Kamsa gets Cursed

Kalnemi, a demon, was hurled to Lanka by Hanuman. To avenge this, Kalnemi took birth as Kamsa in Dwapara Yuga to harm Vishnu's devotees.

Kamsa usurped the throne from his father Ugrasena and imprisoned him. He surrounded himself with demons like Charana, Mushtika, Pralamba, Dantavaktra, and others to oppress Vishnu's devotees. He disrupted Vedic rituals, stopped Vedic studies, and defiled Yajna vedis.

Kamsa married the two daughters of Jarasandha. To deceive others, Kamsa and Jarasandha pretended to be Shiva devotees.

Kamsa, along with his wives, rode in a chariot pulled by sages. Vishnu’s devotees faced hardships, similar to the times of Hiranyakashipu.

Kamsa attacked the Yadava rulers in Mathura and nearby regions, forcing them into submission. Vasudeva was among them. Some Yadavas fled to other kingdoms. Kamsa’s army pursued and killed most of them. Nandagopa, a Vishnu devotee, refused to abandon his faith. He was captured, tied up, and beaten.

A great Vishnu devotee, Sage Madhuka, was forced to pull Kamsa’s chariot. Madhuka pleaded with Kamsa, saying, 'Think of the Creator who made you and of righteousness. Stop these evil deeds. Otherwise, you will face painful consequences. Remember, the result of sin is death.'

Hearing this, Kamsa laughed mockingly and said, 'Do not preach to me about God or righteousness. There is no God, no truth, no dharma. Humans are born from the union of man and woman, driven by the pleasure of that union. I fear nothing in this world. Who is equal to me? I will do as I please and enjoy as I wish. I generously give to my friends and dependents. I worship Shiva. Most of my enemies are already dead. The remaining ones are under my control. Who can fight me or kill me now?'

Madhuka replied, 'Lord Mahavishnu is there. In Krita Yuga, he appeared as Narayana with a fair complexion. In Treta Yuga, he came as Trivikrama with a golden complexion and as Sri Rama with a green complexion. In Dwapara Yuga, he will appear as Sri Krishna with a dark complexion and will kill you.'

Hearing this curse, Kamsa became furious. Grinding his teeth, he struck the sage with a whip and ordered him to pull the chariot faster. 

Yet, a sense of fear gripped Kamsa.

Lessons -

1. Kamsa's arrogance and denial of dharma blinded him to the truth. His disregard for righteousness and belief in his invincibility ultimately paved the way for his downfall. Arrogance and ego lead to destruction.
2. Despite Kamsa's oppression, sages and devotees like Madhuka remained steadfast in their devotion to Vishnu. Their faith and righteousness stood as a counterforce to Kamsa's tyranny, ensuring that justice would prevail. Faith and righteousness triumph over evil.
3. No matter how powerful Kamsa seemed, the prophecy foretold his end. This shows that divine justice is certain, and evil actions will eventually meet their consequences.

Ramaswamy Sastry and Vighnesh Ghanapaathi