Six children from her womb...killed...born only to die...
The seventh child had been spirited out at night,
A 'still born' he was declared to save him from his plight.
The eighth child she now awaited with bated breath,
Hoping by some miracle, he would escape death.
Vasudeva, her husband , echoed her thoughts,
Some glimpse of light in the darkness he sought.
Kamsa, her cousin brother, lay awake in bed,
Fearful thoughts swam in his head.
"The eighth child will cause your doom,
When he comes forth from Devaki's womb!"
He shuddered when he heard the voice,
He clamped his ears to shut out the noise.
Each child of Devaki's before it opened its eyes,
Mercilessly he had killed , left with no choice .
'A mere baby...this eighth child...what can he do?
I must harden my heart or I will rue!'
Devaki glowed with an inner light,
Divine, radiant, luminous, bright.
Darkness dispelled, a shower of gold and white,
The jail seemed lit by a thousand lights!
It was 'Ashtami', the eighth day of 'Krishna Paksham',
The moon slid into the 'Rohini Nakshatram'.
Lo and behold! Lord Krishna arrived in their midst,
With four hands closed into four tiny fists.
The lotus, the conch, he held in one pair,
The 'chakra', the mace, he waved in the air.
Gurgling sounds filled the cell,
Accompanied by the flute and the tinkling of bells.
A chant was heard from the heavens above,
Poured forth it did from the realms of love...
"Vasudeva Sutam Devam,
Kamsa Chanura Mardanam,
Devaki Paramanandam,
Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum..."
"Son of the great Vasudeva,
The destroyer of evil Kamsa and Chanura,
He fills Devaki's heart with bliss,
'Guru', 'Master teacher' of the universe he is..."
"Take Lord Krishna to Gokul, to Nanda's house,
Exchange him for the baby lying next to Yashoda, his spouse.
'Maya', the divine Goddess who is the new born,
Will deal with Kamsa at the break of dawn," said a divine voice.
Vasudeva got ready to do as he was bid,
Carefully in a basket, baby Krishna he hid.
Pain wrenched Devaki's heart,
From Lord Krishna she knew she had to part.
The rain outside incessantly poured,
Flashes of lightning, thunder roared.
'Sleep', the guards subtly lured,
Heads nodded, they rhythmically snored.
The gates of their own accord opened wide,
The moon served as Vasudeva's guide.
River Yamuna gave way, rising in tide,
To a path, a soft river bed by parting to a side.
Adi Sesha, the snake, raised his hoods,
Protective, shielding as much as he could.
Lord Krishna surveyed with dancing eyes,
Casting a spell on all who spied.
The torrents, the floods,the swell, the spate,
In unison, in harmony did gradually abate.
The trees, the flowers, the plants were rooted,
the birds tweeted not, nor the owls hooted.
The dark moon, the stars gazed in awe,
Enchanted, mesmerised by Lord Krishna whom they saw.
Shared jubilation, shared elation,
In utter stillness, in silent communion...
Magical moment, timeless, suspended...
Pulsating joy towards the heavens ascended...
The 'Guru', the 'Saviour' was here on earth,
To fill every heart with happiness, with mirth,
With boundless love of which there was a dearth...
Divine plan, divine ploy,
With the Lord's birth, ecstatic joy...
Footnotes
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Devaki - Name of Lord Krishna's mother
Vasudeva - Name of Lord Krishna's father
Kamsa - Name Of Lord Krishna's uncle
Ashtami - Eighth day of the Hindu Lunar calendar
Krishnapaksham - Period of the fading or waxing moon
Rohini - Name of a star
Nakshatram - Star
The Chakra - the discus
Gokul - A town in Uttar pradesh in India where Lord Krishna spent his childhood days
Nanda - Name of Lord Krishna's foster father
Yashoda - Name of Lord Krishna's foster mother
Maya - Divine goddess Durga
Adi Sesha - King of snakes
guru - Teacher, Master
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