The holy town along the banks of the Yamuna is one of the few,
which has been mentioned both in history and mythology. Mathura
is full of stories of Krishna, his birth and the part of his
life he spent there. A king named Ugrasena ruled over Mathura.
Once Ugrasena and his wife were taking a walk in the gardens
when a demon saw the queen and fell in love with her. In his
lust for her he diverted Ugrasena, assumed his form and the
child born of this union was Kansa. Kansa grew up to dethrone
his father and imprison his cousin, Devaki. While driving Devaki
and her husband Vasudeva in his chariot, Kansa heard a voice
in the sky telling him that he way carrying a woman whose eighth
child would kill him. Kansa immediately prepared to till Devaki.
But Vasudeva intervened and begged for her life with the promise
that they would hand over all their children to him soon after
their birth. So Kansa imprisoned them and killed seven children.
A few minutes before the eighth child was to be born Vasudeva
was advised by a voice from the heavens to carry the baby to
Yasoda and Nanda (a cowherd) in Vrindavan and exchange it for
the baby girl born there. It was midnight and pouring with rain.
Putting the newborn baby in basket Vasudeva set out wondering
how he'd protect the child from the rain. But he needn't have
worried. The prison doors opened, the rivers receded and the
serpent on which Lord Vishnu reclines came down to protect Lord
Krishna with its hood. Krishna arrived safely in Vrindavan to
grow up to kill Kansa.
