Ekanamsha: The Divine Yogamaya in Krishna’s Life and the Slaying of Shumbha-Nishumbha

Ekanamsha is Devi Yogamaya who was born as the daughter of Yashoda and was exchanged with Shri Krishna. She was the girl child whom Kamsa tried to kill by smashing on a rock. She was the goddess who warned Kamsa about his imminent doom. Her story is described in Harivamsa of Mahabharata.

1. Lord Vishnu describes Goddess Ekanamsha - “O goddess, may you fare-well; as being the ninth of our race, you will be conceived by Yashoda, the best of milk-women, the most beloved wife of Nanda the master of Kamsa’s kine. You will be born on the ninth day of the dark half of the month.

Afterwards when Vasava will assign to you the mount Vindhya for your habitation you will adorn the world with thousand provinces.

O goddess, there thinking of me in your mind, and starting with the goblins you will kill the two demons Shumbha and Nishumbha living in mountain, with all their attendants.”

2. Narada describes Ekanamsha to Kamsa -

“The daughter, whom you dashed against a stone in that night, is Yashoda’s daughter and know Krishna as Vasudeva’s son. Vasudeva, your enemy in the guise of a friend, after due consultation, exchanged the children in night for bringing about your death. Having slain on the Vindhya mountain the two sky-ranging Danavas, Shumbha and Nisumbha, that daughter of Yashoda, sprinkled by the gods, is being worshipped by the dreadful robbers and various animals. She is fond of human and animal sacrifices and confers boon (upon her worshippers) after their hearts. Embellished with two jars full of wine and blood and adorned with peacock-feathers she has made her own abode, by her own power, in the forest of the Vindhya range.“

3. Ekanamsha lived in Dwaraka with the Yadavas -

“Thereupon, the illusory daughter of Yashoda, whom the people describe as one and without any parts, with whom, the Purusottam Krishna, the king of gods, was born at the same moment and for whom he slew Kamsa with his relatives, appeared before Krishna and Rama, the foremost of men. Up to this time she was being adored in the Vrishni family and was being brought up and maintained like a daughter. She, whom the people of the world know as the irrepressible Yoga maiden, and as one and without any parts, was born for the protection of Keshava. Because she protected Keshava with her goddess-like celestial body the Yadavas used to worship her with great pleasure. As soon as she entered the Hall, Madhava approached her, like unto a man his beloved female friend and held her by the hand.”