Life plays out the strangest coincidences.


    After years of living with infertility, Ma was


    expecting a child. She went into labour on


    the eighth night of Krishna Paksh, in the


    month of Bhadra. Just like Devaki. The pain


    of delivery rendered her unconscious, just


    like Devaki. Her husband Nand took the


    wrapped-up bundle from the midwife and


    walked out of his home, leaving the midwife


    to cater to Yashoda, his wife, my mother.


    Baba brought me into the house an hour later


    and laid me beside my mother. When Ma


    opened her eyes, she saw her son; she did not


    know of the betrayal that had taken place. A


    betrayal of love, unheard, epic, just like my


    story.


    Vasudev took the swaddled baby girl back to


    his prison cell in Mathura. Kans was


    informed of the traitor''s birth. The mighty


    King rushed to the prison cell, filled with


    royal rage and hatred towards his sister''s


    child. The uncle and King snatched the child


    from his sister''s arms, ready to throttle it


    immediately before it could harm his


    Kingship. Devaki howled, "It''s a girl; let her


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.live."


    The King''s confidante and counsel, a courtier


    Akrur was with him, and he took the little


    girl from the King''s hands. Akrur tried to


    reason with King Kans, reminding him of the


    sin of female infanticide. Maybe there had


    been a mistake. Akrur, the courtier, was


    wise, though the King rarely listened to him.


    However, his sister''s wails this time and the


    infant''s helplessness dulled his anger. He


    could not imagine how this slight wisp of a


    girl could destroy the mighty warrior King


    Kans. Devaki''s incessant crying was grating


    his nerves, so he told Akrur to take the child


    away and ensure she would not harm Kans in


    any which way.


    Before King Kans could change his mind,


    Akrur bowed low and hurried away, taking


    the girl with him. There was a sudden silence


    in the prison cell; Devaki had fainted. Kans''s


    eyes remained glued to the cell wall, where


    Devaki, while away her endless days and


    nights, had painted the likeness of the


    Goddess Durga in all her eight-armed glory.


    A sudden inexplicable fear gripped King


    Kans. He shook his head as if trying to


    remove a thought and walked out of the


    prison cell, his face devoid of emotion.