A long time ago in ancient India, there lived a King named Ugrasen in Mathuraa. He had two children, prince Kans and princess Devakee. Prince Kans was evil by nature. When Kans grew up, he imprisoned his own father Ugrasen and declared himself the king of Mathuraa. Soon, his sister Devakee grew up and was married to King Vasudev. However, after the wedding, Kans heard a divine warning from the sky, "O King! Your sister's eighth son will grow up to kill you." After Kans heard this, he was afraid. Immediately he imprisoned his own sister Devakee and her husband king Vasudev, and kept them under continuous watch.

Each time Devakee gave birth to a child in the prison, Kans arrived personally and killed the child. When Devakee became pregnant for the eighth time, King Vasudev's friend's (King Nand) wife Yashodaa was also pregnant. The eighth child, Lord Krishn, was orn to queen Devakee at midnight in the prison. As soon as the child was born, Lord Vishnu appeared in divine form and the prison was filled with a dazzling light. Both Devakee and Vasudev prayed to Lord Vishnu.

At the same time as Krishn was born in the prison, the divine energy of Vishnu was also born in Gokul, as a baby girl to queen Yashodaa. A divine message came to Vasudev soon after the birth of Lord Krishna, "Take this child across the Yamunaa River to Gokul and exchange him with Yashodaa's daughter. You will return to the prison before anyone comes to know about the birth of this child." Vasudev immediately followed the advice. As he carried the child in his arms, he found that the prison doors opened automatically and the guards were put to sleep by God. Vasudev approached the Yamunaa River, which was very turbulent due to fierce winds and rain. However, as soon as Vasudev reached the riverbank, the river parted and made way for Vasudev carrying the divine child. Vasudev reached the opposite bank of the river safely and found all the people of Gokul fast asleep. He entered the palace of king Nand and queen Yashodaa, and put the baby Krishn in the place of Yashodaa's baby girl. Vasudev returned to the prison with the baby girl.

As soon as Vasudev laid the baby girl by Devakee's side, the prison doors shut automatically. The guards were now awake and were startled by the cries of the baby girl. The guards ran to Kans and announced the birth of the eighth child. Kans rushed to execute the child in the prison, remembering the divine warning that the eighth child would kill him. Devakee appealed, "O Kans, this baby is a girl, and not the boy that the divine warning told you about. How can this child harm you?" However, Kans ignored her, snatched the child from her lap, and hurled the child against the prison wall.

The child did not fall down; instead, she flew up and appeared in the sky as a Goddess with eight arms, each arm carrying a weapon. She said, "O evil king! You will gain nothing by killing me. The one who will destroy you is elsewhere." Then the Goddess disappeared. Kans freed Vasudev and Devakee from prison. Meanwhile, there was a great rejoicing in Gokul, hailing the birth of a son in the household of Nand. Nand named the child Krishn. Entire Gokul wore a festive appearance. The streets were swept clean and all the houses were decorated with flags and flowers. Cows were smeared with turmeric, and adorned with peacock feathers and garlands.

All people of Gokul danced in joy and flocked to Nand's house to see baby Krishn and to offer gifts.