This episode of Mahabharata takes us to the kingdom of Mathura where the Crown Prince Kansa has returned from a victory. However, by the time he reaches home, a delegation of citizens has informed his father King Ugrasen that Kansa has been pillaging, raping and massacring the citizenry. Before Ugrasen can do anything about him, Kansa deposed him and seizes the throne, claiming that his father’s morals made him weak.
Visiting in court is friend of the family Prince Vasudev of the Yadav clan. Although outwardly friendly to Kansa, he actually hates the man for his atrocities. However, Kansa marries off his sister Devaki to cement an alliance between Mathura and the Yadavs but as he is personally chauffeuring their chariot back to Vasudev’s home, a sage walks up to them.
The sage blesses the newlyweds, claiming that their marriage is very auspicious, that they’ll have eight sons - and that the eighth son will kill Kansa and liberate the citizenry from his reign of terror. A furious Kansa demands to know why he cannot just kill Vasudev and Devaki to prevent the prophecy? Brahma himself appears and informs Kansa that should the eighth son be killed, Kansa will become immortal. Kansa then imprisons Vasudev and Devaki in the Royal dungeon where they must conceive eight babies.
Tropes found here are
- Affably Evil: Kansa is initially very friendly towards Vasudev and tender to his sister Devaki. He also instructs the guards to make sure his father is comfortable. He also treats the King of Magadha his father in law with respect.
- Faux Affably Evil: With no regrets in his tone, he informs Vasudev and Devaki that he will murder their eight sons and then release them. He also keeps both of them shackled to the cell walls.
- Amoral Nihilist: Kansa.
- In Love with Your Carnage: Kansa refuses to bathe because he likes the lingering stench of his victims too much.
- Insane Troll Logic: When Rohini, Vasudev’s first wife pleads with Kansa to spare the first seven children, Kansa retorts by saying that he doesn’t know which order should the eight babies be considered, and that the firstborn could be the eighth child because the sixth or seventh could be considered the first.
- Praetorian Guard: The palace guards fully support Kansa seizing the throne.
- Rape, Pillage, and Burn: What Kansa and his army go out to do.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Kansa’s father Ugrasen is pretty open to hearing from common citizens and he takes their complaints about Kansa’s atrocities seriously.
- That Thing Is Not My Child!: Ugrasen laments that Kansa isn’t his son, but a punishment for past sins.
