It is just weeks after I imprisoned my father that my guards report to me about Devki giving birth to a baby boy. As he promised, Vasudev comes to me with his child and hands him over. His face is dark and gloomy, his eyes buried under, unlike the child in my hands, who smiles as he looks me in the eyes.
"This child is not the one who will kill me. The prophecy clearly stated that the eighth son of Devki will be the one to bring me to an end. I shall let this child live," I state. Vasudev's face lights up with a bright grin.
"Thank you, Kamsa! Thank you for sparing my child!" Vasudev responds with tears of happiness. I dismiss him.
***
On my second day as king, I am busy assigning areas of central Mathura to military chiefs. "The west core of Mathura shall be divided into three parts. The guards near the palace will be under my direct control. The outer soldiers shall be assigned a commander and two executive officers. The third part, being the fortifications, the ramparts and the entry gates, shall also be assigned—"
"Narayana! Narayana!" I am interrupted by an irritating melody. "You look happy, Kamsa maharaj!" sings Narad Muni with his resonant voice, breezing into the court as if he owns it.
The Veena in his hands almost looks out of place. I control my furious urge to get up and go straight at him with my mace. He is off limits. He'll teleport to another dimension if he senses danger!
"What are you here for? Did Vishnu send you?" I snap.
"Narayana, Narayana! No, Kamsa maharaj! I'm only here to help you," responds Narad Muni as he shows me a lotus flower. "Which of these petals do you think is the eighth?" he asks, pointing at the petals. "One, two, three... eight. But what if I started with another petal? The eighth petal changes depending on where I start counting."
"What do you mean? Are you just here to waste my time?" I hiss loudly.
"Narayana, Narayana! Kamsa maharaj, Devki is a descendant of the deities. Depending on where you start counting, any of her sons could be—"
"The eighth son!" I complete his statement.
"Narayana, Narayana!" sings Narad Muni one last time as he vanishes.
Is this my doom? No, I can still make it. I can still change my fate. Even if the world is against me. What if the child is already out of my reach? The child should still be a helpless infant, and I have my soldiers stationed at Vasudev's residence.
My heart starts racing as I rush down from the throne and order my guards to prepare the horses. With my troop of trusted guards, I go to Vasudev's residence. I see my soldiers stationed outside the house. I order my guards to capture Devki, Vasudev, and their infant child.
I throw them into the same dungeon prison as I did my father. My crying sister holds her baby tight when I enter the prison. Vasudev stands in my way and begs me to let his child go. I punch him in the face, and he strikes the wall head-on. I go forward and snatch the baby boy from the hands of Devki. The baby cries out as he touches the cold of my armour. I take out my dagger, and Devki comes at me again. She is stopped by my guard. I look Devki in the eye as, without a word, I slit the infant's throat.
Devki bursts out with a painful scream. "Brother! What have you become?" she says, sobbing.
I see Vasudev closing his eyes in pain, with blood running down his nose, tears mixing with it.
As time passes, Devki gives birth to 5 more sons, whom I butcher in the prison right in front of them. Each year I enter the prison. Each year Devki pleads. Each year Vasudev tries to shield the child. Each year I ignore them. Then, for her seventh child, Devki meets with a miscarriage. That news puts me at ease, as I see everything under my control.
Another year passes, and Devki has her eighth child. It's a baby girl. "I beg you, Kamsa! At least spare this girl!" pleads Devki, with tears and snot. The torchlit prison walls are stained with the blood of the infants I previously slaughtered. I hold the infant by the feet and smash her into the stone prison walls. Blood splashes on my face, and the stone wall shatters.
Except the blood is not from the infant. It's my own. The infant slipped out of my arms before my hand struck the wall. The baby girl floats toward the high ceiling and takes the form of Goddess Durga. Shining bright, she has eight arms, all equipped with destructive weapons.
A chill runs down my spine at her sight; I fear death. I collapse to my knees. I feel a mess of weeping on my face. Snot, tears, salt—they won't stop.
"Please spare my life, Goddess! Please show some mercy. Give me a second chance! I'll fix everything!" I plead, as I free Devki and Vasudev from their chains. They only have mercy to show for me, a man blinded by ignorance and evil. I didn't sense a shred of anger from them—only mercy.
The Goddess answers in a sweet, resonant voice, "Mercy?! The same mercy you showed me in my helpless form?! Kamsa, you don't deserve a second chance! You fear a child more than an army? I haven't seen a bigger coward! I will not be the one to kill you—the one destined to kill you is already living a peaceful life at Gokula. Along with his elder brother, who slipped out of your hands. Get out of my sight, you pathetic excuse for a king!"
I run out of the dungeons, breathing like a dog, and go to my bedroom, accompanied by my personal guard.