Vindhyavasini - The Divine Switch

Dadi: "Guddu, you know the story of how Krishna was born in a prison and smuggled out to safety. But do you know what happened to the baby who was smuggled in to take his place?"

Guddu: "There was another baby? I only knew about Krishna!"

Dadi: "On that same miraculous night when Krishna was born to Devaki in Kamsa's prison, another divine child was born to Yashoda in Gokul. This was no ordinary infant - she was Mahamaya, the great goddess herself!"

Guddu: "A goddess was born as a baby?"

Dadi: "As part of Lord Vishnu's cosmic plan. You see, Krishna needed to escape from his uncle Kamsa, who had vowed to kill all of Devaki's children because of a prophecy that her eighth child would destroy him."

Guddu: "And he had already killed seven babies?"

Dadi: "Seven innocent infants, yes. So when the eighth child - Krishna - was born, divine intervention was needed. Vasudeva, Krishna's father, was miraculously able to carry the baby out of the prison through magically opening doors, across the flooding Yamuna river, all the way to Gokul."

Guddu: "And he switched the babies?"

Dadi: "Exactly. He left Krishna with Yashoda and brought the baby girl back to the prison. When Kamsa heard that Devaki's eighth child had been born, he rushed in with his sword, ready to kill."

Guddu: "But it was a girl, not the boy who was prophesied!"

Dadi: "Kamsa didn't care - he couldn't take any chances. He grabbed the infant by her legs, ready to dash her against the stone floor as he had done with the others."

Guddu: "That's horrible!"

Dadi: "But this was no ordinary baby. The moment Kamsa tried to kill her, she slipped from his grasp and shot up into the sky! Before his terrified eyes, she transformed into a goddess with eight arms, each holding a divine weapon."

Guddu: "The baby became a goddess right there?"

Dadi: "In all her blazing glory! And she laughed at Kamsa - a laugh that shook the prison walls. Then she spoke: "You fool! The one destined to kill you has already been born elsewhere. He is growing stronger even as you waste your time with me.""

Guddu: "She told Kamsa the truth?"

Dadi: "Yes! Then she vanished from the prison and chose to make her home in the Vindhya Mountains. That's why she became known as Vindhyavasini - "she who resides in Vindhya.""

Guddu: "So she saved Krishna by taking his place, and then saved herself too!"

Dadi: "Her role was essential to the divine plan. Without her willing participation, Krishna might never have survived that night. She accepted being brought into danger, knowing she would face the murderous king."

Guddu: "Is there a temple for her?"

Dadi: "A very famous one! The Vindhyavasini Temple sits on the banks of the Ganges, between Prayag and Kashi. Millions of devotees visit to worship the goddess who protected baby Krishna."

Guddu: "Is she connected to Krishna in other ways?"

Dadi: "Local stories say she was later reborn as Subhadra, Krishna's beloved sister! So the goddess who saved him at birth became his family in another form."

Guddu: "That's beautiful! She protected him as a baby and loved him as a sister."

Dadi: "Some people think of spiritual protection only as the powerful fighting the evil. But this story shows another kind of protection - someone willingly walking into danger so another can escape. The goddess didn't fight Kamsa with her weapons while protecting Krishna. She simply took his place."

Guddu: "Like a decoy!"

Dadi: "The bravest kind. She knew Kamsa would try to kill her. She knew she would face his murderous hands. Yet she accepted the switch because it was part of a greater plan to save the world from tyranny."

Guddu: "So she's a hero too, not just Krishna!"

Dadi: "Every great story has unsung heroes, beta. Behind every victory are people who made sacrifices we never fully hear about. The goddess Vindhyavasini played her part perfectly - then stepped aside so Krishna's legend could unfold. True divine service doesn't seek credit."