Some Facts About Krishn's Life

(1) Krishn's life story appears in 12 Puraan - (1) Agni Puraan, (2) Bhaagvat Puraan, (3) Brahm Puraan, (4) Brahmaand Puraan, (5) Brahmvaivart Puraan, (6) Garud Puraan, (7) Koorm Puraan, (8) Ling Puraan, (9) Matsya Puraan, (10) Padm Puraan, (11) Vaayu Puraan , and (12) Vishnu Puraan. Another book which is not called Puraan but it is identical in style to the Puraan and written around 400 BC is Harivansh - it also contains life story of Krishn.

(2) Krishn was the 8th child of Vasudev and Devakee and was born in a prison.

(3) The popular belief is that Krishn was born at midnight (in Rohinee Muhoort) and all celebrate His birth at midnight; but surprisingly enough, the Harivansh (the Khila Bhaag of the Mahaabhaarat) says that Krishn was born in the Abhijeet Muhoort. The relevant verse is as follows:
Devakya janaya dwishnum Yashodaa taam tu daarikaam |
Muhoorte abhijiti praapte saardharaatre vibhooshite || 2-4-14

Abhijeet Muhoort is at midday. In fact Raam was born in Abhijeet Muhoort, at midday.
[Krishn was born at Midnight. He was born in the Abhijeet Muhoort. As regards his Nakshatra it was the Rohinee Nakshatra, which is ruled by Brahmaa (incidentally Brahmaa was also the ruler of the Abhijeet Nakshatra, which moved away from the ecliptic.]

(4) His 6 brothers whom Kans killed were named as - Keertimaan,  Bhadrasen,  Rijju,  Samardha,  Sameesh,  and  Aheeshwar. His 7th brother was Balaraam who was transferred from Devakee's womb to Rohinee's womb.

(5) In His childhood, from 0-14 years, He killed so many Raakshas while living in Nand Gaanv. see the List of Raakshas.

(6) After He left Nand Gaanv, after the age of 14 years, He never came back to Nand Gaanv.

(7) He had 16,008 wives, among them 8 wives were His chief queens. According to [Padm Puraan, 5/45 His 8 Chief wives' names were -  (1) Rukminee, (2) Satyabhaamaa, (3) Kaalindee, (4) Mitravindaa, (5) Jaambvatee, (6) Naagnjitee, (7) Sulakshmanaa and (8) Susheelaa. 16,000 wives were the women who were imprisoned by Bhaumaasur and when Krishn had killed Bhaumaasur, He freed them and seeing such a handsome man, they expressed their wish to marry Him. So He married all of them in one auspicious Muhoort together in Dwaarakaa.

Bhaagvat Puraan, biog/krishn  gives His 8 chief wives' names like this - (1) Rukminee, (2) Satyabhaamaa, (3) Jaambvatee, (4) Kaalindee, (5) Mitravindaa, (6) Naagnjitee, (7) Lakshmanaa, and (8) Bhadraa.

(8) From these 16,008 wives, He had 10 millions (1 Crore) sons. [Padm Puraan, 5/46]
He had 88,800 sons. [Vishnu Puraan, 5/12]
He had 10 sons from each of His 16,108 wives..... He had tens of millions sons, grandsons and great grandsons. [Bhaagvat Puraan, 10/u9]

(9) --- Braahman used to come to teach His children.
[Bhaagvat Puraan, 10/u]

(10) Although He vowed not to take any Astra in MBH war, still Bheeshm took the vow to force Him to take up the Astra. And he did so - not even once, but twice.

(11) He let His family killed by Braahman's curse. Gaandhaaree also cursed Him that His whole family will be killed like her own children were killed.

(12) Krishn lived only for 35 years plus, after MBH war. It was accordance to Gaandhaaree's curse of Vrishni Vansh
[MBH, G-7-Postwar/31]

Krishn, Bheeshm, Mahaabhaarat and No 8

Krishna is associated with the number "8" -
(1) He is born on Ashtamee (8th Lunar Day)
(2) He is Vasudev's 8th child
(3) He is born at the 8th month of Devakee's conception (Harivansh)
(4) He has 8 main wives (Ref - Bankim Chandra's "Krishn Charitra")
(5) He is the 8th Avataar in Puraan

"8" is a trans-cultural mystic number and associated with Jesus also.
The "8"th day in Lunar Month is a day when the Moon is half-light and half-dark - indicating the White-Black paradox that Krishn represents.

In Mahaabhaarat, the other "8" is Bheeshm (he was also the 8th son of Shaantanu and Gangaa who survived), and he teaches Dharm to the Paandav with Krishn as the listener. It seems then, "8" represents Dharm also.

There is mention of one "8 x 8" "Fight of Meters" between Gods and Asur in Panchavinsh Braahman - in which the Gods emerge victorious when Prajaapati is invoked by both sides and he finally tilts to the Gods - a role very akin to Vyaas and Krishn are playing in Mahaabhaarat. The Gods win over the Asur by using "8" Meters against their "8" Meters - that both sides did not have before Prajapati's intervention. Even if Bheeshm is fighting for Duryodhan, he is not entirely on his side - but rather favors the Paandav.

In Mahaabhaarat then, the Krishn-Bheeshm fight or "8 x 8" fight is actually a "8 + 8" (= 16) Dharm-Yuddh for Bhoo Bhaar Haran, and Bheeshm finally plays the "8" role in teaching Dharm to Yudhishthir and Paandav (and in Krishn and Vyaas's presence).

The Bhoo Bhaar Haran is accomplished with destruction of Yaadav - and significantly, the destruction takes place at Prabhaas Kshetra - and Prabhaas is the name of the 8th Vasu, whose incarnate Bheeshm is.

Thus it can be said safely that the two "8"s - Krishn and Bheeshm (8 + 8 = 16) symbolically represent what Mahaabhaarat stands for - Dharm.

Krishn's Family Tree

Yayaati + Devayaani
--Yadu, the originator of the vamsha.
--Madhu
--Kroshtu, Saatwata, Andhak
--Aahuka, Hridikaa.
--Devak, Ugrasen, Kritavarmaa

Devak
--Devavant and 4 sons, Devakee and 6 other daughters. Vasudeva married all of them.

Ugrasen
--Kamsa, Kamsaa.

Vasudev + Devakee
--Krishn and Subhadraa

Vasudev + Rohinee
--Balaraam (married to Revatee)

Krishn + Satyabhaamaa
--Saamba

Krishn + Rukminee
--Pradyumn

Pradyumn
--Aniruddh

Aniruddh
-Vajrabaahu (Yudhishtira gives Indra Prasth to him)