krishna and Kamsa's Fear

This paragraph narrates the story of Krishna's birth and the events leading up to it. It begins with the marriage of Vasudev and Devaki, and the subsequent threat posed by Kamsa, Devaki's cousin. Upon hearing a prophecy that Devaki's eighth child would be the cause of his death, Kamsa imprisons the couple. The narrative then delves into Kamsa's obsession with killing the eighth child, Krishna, as advised by Nara. This obsession leads Kamsa to become a 'B Yogi,' someone who is constantly contemplating Krishna, albeit out of fear. The paragraph also highlights the divine intervention of various deities, such as Vasudeva's safe passage across the Yamuna River with baby Krishna, and the significance of Krishna's birth as both a human and divine entity, merging with a beam of light born to Nanda and Yashoda.

05:01

🌌 The Swap Across the Yamuna and the Mystery of Krishna's Avatar

This paragraph continues the story by detailing Vasudeva's journey across the Yamuna River with baby Krishna to swap him with a baby girl from Nanda and Yashoda. It explores the miraculous events that occur, such as the river Yamuna parting to allow Vasudeva to cross and the guards falling asleep to prevent the news from reaching Kamsa. The rahasyam, or mystery, of Krishna's avatar is revealed, where it is explained that both Vishnu from Vaikuntha and Krishna from Goloka merge to become the avatar, signifying a unique and extraordinary event. The paragraph also discusses the significance of Janmashtami being celebrated over two days, with the first day marking the night of Krishna's birth and the second day celebrating his presence in Gokul.

10:03

💫 Krishna's Miraculous Escape and Kamsa's Downfall

The final paragraph of the script discusses the aftermath of Krishna's birth and the events that unfold. It describes how Kamsa, upon learning of the baby girl's birth, attempts to kill her, only for her to reveal that his killer is across the Yamuna. This encounter instills in Kamsa a constant contemplation of his own death, turning him into a 'B Yogi' out of fear. The narrative also touches upon the various demons sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna and how they become part of Krishna's leelas, or divine plays. Additionally, it provides insight into the backstory of characters like Kamsa and the deeper meanings behind the stories in the puranas, emphasizing the interconnectedness of events and the importance of understanding the nuances of these ancient tales.

Keywords

💡Kamsa

Kamsa is a central character in the narrative who is the cousin-brother of Devaki and the antagonist in the story of Krishna's birth. He is depicted as a tyrant who imprisons his sister and her husband, Vasudeva, and attempts to kill their children to prevent the prophecy of his death at the hands of the eighth child. Kamsa's actions and obsession with the prophecy illustrate the theme of the struggle between good and evil, and his eventual downfall at the hands of Krishna highlights the victory of righteousness.

💡Devaki

Devaki, also known as Vasudeva's wife, is a key figure in the Krishna narrative. She is the sister of Kamsa and the mother of Krishna in his human form. Her character represents the suffering and resilience of a mother who is willing to give up her children to protect them from harm. Devaki's plea to Kamsa to spare her other children and only kill the eighth is a pivotal moment that sets the stage for Krishna's eventual birth and the fulfillment of the prophecy.

💡Vasudeva

Vasudeva is the husband of Devaki and the father of Krishna. He plays a crucial role in Krishna's birth story by secretly transporting the infant Krishna across the Yamuna river to safety, as instructed by Krishna himself. Vasudeva's actions demonstrate devotion and obedience to a higher power, and his character is integral to the unfolding of Krishna's life and the eventual defeat of Kamsa.

💡Yamuna

The Yamuna is a sacred river in Hinduism and a significant geographical element in the Krishna narrative. It serves as the natural barrier that Vasudeva crosses to take Krishna to safety in Gokul. The river's personification as desiring to touch Krishna's feet and then parting to allow Vasudeva to cross is symbolic of the divine reverence and the miraculous nature of Krishna's birth.

💡Gokul

Gokul is the pastoral region where Krishna is raised by Nanda and Yashoda, away from the evil Kamsa. It represents a place of innocence and pastoral bliss, contrasting with the tyranny of Mathura, where Kamsa rules. Gokul is central to Krishna's early life and is the setting for many of his miraculous childhood exploits, emphasizing the theme of divine play or 'leelas'.

💡Nanda and Yashoda

Nanda and Yashoda are the foster parents of Krishna in Gokul. They are depicted as simple cowherds who unknowingly raise the divine Krishna. Their characters embody the ideal of selfless parental love and devotion, and their relationship with Krishna is a significant aspect of his human form, showcasing the divine in everyday life.

💡Avatara

Avatara refers to the 'descent' or incarnation of a deity in Hinduism. In the context of the video, Krishna's birth is his avatara, where the supreme being takes human form to restore balance and fulfill a divine purpose. The concept of avatara is central to understanding Krishna's role and significance in Hindu theology.

💡Akashavani

Akashavani is a voice from the heavens that foretells Kamsa's death at the hands of Devaki's eighth child. This prophecy is a catalyst for the events that unfold in the narrative, driving Kamsa's actions and setting the stage for Krishna's birth. It represents the inevitability of fate and the divine plan.

💡Yogamaya

Yogamaya is a divine energy or power associated with Vishnu and Krishna, often depicted as an illusion or delusion. In the script, Yogamaya is born as a baby girl to Nanda and Yashoda, and her role is to create a veil of ignorance, allowing Krishna to be exchanged without detection. She also appears to Kamsa at the end, revealing the truth about Krishna's survival and预示着 his doom. Yogamaya embodies the divine play and the mysterious ways of the gods.

💡Rakshasas

Rakshasas are demonic creatures in Hindu mythology, often depicted as antagonists of the gods. In the video, Kamsa sends rakshasas to Gokul to kill Krishna, but they become part of Krishna's 'leelas' or divine plays, where he overcomes them. The rakshasas symbolize the forces of evil and ignorance that are inevitably defeated by the divine.

💡Janmashtami

Janmashtami is the festival celebrating the birth of Krishna. The video script mentions that the celebrations are split across two days, with the first day culminating in a midnight puja marking the time of Krishna's birth, and the second day, Gokul Asami, celebrating the realization of Krishna's presence in Gokul. Janmashtami is a significant religious event that encapsulates the joy and reverence associated with Krishna's birth.

Highlights

Kamsa, fond of his cousin Daki, conducts a lavish wedding but later hears a prophecy about his death.

Vasudeva and Devaki promise to give Kamsa their eighth child to prevent him from killing them.

Kamsa imprisons Devaki and her husband, initially ignoring their children, focusing only on killing the eighth.

Naruni advises Kamsa to kill all of Devaki's children, not just the eighth, to ensure his safety.

Kamsa becomes obsessed with the prophecy, constantly thinking about the eighth child.

Kamsa's fear and obsession lead him to become a type of yogi, illustrating the power of constant contemplation.

Vasudeva is instructed to take baby Krishna across the Yamuna river and exchange him for a baby girl.

The river Yamuna parts to allow Vasudeva to cross with Krishna, showing reverence to the divine child.

The story of Krishna's birth involves a divine merging of Vishnu from Vaikuntha and Krishna from Goloka.

Krishna's birth is celebrated as Janmashtami, with festivities spanning two days.

The exchange of Krishna and the baby girl is a key event in Gokul, marking a new phase in Krishna's life.

Yoga Maya, born to Nanda and Yashoda, plays a crucial role in the story, representing divine reassurance.

Kamsa's attempt to kill the baby girl fails, and she ascends to the sky, foretelling his downfall.

The concept of 'Bhayoga' is introduced, where fear of Krishna becomes a form of constant contemplation leading to liberation.

Kamsa sends demons to Gokul, which become part of Krishna's playful exploits.

The story of Kamsa's enmity towards Krishna is rooted in his past life as a demon.

Each character in the story has a rich backstory that adds depth to their actions and motivations.

The Bhagavatam focuses on Krishna's story, leaving the exploration of backstories to other texts.

Yoga Maya, who reassures Vasudeva and Devaki, is later revealed to be Subhadra in the narrative.

Transcripts

who was GS okay sure like let's rewind

this a little bit and then come back to

this point absolutely so veva and daki

uh when they get married daki has a

cousin brother by name kamsa kamsa has

this he's very fond of daki and he's the

one who's conducted this wedding in huge

lavish Grand way but post the wedding as

soon as the wedding is over when he's

taking them for a procession that is

when he hears an akashavani a voice in

the heavens that says the eighth child

of this woman is going to be you know is

going to be responsible for your death

so kamsa's first reaction is to he wants

to kill his sister so it's vasuda who

implores him and says don't look the the

danger to you is through the eighth

child right so we will give you the

eighth child and why eighth child we'll

give you all the children that we have

so that there is absolutely no danger to

your life so kamsa instructs for them to

be put into a jail Wasa and daki his

cousin sister and her husband and

initially when the first few children

are born also he doesn't even take them

he doesn't because he knows what he's

been told that the eighth child is the

problem child literally so he's only

interested in killing that child he has

nothing to do with the other children

but the beauty of Krishna Kata starts

here most of us go through this part we

read through it in Great in a great

hurry but kamsa starts kamsa is sitting

happily he knows only that eighth child

will cause me some trouble when it comes

he's not even thinking about anything

he's carrying on with his work it's at

that time that naruni comes and he says

look the voice said the eighth child but

who knows if it will be eight combined

with the other seven that could cause

trouble so how are you letting them be

you should kill all of them as well now

this looks like a very gruesome thing to

do no killing seven innocent children or

the children that have come before the

seventh one doesn't get killed so kamsa

immediately acts on this order and he

orders for the children so far that have

been born to be killed what a gruesome

act But Here Lies the idea

the idea of this why does Nara come and

instill or instigate such a thing

because he wants kamsa to start thinking

about the eighth child thinking about

Krishna is the whole key to unlocking

the mystery of the world of Krishna you

anybody who comes in contact with

Krishna they're thinking about him good

bad is secondary whether they're in love

with him whether they hate him doesn't

matter kamsa gets MTI the same kamsa who

had his his own sister imprisoned and

tried to kill all of her children and

try to have the eighth child killed

ultimately finds Deliverance at the hand

of that hands of that very eighth child

because he becomes obsessed he keeps

thinking when will the child be born

when will the child be born this is Yoga

when you are constantly thinking

thinking thinking kamsa becomes a

category of Yogi is called as B Yogi he

is a yogi not through happiness or

through Joy but he is a yogi by on

account of his fear raana falls into the

same category in the ram raana is also

constantly thinking when will Rama come

when will rahma come or who is this who

has come on behalf of Rama and has burnt

all of Lanka that is Hanuman so when

fear enters but that fear is about that

Supreme concept that Supreme ideology

then even that will give you Deliverance

so that is what is indicated through

kamsa so he has them bound and on that

phenomenal night Vasa when he writes the

bhagavatam when he writes the the bhagat

puranam when he comes to this chapter he

wants to show you everything that's

there that is why he describes he begins

saying bakam two words Adam

extraordinary bakam baby boy but

immediately after that he describes the

SW of the baby boy it's a baby boy but

his SW

isah he has all of these rajanas all of

these adornments all of this swam that

is fitting the lord of the universe but

he's a boy Vasa cannnot control himself

this is the difference between ratar and

Krishna aatar in ratar the whole context

is Rama pretends to be a man valmiki

gives it away only in one place when he

says the Lord of the universe was born

as Calia son because valmiki could not

contain that Joy but after that Rama is

treated as a man in the Epic till rana's

death there is a reason for that I'll

come there later but in Krishna aatar

the glory manifests from second number

one he's already established that it's

mahavishnu and there is no condition

here here in the case of ratar raana had

a condition raana said I do not I should

not die at the hands of a man so that

condition has to be honored so to honor

that Rama pretends to be the perfect man

Krishna has no such conditions so he's

come on this side of the but this is the

story we know that once Krishna appears

like this and shows his parents his SW

he tells them take me to the other side

so the whole context is that this boy

now can is not safe here because kamsa

has this whole thing that he's going to

kill the eighth child because the eighth

child is threatening him so what does

kamsa want to do kamama wants to dispose

of him so Krishna gives vasudeva his

father the instruction saying take me to

the other side of yamuna and there Place

me Nanda and yashoda's house a baby girl

is born to them on the same night bring

that girl here and put her in my place

this is what basa is told to do and vuda

does As Told of course once people start

writing about this portion they y comes

through the kind of poetic descriptions

that come out so Maura is again the

banks of yamuna and the other side is

Gokul as soon as he steps out Shan masam

comes in varshu it is monsoon season so

the river is in full Spate and it's

raining above so as soon as he steps out

with Krishna and his basket on his head

adishesha comes to protect this little

boy because he doesn't want the boy to

get wet because that is the one that is

Nar himself that reclines on him but as

soon as they come to to yamuna there's

one beautiful version that says vuda

looks at yamuna and he wonders how will

I cross this River I mean imagine a

river in full Spate at midnight on a

night where it's pouring anyone would be

daunted and to add to this fear the

river is just Rising the river is rising

because yamuna is trying to find a way

to touch krishna's feet because this boy

has just come and she wants to take his

Blessing at the beginning of the

avataram the second one of her water

droplets falls on his feet she

immediately Parts away and subdues

herself so V walks straight across and

he reaches Gokul now here is where the

rahasyam is many people don't know this

we all think he goes there he swaps the

baby girl and the baby boy and comes

back that's not what happens on the

other side of the river Nanda and Yoda

Nanda is a chief of a local tribe there

Nanda nanda's wife Yoda they have a baby

girl is what they think what they don't

know is along with the baby girl Yoda

gave birth to a beam of light

so this story is not told in the

bhagavat puranam it is told in other

puranam what this version says is when

vasuda went and exchanged Krishna when

he placed Krishna over there this

Krishna and that beam of light merged

what's the rasum here the rahasyam here

takes us into a completely different

world what we know is that Vishnu

incarnates as Krishna Vishnu takes form

as Krishna this is what we understand

from the realm of Vishnu but the realm

of Krishna extends Beyond on this the

realm of Krishna says that just like

Vishnu has an eternal world called wunam

where he is with mahalakshmi we spoke

about this last time just like Vishnu

has this real Shiva has a kyasa Davi has

a manidipa every divine presence has

their own Loca just like that Krishna

has an eternal Loca which is called as

goloka that's not goloka here on Earth

that is goloka which is beyond brahmas

beyond the universe for all the other

avataram that narana takes it is only

Vishnu in vikunta who comes and takes

form for this avatara it is both of

these who come together meaning Vishnu

in vun and Krishna and goloka Vishnu and

vikunta came to vuda and daki I told you

right he showed his swam with shanka

chakra Padma that is Vishnu and vuna the

other swarupam which is Krishna and

goloka came as the beam of light to

nandha and Yoda so both of them merged

and this avataram is both of their

merging together that is why if you see

the names of Krishna one of the the name

is given to Krishna is nand samaba the

one who was born from nandha how can we

say that based on the regular story we

know technically Nanda and Yoda adopted

him though they didn't know they were

adopting him but that's not true he was

born to them as well the whole idea is

this avataram is Adam this is

extraordinary this is something special

and the stories keep highlighting that

and they keep coming back to that so

that is the entry into gokulam which

marks a very different phase in

krishna's life uh because now the whole

and this also marks the difference in

janmashtami in janmashtami celebrations

janmashtami split across two days even

now the first is the day of janmashtami

which culminates in the Puja that

happens at midnight because that is when

he takes avatara that the next day so

it's the next day that Nanda and yashoda

when they wake up they realize oh

there's a baby boy here and that's when

there is an utsav in gokulam because

there is an utsav in Gokul that day is

called as Gokul Asami so you will see

janmashtami celebrations across the

country roughly with these names only

janmashtami will be different Asam will

be different so that happens the next

day so I mean if you go to ravan you

will see in Gokul the kind of

Celebration there yes weren't they aware

of the two babies being exchanged

exactly good question how come they

didn't know who was born to Nanda and

Yoda Krishna is born on this side or

Vishnu let's say is born on this side on

the other side vishnu's sister like I

mentioned whose name is Yoga Maya Maya

shaki is born there by virtue of Maya

being born nobody knows what's happening

that's why they didn't even realize that

they had a baby girl because Maya is

like a blanket when Maya operates on his

instruction everyone gets deluded

delusion MOA the night that he came moar

ratri so one thing connects to another

and this yogamaya what happens vuda

brings back this girl again the story

does something phenomenal as soon as he

brings back this girl it is at that

point of time that suddenly all the

quietness here disappears because when

vasudeva was taking him magically the

the chains that were binding him and

they were those were released the guards

that were keep Vigilant throughout they

became sleepy all of this was when he

was taking Krishna out so that news

should not go to kamsa but the second

vuda brought her back the girl cried the

guards got up and news was immediately

sent to kamsa why does this happen again

looks like a very gruesome detail

because kamsa comes and he tries to kill

the baby girl he takes the baby girl and

tries to smash her head on the stone

what happens instead the baby girl slips

out of his hands and goes into the sky

and she says your killer is on the other

side of yamuna and your killer will come

for you this is the concept of bay yogam

like I mentioned it gets instilled

inside him because kamsa now goes back

and he starts thinking my killer my

killer my killer just replace the word

killer with Krishna Krishna Krishna

Krishna it becomes Nama japam what is

your criteria for Moka your criteria is

that you have to constantly think you

have to be in that state of constant

contemplation kamsa becomes that so

kamsa said sends a host of rakshasas now

to Gokul and those form portions of

Krishna lelas where he deals with these

rakshasas that kamsa sends was he also

rakasa himself who kamsa yes kamsa has

um his own story associated with him of

how he came to be a rakasa kamsa and his

whole hatred for Krishna is a very

interesting subject because he is not a

hatred that

comes prior for example in the case of

raana

raana looks down on man like on a human

being he feels I'm so powerful a man can

do nothing to me kamsa has that attitude

in general he's just a tyrant so his

whole context is very different because

you're on the topic of asking about

different rakshasas and their back

stories each of them you can trace back

not just rakshasas this the this is the

beautiful thing R every character in a

puranic story will have at least three

generations or not three generations

three lifetimes worth of Back stories

that you can trace saying in this body

they were these people in this time they

were this same thing with vasudeva and

daki same thing with Nanda and yasoda

same thing with radha's parents same

thing with kamsa so each thing will go

back and make you realize why are they

telling you this story here but the

thing is the organization of puranas is

very fantastic here in bhagwatam the

focus is Krishna story so they don't get

into too many of these back details but

you will have Allied texts you will have

other puranas where these things get

elaborately spoken about so the story I

just said about you know Vishnu and

Krishna merging that you find in Brahma

Pana in great detail that doesn't come

out here because vyasa's Focus here is

learn the story learn the basics of the

story The nuances will reveal themselves

as and went to you so yes okay uh I

don't want to stop you man go

on so this yoga Maya that comes here um

that you know she slips out of Kamas

hand and goes into the skies this same

yoga Maya is the one her presence

reassures vva and daki reassuring in

samsam is called as bhadram bhadram is

when you feel safe and she brought them

great news by saying he is safe on the

other side and he will relieve them

because kamsa still has them in jail and

kamsa has kept his father also he's

ensured that his father ugas is not

sitting on the throne Wasa and daki are

operating from a great space of Dharma

so for them to know that this Tyrant is

ruling like this that bothers them now

she has given this bhadram she's given

this news that yes your killer is on the

other side he will come this news brings

them it's it's good news so it's Su she

is the one who becomes subhadra later on

in the story this is subhadra who is

vishnu's Yoga Maya Shakti who is in Puri

jaganath along with him she's there

along with balarama Swami balarama again

his brother um krishna's brother the

seventh child of daki if you enjoyed

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[Applause]

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