Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Upon Subhadra’s insistence, Vidushak (clown) in Raja Virat’s assembly starts to reminsce about Krishna and how his life began. The scene moves to flashback from there to the time of Krishna’s parents – Vasudev and Devika. Kans the king of Mathura where Vasudev and Krishna were residing arrests them as he heard a celestial news (Akashvani) that predicts Devika’s eight child will be responsible in killing him. Kans is the brother of Devika. Vasudev and Devika agrees to live their entire life in prison and give sacrifice just to protect their Yadav clan from the atrocities of Kans.
Kans orders his soldiers to keep an eye on Devika’s birth and informs him when she gives birth. In the prison, both Devika and Vasudev are chained and just when she gave a birth to a baby boy, Kans come to their prison cell and kills the baby. This attrocite went on for 7 times killing her children. Just before the birth of the 8th Child, the weather starts to deteriorate with thunderstorms and rains which made Kans realise that Devika will give birth soon. Vasudev gives her strength and says that as per the celestial news their eighth baby will kill Kans so they don’t need to worry about the baby’s safety. Lord Vishnu appears in front of their prison cell window and speaks about all the atrocities with which they have gone through and salutes their believe and perseverance with God and Dharm (justice). Lord Vishnu then requests Devika that he will re-incarnate as his son with all his powers. Devika and Vasudev becomes happy on hearing it and sooner, Lord vishnu enters the body of Devika.
Devika gives birth to a baby boy her eight child. Vasudev decides to protect the boy by taking him to a friend’s Nand house but is worried as soldiers keep guard there. To their surprise, the locks gets unlocked and all the soldiers and Kans fall unconscious. With this, Vasudev is able to go from the prison without anybody noticing. On the way to reach Nand’s village, he has to cross Yamuna and successful traverses it in that hard scenario with thunderstorms and even getting the help of seven-headed snake Kaliya. Vasudev reaches Nand’s village and gives him the baby and asks him to think another time on accepting the baby boy as he might be sacrificing his own daughter as Kans might kill her. Nand says to Vasudev that its the time which is bad and not the situation. Vasudev then leaves from there with Nand’s daughter and reaches the prison before Kans and soldiers waking up from their unconscious state.
Kans wakes up and is informed by his soldier that Devika gave birth to a boy. Kans then goes to the prison cell for killing the 8th child. Vasudev tries to persuade Kans that Devika gave birth to a girl and not a boy and hence no danger for his life and might be the celestial news be incorrect. Kans doesn’t listen to him and takes away the baby girl from Devika’s hands. Kans proceeds to kill the baby and throws her wildly in air. The girl transforms into Goddess Durga and informs him that Vasudev’s 8th child, a boy is fine and staying in a protective place. Kans gets shocked to see that transformation and his plan to kill the baby is foiled.
Upon Uttar’s insistence, Vidushak shares the tale of Krishna’s growing up childhood days.In Nand’s village, Krishna grows under the watchful eyes of his parents – Nand and Yashoda. Krishna from the start of his childhood days is mischievous and known for his pranks on people – mostly young people be it young girls or Gopis who carry butter and milk for Kans. His friends inform him about Gopis carrying butter and upon hearing it, he breaks those pots while the Gopis are unaware of falling butter and milk. Krishna and his friends relishes on butter and milk from the pots until they are stopped. Some young girls noticed their mischief and signal Gopis about Krishna and friends conduct. Gopis come to speak with Yashoda about Krishna and complains her about his mischief. Yashoda decides to speak with Krishna but he shows ignorance about Gopi’s claim. Sooner, Yashoda realizes about Krishna’s conduct as the butter pots could not be transported to Kans palace as they are empty. Nand and his friend ponder the amount of taxes to be paid to Kans which is unjustified and even Krishna supports them on this hefty and unjustified tax paid to Kans and suggests them for moving to some other place. After that, Nand decides to shift to Vrindavan as he has some friends but there is a problem to cross Yamuna river as Kaliya (the seven-headed snake) doesn’t allow anybody to traverse it.
Krishna being mindful of his powers goes into the bottom of the river and confronts Kaliya. Nand and Yashoda are informed about Krishna’s visit to Yamuna river’s bottom and comes to the coast and anxiously look for Krishna. Yashoda becomes desperate to find and help Krishna while Nand supports her. At first, Kaliya doesn’t realize that the young kid is Krishna and tries to attack him but in vain. Krishna jumps on its seven heads and puts a stamp of his feet thus making the snake to realize that the kid is actually Lord Krishna. Krishna orders Kaliya to stay calm in waters and not hurt any person or animals. Kaliya agrees to Krishna’s order and then Krishna comes outside the water on Kaliya’s hood and even dances on it bringing a delight to his family and friends. After hearing this tale, prince Uttar asks Krishna in humble voice whether he knew that he could defeat Kaliya. Krishna responds that he was sure about Kaliya’s defeat and talks about the special strength that God has given him. He says that great strength is ‘to try’.
Krishna’s quotes on the importance of trying:
– Along with devotion and the willingness to try, he was confident that no work is impossible.
– The attitude to try is the core component of success.
– God gives everyone equal strengths but qualities like affection, fear, lust are the ones that stops the humans from trying. And argues that how can you expect a good fruit without giving a try.
– After try, the chance of winning or losing is 50 % but for the one who doesn’t try there is no chance.
– whenever there is injustice, atrocite, and unrighteous, we should give a try as there is one danger which is death. On the other side if we have affection and fear, then there are two dangers, soul’s self-respect and strength will be lessened, and we will encourage the guilty to do more injustice.
After speaking those quotes, Krishna asks Draupadi whether they are correct. Krishna is trying to motivate and is also showering emotional strength to Draupadi as he already told Draupadi about the fate of Kurukshetra war where her 5 sons, Abhimanyu and the entire clan of King Shantanu will die except the five Pandavas.
Vidushak recounts Krishna’s experience in Vrindavan. Music was flowing in Vrindavan due to Krishna’s presence. Krishna meets Radha and then Krishna plays flute (Bansuri) and starts his Ras Leela with the hymn (religious song) – Krishna Man Mohna.. Vrindavan ke raas rachaiya.. Murli ke dhun pe sabko nachaiya.. After the Ras Leela event, Krishna finds some Brahmin saints speaking with his father Nand about a Yagya to worship Indra Dev. The saints wants a big donation from Nand to carry out a Yagya on a grand scale. But Krishna is not impressed with them as they were forcing his father rather than with love. Krishna advices his father that Indra Dev cannot be worshipped because of fear and says that they will perform a Yagya themselves which will have love. The Brahmin saints goes ahead with their Yagya and Krishna foils their yagya and doesn’t allow it to be completed. They became furious and chases Krishna to find Nand and his family doing their own Yagya and worshipping Govardhan Dev (mountain) as it gives them food and shelter. Krishna prays to Govardhan Dev and asks for help. Indra Dev becomes furious and Krishna then goes to lift the mountain to provide shelter to his family, friends and cattle. Indra Dev sees that from the sky and tries to destruct the mountain multiple times with different attacks but all his attempts were futile. Indra Dev comes to the ground and praises Krishna on his righteous nature and asks him what blessing (vardaan) does he need. Krishna humbly wants Indra Dev to help him in putting down the mountain which he was holding in his finger. Indra Dev responds that he can fulfill that wish easily but suggests to him that his struggle and fight for the righteous should never be forgotten as it protects people and humanity.
Image credit: Star Plus gallery of Mahabharat and Twitter page of Star Plus.
Krishna Leela Tales on Mahabharat: Episodes from 10th May 2014 to 17th May 2014 [+ sneak peek of 19th May 2014]
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