Kansa was already made aware of the fact that Devaki ji's 8th son was going to kill him. If he knew everything beforehand then why in the first place did he allow devaki ji and vasudev ji to stay in the same cell? I mean he could have arranged a separate cell for devaki ji and not allowed anyone to get in. Why did he jump on the axe himself?

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  • E-Counselor
    Hare Krsna Prabhuji,
    PAMHO.
    In fact, just to tell you - Kamsa didn't imprison Vasudev and Devaki from the beginning. When the 1st child was born, Vasudev went to Kamsa with the child and Kamsa returned the child saying, your 8th child is only danger to me. Let this child be. They were staying in their palace only then, not in prison. Then Narada Muni visited and explained that 8th could mean anything, with the help of petals of lotus flower. Then Kamsa ran to Vasudev's palace, grabbed the child and killed him. In fact, that child was old enough to be named also. Somewhere the Acharyas have mentioned his name also.
    Another reason for Kamsa to not kill Devaki as a bride was that he had usurped the kingdom from Ugrasena. He was already unpopular. If he killed his cousin sister (Devaki's father is DEvaka, Urgasena's younger brother), whom he purported to be so fond of, then that would make him more unpopular.
    These I have read and heard in lectures prabhuji.
    Haribol,
    YOur servant,
    Radha Rasamayi DD
  • Sevak
    Hare Krsna

    Why did Kamsa allow devaki ji and Vasudev ji to stay together?

    In short because of fear
    If Kamsa had separated them then he would have to always live in fear that anytime they could escape, run away and give birth to child. Then Kamsa will have no way to find the child. Instead he wanted to eliminate the 8th child. First he thought of killing her sister. But somehow Vasudev convinced Kamsa to spare her and promised to give kamsa all the children. It seemed like a better deal. And Vasudev did that he give Kamsa 6 babies, and Kamsa killed all 6 babies. Kamsa was convinced he'll kill the 8th baby and overcome his death.

    He trusted Vasudev. He had no clue that Vasudev would cheat him.
    So if Kamsa had separated them he'd be in perpetual fear. Or he could simply eliminate the threat. In this situation any rational person will choose to eliminate the threat. It is the tactfulness of Vasudev that must be appreciated on how he convinced Kamsa to spare Devaki, and convinced Kamsa that he could kill the 8th child of Devaki. Also the great sacrifice of Vasudev in giving up 6 new born babies to be killed by kamsa just so that Lord Sri Krsna Balarama may appear.

    Hare Krsna
    • Hare Krishna,

      I personally feel that Devaki Ji and Vasudev Ji were stronger together and not when they would have been separated from each other. Kansa could have sent them in faraway locations and trapped them so that none of them were aware of where they are and hence there would have been no way of communicating with one another since both of them were not aware of each other's location. If they are united there are more chances of them escaping the prison together.
      • Sevak
        Hare Krsna
        Then Kamsa would have lived in fear for the rest of his life because he cannot be 100% sure if 8th child is born or not. Even if he can be sure of it 99.9% it is not enough for demons. They want to be 100% in control, 100% of the time.

        Kansa could have sent them in faraway locations and trapped them so that none of them were aware of where they are and hence there would have been no way of communicating with one another since both of them were not aware of each other's location.

        This is exactly what Ravana did. He kidnapped mother SIta, when nobody was there. From Ravana's point of view there is no possibility of Lord Rama knowing about mother Sita. No way to communicate. What was the result ? Hanuman jumped over the ocean, burned down Lanka and became the messenger of communicate with Sri Rama. Within one year Lord Rama searched mother Sita, built a bridge across ocean and brought a huge army on Lanka.

        If they are united there are more chances of them escaping the prison together.

        He never thought they'll escape or Vasudev will cheat like this. He was convinced that Vasudev will come and hand over the 8th child like he did other 6.
        It is by divine intervention that Vasudev was able to take Krsna out of mathura. Nobody would have thought it could have happened. Least of all Kamsa.
        Right now since we know what happened it might appear Kamsa was stupid. He was not.

        Same with Hiranyakashipu, someone may say he should have asked boon not be killed half man half animal. But that is quite foolish.
        Ravana, Kamsa, Hiranyakasipu died when they tortured devotees. Rest are details. These demons are very powerful, intelligent. They don't leave anything to chance. They want to cover all possibilities of their defeat. It is Krsna's divine mercy and arrangement that despite their evil planning Sri Krsna always comes to the rescue of His devotees as said in Bhagavad Gita
        kaunteya pratijānīhi
        na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
        O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. (BG 9.31)

        Hare Krsna
        • Hare Krishna,

          You are absolutely right prabhuji. Lord could have easily sent hanuman Ji again or arrange something else for Devaki Ji and Vasudev Ji so that they could escape easily. I agree with you. When the Lord had said that the 8th son would kill Kansa so it has to happen at any cost.

          Thank you for enlightening me and others as well.

          Hare krishna
          • Hare Krishna,
            Harshit prabhu.....you cannot decide what lord planned and what His leela is.. you cannot use ur brainz in this topic.. This is a leela and everything is happening according to the Lord's plan.. When Lord decided to come to Earth to play a leela.. Every one's part is decided everything is going as per karma and as per Lord's bigger plan.. What we see and know is a tiny drop in the ocean..
            We have to accept it meekly as a devotee and should not comment on such topics.. Why they were not placed in different cells..
            And how can you even plan and decide Lord's Modus Operandi??
            Pls go thru the chapter on this topic in Bhagwatam for more clarity and accept things meekly as Lord's leela.
            https://www.vedabase.com/en/sb/10/1
            SB 10.1: The Advent of Lord Kṛṣṇa: Introduction
            The summary of the First Chapter is as follows. This chapter describes how Kaṁsa, frightened by hearing an omen about his being killed by the eighth…
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