Śrāddhadeva was born, and from him sprang Niṣadha and others, among whom the mighty Ekalavya was raised—a figure renowned for his valor among the Niṣādas. In another tale of longing fulfilled, Gaṇḍūṣā, who had no children, was blessed by Kṛṣṇa himself. Pleased with her devotion, Kṛṣṇa bestowed upon her two sons: Cārudeṣṇa and Sāmba, both marked by auspicious signs and skilled in the arts of weaponry. Elsewhere, Kanaka had two sons of his own, Tantija and Tantimāla. Vastāvan, who yearned for a child, was granted the heroic Śauri and Kauśika as foster sons, a boon from the powerful Vasudeva. Among other notable births were Tapā, Kodhanu, Virajā, and Śyāmasṛñji. Of these, Śyāma remained childless, while Śyāmaka, renouncing the state of a Bhoja, retreated into the forest and attained the dignity of a royal sage. It is said that whoever recites the story of Kṛṣṇa’s birth with steadfast discipline, or listens as it is recited by a Brāhmaṇa, attains great happiness. Kṛṣṇa—glorious, radiant, the god of gods—was once the lord of all creatures. For the sake of divine play among humans, Nārāyaṇa, the supreme master, took birth in this world. Through the intense austerities of Devakī and Vasudeva, the lotus-eyed, four-armed, and radiant Lord was revealed, manifesting in human form yet retaining his divine fortune. Though appearing in a human guise, the blessed Lord Kṛṣṇa, the great yogin, was in truth the unmanifest master, abiding in a subtle, unmanifest sign. He, Nārāyaṇa, from whom all creation springs and who is imperishable, became the eternal Hari, the god Nārāyaṇa. This same Lord who fashioned the primeval man and made him lord of all beings, later became the son of Aditi, delight of the Yādavas, and as Viṣṇu, the younger brother of Indra. By his grace, Aditi bore a son to destroy the enemies of the gods—the Daityas, Dānavas, and Rākṣasas. In the lineage of Yayāti, the virtuous family of Vasudeva was chosen by Lord Nārāyaṇa, on account of its great merit, as the place for his descent. When Janārdana was born, the oceans trembled, mountains shook, and sacrificial fires blazed with brilliance. Auspicious winds swept the land, the dust settled peacefully, and all lights shone with increased radiance. At that moment, under the star Abhijit, on the night called Jayantī, and at a victorious hour, Janārdana—the eternal, imperceptible Hari, Nārāyaṇa, the Lord—was born, veiling his true nature from the world. From the heavens, the lord of gods showered flowers, and thousands of sages and Gandharvas sang auspicious praises to honor Madhusudana. Vasudeva, beholding his son born that night, saw the transcendent one adorned with the mark of Śrīvatsa and other divine signs. Overwhelmed, he pleaded, “O Lord, withdraw your true form. I am afraid of Kaṃsa; my wondrous elder sons have already been slain by him.” Hearing his father’s words, the Lord withdrew his divine form. Granted permission by Vasudeva, he departed to the house of Nandagopa, following the counsel of Ugrasena, and was entrusted to Yaśodā. On that same night, both Yaśodā, wife of Nandagopa, and Devakī were pregnant. As Kṛṣṇa, the lord of the Vrishni clan, was born, Yaśodā too gave birth to a daughter. Vasudeva, famed for his greatness, protected the newborn boy and exchanged him with Yaśodā’s daughter, taking the girl in return. Giving the boy to Nandagopa, Vasudeva said, “Protect him. Your son, auspicious in every way, will become the glory of the Yādavas. This child of Devakī will end our suffering.” Anakadundubhi then presented the girl, daughter of Ugrasena’s wife, declaring her a maiden of auspicious marks. Kaṃsa, unaware that his own wife had given birth to a son, rejoiced and released the girl. He believed the girl was dead, but she survived and was honored in the house of the Vrishnis, growing up there. She was cherished as dearly as a son, just as the gods cherish the goddesses, and was called the daughter of Prajāpati, born according to sacred rites. Eleven protectors were born to safeguard Keśava, and all the Yādavas honored this maiden with joyful hearts. Kṛṣṇa, the god of gods, was protected by her divine presence. At this point, the sages asked, “For what reason did Kaṃsa, the Bhoja king, kill the sons and children of Vasudeva? Please explain this to us.” Sūta replied, “Hear now how Kaṃsa, with a deluded mind, destroyed all the sons born to Anakadundubhi, one after another. Out of fear, the mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa was sent away at birth; thus Govinda, the best of men, was raised among the cows.” It is told that Devakī, wife of wise Vasudeva, once had Kaṃsa as her charioteer, when he was the crown prince. Suddenly, a divine voice resounded in the sky, witnessed by all worlds—a voice that filled Kaṃsa with dread, for it was powerful and unmistakable. “O Kaṃsa, you drive this chariot for her, but for another’s purpose; her seventh pregnancy will cause your death.” Hearing this, Kaṃsa, agitated and foolish, rushed out with sword in hand, intending to kill Devakī. But the brave Vasudeva spoke to him with friendship and affection: “No Kṣatriya is ever fit to kill a woman. I have devised a means, O joy of the Yadus. The seventh pregnancy that arises in her, I will hand over to you; do as you wish with it. Act as you desire, O generous one. All her pregnancies will be yours; I will truly deliver them to your control.” Thus unfolded the wondrous birth and protection of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord, whose descent and deeds would bring an end to suffering and fulfill the hopes of gods and men alike.