At that time, both Yashoda, the devoted wife of Nandagopa the cowherd chief, and Devaki, the noble lady of the Vrishni clan, were expecting children. On the very night when Krishna, the future lord of the Vrishnis, was born to Devaki, Yashoda too delivered a child, a daughter. Vasudeva, renowned for his wisdom and greatness, sought to protect his newborn son from danger. Acting quickly, he exchanged the babies: he brought Krishna to Yashoda and took Yashoda’s daughter in return. Presenting the infant Krishna to Nandagopa, Vasudeva said, “Protect this child. Your son, auspicious in every way, will become the glory of the Yadavas. This is Devaki’s child, destined to end our suffering.” Then, Vasudeva—also called Anakadundubhi—presented the baby girl, the daughter of Ugrasena’s wife, and declared her a maiden marked by auspicious signs. Kamsa, the wicked king, was unaware that his own wife had given birth to a son; in his ignorance, he rejoiced and released the girl, believing her to be dead. But the child survived and was honored in the house of the Vrishnis, growing up there, cherished as a son would be, just as the gods cherish their goddesses. Born according to sacred rites, she came to be known as the daughter of Prajapati. To protect Keshava—Krishna—eleven were born, and all the Yadavas honored this maiden with joyful hearts. She, in turn, protected Krishna, the god of gods, who had assumed a divine form. The sages, eager to know more, inquired, “For what reason did Kamsa, king of the Bhojas, kill the sons and children of Vasudeva? Please explain this to us.” Suta replied, “Listen to how Kamsa, in his folly, destroyed all the sons born to Anakadundubhi, one after another. Out of fear, the mighty-armed Krishna was sent away at birth, and so Govinda, the best of men, was raised among the cowherds.” He continued, “Devaki, the wise wife of Vasudeva, once had Kamsa as her charioteer, when he was the crown prince. Then, a divine voice resounded in the sky, heard by all worlds, and Kamsa was ever fearful of its power. The voice proclaimed, ‘O Kamsa, you drive this chariot for her for another’s purpose; her seventh pregnancy will bring about your death.’ “Disturbed by these words, Kamsa, foolish and agitated, rushed out with sword in hand, intent on killing Devaki. But the valiant Vasudeva, addressing Kamsa with friendship, said, ‘No Kshatriya should kill a woman. I have devised a solution, O joy of the Yadus. The seventh pregnancy that arises in her, I will hand over to you; do with it as you will. All her pregnancies will be yours; I will truly deliver them to your control.’ “Thus, Vasudeva’s words, spoken with sincerity, calmed Kamsa, who then spared Devaki. Vasudeva, having received his wife, rejoiced, while Kamsa, wicked and deluded, killed her sons as they were born.” The sages then asked, “Who is this Vasudeva, and who is the illustrious Devaki? Who are Nandagopa and the renowned Yashoda, who gave birth to Vishnu and who raised him?” Suta answered, “The men were incarnations of Kashyapa, and the women descended from the Adityas. By divine will, the mighty Vishnu was raised by Devaki. That god wandered the earth, entering a human form, deluding beings through his yogic power and magical illusion. When dharma was lost, Vishnu was born in the Vrishni clan, to restore righteousness and destroy the demons.” He continued, “Krishna took as brides Rukmini, Satyā the daughter of Nagnajit, Satrājitī, Satyabhama, Jambavati, and Rohini. Also, Shaibya, Sudevi, Madri, another named Sushila, Kalindi, Mitravinda, Lakshmana, and Jalavasini. In this way, sixteen thousand divine women, and fourteen groups of celestial nymphs from heaven, were specially sent by the gods and Indra to be wives for Vasudeva, born in royal palaces. These illustrious wives of Vishvaksena are renowned.” Suta then recounted Krishna’s progeny: “Pradyumna, Charudeshna, Sudeshna, Sharabha, Charu, Charubhadra, and Bhadracaru; Charuvindhya, born of Rukmini, and their daughter Charumati; Sanu, Bhanu, Aksha, Rohita, and Mantraya. Jarandhaka, Tamravaksha, Bhaumari, and Jarandhama—these four sisters were born from Garudadhvaja. Bhanu, Bhaumarika, Tamraparni, and Jarandhama are the sons of Satyabhama. Now hear of Jambavati’s offspring: Bhadra, Bhadragupta, Bhadravindra, the renowned Saptabahu, the maiden Bhadravati, and the famed Sambodhani. “Sangramajit, Shatajit, and Sahasrajit are the sons of Sudevi and Vishvaksena. Vrka, Vrikashva, Vrikajit, the celestial lady Vrajini, Mitrabahu, and Sunitha are the offspring of Nagnajiti. Thus, along with others, these are the sons of Vasudeva, whose total number has been declared. There were also eighty thousand valiant sons, skilled in battle. Thus, the lineage of Janardana has been recounted as it truly was. “Brihati, Nartakonneya, Sunaya, and Sangata were the daughters of Brihaduccha, the great-souled son of Shaunaka.” In this way, the wondrous events surrounding Krishna’s birth, the reasons for Kamsa’s cruelty, and the divine lineage of Krishna and his family were revealed, as preserved in the sacred tradition.