Story of King Muchukunda and Sri Krishna is found in the
Srimad Bhagavad Purana. The king was blessed with the rare
darshan of Srihari Vishnu. King Muchukunda ruled the earth during the Krita
Yuga. He helped the Devas in the in the battle against Asuras. Then Kartik, son
of Shiva, took over as the general of the army of the Devas. Now Devas decided
to give Muchukunda the much needed rest.
But the earth had changed so much during the period.
Thousands of years had elapsed and there was no one on earth that King
Muchukunda could relate to. So the King wanted to attain moksha. The Devas
wanted to help Muchukunda for his service. But they were incapable of granting
moksha to the king as it can only be granted by Srihari Vishnu.
The king then said that he was tired and he needed rest. He
asked for a boon that will make him sleep for very long time. He also wanted
the one who wakes him up to be burnt to ashes. The boon was granted.
The king slept in a cave on earth through Satya Yuga, Treta
Yuga and Dwapara Yuga.
In Dwapara Yuga, Mathura , the
city of Sri Krishna ,
was constantly attacked by Jarasandha. Each time, Mathura was successfully defended by Sri
Krishna and Balarama. Finally, Jarasandha took the help of Kalayavana.
Kalayavana had got the boon that the Yadavas will be afraid
of Him.
Sri Krishna and Balarama knew that they will not be able to
kill Kalayavana as they had to respect the boon given by Shiva.
So to kill Kalayavana, Sri Krishna acts as if he is running
away from Kalayavana. The ignorant king chases Sri Krishna who enters the cave
in which King Muchukunda was sleeping.
In the dark cave, Kalayavana mistakes King Muchukunda for
Sri Krishna and forcibly wakes him up by kicking him. An angry King Muchukunda
looked at Kalayavana. Suddenly fire sprang out from the eyes of the king and
Kalayavana was converted into a heap of ashes.
Muchukunda who was now fully awake was blessed with the rare
sighting of Srihari Vishnu. Sri Krishna appeared before the king in the form of
Vishnu.
The king was granted moksha for his devotion.