Krishnadeva and Sushila sorrowed so much for their lost son that they became blind.

While the king’s messengers were returning to Dinanatha, they passed the sage Vishvamitra’s hermitage.

“Where are you going?” asked the sage. “And who is this brahmana lad?”

The messengers told Vishvamitra the story.

“Spare the lad,” said Vishvamitra. “He has a life to live and savour, he is still young. Take me instead. I will be the sacrifice.”

The king’s messengers refused. They thought that Vishvamitra was too old to be a good sacrifice. Vishvamitra therefore accompanied them to King Dinanatha. He persuaded the king to have the ceremony without the human sacrifice. Vishvamitra himself would guarantee that the king would have a son.

In due course, a son was born to the king. As for the brahmana’s son, Vishvamitra took him back to Krishnadeva and Sushila. So great was their happiness at geeting their son back that their eyesight was immediately restored.

Vishvamitra was indeed a great sage.

Chitrasena

Krishnapaksha is the lunar fortnight during which the moon wanes Ashtami tithi is the eighth lunar day. Krishna was born in the month of Bhadra, in krishnapaksha and on ashtami tithi. A vrata observed on this day is known as krishnashtami vrata and brings great punya.

There was a king named Chitrasena who performed many evil deeds. He was so evil that he avoided learned people and mingled only with outcasts.

Chitrasena once went to the forest on a hunt. Pursuing a tiger, he came to the banks of the sacred river Yamuna. The day happened to be Krishna’s birthday and many apsaras were observing krishnashtami vrata on the banks of the Yamuna. On witnessing this, the king felt like observing the religious rite himself.

Thanks to the punya thus obtained, King Chitrasena went straight to Vishnuloka after his death and all his sins were forgiven.

(Krishnashtami vrata is also known as janmashtami vrata.)