In the previous episode, we had witnessed the continuation of the events that preluded Bhagawan Krishna’s incarnation in this world. We had witnessed how Kamsa was rattled by the voice from above the sky and how he tried killing his own sister, Devaki, for no fault of hers. As Vasudeva did a timely intervention with some words of wisdom, Kamsa spared her life, but instead, imprisoned both of them in the Mathura City jail. We’ve also witnessed in due course of yesterday’s episode that Kamsa came down from his stance of killing Devaki on the assurance that he would handover all the babies that are born to Devaki, so that they could be killed or tortured to death by Kamsa. Accordingly, Kamsa quickly brings them back to Mathura and imprisons them.
As this happens, Kamsa does yet another tactical mistake here – He imprisons Devaki and Vasudeva in the same cell and not in different cells. Had they been lodged into different jails, they wouldn’t have been able to obtain a child, isn’t it? This is where Kamsa lost his power of thinking as his anger and frustration took over. However, of course we can say that it was all divine will that took place, but still, had Kamsa thought a little bit, he wouldn’t have made such grave mistakes ever. As the imprisonment was happening in Mathura city, this was the same time when the Devas and Goddess Bhoomadevi went to Bhagawan Vishnu and represented their concerns to Him. Indra explains to Bhagawan Vishnu how Kamsa’s atrocities are slowly taking over the entire world and how he has to be shown his place. Indra explains that Kamsa is trying to harm the Brahmins and is trying all tricks in his trade to destroy the Vedas and Upanishads in this world. Indra explains too that Kamsa is not allowing any sort of “Dhaanam” or “Dharma” to happen in this world.
Similarly, Goddess Bhoomadevi explains to Bhagawan how the population of bad people in this world is constantly on the rise and it somehow has to be brought under a check. Normally when the population of bad people increases, Goddess Bhoomadevi feels it as a great stress upon her. If on the other hand, we have good people, even though it might be a pain to withstand all of us, Goddess Bhoomadevi never takes it as a stress. She happily nurtures all of us under her divine love and care. However, the question here is that, the population of bad people is on the rise. This is resulting in enormous stress to Goddess Bhoomadevi and she cries to Bhagawan Vishnu, seeking an urgent intervention. In fact, Sage Paraashara even goes ahead and lists down the key Raakshasas who were causing nuisance in this world. I shall list out a few of them here – Arishta, Kesi, Dhenuka, Pralambaha, Naraka, Sundha, Athyugra, Baanaasura, etc. – All of these constitute the “Raakshasa – Sahasranaama”! 🙂 All these days, we’ve been reading the Vishnu Sahasranama and are getting bored with it! Hence for a change, today we’re witnessing the Raakshasa-Sahasranama! 🙂 I hope these many names that I’ve mentioned above are more than enough for us to know. Sage Paraashara has come up with a huge list of them, but I’m not going into all that now! 🙂
Thus, all the Devas and Goddess Bhoomadevi represent their concerns to Bhagawan Vishnu, and it is at this point in time that Bhagawan decides to incarnate. This is precisely at the same time when the rapturous voice sounds from above, which threatens Kamsa. As this happens thus, Bhagawan Vishnu decides to incarnate as the son of this particular couple, Devaki and Vasudeva. We might have this question – Why don’t we have that authority to choose our own parents? Why only Bhagawan has that authority to do so? The answer is very simple – We take birth in this world out of our past “Karma”. It is the “Karma” that would decide who our parents would be in this birth. Whereas, Bhagawan incarnates in this world out of His own passion and love for His devotees. Karma cannot come close to Bhagawan in any way. In fact, Bhagawan Krishna Himself explains this in His Bhagawad Gita, isn’t it? He says to Arjuna thus, “Oh Arjuna! Please understand that I’m an entity which is beyond “Karma”. You take birth in this world because of Karma and I take birth in this world because I want to do it! There is a difference here! I do not take birth because of any sorts of Karma and in fact, Karma can never touch me!”
If such was Bhagawan’s words, can’t He have the authority to choose His parents? Thus, Bhagawan Vishnu handpicked Devaki and Vasudeva to give them the golden opportunity in this birth to be their son. However, there is another reason too, as to why Bhagawan Krishna chose this couple to be His parents. What was the reason? Let’s witness this important fact in the next episode as we move further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 