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8th Avataar in 10 Main Avataar and 22nd Avataar in 24 Avataar. He appeared on Prithvi on Bhaadrapad Krishn 8.

There have been several Avataar of several gods on this Prithvi. There are some Avataar in which Bhagavaan came to live here and present an example. Krishn was such an Avataar. Krishn Came here in the end of Dwaapar Yug.

There was a king of Mathuraa, named Raajaa Ugrasen. He had nine sons, including Kans and five daughters - he married his all daughters to younger brothers of Vasudev. He had a brother too whose name was Devak. He had four sons and seven daughters - among his daughters his youngest daughter was Devakee whom Kans loved very much. To strengthen his relations with Vasudev, he married her to Vasudev. he loved her so much that he drove her Rath (chariot) to her in-law's house himself. When he was taking her, an Aakaashvaanee (Divine voice) said - "O Kans to whom you are taking with so much love to her in-law's house, your same sister's eighth child will kill you." Hearing this Kans stopped the Rath and got ready to kill Devakee, to whom he loved so much, with his sword. Vasudev Jee explained him in several ways not to kill her at this time. First she was his loving sister, second she was in the Dulahan (wearing the marriage attire) form, third she was a woman (it does not look noble for a Kshatriya to kill a woman), and fourthly he promised that he would give all her children to him. Somehow Kans agreed, because Vasudev always used to speak truth. But he kept a regular vigil on them.

After sometime, the news came that Devakee was pregnant. Later she gave birth to a son, whom Vasudev Jee gave to Kans as he promised to him at the time of marriage. Kans killed him immediately. In this way Vasudev gave him Devakee's six sons and Kans killed all of them by hitting them on a stone. Then again a news came that Devakee was pregnant, but Vishnu pulled the embryo from Devakee's womb and kept it in Vasudev's another wife Rohinee's womb. So after a while nobody knew where Devakee's 7th child went. After a while again the news came that Devakee was pregnant. This time Kans was very careful. he could not sleep properly all the days. At last the day came when the news came that Devakee had delivered the child. He immediately came rushing and snatched the child from Devakee. he was surprised to see that it was a girl. he did not want to take any chance, so he hit her also on the stone but the girl got freed from his hand herself and went into the sky and said - "O Kans, Your killer has already taken birth, you won't get anything by killing me." and disappeared.

In fact what happened in between, that Devakee gave birth to her 8th son, Krishn. Krishn showed Vasudev and Devakee His Chaturbhuj Roop to remind them that as they asked the Var to have Him as their son, now He is born to them as their son and asked them to transfer Him to Nand and Yashodaa's house in Nand Gaanv and bring their newly born daughter there. he asked them to give that daughter to Kans when he comes for the child. Vasudev asked Him how he would take Him to Nand Gaanv as the prison was heavily guarded. Vishnu said - "Don't worry, they will not know it at all." Then He became the infant again and Vasudev took child in a Soop (Chhaaj) and carried Him to Nand Gaanv. he left Him there and brought their newly born daughter with heavy heart. Since Yashodaa was unconscious after the delivery, she did not know that she had given birth to a daughter. When she came into senses she found Krishn lying near her, so she thought that was her son. Vasudev gave that daughter to Kans.

Childhood of Krishn
As Kans heard that his killer has already born, he sent an order that all the children born within 7 days should be killed and for this he sent his Dhaaya (a woman who breastfeeds the child in the absence of mother's milk) Pootanaa Raakshasee to kill all of them. As all the children were only breastfed children, Pootanaa breastfed them and killed them. this she did to Krishn also, but Krishn sucked her Praan (life) also along with her milk, so she died. (Read about Ratnmaalaa here). After that Kans sent several Raakshas to kill Krishn for several years but they themselves were killed.

One day came when Krishn wanted to shatter Indra's pride, so He asked Brij people not to worship Indra but to worship Govardhan Parvat. And as they did, Indra caused heavy rainfall continuously for 7 days and 7 nights. To save the people from this rain he lifted Govardhan Parvat on the smallest finger of His left hand for all these days. When this news reached Mathuraa, kans understood that thhis is that boy who is going to kill him, so he again hatched a plan and according to that plan he sent Akroor Jee to bring both brothers (Balaraam and Krishn) to Mathuraa to honor them and to see their might. First Akroor Jee did not want to do that but he had to go to bring them. On his way back he knew that krishn and Balaraaam were not the ordinary children, then he became satisfied. After coming to Mathuraa, Krishn made Kubjaa beautiful and lived with her for 7 days, killed Kans, freed His parents and Raajaa Ugrasen, reinstated Ugrasen as the King of Mathuraa. After this Hia parents sent both Balaraam and Krishn to Saandeepan Jee for their education. There Krishn met Sudaamaa who was His best childhood friend. He paid His Guru Dakshinaa by bringing back His Guru's dead son alive.

His Life
When His education got completed He paid attention towards His cousins - His Buaa Kuntee's (she was Vasudev's real sister) children Paandav. He took care of them and helped them at time to time during His whole life. Regarding His help, the following events are notable---

(1) He helped them inhabiting Khaandavprasth as Indraprasth.
(2) He asked Arjun to please Agni Dev by burning Khaandav forest. Pleased by this Agni Dev gave him Gaandeev bow, two inexhaustible quivers and a Divine chariot. Since Arjun saved Maya Daanav from this fire, Krishn asked him to build a unique royal court for Yudhishthir. later this court helped in aggravating jealousy in Duryodhan towards Paandav and in turn exile and war etc.
(3) He helped Paandav to do their Raajsooya Yagya by suggesting them to kill Jaraasandh by Bheem.
(4) He helped Draupadee by increasing the length of her cloth infinitely long, that even Dushaasan like mighty person was also tired pulling it.
(5) He took Subhadraa and her son Abhimanyu to Dwaarakaa and trained Abhimanyu as a warrior that even today he is remembered by all.
(6) He saved Paandav from Durvaasaa's anger when they were in exile by satisfying his and his disciples' hunger by eating just a leaf from Draupadee's Akshaya Paatra.
(7) He always guided Paandav throughout their exile period.
(8) He went to Hastinaapur as their messenger to ask Dhritraashtra to give Paandav even just five villages, if not their whole kingdom.
(9) He tried to kill Bheeshm twice by His Chakra (or chariot wheel) in spite of taking the vow that he would not take up any weapon and would not fight.
(10) He indicated Paandav that unless Bheeshm was killed they could not win the war. So indirectly He told them to know the way to kill him. Not only Bheeshm, other Adhirathee - Drone, Karn and Duryodhan were also killed only by His tactics. Without killing them Paandav could not have won this war. He used Shikhandee to fell Bheeshm. He used Yudhishthir to lie to Drone that Ashwatthaamaa was killed and he died with this news. He asked Arjun to kill Karn when he had no weapon in his hands and was not ready to fight. He asked Duryodhan to cover his loin part of body to go before Gaandhaaree so that Bheem could fulfill his vow to break his thigh with his Gadaa (because there is no rule to hit thigh part with the Gadaa, but He allowed it). He knew that Gandhaaree was going to make Duryodhan's body made of steel, so that her son could not be killed by Bheem. Gaandhaaree also knew that Bheem will definitely fulfill his vow by to kill Duryodhan by breaking his thigh, that is she asked him to come before her without wearing any cloth so that she could make his whole body of steel just by looking at him. Krishn understood and misguided Duryodhan to at least wear a loin cloth before going to her. He did and when Gaandhaaree looked at him his whole body became of steel except the loin part, and that was the weak part where Bheem hit him.
(11) He knew that Karn had a Power to kill Arjun, so to save Arjun, he sent Bheem's son Ghatotkach to trouble Kaurav's army. Ghatotkach killed so many soldiers of Kaurav army that Duryodhan had to ask Karn to use his Power on Ghatotkach to kill him and to save his own army. Karn had to do that and thus He saved Arjun.
(12) After the war, when Paandav went to meet Dhritraashtra, He saved Bheem's life by presenting a iron statue of Bheem first in place of Bheem. He knew that Dhritraashtra was so mighty that when he would embrace Bheem he could crush him, that is why instead of presenting Bheem He suggested to present an iron statue of Bheem to him. Paandav were really shocked to see that Krishn was true. Dhritraashtra had crushed the statue of Bheem in his embrace.
(13) In the last He revived Abhimanyu's son Pareekshit when Ashwatthaamaa had redirected his Brahmaastra towards Uttaraa's womb.

After this He allowed Braahman's curse to destroy His own family and then He went to His Dhaam. He lived for 123 years.

When Krishn was born, He showed His Chatur-bhuj Roop to both Vasudev and Devakee and said to Vasudev Jee - "Three lives before, in Swaayambhoo Manvantar (the 1st Manvantar), you were Sutapaa named Prajaapati Your wife was Prishni. In that life you and Prishni did severe penance for 12,000 years to see my Chatur-bhuj Roop. At that time also, pleased with your penance I showed you my Chatur-bhuj Roop. At that time Prishni asked me a son like myself. When I bestowed that boon to her, I said "So be it" three times, so I had to be born as her son three times.

First time I was born from Prishni's womb as Prishnigarbh; then I was born from Aditi as Vaaman; and the third time I am coming now. You cannot recognize my Avataar Roop by my human being form. Now I tell you the path of Mukti (Moksh). If you meditate on me in my Bhagvaan form leaving the Putra Moh (love of son), then only you can attain Mukti in this life only." But Devakee did not want Mukti, she had only the feelings of motherhood, so she asked Bhagvaan only for the feelings of motherhood and the relationship of mother and son between her and her son. Bhagvaan said - "So be it." and said - "Because of the effect of my Maayaa, you will not remember all this and you will feel the affection and pains of motherhood."
 

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