Which Demon Was Killed by Lord Krishna on Diwali?

Diwali, the festival of lights is full of celebrations, lights, sweet and unity. But did you head it is also a huge mythical story of the Lord Krishna killing a demon during Diwali? 

Many people often wonder which demon was killed by Lord Krishna on Diwali — and the answer is Narakasura.

This can be answered by- Narakasira whose defeat is symbolic as it represents triumph of good over evil.

We will discuss the entire story of Narakasura, the reason why Lord Krishna slay him, and why this killing came to make an addition to Diwali celebration.

Who Was Narakasura?

We must know who Krishna was before we can see the reasons why he killed Narakasura.

• Narakasara was a king of the demons, or the Bhaumasura.
• He belonged to the son of Bhudevi (Mother Earth) hence the name Bhudevi son.
• Stories say that he was a very strong and intelligent person, but he grew arrogant and cruel in the course of time.
• He began to raid kingdoms, take people and disrupt the gods.
• He even stole earrings of Goddess Aditi who was the mother of the gods (Devas).
• Worse still, he abducted 16, 000 princesses and held them in his palace.

All this cruelty made the gods visit Lord Krishna seeking assistance.

Who Killed Narakasura — Krishna or Satyabhama?

Many people have another question apart from which demon was killed by Lord Krishna on Diwali — who actually killed Narakasura, Krishna or Satyabhama?

The story is in two main versions:

Version 1: Krishna Slays Narakasura.

The Bhagavata purana indicates that Krishna slayed Narakasura by hurling his Sudarshana Chakra this is the weapon of the gods.

He fought heroically, killed the army of Narakasura and liberated all the prisoners totaling 16000 in number who were in prison.

In this version it is made very clear how Krishna killed Narakasura on Diwali.

Ver.2: Satyabhama Killed Narakasura.

In a different version, Satyabhama featured a significant role.

In one of the battles Krishna had been wounded a bit, and Satyabhama was so infuriated that she fired an arrow that killed Narakasura.

Another version states that Satyabhama killed Narakasura but she was ordered by Krishna to do it.

There are those who feel that because she was the reincarnation of Bhudevi, the boon materialized through her.

In brief - both Krishna and Satyabhama were crucial to the game.

However, the majority of scriptures are that Krishna was the one who killed Narakasura with the assistance of Satyabhama who was a deity.

The Battle Between Krishna and Narakasura

They arrived at the kingdom of Narakasura -Pragjyotishpur- and found a large army there.

A fierce battle followed.
Krishna handicapped and disarmed the weapons of the demon and also trampled his defenses and slain all his generals.
Lastly, Krishna used his Sudarshana Chakra to kill Narakasura.

Narakasara repent his mistakes and died and asked Krishna to pardon him.
He asked that his death day be marked with light and joy and not grief.

Krishna fulfilled this desire - and that is why this festival is known as Naraka Chaturdashi, one day before Diwali.

What Happened After Narakasura’s Death

After Narakasura’s death:

• Krishna saved 16 thousand princesses that were taken by the demon.
• The gods praised the destruction of Narakasura mean-ness.
• Bhudevi, the mother of Narakasura, requested Krishna to make the people celebrate this day with lights, joy and love and not grieving.
• This was why the following morning, people used to light lamps (diyas) to rejoice in the triumph of good over evil, which became the tradition of the Diwali festivals.

Kamakhya Devi and Other Versions

As some of the legends of the region tell, Kamakhya Devi or other goddesses helped to kill Narakasura. 

This version is much more popular in the area of Assam in which Kamakhya Temple is situated and Narakasura is believed to have been its founder.

Nevertheless, the principal version that is widely accepted in India is the version that Lord Krishna (along with Satyabhama) killed Narakasura on the eve of Diwali.

The Significance of Narakasura’s Death on Diwali

It is not only a tale of the death of Narakasura that is all about deities and demons, but also about what Diwali is.

• It makes us remember that the good succeeds over the evil.
• It gives us the lesson that power is not kind.
• It also tells us that the darkness will never conquer the light as the Diwali lights are going to eliminate the dark.
• Naraka Chaturdashi is held one day prior to Diwali and it celebrates the victory of light, purity and dharma.

Conclusion

So, to answer clearly:
What was the name of the demon Lord Krishna killed on Diwali?
The demon was Narakasura.

On the eve of Diwali, with the assistance of his wife Satyabhama, Lord Krishna killed Narakasura and terminated his atrocities and relieved thousands of lives.

That triumph of light over darkness came to be one of the most lovely interpretations of Diwali -the festival of lights.