Demigods and Kamsa

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Here are two references from the first chapter of the Krishna Book,

which is a summary of the tenth canto of the Bhagavat Purana. You

will notice two references to the fact that demigods from higher

realms had taken birth in terrestrial bodies and that the terrestrial

king Kamsa had been a demon ina previous birth. I PUT THIS IN CAPS

FOR EASIER REFERENCE.

 

 

At that time the great sage Narada came to Kamsa. He was informed of

Kamsa's becoming compassionate to Vasudeva and returning his first-

born child. Narada was very anxious to accelerate the descent of Lord

Krsna as soon as possible. He therefore informed Kamsa that

personalities like Nanda Maharaja and all the cowherd men and girls

and the wives of the cowherd men in Vrndavana, and, on the other

side, Vasudeva, his father Surasena and all his relatives born in the

family of Vrsni of the Yadu dynasty, were preparing for the

appearance of the Lord. Narada warned Kamsa to be careful of the

friends and well-wishers and all the DEMIGODS TAKING BIRTH INTHOSE

FAMILIES. Kamsa and his friends and advisors were all demons. Demons

are always afraid of demigods. After being thus informed by Narada

about the appearance of the demigods in different families Kamsa at

once became alert. He understood that since the demigods had already

appeared, Lord Visnu must be coming soon. He at once arrested both

his brother-in-law Vasudeva and Devaki and put them behind prison

bars.

 

Within the prison, shackled in iron chains, Vasudeva and Devaki gave

birth to a male child year after year, and Kamsa, thinking each of

the babies to be the incarnation of Visnu, killed them one after

another. He was particularly afraid of the eighth child, but after

the visit of Narada, he came to the conclusion that any child might

be Krsna. Therefore it was better to kill all the babies who took

birth of Devaki and Vasudeva.

 

This action of Kamsa is not very difficult to understand. There are

many instances in the history of the world of persons in the royal

order who have killed father, brother, or a whole family and friends

for the satisfaction of their ambitions. There is nothing astonishing

about this, for the demoniac can kill anyone for their nefarious

ambitions.

 

Kamsa was made aware of his previous birth by the grace of Narada. He

learned that IN HIS PREVIOUS BIRTH HE WAS A DEMON BY THE NAME OF

KALNEMI AND THAT HE WAS KILLED BY VISHNU. Having taken his birth in

the Bhoja family, he decided to become the deadly enemy of the Yadu

dynasty; Krsna was going to take birth in that family, and Kamsa was

very much afraid that he would be killed by Krsna, just as he was

killed in his last birth.

 

Krishna Book: http://www.krsnabook.com/contents/

 

Posted by Dharma/Dean