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Norli Heroes of the sain Legende
15 the foremost upholder of a righteous cause. It is no wonder that his life story, acts and exploits have been the perennial source of the sweetest poetry in India and the saying. "There is no song but that about Kanu (Krisnña) is literally true.
As in the case of the Rāmāyaña, the Jainas also have a version of the Krishna-story. Krishna according to them, was the ninth Nārāyana and Balabhadra, his elder brother, similarly, the ninth and the last of the Balabhadrag. Jarāsandha, the king of Magadha was the PratiNārāyaña or the born antagonist of the Krishña-Nārāyana of that age.
The Krishna.story, as we find it in the Jaina literature, is not different from the story in the Vedic Purāñas, in essential particulars. According to the Jainas also, Krishňa was the son of Basudeva, a prince of the Yadava clan, ly his wife Děvaki and Balabhadra, by Rõhini, another wife of Basudeva. Kaliisa, who was the son of king Ugrasena of Mathurā and brother of Devaki, deposed his father and himself ascended the throne. He, however came to have the fore knowledge that he would meet his death at the hands of Dāvaki's son. This led him to keep both Dēvaki and Basudeva confined in Mathura. Devaki gave birth to several children one after the other, all of whom were sňatched away by the cruel Kamea for killing them. The last was Krishňa who was secretly taken by Basudeva to Brindāvana and made over to Nanda. Krishtia was brought up at Brindāvana among cowherd-boys where he was joined by his elder brother. Kamsa, however, came to know that his mortal enemy was coming of age in Brindāvana and sent many of his demoniac emissaries there to kill Krishña. but all in vain. At last, Krishña came to Mathuri, killed Kamsa and re-instated Ugrasēna, Jarüsandha, king of Magadha, was infuriated at the slaying of Kaṁsa. He became the enemy of Krishna but at last met his death. Krishna removed to Dvārakā, was a great hero and ruled a prosperous kingdom from Dvīrakā. The great Pāñdavas were his friend and kinsmen. He had eight principal queens, Rukmini, Satyabhāmä etc. Rukmiñi had been enamoured of him and so, Krishna went to her place secretly and carried her away and married her against the wishes of her brother, Rukmini who had decided to give her in marriage to Siśupāla of Chedi. Krishña's sons, Sämba, Pradyunmna etc. were also brave princes. The Yādavas
