Devakee's Marriage

At the time when Dhritraashtra was struggling for crown, Raajaa Ugrasen was ruling in Mathuraa kingdom. Ugrasen had a son named Kans who was very pitiless and cruel. All people were very troubled from his atrocities and behavior. Once some people came to complain about him too in Ugrasen's court, Ugrasen consoled them and assured them that he would do something about it.

Jaraasandh was ruling in Magadh kingdom. Seeing Kans very mighty, he married his two daughters, Asti and Praapti, to him. Thus Jaraasandh became his relative. Jaraasandh was also a very mighty king. It is said that he had 10,000 elephants power in his body. It was very difficult to kill him.

When Kans came to know that public had complained about him to Ugrasen, he planned jointly with Jaraasandh and arrested his father Ugrasen and put him in jail. Ugrasen was very sad at this he said cursing him - "You are not my son, you are the punishment of the sins of my previous lives. You are a Shaap for the whole Bhaarat Varsh. But don't forget that every Shaap has an end."

Prince Vasudev was a prince from Vrishni Vansh, the son of Raajaa Shoorsen, and used to sit in Ugrasen's court because Shoorsen was much involved in Sanyaas. He was a good friend of Kans. But he was very sad about Ugrasen's imprisonment. Akroor, a good friend of Kans and Vasudev, consoled Vasudev saying that - "Anger is not good at this time, because anger is the greatest enemy of the human being, because first of all it destroys logic and wisdom, and as a result without logic and wisdom no right action is possible. At this time the ethics says that we should agree with him."

Kans had a cousin sister Devakee (Devak's daughter) whom he loved very much - like his own sister. Out of friendship, he married his sister Devakee to Vasudev. On that day he himself drove her chariot to her in-law's house. When he was taking her there, Aakaashvaanee said - "O Kans, to whom you are taking with so much love, her eighth son will kill you." Hearing this Kans first laughed, because he couldn't believe this, but then he thought that Aakaashvaanee do not tell lies.

So he took out his sword and was about to cut Devakee's neck that Vasudev stopped him doing so. He said - "Kans, Just think, this doesn't suit your bravery that you kill your sister. First, she is a woman; second, she is your sister; third, she is newly married; and fourth your enmity is with her children not with her. So let her live. I promise you to give her eighth child to you, and if I don't give it to you, you may put us in prison."

Kans understood a little logic in it so he abandoned the idea of killing Devakee, but still he put them in prison. Devakee once asked - "Dear brother, You love me so much, tell me what is my fault in this?" Kans said - "Devakee, The lines of your hand have joined Brahmaa leaving your loving brother's life and you have conspired with Brahmaa to kill me. That is your fault."

Prince Vasudev had one wife more named Rohinee. She came to see Kans and abused him to put his own loving sister and his fast friend prince Vasudev in prison. But Kans said - "Dear sister, I still love Vasudev and Devakee very much, but my quarrel is with Brahmaa only, not with Vasudev and Devakee. I also don't like this that my fast friend Vasudev and my loving sister Devakee are in prison. But tell me what do I do? Please go there and console them that I still love them both very much. After killing their eight children I myself will bring them in palace."

Rohinee said - "But the prediction is only for eighth child, then why do you want to kill her all the eight children." Kans said - "How to decide that who is the first child and who is the eighth child? Think in this way that there is a circle, and in that circle there are eight points, then how do I know that which one is the first and which one is the eighth? To protect my life is my Dharm that is why I have to kill her all the eight children, so go and console them."

In prison, Vasudev consoled Devakee - "Have faith in Bhagvaan, because His actions are unknown to we ordinary people. Nobody knows what does He do and what does He think. When He will come, He will free us all from Kans' atrocities.

In due course of time, Devakee gave birth to first son. Kans knew this and he killed him. Thus he killed her six sons. Then his people informed about her seventh pregnancy, but soon informed that they couldn't see it any more. So nobody knew where the seventh child was gone. There was no information of miscarriage also. In fact by the order of Bhagvaan, Yog Maayaa took it out and kept it in Rohinee's womb.