Kaṁsa’s Fear Becomes Terror
The stadium in Mathurā echoed with cheers and divine mantras as Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika lay dead. The citizens were jubilant, but Kaṁsa’s heart throbbed with dread. His last line of defense had fallen. Kṛṣṇa was now victorious, glorified, and fully unstoppable.
Kaṁsa’s mind raced.
“He is the eighth son of Devakī. He has killed every demon I sent. Now He is right before me. What do I do? Where do I run?”
Yet pride and desperation blinded him, and with a trembling voice, he shouted to the guards:
“Seize the boys! Drive them out! Arrest Nanda! Kill Vasudeva and Devakī!”
These last orders sealed his fate.
Kṛṣṇa’s Wrath Awakened
Hearing Kaṁsa’s cruel words, Kṛṣṇa’s eyes blazed with divine fury. Like a lion rushing toward its prey, He leapt from the wrestling arena onto Kaṁsa’s elevated royal platform.
Kaṁsa rose in panic, drew his sword, and tried to run.
But Kṛṣṇa was too swift.
With a single bound, Kṛṣṇa seized him by the hair, dragged him down to the arena floor, and flung him like a bolt of thunder. Kaṁsa’s golden crown flew off, and his jeweled garments scattered across the ground.
Kṛṣṇa then struck him forcefully on the chest, and Kaṁsa, the tyrant who had ruled with fear for so long, lay lifeless before the eyes of all.
The Demoniac Soul Exits
Kaṁsa’s soul, covered with sin and pride, left his body in agony, but because he had seen the Lord face to face—even in fear and hatred—he attained liberation. The scriptures say:
“Even by dying at the Lord’s hand, one is purified.”
Kaṁsa’s Brothers Attack—and Fall
Kaṁsa’s eight brothers, led by Sunāma, charged forward to avenge him. But Balarāma rose like a furious storm, and with His mighty plough and mace, slaughtered them one after another, hurling their bodies like straw in the wind.
Devakī and Vasudeva Freed
As the arena fell silent, Kṛṣṇa walked calmly to the palace prison where Devakī and Vasudeva had been imprisoned for years under Kaṁsa’s tyranny. Their limbs were bound, their clothes worn, and their eyes swollen from tears.
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma offered prostrated obeisances at their feet.
Seeing this, Devakī hesitated.
“How can these two divine youths be our sons? They must be demigods,” she thought.
Kṛṣṇa then revealed their divine identity:
“Dear Mother, dear Father, do not be afraid. I am your son. I have come to fulfill My promise, to destroy the wicked and protect the righteous.”
He then freed them from their shackles, and the entire palace echoed with joy. Vasudeva wept, and Devakī embraced her sons for the first time in years.
The Kingdom Restored
The citizens hailed Kṛṣṇa as their savior. The cruel reign of Kaṁsa had ended. In his place, Ugrasena, Kaṁsa’s righteous father, was reinstated on the throne, and justice once again ruled Mathurā.
Temples reopened, yajñas resumed, and the name of Govinda resounded through the streets.
Lessons to Be Learned:
- Divine justice always arrives, even when delayed. The Lord never forgets His devotees.
- Fear of the Lord is purifying, even for the wicked. Kaṁsa, though demoniac, achieved liberation.
- The Lord may appear as a child, a friend, or a warrior, but He is always in control of destiny.
- Devotees suffer patiently, and their pain is not forgotten. Vasudeva and Devakī were eventually rewarded.
- Kṛṣṇa’s touch liberates, His presence transforms, and His victory restores dharma.
Origin of the Story: Harivaṁśa Purāṇa – Viṣṇu-parva, Chapters 80–83
