The Story of Krishna in Mathura in English for Kids

From Putana to Bakasura, Kamsa had made multiple attempts to find Krishna and to take his life. Kamsa acted this way because he was afraid of a divine prophecy. The prophecy predicted that Kamsa would be killed at the hands of his sister’s eighth son. So, King Kamsa had imprisoned his sister, Devaki, and her husband, Vasudeva. He also killed all their children except Krishna. However, Krishna was secretly transported to Gokul by Vasudeva.

Summary of the Story of Krishna in Mathura in English

King Kamsa had sent multiple demons to take Krishna’s life, but none of them were successful. Hence, tales of Krishna's feats of strength had travelled far and wide. When Kamsa first heard these stories, he was certain that Krishna was Devaki's eighth child, and that he had been conceived to kill him. In exchange, he intended to invite Krishna to Mathura (Uttar Pradesh, India) and arrange for his execution there.

He called an elderly minister named Akrura and dispatched him with an invitation to Gokul. Akrura was knowledgeable. He was aware of Krishna's true history. Lord Krishna was a divine being sent to assassinate Kamsa. He also understood that Yashoda and Nanda were not Krishna's natural parents. Akrura informed Krishna and his parents of everything upon his arrival at Gokul. Astonished, Nanda and Yashoda questioned how a boy like Krishna could defeat a warrior like Kamsa. However, Krishna persisted on going, so Balrama and he departed towards Mathura.

Back in Mathura, in the meantime, Kamsa was formulating plans to assassinate Krishna. He requested an elephant trainer to trample Krishna using a wild elephant. If it didn't work, he was confident that his greatest wrestlers, Mushtika and Chanura, could take on Krishna and Balrama and defeat them.

As Krishna entered Mathura, he came across a lady with a hunchback. While she had a pretty face, the rest of her body clearly faced some deformity. Krishna spoke to her for a little while. He then stepped lightly on her toes, and pulled her up, straightening her back. Instantly grateful, the lady became a devotee of Krishna for life, and threw flowers in his path.

As they got closer to the wrestling ring, the elephant trainer was waiting at the entrance for Krishna, as instructed by Kamsa. He directed the wild elephant onto Krishna's path. But,  Krishna grabbed the elephant's trunk and launched it into the air, killing it. Then, Krishna and Balrama made their way into the wrestling ring to face Kamsa.

Then, Kamsa informed Krishna and Balrama that his top wrestlers Mushtika and Chanura would like to challenge them because they had heard of their fortitude and power. Mushtika was fatally wounded by Balrama, and Krishna killed Chanura in a duel. Then Krishna sprinted in Kamsa's direction, seized his sword, and killed him.

Picture of Krishna Fighting with King Kamsa

Moral of the Story of Krishna in Mathura

The story itself contains many morals for children to note. Firstly, children can learn that the world always helps those who are kind. Secondly, and this is a deeper issue for children to understand, humans cannot always control their fate. King Kamsa tried to do everything in his power to eliminate Krishna and escape from the prophecy, but he failed. It is an example of how sometimes, people have to accept their fates, and not go to any extent possible while changing it. However, this should not be confused with a lack of ambition. Kamsa faced consequences because he tried to change his fate using evil actions.

Note to Parents 

It is important that parents are able to explain the moral of this story carefully to children. It is not that the child should immediately become hopeless, and accept any failure they come across. Rather, parents should guide their children to understand that while acceptance might seem contradictory to ambition, the boundaries of their actions are dictated by their moral codes. Parents should also inculcate a strong moral framework in their kids. Mythological stories are an excellent way to do the same.

Conclusion

We have seen Krishna's real story in this article. Krishna removed the crown from Kamsa's severed head and proceeded to the dungeon.  He then freed King Ugrasena, Kamsa's father, from his prison and presented him with Kamsa's crown. King Ugrasena was moved when Krishna restored his throne to him. Then, after setting his parents Devaki and Vasudeva free, Krishna celebrated their happy reunion.