Who is Kamsa

Since childhood, I’ve wondered why Krishna himself had to incarnate to deal with Kamsa. Most stories don’t highlight how powerful Kamsa truly was—he was no less mighty than Ravana from the Ramayana.

Here is the detailed explanation how strong and mighty Kamsa was...

Sri Narada narrates that during the churning of the ocean, the demon Kalanemi fought Lord Vishnu and was slain. Later, Shukracharya revived him using his Sanjeevani knowledge. Determined to battle Vishnu again, Kalanemi performed severe penance on Mount Mandara, surviving on durva-grass juice. After a hundred celestial years, only his bones remained. Pleased, Brahma granted him a boon that he would not die at the hands of any demigods connected to Lord Vishnu.

Reborn as a demon from Queen Padmavati, wife of King Ugrasena, Kalanemi came to be known as Kamsa. From a young age, he exhibited immense strength and combative nature. Meanwhile, Jarasandha, king of Magadha, aimed to conquer the world and camped near the Yamuna. His powerful elephant, Kuvalayapida, escaped and ran toward Kamsa. Kamsa defeated it with incredible might, impressing Jarasandha, who then gave his daughters Asti and Prapti in marriage to Kamsa, along with the elephant Kuvalayapida and an enormous dowry of horses, elephants, chariots, and maidservants.

To be continued....