The day Sri Krishna was born is known as the Sri Krishna Janmasthami festival. It is said that Kansa, Sri Krishna’s uncle and other rakshasas worked against Mother Earth and brought her near to destruction. Mother Earth in the form of a cow went to Brahma and asked him for help. Brahma replied that only Vishnu could help her. And so Vishnu incarnated as Sri Krishna. Krishna’s mother, Devaki, the sister of Kansa married Vasudeva, but Kansa was told by prophets that Devaki’s child would cost him his life. Because of this prophecy, Kansa imprisoned Devaki and Vausdev and killed each of their children. Devaki was pregnant for the eighth time carrying Sri Krishna. When Krishna was born, divine light illuminated the prison and everyone miraculously fell asleep. So under divine guidance, Vasudeva took Krishna and carried him across the Yamuna River to Vrindavan where Yashoda gave birth to a baby girl that same night. According to the divine instruction Vausdeva replaced the children. In the morning, Kansa, not knowing anything, came to kill the child. However, the girl turned into Sri Durga and told Kansa that his death had come to his kingdom anyway, after which she disappeared.
Krishna is the eighth child of Devaki and the eighth incarnation of Vishnu on earth. Each incarnation of Vishnu carries the attributes that are necessary for that time, so the qualities of Krishna are appropriate for the present time, which is ruled by ego, fear and aggression. Devaki symbolizes the physical body, Vasudev is prana. When prana and body are in harmony then bliss, ananda, is born. Ego, the evil uncle Kansa, in order to survive, wants to destroy that bliss. But the divine qualities of Sri Krishna, love, ananda, simplicity and naturalness alone can defeat the ego. Krishna was born in a prison guarded by guards who fell asleep at the moment of his birth, these guards are our senses that keep us away from our true divine Self.
