Week 9 Storytelling: He's Coming

"What are we supposed to do," Devaki asked as she held her newborn baby close to her chest. "I can't bear to lose another child. My heart can't take it. Please, we have to do something."

Vasudeva paced back and forth in the prison cell, frantically thinking of ways to save his newborn son. "My Devaki, please remain calm. He won't hurt you or our baby," whispered Vasudeva. "I need time to think. I will save our son."

Devaki kissed her son's head with tears streaming down her face. This was their eight child. As told in the prophecy, the eight son of Devaki and Vasudeva will kill King Kansa in the boy's twelfth year of life. Kansa swore to protect his power to the kingdom. The moment he heard about his fate, Kansa locked up his sister and best friend in the prison cell to kill every newborn that they produced.

All of the sudden, Vasudeva spoke, "Wait, I have an idea. We will smuggle the boy out of prison! I befriended one of the prison guards. He will surely help me! We just have to hide the boy and-"

"You're taking my baby away from me?!" cried Devaki. "No! No! I won't have it! No one is ripping my child out of my arms this time! I won't be apart from my son!" She held her son so tightly that he began to cry.

"Devaki, please calm down. You're hurting the boy!" Vasudeva rushed to his frazzled wife's side to loosen her grip on the baby. "My love, don't you see? This is the only way. Your brother will kill our son if we don't send him away. Listen, my dear, I know of a nice couple out in the country that will raise our boy to be a strong and proud man. It's his only chance of survival."

Devaki looked into her husband's eyes. He always had a strong character and a stern soul, but even out of desperation, she could see the tears reaching the brim of his eyes. Devaki knew that her husband was right. There was no other way. Vasudeva quickly made the arrangements to smuggle the baby out of the prison with the help of his friend. The night progressed, and it was time for the guard to take the baby to the village.

As her final good-bye, Devaki looked down at her baby boy, kissed his forehead, and whispered, "My sweet son, please don't ever think that I have abandoned you. You are the light of my life, and I will find you one day. My heart will guide me to you." She hugged him one last time. "I love you, my dear Krishna." Vasudeva kissed his son and sent him off. The couple held each other as they saw their eight child disappear from their life.

Suddenly, heavy footsteps were coming down the dungeon stairs. The couple knew too well whose footsteps those belonged to... They could hear the footsteps approaching closer to their prison cell. The couple's heart pounded in their chest as their fear consumed them. Then silence. The gated door creaked open. A cold, emotionless voice echoed in the cell, "Where is he..."

The prison where Devaki and Vasudeva were held captive. Source.

Author's Note: King Kansa swore to kill every newborn child that belonged to his sister Devaki and Vasudeva. When the eight child was born, he glowed with several shining arms that held symbols that represented the god Vishnu. Devaki then realized that her son was the reincarnation of Vishnu, protector of the universe. In order to save their child, the couple sent their baby away to be raised by foster parents that herded cows.
       I thought Krishna's birth was very interesting. It reminded me of the plot from the Prince of Egypt (DreamWorks movie) of how the pharaoh demanded his army to kill every newborn that would destroy him. I decided to write about the emotional perspective of a couple losing their child. They been through this seven times, but I can't imagine that it would get any easier...

Bibliography: Cradle Tales of Hinduism by Nivedita (1907)