Once upon a time there lived an evil, wicked and ambitious king by name of Kamsa in Mathura. He plundered the kingdom left and
right and lawlessness prevailed in his state. On one of the days a heavenly prophecy from the sky came and echoed, "Kamsa! Your
end is near! The eighth son of Devaki, your sister, will be the one responsible for your death." Kamsa was enraged beyond control
and imprisoned Devaki, his sister and Vasudeva her husband. Then he killed every child of the couple as they were born. But just the
midnight when the eighth child was born, the skies roared and Lord Vishnu advised Vasudeva to take the child across the river
Yamuna to the other side to the village of Gokul and exchange with the daughter of Yashoda in Gokul, who was born on the same
day. Vasudeva accordingly put the child in a basket, and as he went out the doors of the prison parted for him as if in a magic. The
river parted into two to allow for Vasudeva to cross. Vasudeva then crossed into Gokul and exchanged his son with the daughter of
Yashoda who was born the same day and came back. The baby uttered cries which awakened Kamsa, and then happily he went to
the prison chamber and snatched the girl baby and as he lifted her in the air, the baby, who was an incarnation of the Devi herself,
laughed in glee "Kamsa, your real enemy is still alive. The son of Devaki is alive and well and will come back to kill you", and then
disappeared. Kamsa was outraged beyond wits and started a killing spree of all boys at that age in his kingdom. It was a terror
outbreak.
