The birth of Lord Krishna signifies the victory of good over evil.
Though exact dates cannot be stated but Indian as well as Western
scholars have now accepted the period between 3200 and 3100 BC as the
period in which Lord Krishna lived on earth. As the legend says it was
the eighth day of the dark half of Shravan. It was raining heavily. At
midnight a bright light appeared in the room of Devki. Vasudev woke up.
In that light the idol of Vishnu with four hands appeared. Then the
child was born, Devki's eighth son. Vishnu himself took avatar to kill
Kansa (the demon). Vasudev heard a divine voice in his mind, to take the
child to Gokul. The gates of the prison were suddenly opened and the
guards were fast asleep. Vasudev put the child in a basket and went out.
Due to heavy rain Yamuna was flooded. But as he stepped out of the
prison the rain stopped and the dim light of the moon showed the way. A
huge snake taking the shape of an umbrella protected the child. As he
reached the river the waters were divided leaving a dry path for Vasudev
to cross. Vasudev reached Nanda's house when everybody was sleeping. He
went into the room of Yashoda, Nanda's wife. He saw a small girl playing
near Yashoda. He took the girl and left his son, Krishna, in her place,
and immediately returned to Mathura.
On the following day Kansa came to know about the birth of Devki's
eighth child. In a hurry he went to snatch the child. Devki began to
plead with her brother not to kill the girl. But he ignored her. Kansa
lifted the child by the legs and began to turn her around to smash her
on a washing stone. But suddenly the girl slipped from his hand and
disappeared. In her place the image of the goddess appeared in the sky.
In her four hands she held weapons, and her splendor spread on all
sides. She told to Kansa that the person who will kill you has already
taken birth and is growing elsewhere. Meanwhile a great commotion was
going on at Gokul, because of the boy's birth and he grew up to be
Krishna who later killed his uncle Kansa.
