As the time for fulfilling the prophecy approaches, Kansa grows fearful.  He learns that gods and goddesses are being born as cowherds and cowgirls and, interpreting this as a sign that Krishna’s birth is near, he commands his men to slaughter every cowherd in the city.  A great round-up ensues and many cowherds are killed.  The leading cowherd is a wealthy herdsman named Nanda, who lives with his wife Yasoda in the country district of Gokula.  Although of lower caste, he is Vasudeva’s chief friend and in view of the imminent dangers confronting his family, it is to Nanda that Vasudeva now sends one of his other wives, Rohini.  Devaki has meanwhile conceived her seventh son, the white hair of Vishnu, and soon to be recognized as Krishna’s brother.  To avoid his murder by Kansa, Vishnu has the foetus transferred from Devaki’s womb to that of Rohini, and the child, named Balarama, is born to Rohini, Kansa being informed that Devaki has miscarried.  The eighth pregnancy now occurs.  Kansa increases his precautions.  Devaki and Vasudeva are handcuffed and manacled.  Guards are mounted and besides these, elephants, lions and dogs are placed outside.  The unborn child, however, tells them not to fear and Devaki and Vasudeva compose their minds.

Krishna is now born, dark as a cloud and with eyes like lotuses.  He is clad in a yellow vest and wears a crown.  He takes the form of Vishnu and commands Vasudeva to bear him to Nanda’s house in Gokula and substitute him for the infant daughter who has just been born to Yasoda, Nanda’s wife.  Devaki and Vasudeva worship him.  The vision then fades and they discover the new-born child crying at their side.  They debate what to do—­Devaki urging Vasudeva to take the baby to Nanda’s house where Rohini, his other wife, is still living and where Yasoda will receive it.  Vasudeva is wondering how to escape when his handcuffs and chains fall off, the doors open and the guards are seen to be asleep.  Placing Krishna in a basket, he puts it on his head and sets out for Gokula.  As he goes, lions roar, the rain pours down and the river Jumna faces him.  There is no help but to ford it and Vasudeva accordingly enters the stream.  The water gets higher and higher until it reaches his nose.  When he can go no farther, the infant Krishna stretches out a foot, calms the river and the water subsides.  Vasudeva now arrives at Nanda’s house where he finds that Yasoda has borne a girl and is in a trance.  Vasudeva puts Krishna beside her, takes up the baby girl, recrosses the river and joins Devaki in her prison.  The doors shut, the handcuffs and fetters close on them again and as the baby starts to cry, the guards awake.  A sentry then carries Kansa the news.  Kansa hurries to the spot, seizes the child and tries to dash it on a stone.  As he does so the child becomes the goddess Devi and exclaiming that Kansa’s enemy is born elsewhere and nothing can save him, vanishes into heaven.[13] Kansa is greatly shaken and orders all male children to be killed,[14] but releases Vasudeva and Devaki.