Kamsa called all his evil friends together and said. “My friends, the mischievous devas are trying to get me killed, but because I am brave, I am not going to pay any attention to this. Have you not seen how Indra fled like a coward before my arrows? In this whole world I am not scared of anyone other than my guru Jarasandha. These attempts of the devas make me laugh. nevertheless, one has to be careful as I have been told that Devaki’s son will kill me. We have to kill any male child who seems to be unduly strong.”

He saw no further point in detaining Vasudeva and Devaki. He released them and said, “I have unnecessarily killed your children but that must have been their fate. The person who is to kill me must have been born somewhere else.”