VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 10
Chapter 42
The Breaking of the Sacrificial Bow
This chapter describes the benediction Trivakrā received, the breaking of the sacrificial bow, the destruction of Kaḿsa's soldiers, the inauspicious omens Kaḿsa saw and the festivities at the wrestling arena.
After leaving Sudāmā's house, Lord Kṛṣṇa came upon Trivakrā, a young hunchbacked maidservant of Kaḿsa's who was carrying a tray of fine ointments. The Lord asked her who she was and requested some ointment from her. Entranced by His beauty and joking words, Trivakrā gave both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma a good deal of ointment. In return, Kṛṣṇa stepped on her toes with His lotus feet, took hold of her chin and lifted, thus straightening her spine. The now beautiful and charming Trivakrā then grabbed the edge of Kṛṣṇa's upper cloth and asked Him to come to her house. Kṛṣṇa replied that after He had taken care of some business He would certainly come and relieve her mental torment. Then the two Lords continued Their sightseeing tour of Mathurā.
As Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma walked along the King's road, the merchants worshiped Them with various offerings. Kṛṣṇa asked where the bow sacrifice was to take place, and when He arrived at the arena He saw the wonderful bow, which resembled Lord Indra's. Despite the guards' protests, Kṛṣṇa forcibly picked up the bow, easily strung it and in an instant broke it in half, producing an ear-splitting sound that filled the heavens and struck terror in the heart of Kaḿsa. The many guards attacked Kṛṣṇa, crying out "Seize Him! Kill Him!" But Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma simply picked up the two halves of the bow and beat the guards to death. Next the Lords annihilated a company of soldiers sent by Kaḿsa, and then They left the arena and continued Their tour.
When the people of the city saw the amazing prowess and beauty of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, they thought They must be two chief demigods. Indeed, as the residents of Mathurā gazed upon the Lords, they enjoyed all the blessings the gopīs had predicted.
At sunset Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma returned to the cowherds' camp for Their evening meal. They then passed the night resting comfortably. But King Kaḿsa was not so fortunate. When he heard how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had easily broken the mighty bow and destroyed his soldiers, he spent the night in great anxiety. Both while awake and while dreaming he saw many ill omens portending his imminent death, and his fear ruined any chance for rest.
At dawn the wrestling festival began. Crowds of people from the city and outlying districts entered the arena and took their seats in the lavishly decorated galleries. Kaḿsa, his heart trembling, sat down on the royal dais and invited Nanda Mahārāja and the other cowherd men to come sit in their places, and they did so after offering him their gifts. The musical overture then began as the sounds of the wrestlers slapping their arms resounded.
10.42.1
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Walking the king's road saw Krishna a woman carrying a tray with ointments for the body. She, hunchbacked [*], young and with an attractive face was by the Bestower of the Essence with a smile asked where she was going:
the young hunchbacked girl was actually a partial expansion of the Lord's wife Satyabhāmā. Satyabhāmā is the Lord's internal energy known as Bhū-śakti, and this expansion of hers, known as Pṛthivī, represents the earth, which was bent down by the great burden of countless wicked rulers. Lord Kṛṣṇa descended to remove these wicked rulers, and thus His pastime of straightening out the hunchback Trivakrā, as explained in these verses, represents His rectifying the burdened condition of the earth. At the same time, the Lord awarded Trivakrā a conjugal relationship with Himself.
In addition to the given meaning, the word rasa-pradaḥ indicates that the Lord amused His cowherd boyfriends by His dealings with the young hunchback.
10.42.2
kasyāńgane vā kathayasva sādhu naḥ
śreyas tatas te na cirād bhaviṣyati
(2) 'Who are you with your nice thighs? Ah, look at all those ointments! Or tell Us, if you like, honestly for whom they are meant dear woman. Please offer the two of Us that ointment for the body and following will there soon be the supreme benefit for you.'
The Lord jokingly addressed the lady as varoru, "O beautiful-thighed one." His joke was not malicious, since He was actually about to make her beautiful.
10.42.3
sairandhry uvāca
(3) The maidservant said: 'O handsome One, I am a servant of Kamsa known as Trivakrâ ['three-bend'] respected indeed for my work with ointments that prepared by me are very dear to the chief of the Bojas. But okay, who else but the two of You would deserve them?'
that Trivakrā, who is also known as Kubjā, used the singular address sundara, "O handsome one," to hint that she felt conjugal desire for Kṛṣṇa alone, and she used the dual form yuvām, "for both of You," to try to hide her conjugal sentiment. The hunchback's name, Trivakrā, indicates that her body was bent at the neck, chest and waist.
10.42.4
hasitālāpa-vīkṣitaiḥ
ubhayor anulepanam
(4) With her mind overwhelmed by the beauty, charm and sweetness of the talking, the smiles and glances gave she them plenty of ointment.
This incident is also described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa (5.20.7):
śrutvā tam āha sā kṛṣṇaḿ
anulepanaḿ pradadau
"Hearing this, she respectfully replied to Lord Kṛṣṇa, 'Please take it,' and gave both of Them ointment suitable for applying to Their bodies."10.42.5
śuśubhāte 'nurañjitau
(5) With adorning Their bodies with the colors which contrasted with their complexions proved the ointments to be of the highest quality and appeared they thus being anointed beautifully.
The ācāryas suggest that Kṛṣṇa spread yellow ointment upon His body, and Balarāma blue ointment upon His.
10.42.6
trivakrāḿ rucirānanām
(6) To deliver proof of the benefit of meeting Him decided the satisfied Supreme Lord to straighten the crooked back of Trivakrâ who had such an attractive face.
10.42.7
udanīnamad acyutaḥ
(7) With both His feet pressing down on her toes took He with His hands hold of her chin and raised Acyuta, pointing two fingers upwards, her body.
10.42.8
sā tadarju-samānāńgī
bṛhac-chroṇi-payodharā
babhūva pramadottamā
(8) She then straight by Mukunda's touch all of a sudden had become a woman most perfect with evenly proportioned limbs and large hips and breasts.
10.42.9
tato rūpa-guṇaudārya-
uttarīyāntam akṛṣya
(9) With that endowed with beauty, quality and good feelings addressed she, to the roused idea of sleeping with Him, with a smile Kes'ava by pulling the end of His upper garment.
10.42.10
tvayonmathita-cittāyāḥ
prasīda puruṣarṣabha
(10) 'Come o hero let's go to my house, I cannot bear to leave You here, please have mercy, o Best of All Men, with me whose head is reeling.'
the following conversation:
Kṛṣṇa: Is it for the purpose of dining that you're inviting Me to your house?
Trivakrā: I simply can't leave You here.
Kṛṣṇa: But people here on the King's road will misconstrue what you're saying and laugh. Therefore please don't speak like this.
Trivakrā: I can't help being agitated. You made the mistake of touching me. It's not my fault.
10.42.11
(11) With this request of the woman glanced Krishna at Balarâma who watched what happened and then at the gopas and said laughing to her:
10.42.12
sādhitārtho 'gṛhāṇāḿ naḥ
(12) ''I'll visit your place, o beautiful eyebrows, when I have accomplished what I came for. That will do us, travelers far from home, good. For you are the best one might wish for.'
By the word agṛhāṇām, Śrī Kṛṣṇa indicated not only that He had no fixed residence but also that He was not yet married.
10.42.13
nānopāyana-tāmbūla-
srag-gandhaiḥ sāgrajo 'rcitaḥ
(13) Leaving her with these sweet words was He, walking down the road with His brother, by the merchants honored with various offerings of betel nut, garlands and fragrant substances.
10.42.14
(14) With Him before their eyes couldn't the women think straight any longer agitated as they were by Cupid and stood they nailed to the ground with their clothes, bangles and hair in disorder.
since the women of Mathurā immediately experienced symptoms of conjugal attraction when they saw Kṛṣṇa, they were the most advanced devotees in the city. The ten effects of Cupid are described as follows: cakṣū-rāgaḥ prathamaḿ cittāsańgas tato 'tha sańkalpaḥ nidrā-cchedas tanutā viṣaya-nivṛttis trapā-nasaḥ/ unmādo mūrcchā mṛtir ity etāḥ smara-daśā daśaiva syuḥ. "First comes attraction expressed through the eyes, then intense attachment in the mind, then determination, loss of sleep, becoming emaciated, disinterest in external things, shamelessness, madness, becoming stunned and death. These are the ten stages of Cupid's effects."
that devotees who possess pure love of Godhead generally do not exhibit the symptom of death, since this is inauspicious in relation to Kṛṣṇa. They do, however, manifest the other nine symptoms, culminating in becoming stunned in ecstasy.
10.42.15
(15) After asking the residents were the place was the sacrificial bow could be found, entered Acyuta there. It was a bow as magnificent as a rainbow, the bow of Indra.
10.42.16
puruṣair bahubhir guptam
arcitaḿ paramarddhimat
vāryamāṇo nṛbhiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ
(16) The bow, guarded by many men and worshiped with the greatest wealth, was by Krishna picked up after He with force had passed the guards who tried to block His way.
10.42.17
nṛṇāḿ vikṛṣya prababhañja madhyato
yathekṣu-daṇḍaḿ mada-kary urukramaḥ
(17) Before the guards their eyes lifted He in a second it easily with His left hand. Next pulling its string, broke Urukrama ['giant-step'] it right in half like He was an elephant eager for a piece of sugar cane.
10.42.18
dhanuṣo bhajyamānasya
(18) The sound of the breaking bow penetrated all directions of the sky and the earth, which made Kamsa who heard it tremble with fear.
10.42.19
tad-rakṣiṇaḥ sānucaraḿ
(19) Trying to get hold of Him were He and His comrades surrounded by the guards who taking up their weapons enraged shouted: 'Grab Him, kill Him!'
10.42.20
śakale tāḿś ca jaghnatuḥ
(20) Seeing their evil intentions Balarâma and Kes'ava thereupon each of Them taking a piece of the bow vehemently struck them down.
10.42.21
niṣkramya ceratur hṛṣṭau
(21) After they also slew an armed force sent by Kamsa, walked the Two out of the gate of the arena happy to observe the exciting riches of the city.
10.42.22
menire vibudhottamau
(22) The citizens who had witnessed that amazing heroic act of Them deemed Them, for Their strength and boldness, the finest gods.
10.42.23
tayor vicaratoḥ svairam
ādityo 'stam upeyivān
purāc chakaṭam īyatuḥ
(23) Freely wandering around began the sun to set and returned Krishna and Râma accompanied by the gopas to the place outside the city where they had left their wagons.
10.42.24
(24) The words about benedictions in Mathurâ that by the gopîs, who were tormented by feelings of separation, were spoken when Mukunda left [10.39: 23-25], proved themselves as true for those who had the full scope of the body of this paragon of male beauty, the shelter for whom indeed the goddess of fortune was of such a hankering that she therewith forgot about the others who worshipped her.
10.42.25
avaniktāńghri-yugalau
bhuktvā kṣīropasecanam
(25) After the both of Them had bathed their feet and eaten boiled rice with milk, spent They there fully aware of Kamsa's scheme, the night quite comfortably.
10.42.26-27
dīrgha-prajāgaro bhīto
bahūny acaṣṭobhayathā
(26-27) But Kamsa with his bad mind for long couldn't catch sleep having heard of the game Govinda and Râma had played in breaking the bow and killing his little army of guards. In his fear saw he as well in his sleep as being awake many bad omens and messengers of death before his mind's eye.
10.42.28-31
prāṇa-ghoṣānupaśrutiḥ
svarṇa-pratītir vṛkṣeṣu
yāyān nalada-māly ekas
(28-31) He couldn't see the mirror-image of his own head and for no reason saw he the heavenly bodies present in a double image; in his shadow he saw a hole, the sound of his breath he couldn't hear, he saw a golden hue over the trees and couldn't spot his own footprints. In his sleep was he embraced by ghosts, rode he a donkey, swallowed he poison and saw he someone going about naked, smeared with oil wearing a garland of nalada flowers [indian spikenards] and more of such omens. Seeing these forebodes of death asleep as well as awake was he that mortally afraid that he couldn't sleep anymore.
10.42.32
sūrye cādbhyaḥ samutthite
(32) When the night had passed, o descendant of Kuru, and the sun rose from the water, had Kamsa as planned the great wrestling festival carried out.
10.42.33
mañcāś cālańkṛtāḥ sragbhiḥ
(33) The king's men ceremoniously vibrated in the arena musical instruments and drums and decorated the galleries with garlands, flags, ribbons and arches.
10.42.34
yathopajoṣaḿ viviśū
rājānaś ca kṛtāsanāḥ
(34) Upon them were comfortably seated the citizens and the people from elsewhere preceded by the state officials and the brahmins who together with the royalty received special seats.
10.42.35
kaḿsaḥ parivṛto 'mātyai
maṇḍaleśvara-madhya-stho
(35) Kamsa surrounded by his ministers sat, positioned in the midst of his governors, trembling at heart on the royal dais.
10.42.36
sopādhyāyāḥ samāsata
(36) As the musical instruments were played in the meters appropriate came and sat down the prominent, proud and richly ornamented wrestlers together with their instructors.
10.42.37
cāṇūro muṣṭikaḥ kūtaḥ
ta āsedur upasthānaḿ
(37) Canura, Mushthika, Kûtha, S'ala and Tos'ala enthused by the pleasing music all took their place on the wrestling mat.
10.42.38
niveditopāyanās ta
(38) The gopa Nanda leading the cowherds called forward by the king of Bhoja [Kamsa] presented his offerings and sat down in one of the galleries.'
that King Kaḿsa respectfully called the leaders of Vraja forward so that they could make their offerings to the central government. According to the ācārya, Kaḿsa assured Nanda as follows: "My dear King of Vraja, you are the most important of my village rulers. Yet even though you have come to Mathurā from your cowherd village, you have not come to visit me. Is that because you are frightened? Don't think that your two sons are bad because They broke the bow. I invited Them here because I heard They were extremely powerful, and I've arranged this wrestling match as a test of Their strength. So please come forward without hesitation. Don't be afraid."
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī further states that Nanda Mahārāja noticed his two sons were not present. Apparently, out of disrespect for King Kaḿsa's order, They had taken the morning off and gone elsewhere.
Thus Kaḿsa delegated some cowherd men to go look for Them and advise Them to behave properly and come back to the wrestling arena. The ācārya also states that the reason Nanda and the other cowherd men sat in the galleries was that they could not find any sitting places on the royal dais.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Forty-second Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Breaking of the Sacrificial Bow."
Footnote:
* The pupils of Prabhupâda elucidate: 'According to S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî Thhâkura, the young hunchbacked girl was actually a partial expansion of the Lord's wife Satyabhâmâ. Satyabhâmâ is the Lord's internal energy known as Bhû-s'akti [see 10.39: 53-55], and this expansion of hers, known as Prithivî, represents the earth, which was bent down by the great burden of countless wicked rulers. Lord Krishna descended to remove these wicked rulers, and thus His pastime of straightening out the hunchback Trivakrâ, as explained in these verses, represents His rectifying the burdened condition of the earth.'
Canto 10
Chapter 43
Krishna Kills the Elephant Kuvalayâpîda
This chapter tells how Lord Kṛṣṇa killed the lordly elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma entered the wrestling arena and what Kṛṣṇa said to the wrestler Cāṇūra.
After finishing Their early-morning rituals, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma heard kettledrums heralding the start of the wrestling match, and They went to see the festivities. At the gate of the wrestling arena They encountered an elephant named Kuvalayāpīḍa, who attacked Kṛṣṇa at the urging of his keeper. The mighty elephant grabbed at Kṛṣṇa with his trunk, but the Lord struck back and then disappeared from the beast's sight among his legs. Enraged at not being able to see Kṛṣṇa, Kuvalayāpīḍa sought Him out with his sense of smell and seized Him. But the Lord pulled loose. In this way Kṛṣṇa teased and tormented Kuvalayāpīḍa, finally yanking out one of his tusks and beating him and his keepers to death.
Sprinkled with the elephant's blood and carrying one of his tusks on His shoulder as a weapon, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared unprecedentedly beautiful as He entered the wrestling arena. There the various classes of people saw Him in different ways, according to their specific relationship with Him.
When King Kaḿsa heard how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had killed Kuvalayāpīḍa, he realized They were invincible and became filled with anxiety. The members of the audience, on the other hand, became joyful as they reminded one another about the Lords' amazing pastimes. The people declared that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma must be two expansions of the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa who had descended into the house of Vasudeva.
Cāṇūra then stepped forward and challenged Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to wrestle, saying King Kaḿsa wished to see such a match. Kṛṣṇa replied, "Although We are merely nomadic forest folk, We are nonetheless subjects of the King; thus We will not hesitate to please him with an exhibition of wrestling." As soon as Cāṇūra heard this, he suggested that Kṛṣṇa should wrestle him and that Balarāma should wrestle Muṣṭika.
10.43.1
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'After Krishna and Râma had washed Themselves, o chastiser of the enemies, heard They the vibrations of kettledrums and went they there to take a look.
the words kṛta-śaucau, "having executed all necessary purification," as follows: "Two days previously, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had executed Their purification, Their relief from offense, [by performing heroic deeds. The Lords reasoned: 'Even after We have made Our power known by breaking the bow and by performing other feats, Our parents have still not secured freedom. Kaḿsa is again trying to kill them. Therefore, although he is Our maternal uncle, it will not be wrong for Us to kill him.' They assured Their offenselessness by this reasoning."
10.43.2
kṛṣṇo 'mbaṣṭha-pracoditam
(2) Reaching the gate of the arena saw Krishna standing there the elephant Kuvalayâpîda, directed by his keeper.
The elephant-keeper revealed his malicious intent by blocking Lord Kṛṣṇa's entrance into the arena.
10.43.3
samuhya kuṭilālakān
(3) Tightening His clothes and tying together His curly locks, spoke He with words grave like the rumbling clouds to the elephant keeper:
PURPORT
Lord Kṛṣṇa was obviously preparing for a fight. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the Lord put aside His jacket, tightened His belt and tied back His hair.10.43.4
(4) 'Elephant keeper, o elephant keeper, give way to us, move aside right now or else will I send you with your elephant today to the abode of Yama [the lord of death].'
10.43.5
evaḿ nirbhartsito 'mbaṣṭhaḥ
kālāntaka-yamopamam
(5) Thus threatened goaded the angered elephant keeper the fierce elephant that was alike Yama, the time and death, toward Krishna.
10.43.6
karīndras tam abhidrutya
kareṇa tarasāgrahīt
karād vigalitaḥ so 'muḿ
nihatyāńghriṣv alīyata
(6) The master elephant running forward violently seized Him with his trunk, but striking him He escaped from the grip and disappeared between his legs.
Lord Kṛṣṇa struck the elephant with His fist and then disappeared among his legs.
10.43.7
sańkruddhas tam acakṣāṇo
(7) Infuriated not seeing Him spotted he Him by his sense of smell and took he hold of Him with the end of his long nose, but using force He freed himself once more.
Lord Kṛṣṇa allowed the elephant to seize Him so that the beast would be encouraged to keep fighting. Once Kuvalayāpīḍa had thus become proud, Lord Kṛṣṇa again thwarted him with His superior potency.
10.43.8
(8) Grabbing him by the tail dragged Krishna him, as easy as Garuda does with a snake, that mountain of power for twenty-five bow-lengths.
10.43.9
go-vatseneva bālakaḥ
(9) Acyuta with moving him to the left and to the right was also moved about by him, just like a calf with a young boy [at its tail] would [see also 10.8: 24].
10.43.10
tato 'bhimakham abhyetya
pāṇināhatya vāraṇam
(10) Then coming face to face, slapped He the elephant with His hand, ran away and thus hitting him at each step, made He him trip.10.43.11
patitvā sahasotthitaḥ
dantābhyāḿ so 'hanat kṣitim
(11) He, running, acted as if He fell to the ground, but then He suddenly got up so that the elephant angrily came to strike the earth with his tusks.
10.43.12
kuñjarendro 'ty-amarṣitaḥ
codyamāno mahāmātraiḥ
(12) With his prowess foiled got that lord of the elephants out of frustration into a frenzy, but urged on by his keepers, attacked he furiously Krishna again.
10.43.12
kuñjarendro 'ty-amarṣitaḥ
codyamāno mahāmātraiḥ
(13) The Supreme Lord, the killer of Madhu, confronting him in attack seized him firmly by his trunk and made him fall to the ground.
10.43.14
patitasya padākramya
hastipāḿś cāhanad dhariḥ
(14) As easy as a lion jumping on the fallen one, yanked the Lord out a tusk and killed He the elephant and his keepers with it.
10.43.15
vadanāmburuho babhau
(15) Leaving aside the dead elephant entered He, sprinkled with drops of the elephant's blood and sweat and holding the tusk on His shoulder, the arena with His lotuslike face shining of the fine drops that had appeared of His own perspiring.
10.43.16
(16) Surrounded by several cowherdboys entered Baladeva and Janârdana the arena, o King, with the elephant's tusks as their chosen weapons.
10.43.17
mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāḿ tattvaḿ paraḿ yogināḿ
vṛṣṇīnāḿ para-devateti vidito rańgaḿ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ
(17) To the wrestlers He was lightning, to the men He was the best, to the women He was Cupid incarnate, to the cowherds He was a relative, to the impious rulers He was a chastiser, to His parents He was a child, to the king of Bhoja He was death, to the unintelligent He was the gross of the universe, to the yogis He was the Supreme Reality and to the Vrishnis He was the most worshipable deity - thus seen differently He entered the arena together with His brother [see * and rasa].
the ten attitudes toward Kṛṣṇa described here:
raudro 'dbhutaś ca śṛńgāro
bhayānakaś ca bībhatsaḥ
"[There are ten different moods:] fury [perceived by the wrestlers], wonder [by the men], conjugal attraction [the women], laughter [the cowherds], chivalry [the kings], mercy [His parents], terror [Kaḿsa], ghastliness [the unintelligent], peaceful neutrality [the yogīs] and loving devotion [the Vṛṣṇis]."Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that people like the wrestlers, Kaḿsa and the impious rulers perceive Kṛṣṇa as dangerous, angry or threatening because they fail to understand the actual position of the Personality of Godhead. Actually, Lord Kṛṣṇa is everyone's friend and well-wisher, but because we rebel against Him, He chastises us, and thus we may perceive Him as threatening. Kṛṣṇa, or God, is actually merciful, and when He punishes us, that is also His mercy.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following Vedic statement: raso vai saḥ rasaḿ hy evāyaḿ labdhvānandī bhavati. "He Himself is rasa, the taste or mellow of a particular relationship. And certainly one who achieves this rasa becomes ānandī, filled with bliss." (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.7.1)
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī quotes a further verse to explain the word rasa:
vyatītya bhāvanā-vartma
"That which is beyond imagination, heavy with wonder and relished in the heart shining with goodness — such is known as rasa."
As Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī elaborately explains in his Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, there are five main rasas — neutrality, servitude, friendship, parental love and conjugal love — and seven secondary rasas — amazement, humor, chivalry, compassion, fury, fear and dread. Thus altogether there are twelve rasas, and the supreme object of them all is Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. In other words, our love and affection are actually meant for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Unfortunately, out of ignorance we stubbornly try to squeeze happiness and love out of material relationships, which are not directly connected to Kṛṣṇa, and thus life becomes a constant frustration. The solution is simple: surrender to Kṛṣṇa, love Kṛṣṇa, love Kṛṣṇa's devotees and be happy forever.
10.43.18
(18) Within Kamsa, who saw Kuvalayâpîda killed and the two of Them invincible, then rose a great anxiety o ruler of man.
10.43.19
(19) The two mighty armed Lords the way They were dressed with garments, ornaments and garlands like two actors in excellent costumes, shone, present in the arena, with an effulgence that overwhelmed the minds of all onlookers.
10.43.20
praharṣa-vegotkalitekṣaṇānanāḥ
(20) Seeing the two Supreme Personalities opened the people sitting in the galleries, the citizens and the people from outside, o King, by the force of their joy, their eyes and mouths wide and drank they in Their faces, never getting enough of Them with their vision.
10.43.21-22
pibanta iva cakṣurbhyāḿ
jighranta iva nāsābhyāḿ
(21-22) As if drinking with their eyes, licking with their tongues, smelling through their nostrils and embracing with their arms, spoke they among one another commemorating the beauty, qualities, charm and bravery of the things they had seen and heard:
Naturally, those who assembled in Mathurā for the wrestling festival had heard the latest news of Kṛṣṇa's and Balarāma's adventures in the city — how the Lords had broken the sacrificial bow, defeated the police and killed the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa. And now that the people were seeing Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma enter the arena, their greatest expectations were confirmed. Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of all beauty, fame and opulence, and therefore those assembled in the wrestling arena became fully satisfied by glorifying what they had heard of Him and were now seeing.
10.43.23
etau bhagavataḥ sākṣād
dharer nārāyaṇasya hi
avatīrṇāv ihāḿśena
(23) 'These two surely are direct expansions of Hari, the Supreme Personality, who have descended to this world in the home of Vasudeva
10.43.24
. (24) This one indeed was, born from Devakî, brought to Gokula where He lived hidden all this time growing up in the house of Nanda.
10.43.25
pūtanānena nītāntaḿ
(25) Pûtanâ as well as the whirlwind-demon were by Him put to death and so He also dealt with many others: the Arjuna trees, S'ankhacûda, Kes'î, Dhenuka...
10.43.26-27
dāvāgneḥ parimocitāḥ
dhṛto 'dri-pravaro 'munā
(26-27) The cows and their tenders were by Him saved from the forest fire, Kâliya the serpent He subdued, Indra was sobered up by Him, for seven days He held with one hand the best of all mountains delivering all the residents of Gokula from rain, wind and hail...
10.43.28
paśyantyo vividhāḿs tāpāḿs
(28) The gopîs seeing His always cheerful, smiling face and glance ever free from fatigue could transcend all sorts of distress and live happily...
10.43.29
(29) They say that by Him this Yadu dynasty will grow very famous and, protected in every way, will achieve all riches, glory and power...
10.43.30
pralambo nihato yena
vatsako ye bakādayaḥ
(30) And this brother of His, the lotus-eyed Râma, He's of all opulence and killed Pralamba, [and we think...] Vatsâsura, Bakâsura and others...'
In fact two of the demons mentioned here were killed by Kṛṣṇa, not Balarāma. The reason for the mistake is that as news of Kṛṣṇa's exploits spread among ordinary people, the facts became somewhat muddled. The same tendency can be observed in modern newspapers.
10.43.31
janeṣv evaḿ bruvāṇeṣu
(31) As the people were thus speaking and the musical instruments sounded, spoke Cânûra, addressing Krishna and Balarâma, the following words:
Cāṇūra could not tolerate that the audience was praising Kṛṣṇa so highly. Therefore he had to say something to the two brothers.
10.43.32
rājñāhūtau didṛkṣuṇā
(32) 'O son of Nanda, o Râma, You two heroes are well respected and skillful at wrestling; the king hearing of it wanted to see that and called for You.
10.43.33
viparītam ato 'nyathā
(33) Citizens indeed when they in mind, deeds and words perform to the pleasure of the king will acquire good fortune, but opposite to this it is different.
0.43.34
(34) The gopas obviously always very happy tend their calves in the forests and play and horse around while grazing the cows.
Here Cāṇūra explains how the two brothers came to be expert at wrestling.
10.43.35
(35) Therefore, let the two of You and us act to the pleasure of the king who embodies all alive, so that all living beings will be satisfied.'
10.43.36
tan niśamyābravīt kṛṣṇo
niyuddham ātmano 'bhīṣṭaḿ
manyamāno 'bhinandya ca
(36) Hearing that spoke Krishna words befitting the time and place [see also 4.8: 54] in welcome of the wrestling that He Himself also considered desirable:
10.43.37
(37) 'As subjects of the Bhoja king, must We also, even though wandering in the forest, always execute whatever pleases him, for that will confer upon Us the greatest benefit.
10.43.38
krīḍiṣyāmo yathocitam
bhaven niyuddhaḿ mādharmaḥ
(38) We young boys will as it should contest with those equal in strength; the wrestling match should take place so that the members of the audience in this arena will not fall from their belief.'
10.43.39
līlayebho hato yena
(39) Cânûra said: 'You and Balarâma are no boys or youngsters, You're the strongest of the strong who sported to kill the elephant that had the strength of a thousand elephants!
10.43.40
tasmād bhavadbhyāḿ balibhir
yoddhavyaḿ nānayo 'tra vai
(40) Therefore should the two of You fight with those who are strong, there's sure no injustice in that; it's Your prowess against mine, o descendent of Vrishni, and let Balarâma take it up with Mushthika.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Forty-third Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Kṛṣṇa Kills the Elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa."
Footnote:
* Thus one speaks of ten rasas, attitudes or moods toward Krishna: fury [perceived by the wrestlers], wonder [by the men], conjugal attraction [the women], laughter [the cowherds], chivalry [the kings], mercy [His parents], terror [Kamsa], repulsion [the unintelligent], peaceful neutrality [the yogis] and loving devotion [the Vrishnis].
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