View source for Kamsa

{{Short description|Hindu mythological king}}
{{other uses|Kamsa (disambiguation)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=November 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox character
| image = KRISHNA KILLS KANSA.jpg
| caption = [[Krishna]] slays Kamsa
| spouse = Asti and Prapti (daughters of [[Jarasandha]])
| lbl21 = Royal house
| data21 = [[Yadu dynasty|Yaduvamsha]]
| family = [[Ugrasena]] (father)<br>[[List of characters in Mahabharata|Padmavati]] (mother)<br>[[Kamsavati]]  and many unnamed sisters (sisters) Nyagrodha, Subhumi,Ankahla,Shanku,
Sunam,Yuddhatushti,
Rashtrapal,Sutushtiman (brothers)
| relatives = {{unbulleted list|[[Devaki]] (cousin)|[[Vasudeva]] (brother-in-law)|[[Krishna]] (nephew)|[[Balarama]] (nephew)|[[Jarasandha]] (father-in-law)}}
| info-hdr = Information
}}

'''Kamsa''' ({{langx|sa|कंस}}, {{IAST3|Kaṃsa}}) was the tyrant ruler of the [[Vrishni]] kingdom, with its capital at [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]]. He is variously described in [[Hindu texts|Hindu literature]] as either a human or an [[asura]]; The [[Puranas]] describe him as an asura,<ref name="Williams2008" /><ref name="HawleyWulff1982">{{cite book|author1=John Stratton Hawley|author2=Donna Marie Wulff|title=The Divine Consort: Rādhā and the Goddesses of India|date=1982|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-0-89581-102-8|page=374}}</ref> while the [[Harivamsa|Harivamśa]] describes him as an asura reborn in the body of a man.<ref name="Aiyangar1901" /> His royal house was called Bhoja; thus, another of his names was '''Bhojapati'''.<ref>{{cite book |author=Madan Gopal |title=India through the ages |editor=K.S. Gautam |page=78 |publisher=Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India |year=1990 |url=https://archive.org/details/indiathroughages00mada/page/78 |quote=Bhojapati. An epithet of Kamsa.}}</ref> He was the cousin of [[Devaki]], the mother of the deity [[Krishna]]; Krishna ultimately fulfilled a prophecy by slaying Kamsa.

Kamsa was born to King [[Ugrasena]] and Queen Padmavati. However, out of ambition, and upon the advice of his personal confidantes, [[Banasura]] and [[Narakasura]], Kamsa decided to overthrow his father, and install himself as the King of Mathura. Therefore, upon the guidance of another advisor, Chanura, Kamsa decided to marry Asti and Prapti, the daughters of [[Jarasandha]], King of [[Magadha (Mahajanapada)|Magadha]].<ref name="Growse1882"/>

[[File:Kamsa.jpg|thumb|Kamsa as depicted in Yakshagana, a traditional Indian art form from southern state of Karnataka]]

After a heavenly voice prophesied that Devaki's eighth son would slay him, Kamsa imprisoned Devaki and her husband [[Vasudeva]], and killed all of their children; however, just before the birth of the seventh child of Devaki and Vasudeva, [[Vishnu]] ordered the goddess [[Vindhyavasini|Mahamaya]] to transfer the child from the womb of Devaki to that of [[Rohini (wife of Vasudeva)|Rohini]], another wife of [[Vasudeva]]. Soon, Rohini gave birth to Devaki's seventh son, named [[Balarama]]. The eighth son, Krishna, an [[avatar]] of [[Vishnu]], was transported to the village of [[Gokul]]a, where he was raised in the care of [[Nanda (mythology)|Nanda]], the head of the cowherds. Learning of his birth, Kamsa sent a host of asuras to kill the child Krishna, but Krishna killed every one of them. Finally, Krishna arrived in Mathura and slew his uncle, Kamsa.<ref name="Chaturvedi2002"/>

==Birth and early life==
Kamsa was in his previous birth a demon called [[Kalanemi]], who was slain by the god [[Vishnu]]. Kamsa is generally described as the son of the [[Yadava]] ruler, [[Ugrasena]].<ref name="Mani"/> However, some texts such as the ''[[Padma Purana]]'' state that Kamsa was not the biological son of Ugrasena.<ref name="Pattanaik2018"/> In this story, the wife of Ugrasena (named Padmavati in some texts) is seen by a supernatural being named Dramila, who transforms himself into the form of Ugrasena and inseminates her. Realizing this duplicity, Padmavati curses Drumila to hell for his sin. She soon becomes pregnant with a son, whom she also curses be killed by a member of his family. After the son is born, Ugrasena adopts him and names him Kamsa.<ref name="Mani"/>

In childhood, Kamsa was trained by the other Yadavas, who were famous warriors, along with his eight brothers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vaniquotes.org/wiki/Kamsa_had_eight_brothers,_headed_by_Kanka,_all_of_them_younger_than_he,_and_when_they_learned_that_their_elder_brother_had_been_killed,_they_combined_together_and_rushed_toward_Krsna_in_great_anger_to_kill_Him|title=Kamsa had eight brothers, headed by Kanka, all of them younger than he, and when they learned that their elder brother had been killed, they combined and rushed toward Krsna in great anger to kill Him - Vaniquotes}}{{better source needed|date=November 2021}}</ref> Kamsa acquired Jarasandha's attention when the latter tried to invade Mathura. Kamsa single-handedly routed Jarasandha's army. The latter was impressed and made Kamsa his son-in-law. With Jarasandha's support, Kamsa became even more powerful.

== Annexation of kingdom ==

During his wedding in [[Mathura]], Jarasandha brought over his army to escort the Princesses Asti and Prapti. Using the army of Magadha as his political cover, Kamsa overthrew his father after he refused to voluntarily retire from his position. This was done within the confines of the royal palace and the public was not informed. After Ugrasena failed to show up for public events, Kamsa announced his coronation.{{Citation needed|date=April 2023}}

==Warning issued by Yogamaya==
[[File:Raja Ravi Varma, Kamsa maya (1890).jpg|thumb|A frightened Kamsa (left) looks up to the goddess, as she issues the warning.]]

Kamsa intended to kill his cousin Devaki, fearing the prophecy that her eighth child was fated to kill him. Vasudeva managed to save his wife's life by promising Kamsa that he would deliver all their children to the latter. Kamsa accepted this proposition and spared Devaki because she herself was not a threat to him. In the confines of the prison, Devaki repeatedly conceived and Kamsa cruelly murdered the first six children.<ref name="Shome2011"/>{{rp|33}}

Before the seventh child was born, [[Vishnu]] ordered the goddess [[Yogamaya]] to transfer the seventh child of Devaki into the womb of [[Rohini Devi|Rohini]]. This child would be raised by his surrogate mother, Rohini, and named [[Balarama]], Krishna's elder brother. [[Vindhyavasini|Yogamaya]] was tasked to be born as the daughter of Yashoda. Immediately preceding the birth of Krishna, the goddess rendered the guards of Kamsa unconscious. When Krishna was born to Devaki, heeding the deity's instructions, Vasudeva carried the infant to Nanda and Yashoda's house, swapping him with their infant daughter, Yogamaya. Presuming the infant to be Devaki's eighth child, Kamsa prepared to murder her, but the girl slipped out of his hands. Assuming her true form, Yogamaya proclaimed to Kamsa, "The eighth child, who shall kill you, has been born. He is in Gokula!"<ref name="Prasad2010"/>

== Death ==
[[File:Krishna-kills-the-evil-king-of-Mathura-Kansa---Mughal-Painting-c1590 V & A.jpg|thumb|Krishna kills Kamsa]]
The seventh child, [[Balarama]], was saved when he was moved to [[Rohini Devi|Rohini]]'s womb. The eighth child born to Devaki and Vasudeva was [[Krishna]]. Krishna was saved from Kamsa's wrath and raised by Vasudeva's relative [[Nanda (mythology)|Nanda]] and [[Yasoda]], a cowherd couple.<ref name="Shome2011"/>{{rp|48}}

After Krishna grew up and returned to the kingdom, Kamsa was eventually killed and beheaded by Krishna, as was originally predicted by the [[Akashvani (term)|divine prophecy]]. His eight brothers, headed by Kanka, were also killed by [[Balarama]]. Following this, Ugrasena was reinstated as the King of Mathura.<ref name="Shome2011"/>{{rp|52}}

<gallery>
File:Krishna_Balarama_and_Kamsa.jpg|Krishna, Balarama, Kamsa as depicted in Yakshagana
</gallery>

==References==
<references>
<ref name="Aiyangar1901">{{cite book |author=Narayan Aiyangar |title=Essays On Indo-Aryan Mythology |chapter=Krishna |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Oym17qIeB-0C&pg=PA503 |isbn=978-81-206-0140-6 |pages=502–503 |publisher=Asian Educational Services |location=New Delhi |year=1987 |orig-year=1901}}</ref>

<ref name="Chaturvedi2002">{{cite book |author=B. K. Chaturvedi |title=Shrimad Bhagwat Purana |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books |year=2002 |pages=85–86 |isbn=9788171828319 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ygNq9KaawdQC&pg=PA86}}</ref>

<ref name="Growse1882">{{cite book |author=[[Frederic Growse]] |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=md2nxLByaQ4C&pg=PA70 |title=Mathura-Brindaban: The Mystical Land of Lord Krishna |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books |year=2000 |orig-year=1882 |isbn=81-7182-443-9 |page=70}}</ref>

<ref name="Mani">{{cite encyclopedia |entry=Kaṁsa I |author=Vettam Mani |title=Purāṇic Encyclopaedia |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |location=Delhi |year=1975 |isbn=08426-0822-2 |url=https://archive.org/details/puranicencyclopa00maniuoft/page/382/mode/1up}}</ref>

<ref name="Pattanaik2018">{{cite book |author=Devdutt Pattanaik |title=Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ux1eDwAAQBAJ |date=2018 |publisher=Penguin Random House India |isbn=978-93-5305-100-6}}</ref>

<ref name="Prasad2010">{{cite book |author=Dev Prasad |title=Krishna: A Journey through the Lands & Legends of Krishna |publisher=Jaico Publishing House |year=2010 |isbn=9788184951707 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=o0_5caqiUH0C&pg=PT25}}</ref>

<ref name="Shome2011">{{cite book |author1=Alo Shome |author2=Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyaya |title=Krishna Charitra |publisher=V&S Publishers |year=2011 |isbn=9789381384879 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ASNmhKlL0ioC&pg=PA52}}{{self-published source|date=June 2022}}</ref>

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<ref name="Williams2008">{{cite book |author=George M. Williams |title=Handbook of Hindu Mythology |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-19-533261-2 |page=178}}</ref>
</references>

== External links ==

* [https://shyamasundaradasa.com/jyotish/resources/articles/non-jyotish_articles/kamsa.html Why was Krsna’s Uncle Kamsa a Demon? The mystery of Kamsa’s birth revealed.]

{{Commons category|Kamsa}}

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:People related to Krishna]]
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Characters in the Bhagavata Purana]]