VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 36
The Bull Arishthâsura defeated and Akrûra Sent by Kamsa.
This chapter describes how Kṛṣṇa killed Ariṣṭāsura and how Kaḿsa reacted when he learned from Nārada that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were the sons of Vasudeva.
The demon Ariṣṭa wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, and thus he assumed the form of a huge bull with sharp horns. Everyone in Kṛṣṇa's cowherd village became terrified when Ariṣṭāsura approached it, but the Lord pacified them, and when the bull demon charged Him He seized him by the horns and threw him about six yards. Though weakened, Ariṣṭa still wanted to attack Kṛṣṇa. Thus, dripping with sweat, he charged the Lord once again. This time Kṛṣṇa grabbed his horns, threw him to the ground and thrashed him like a pile of wet clothing. The demon vomited blood and gave up his life. Then Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, while being honored by the demigods and cowherd boys, returned to the village.
A short time later Nārada Muni, the great sage among the demigods, came to see King Kaḿsa. He informed the King that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were not Nanda's sons but rather Vasudeva's. It was out of fear of Kaḿsa that Vasudeva had put the two boys under Nanda's care. Furthermore, said Nārada, Kaḿsa would meet his death at Their hands.
Kaḿsa shook with fear and anger when he heard all this, and in great agitation he began thinking of how to destroy Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. He called for the demons Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika and instructed them to kill the two brothers in a wrestling match. Then he spoke to Akrūra, who was expert at executing his duties. Taking Akrūra by the hand, Kaḿsa persuaded him to go to Vraja to bring the two boys to Mathurā. Akrūra agreed to carry out Kaḿsa's order and then returned home.
10.36.1
ariṣṭo vṛṣabhāsuraḥ
(1) The son of Vyâsa said: 'Some time later came to the cowherd village the bull demon named Arishtha who had a huge hump. Ripping open the soil with his hooves trembled the earth of his body.
According to the Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa, Ariṣṭāsura entered Kṛṣṇa's village at twilight, as the Lord prepared to dance with the gopīs:
prodoṣārdhe kadācit tu
rāsāsakte janārdane
ariṣṭaḥ sampāgataḥ
"Once, midway through the period of dusk, when Lord Janārdana was eager to perform the rāsa dance, Ariṣṭāsura madly entered the cowherd village, terrifying everyone."10.36.2
rambhamāṇaḥ kharataraḿ
viṣāṇāgreṇa coddharan
(2) Bellowing very loudly and scraping the ground with his hooves, with his tail upward and with the tips of his horns digging the earth and throwing up clods, was he, with glaring eyes, releasing little bits of urine and stool.
10.36.3-4
yasya nirhrāditenāńga
patanty akālato garbhāḥ
(3-4) The fearful sight of his sharp horns and his hump, which looked like a mountain with clouds amassing, terrified the gopas and gopîs that much, my best, that the women and the cows untimely in fear lost their fetuses in miscarriages.
The Vedic literature categorizes miscarriages as follows: ā-caturthād bhavet srāvaḥ pātaḥ pañcama-ṣaṣṭhayoḥ/ ata ūrdhvaḿ prasūtiḥ syāt. "Up to the fourth month a premature delivery is called srāva, in the fifth and sixth months it is called pāta, and after this it is considered a birth (prasūti)."
10.36.5
paśavo dudruvur bhītā
(5) The animals panicking ran away from the pasture, o King, while the people all [crying] 'Krishna Krishna!' sought Govinda for shelter.
10.36.6
mā bhaiṣṭeti girāśvāsya
vṛṣāsuram upāhvayat
(6) The Supreme Lord, seeing how the entire cow community distraught fled in fear, pacified them with the words 'do not fear' and called out to the bull demon:
10.36.7
tvad-vidhānāḿ durātmanām
10.36.9
so 'py evaḿ kopito 'riṣṭaḥ
khureṇāvanim ullikhan
(7) 'You dull-witted bad creature, how dare you in the presence of Me, the chastiser of foul miscreants like you, to frighten these cowherd people and their animals?!'
10.36.8
ity āsphotyācyuto 'riṣṭaḿ
sakhyur aḿse bhujābhogaḿ
prasāryāvasthito hariḥ
(8) Acyuta, the Lord, thus speaking slapped His arms to anger Arishtha with the sound of His palms and assumed a posture thereto in which He threw His serpentine arm over a friend's shoulder.
10.36.9
so 'py evaḿ kopito 'riṣṭaḥ
khureṇāvanim ullikhan
(9) And indeed managed He that way to enrage Arishtha who furiously scratched the earth with his hoof and [then] with his tail raised to the clouds attacked Krishna.
10.36.10
stabdhāsṛg-locano 'cyutam
kaṭākṣipyādravat tūrṇam
(10) Pointing his horns straight ahead staring bloodthirsty from the corners of his eyes at Krishna, ran he full speed like a thunderbolt released by Indra.
10.36.11
(11) The Supreme Lord though like a rival elephant seized him by the horns and threw him eighteen feet to the back.
10.36.12
so 'paviddho bhagavatā
(12) Warded off he quickly restored to charge again sweating all over while he mindless in his anger breathed heavily.
10.36.13
niṣpīḍayām āsa yathārdram ambaraḿ
kṛtvā viṣāṇena jaghāna so 'patat
(13) In his attack was he seized by the horns and made to trip by His foot so that he slapped down to the ground like a wet garment. Next was he struck by the Lord with his own horn [broken off] till he fell flat.
10.36.14
asṛg vaman mūtra-śakṛt samutsṛjan
jagāma kṛcchraḿ nirṛter atha kṣayaḿ
(14) Vomiting blood, excreting a mass of urine and stool and throwing his legs about went he then in pain rolling with his eyes to the abode of Death. The gods then scattered flowers upon Krishna in worship.
10.36.15
viveśa goṣṭhaḿ sa-balo
gopīnāḿ nayanotsavaḥ
(15) After thus having killed the one with the big hump entered He, that feast to the eyes of the gopîs, while being praised by the twice-born, the cowherd village together with Balarâma.
This verse exemplifies the sublime contrast of spiritual qualities within Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In one four-line verse we simultaneously learn that Lord Kṛṣṇa killed a powerful and wicked demon and that His boyish beauty gave festive pleasure to His young girlfriends. Lord Kṛṣṇa is as hard as a thunderbolt or as soft as a rose, depending on our attitude toward Him. The demon Ariṣṭa wanted to kill Kṛṣṇa and all His friends, so the Lord beat him into a wet rag and killed him. The gopīs, however, loved Kṛṣṇa, and thus the Lord boyishly reciprocated their conjugal feelings.
10.36.16
kṛṣṇenādbhuta-karmaṇā
kaḿsāyāthāha bhagavān
(16) With the demon Arishtha being killed by the Worker of Miracles, Krishna, spoke then to Kamsa the powerful sage Nârada who had the vision of God: [see 1.6: 25-29]
The term deva-darśana can be understood in many ways, all of which are consistent with the context and purport of this narration. Deva means "God," and darśanaḥ means "seeing" or "an audience with a great personality." Thus deva-darśana, a name for Nārada Muni, indicates that Nārada has attained the perfection of seeing God, that getting Nārada's audience is as good as getting God's (since Nārada is a pure representative of the Lord), and also that Nārada's audience is as good as that of the demigods, who are also known as devas. That there are all these meanings of the term deva-darśanaḥ reveals something of the richness of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam's language.
From the Purāṇas, Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has quoted twenty verses describing a joking conversation between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa that took place after Kṛṣṇa had killed the demon Ariṣṭa. This conversation, so kindly quoted by the ācārya, describes the origin of Rādhā-kuṇḍa and Śyāma-kuṇḍa, Rādhā's and Kṛṣṇa's bathing ponds. The verses are as follows:
māsmān spṛśādya vṛṣabhārdana hanta mugdhā
"The innocent young gopīs said, 'Ah, Kṛṣṇa, don't touch us now, O killer of a bull! Alas, even though Ariṣṭa was a terrible demon, still he was a male cow, so You will have to undergo atonement, just as Lord Indra did after killing Vṛtrāsura. But how can You purify Yourself without going to the trouble of visiting every single holy place in the three worlds?' "
kiḿ paryaṭāmi bhuvanāny adhunaiva sarvā
"[Kṛṣṇa replied,] 'Why should I have to wander throughout the entire universe? I will at once bring all the countless pilgrimage places here and take My bath in them. Just watch!' With this, Lord Mukunda struck His heel on the ground."
pātālato jalam idaḿ kila bhogavatyā
"[Then He said,] 'This is the water of the Bhogavatī River, coming from the Pātāla region. And now, O holy places, all of you please come here!' When the Supreme Lord had spoken these words, all the holy places went there and appeared before Him. Kṛṣṇa then addressed the gopīs as follows."
tīrthāni paśyata harer vacasā tavaivaḿ
kṣīrābdhir asmi śṛṇutāmara-dīrghikāsmi
" 'See all the holy places!'"But the gopīs replied, 'We don't see them as You describe.'
"Then those best of holy places, joining their palms in supplication, spoke up:
" 'I am the salt ocean.'
" 'I am the ocean of milk.'
" 'I am the Amara-dīrghikā.' "
śoṇo 'pi sindhur aham asmi bhavāmi tāmra-
" 'I am the river Śoṇa.'
" 'I am the Sindhu.'
" 'I am the Tāmraparṇī.'
" 'I am the holy place Puṣkara.'
" 'I am the river Sarasvatī.'
" 'And we are the Godāvarī, Yamunā and Revā rivers and the confluence of rivers at Prayāga. Just see our waters!' "
snātvā tato harir ati-prajagalbha eva
"After purifying Himself by bathing, Lord Hari became quite arrogant and said, 'I have produced a pond containing all the various holy places, whereas you gopīs must never have executed any religious duties on this earth for the pleasure of Lord Brahmā.' Then Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī addressed Her girlfriends as follows."
kāryaḿ mayāpy ati-manohara-kuṇḍam ekaḿ
" 'I must create an even more beautiful pond. So go to work!' Having heard these words, the gopīs saw that Ariṣṭāsura's hooves had dug a shallow ditch just west of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's pond."
tatrārdra-mṛn-mṛdula-gola-tatīḥ prati-sva-
tābhir vilokya sarasaḿ smarate sma kṛṣṇaḥ
"At that nearby spot, all the gopīs began digging up lumps of soft mud with their hands, and in this way a divine pond manifested in the short span of an hour. Kṛṣṇa was astonished to see the lake they produced."proce ca tīrtha-salilaiḥ paripūrayaitan
"He said, 'Go ahead, lotus-eyed one. You and Your companions should fill this pond with water from Mine.'
"But Rādhā replied, 'No, no, no, no! This is impossible, since the water of Your pond is contaminated by Your terrible sin of killing a cow.' "
āhṛtya puṇya-salilaḿ śata-koṭi-kumbhaiḥ
" 'I will have My countless gopī companions bring the pure water of the Mānasa-gańgā here in billions of pots. In this way I will fill this lake with My own water and thus make its renown unequaled in the entire world.' "
kṛṣṇeńgitena sahasaitya samasta-tīrtha-
"Lord Kṛṣṇa then gestured to a heavenly personality who was an intimate associate of all the holy places. Suddenly that person rose up out of Kṛṣṇa's pond and bowed down to the daughter of Śrī Vṛṣabhānu [Rādhārāṇī]. Then, with palms joined and tears pouring from his eyes, he began praying to Her in devotion."
devi tvadīya-mahimānam avaiti sarva
kintv eka eva puruṣārtha-śiromaṇis tvat-
" 'O goddess, even Lord Brahmā himself, the knower of all scriptures, cannot understand Your glories, nor can Lord Śiva or Lakṣmī. Only Kṛṣṇa, the supreme goal of all human endeavor, can understand them, and thus He feels obliged to personally make sure that You can wash away Your perspiration when You are fatigued.' "yaś cāru-yāvaka-rasena bhavat-padābjam
" 'He is always anointing Your lotus feet with nectarean cāru and yāvaka and decorating them with ankle bells, and He rejoices and feels most fortunate simply by satisfying the tips of the toes of Your lotus feet. On His order we have immediately come here to live in this most excellent pond, which He created by one stroke of His heel. But only if You now feel satisfied with us and bestow upon us Your merciful glance will the tree of our desire bear fruit.' "
śrutvā stutiḿ nikhila-tīrtha-gaṇasya tuṣṭā
ity eva no vara iti prakaṭaḿ tadocuḥ
"Hearing this prayer spoken by the representative of the full assembly of holy places, Śrī Rādhā was pleased and said, 'So, kindly tell Me your desire.'"They then told Her plainly, 'Our lives would be successful if we could come to Your pond. That is the benediction we desire.' "
āgacchateti vṛṣabhānu-sutā smitāsyā
"Glancing at Her beloved from the corners of Her eyes, the daughter of Vṛṣabhānu replied with a smile, 'Please come.' Her gopī companions all agreed with Her decision and became immersed in the ocean of happiness. Indeed, the beauty of all creatures, both mobile and stationary, was enhanced."
prāpya prasādam atha te vṛṣabhānujāyāḥ
kuṇḍaḿ vyadhuḥ sva-salilaiḥ paripūrṇam eva
"Thus gaining the grace of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, the holy rivers and lakes in Śrī Kṛṣṇa-kuṇḍa forcibly broke through its boundary walls and swiftly filled Rādhā-kuṇḍa with their waters."proce hariḥ priyatame tava kuṇḍam etan
"Lord Hari then said, 'My dear Rādhā, may this pond of Yours become even more world-renowned than Mine. I will always come here to bathe and to enjoy My water pastimes. Indeed, this lake is as dear to Me as You are.' "
rādhābravīd aham api sva-sakhībhir etya
"Rādhā replied, 'I will come to bathe in Your pond as well, even though You may kill hundreds of Ariṣṭa demons here. In the future, anyone who has intense devotion for this lake, which is on the spot where You chastised Ariṣṭāsura, and who bathes or resides here is sure to become very dear to Me.' "
rāsotsavaḿ prakurute sma ca tatra rātrau
"That night Lord Kṛṣṇa initiated a rāsa dance at Rādhā-kuṇḍa, generating a torrent of the greatest mood of splendorous pleasure. Śrī Kṛṣṇa resembled a cloud, and Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī a brilliant flash of lightning filling the sky with abundant beauty. In this way Their divine glories permeated the expanses of the three worlds."
As a final note, it should be mentioned that Nārada Muni, being a great sage, understood that the killing of Ariṣṭa more or less concluded the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana. Therefore Nārada, anxious to facilitate the transferal of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes to Mathurā, approached Kaḿsa and addressed him as follows.
10.36.17
(17) 'The girl of Devakî is Yas'odâ's daughter and Krishna and also Balarâma, the son of Rohinî, are from Vasudeva, who fearfully placed them in charge of his friend Nanda; they were the two who actually have killed your men.'
Kaḿsa had been led to believe that Kṛṣṇa was the son of Yaśodā and that Devakī's eighth child had been a daughter. The identity of Devakī's eighth child was extremely important to Kaḿsa because a prophecy had foretold that her eighth child would kill him. Here Nārada informs the King that the eighth child of Devakī was the formidable Kṛṣṇa, thus implying that the prophecy should be taken very seriously. Having received this information, Kaḿsa obviously will now do everything in his power to kill Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
10.36.18
kopāt pracalitendriyaḥ
(18) Hearing that did the lord of Bhoja, in his senses disturbed of anger, take up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
10.36.19
nivārito nāradena
(19) Nârada withheld Kamsa [thus in saying ] that Vasudeva's two sons would bring about his death and with that in mind put he him and his wife in iron shackles [see also 10.1: 64-69].
Kaḿsa realized that there was no use in killing Vasudeva, since it was Vasudeva's sons, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, who were to kill him. According to the ācāryas, Nārada also advised Kaḿsa that if he killed Vasudeva the two young boys might flee and that it was therefore better not to kill him. Rather, Nārada recommended, Kaḿsa should bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to Kaḿsa's capital city, Mathurā.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī points out that Nārada did not act inimically toward the great devotees Vasudeva and Devakī when he revealed this information to Kaḿsa. In fact, as explained in the Eleventh Canto, Vasudeva was grateful to Nārada because he was arranging for Kaḿsa's death at Kṛṣṇa's hands, and further arranging for Kṛṣṇa to come and live in Mathurā, where His loving father could associate with Him.
10.36.20
(20) After the deva-rishi had left addressed Kamsa the demon Kes'î in order to send him after Them: 'You're the one to kill the two of Râma and Kes'ava'.
Before having Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma brought to Mathurā, Kaḿsa tried sending one more demon to Vṛndāvana.
10.36.21
śala-tośalakādikān
amātyān hastipāḿś caiva
(21) Then he summoned for Mushthika, Cânûra, S'ala, Tos'ala and such, his ministers and his elephant keepers, to whom the king of Bhoja said:
10.36.22-23
bho bho niśamyatām etad
sutāv ānakadundubheḥ
(22-23) 'Dear mates, Mushthika and Cânûra, please listen to this o heroes. It turns out that the cowherd village of Nanda is where the two sons of Ânakadundubhi are living. My death was predicted to happen by [the hands of] Krishna and Balarâma. If we get Them to come over here for a game of wrestling you have to kill Them.
10.36.24
(24) Build a ring and various stages surrounding it - all subjects in and outside the city should witness how They voluntarily participated in the competition.
The word mañcāḥ refers to platforms constructed with large pillars. Kaḿsa wanted a festive atmosphere so that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would not be afraid to come.
10.36.25
rańga-dvāry upanīyatām
dvipaḥ kuvalayāpīḍo
(25) O elephant-keeper, by you my good man, should the elephant Kuvalayâpîda be taken to the entrance of the arena where my enemies are to be destroyed.
10.36.26
ārabhyatāḿ dhanur-yāgaś
(26) Commence according the injunctions the bow-sacrifice on the fourteenth [Caturdas'î] of the month and offer in sacrifice the right kind of animals to the Lord of the Spirits [S'iva], the graceful one. '
10.36.27
(27) Thus having issued his orders called he, cunning as he was in the art of securing his personal interest, for Akrûra ['the one not cruel'], the most eminent Yadu. He took his hand into his own and said:
10.36.28
nānyas tvatto hitatamo
(28) 'Dear master of charity please do me a favor. With all respect, there is no one among the Bhojas and Vrishnis to be found who is as merciful as you
10.36.29
svārtham adhyagamad vibhuḥ
. (29) Therefore I depend on you, o kindness, who always carries out his duties soberly, just like Indra, the mighty king of heaven, who achieved his goals by taking shelter of Lord Vishnu.
10.36.30
sutāv ānakadundubheḥ
āsāte tāv ihānena
(30) Go to Nanda's cowherd village where the two sons of Ânakadundubhi live and bring Them without delay here on this chariot.
"When King Kaḿsa said 'with this chariot,' he pointed with his index finger to a brand-new, attractive chariot. Kaḿsa thought that since Akrūra was innocent by nature, when he saw this fine, new vehicle he would naturally want to drive it and quickly bring the two boys back. But the actual reason Akrūra went on a new chariot was that it would have been clearly inappropriate for the Supreme Personality of Godhead to mount a chariot that had already been enjoyed by the wicked Kaḿsa."
10.36.31
nisṛṣṭaḥ kila me mṛtyur
devair vaikuṇṭha-saḿśrayaiḥ
nandādyaiḥ sābhyupāyanaiḥ
(31) The two of Them have, by the gods under the protection of Vishnu, been sent to bring about my death; bring Them together with the gopas headed by Nanda over here, and tell them to take gifts of tribute with them.
10.36.32
ghātayiṣya ihānītau
ghātaye vaidyutopamaiḥ
(32) Brought here I'll have Them killed by the elephant that is as mighty as the time itself, and if They escape from that, will my wrestlers as strong as lightning put an end to Them.
10.36.33
tayor nihatayos taptān
(33) And with the two of Them dead will I next kill the pained relatives of whom Vasudeva is the leader: the Vrishnis, Bhojas, and the Das'ârhas [see again 10.1: 67].
Even today there are wicked political leaders throughout the world who make such plans and even carry them out.
10.36.34
(34) With my old father Ugrasena I will deal the same way, he who is so greedy for the kingdom and his brother Devaka and my other enemies.
10.36.35
(35) And thus, o friend, will those thorns in this world be destroyed.
10.36.36
jarāsandho mama gurur
śambaro narako bāṇo
mayy eva kṛta-sauhṛdāḥ
(36) With my elder relative [father-in-law] Jarâsandha and my dear friend Dvivida and S'ambara, Naraka and Bâna, who indeed are of a strong friendship for me, will I, killing all those conspiring sura kings, enjoy this earth.
10.36.37
etaj jñātvānaya kṣipraḿ
rāma-kṛṣṇāv ihārbhakau
(37) And now, with this knowledge, bring me quickly the young boys Râma and Krishna to attend here to the bow-sacrifice and to respect the glory of the Yadu capital [of Mathurâ].'
10.36.38
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samaḿ kuryād
(38) S'rî Akrûra said: 'O King, your way of thinking to clear out the disagreeable is conclusive; one should act with an equal attitude in respect of the perfect and the imperfect, it is destiny after all that produces the results.
10.36.39
manorathān karoty uccair
(39) The common man, even though struck by providence, fervently acts to his desires and is confronted with happiness and distress, nonetheless will I do as you ordered.'
that although what Akrūra said was courteous and encouraging, his hidden meaning was far different. What he really meant was this: "Your plan is not fit to execute, yet I will carry it out since you are the King and I am your subject, and in any case, you are about to die."
10.36.40
(40) S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus instructing Akrûra and also sending off his ministers entered Kamsa his quarters and returned Akrûra to his own residence.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Thirty-sixth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Slaying of Ariṣṭa, the Bull Demon."
Canto 10
Chapter 37
Kes'î and Vyoma Killed and Nârada Eulogizes Krishna's Future
This chapter describes the killing of the horse demon, Keśī; Nārada's glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa's future pastimes; and Kṛṣṇa's killing of Vyomāsura.
On Kaḿsa's order the Keśi demon assumed the form of a huge horse and went to Vraja. As he approached, his loud neighing terrified all the inhabitants, and they began looking for Śrī Kṛṣṇa. When He saw the demon, Kṛṣṇa came forward and challenged him to come near. Keśī charged Kṛṣṇa and tried to strike Him with his front legs, but the Lord seized them, whirled the demon around several times, and then threw him a distance of one hundred bow-lengths. Keśī remained unconscious for some time. When the demon regained consciousness, he furiously charged Kṛṣṇa again, his mouth agape. The Lord then thrust His left arm into the horse demon's mouth, and as Keśī tried to bite the arm, it felt like a red-hot iron rod. Kṛṣṇa's arm expanded more and more, finally choking the demon, and in extreme agony Keśī gave up his life. Lord Kṛṣṇa then removed His arm. He stood calmly, showing no pride at having killed the demon, as the demigods showered down flowers from the sky and glorified the Lord with prayers.
Soon thereafter Nārada Muni, the great sage among the demigods, approached Kṛṣṇa and prayed to Him in various ways, glorifying the Lord's future pastimes. Then Nārada paid his obeisances and departed.
One day, while tending the cows, Kṛṣṇa, Balarāma and the cowherd boys became engrossed in playing hide-and-go-seek. Some of the boys took the role of sheep, some the role of thieves, and others shepherds. The shepherds would search for the sheep when the thieves stole them. Taking advantage of this game, a demon named Vyoma, sent by Kaḿsa, dressed himself like a cowherd boy and joined the band of "thieves." He abducted a few cowherd boys at a time and threw them into a mountain cave, keeping them there by blocking the entrance with a boulder. Gradually Vyomāsura abducted all but four or five cowherd boys. When Kṛṣṇa saw what the demon was doing, He ran after him, grabbed him and killed him just as one would kill a sacrificial animal.
10.37.1-2
mahā-hayo nirjarayan mano-javaḥ
(1-2) S'rî S'uka said: 'Then as sent by Kamsa [in 10.36: 20] was there Kes'î, a huge horse that, with his hooves ripping open the earth and with the speed of mind scattering the clouds as well the celestial carriers of the gods, with his manes and neighing frightened everyone. The SupremeLord stepped, in response to the stir of the clouds created by his tail and his whinnying which terrified His cowherd village, thereupon forward to fight and called for Kes'î who searching for Him was roaring like a lion.
10.37.3
pibann ivābhyadravad aty-amarṣaṇaḥ
durāsadaś caṇḍa-javo duratyayaḥ
(3) When he, hard to conquer and approach and agressive with a mouth wide open swallowing the sky, saw Him before him, rushed he furiously forward to attack the lotus-eyed Lord with his legs.
10.37.4
tad vañcayitvā tam adhokṣajo ruṣā
yathoragaḿ tārkṣya-suto vyavasthitaḥ
(4) Dodging that seized the Lord of the Beyond, alert to it, him with His arms by the legs to whirl him around indifferently and throw him at a distance of a hundred bow lengths, standing there just like the son of Târkshya [Garuda] throwing a snake.
10.37.5
praveśayām āsa yathoragaḿ bile
(5) He regaining his consciousness rose in bitter rage and ran, opening wide [his mouth], fast for the Lord who on His turn with a smile put His left arm in his mouth like a snake in a hole.
10.37.6
yathāmayaḥ saḿvavṛdhe upekṣitaḥ
(6) As Kes'î's teeth came in touch with the Lord His arm fell they out as if they had come in contact with a redhot iron and swelled the arm of the Supreme Soul having entered his body up like a sick belly [of dropsy] in neglect.
although Lord Kṛṣṇa's arm is more tender and cooling than a blue lotus, to Keśī it felt extremely hot as if made of lightning bolts.
10.37.7
(7) With Krishna's arm thus expanding was his breath arrested and fell he, kicking his legs, perspiring all over, rolling with his eyes and excreting feces, lifeless down to the ground.
10.37.8
tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād
vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaḿ mahā-bhujaḥ
(8) The Mighty-armed One retracting His arm from the dead body that looked like a cucumber [karkathikâ], was, as unassuming as He was in His effortlessly having killed His enemy, from above worshiped by the gods with a rain of flowers.
10.37.9
devarṣir upasańgamya
rahasy etad abhāṣata
(9) The devarishi [Nârada], the most exalted devotee of the Lord, o King, said in private to Krishna who is so effortless in His actions this:
After speaking with Kaḿsa, Nārada went to see Lord Kṛṣṇa. The Lord's Vṛndāvana pastimes were nearly completed, and Nārada wanted to see those He would enact in Mathurā.
10.37.10-11
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇāprameyātman
yogeśa jagad-īśvara
vāsudevākhilāvāsa
(10-11) 'Krishna, o Krishna, o Vâsudeva, immeasurable Soul, o Lord of Yoga, o Controller of the Universe, o shelter of each, o You master and very best of the Yadus; You alone are the Soul of all living beings who like fire hidden in firewood resides within the heart as the Witness, the Controller, the Supreme Personality.
10.37.12
ātmanātmāśrayaḥ pūrvaḿ
tair idaḿ satya-sańkalpaḥ
sṛjasy atsy avasīśvaraḥ
(12) As the Refuge of the Intelligence of the Spirit Soul You first produced, by Your energy, the modes of nature and through these [then] this thruth [of the Universe], to the drive of which You create, destroy and maintain as the Controller.
10.37.13
avatīrṇo vināśāya
(13) You, this one [creator] Himself, have in order to protect the saintly descended for the destruction of the demons [Daityas], wildmen [Râkshasas] and tormentors [Pramathas] who impose as leaders.
10.37.14
līlayāyaḿ hayākṛtiḥ
(14) To our fortune have You sportfully killed this demon that assumed the form of a horse of whose neighing the vigilant gods terrified abandoned heaven.
10.37.15-20
cāṇūraḿ muṣṭikaḿ caiva
pārijātāpaharaṇam
vīrya-śulkādi-lakṣaṇam
nṛgasya mokṣaṇaḿ śāpād
syamantakasya ca maṇer
(15-20) The day after tomorrow, will I see Cânûra, Mushthika and other wrestlers as also the elephant [Kuvalayâpîda] and Kamsa been killed by You, o Almighty One. Thereafter will follow [the demons] S'ankha, [Kâla-]yavana and Mura as well as Naraka and will You steal the pârijâta flower and defeat Indra. In Dvârakâ will You, o Master of the Universe, be known for marrying the daughters of the heroic [kings] with the gift of Your valor, the deliverance of King Nriga from his curse, capturing the jewel named Syamantaka together with a wife and presenting the dead son of a brahmin [Sândîpani Muni] from Your abode [of death]. Next will You kill Paundraka, burn down the city of Kâs'î [Benares] and see to the demise of Dantavakra and the king of Cedi [S'is'upâla] during the great sacrifice [see also: 3.2: 19, 7.1: 14-15]. About these and other great feats that I will see performed by You as You stay in Dvârakâ will the poets on this earth be singing.
In just two days, O almighty Lord, I will see the deaths of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika and other wrestlers, along with those of the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa and King Kaḿsa — all by Your hand. Then I will see You kill Kālayavana, Mura, Naraka and the conch demon, and I will also see You steal the pārijāta flower and defeat Indra. I will then see You marry many daughters of heroic kings after paying for them with Your valor. Then, O Lord of the universe, in Dvārakā You will deliver King Nṛga from a curse and take for Yourself the Syamantaka jewel, together with another wife. You will bring back a brāhmaṇa's dead son from the abode of Your servant Yamarāja, and thereafter You will kill Pauṇḍraka, burn down the city of Kāśī and annihilate Dantavakra and the King of Cedi during the great Rājasūya sacrifice. I shall see all these heroic pastimes, along with many others You will perform during Your residence in Dvārakā. These pastimes are glorified on this earth in the songs of transcendental poets.
10.37.21
(21) Then will I see You as the charioteer of Arjuna with whom You assume the form of Time with the purpose of effectively bringing about the destruction of the complete of the armed forces of this world.
10.37.22
(22) Let me approach [You who are] this Supreme Lord, full of the purest spiritual awareness, who in His original identity is completely fulfilled, whose will in none of His exploits can be thwarted and who by the power of His potency is always elevated above the flow of the things happening with the modes of the illusory, material energy.
10.37.23
(23) For You, the Controller self-contained, who by the creative potency of Your own Self has arranged for an unlimited number of specific situations so that You could enact and now have taken upon Yourself [the burden of] humanity divided [in warfare], I do bow myself down, You the Greatest of the Yadus, Vrishnis and Sâtvatas.'
10.37.24
praṇipatyābhyanujñāto
(24) S'rî S'uka said: 'The most eminent sage among the devotees thus respectfully of reverence for Krishna, the leading Yadu, received permission to leave and went away being elated of having seen Him.
10.37.25
prītair vraja-sukhāvahaḥ
(25) And Govinda, the Supreme Lord who in a fight had killed Kes'î, tended the animals together with the cowherd boys who were so pleased about Him bringing happiness to Vraja.
10.37.26
cārayanto 'dri-sānuṣu
cakrur nilāyana-krīḍāś
cora-pālāpadeśataḥ
(26) One day, when the gopas were grazing the animals, enacted they at the hillside games of hide and seek playing cops and robbers.
10.37.27
tatrāsan katicic corāḥ
meṣāyitāś ca tatraike
(27) In that game were some the thieves, some were the herds while others of them, o King, to that acted as the unsuspecting sheep.
10.37.28
prāyaś corāyito bahūn
(28) A son of the demon Maya named Vyoma ['the sky'], a powerful magician, assumed the disguise of a gopa and engaged in the game as one of the many thieves. Thus he led away almost all the ones who acted as the sheep.
10.37.29
catuḥ-pañcāvaśeṣitāḥ
(29) One by one threw the great demon them in a mountaincave of which he blocked the entrance with a boulder so that only four or five remained.
10.37.30
vṛkaḿ harir ivaujasā
(30) Finding out what he was doing seized Krishna, the leader of the gopas and shelterer of the saintly, him without mercy just like a lion would seize a wolf.
10.37.31
nāśaknod grahaṇāturaḥ
(31) The demon resuming his original form that was as big as a mountain by all means wanted to free himself, but held tightly in His grip was he debilitated not capable of doing so.
10.37.32
(32) Holding him fast with His arms forced Acyuta him to the ground and while the gods in heaven were watching killed He him like he was a sacrificial animal [strangled him thus].
10.37.33
stūyamānaḥ surair gopaiḥ
(33) Breaking through the blocked entrance of the cave freed He the gopas out of their awkward position and returned He, under the praises of the gopas and the gods, to His cowherd village.'
Kṛṣṇa then smashed the boulder blocking the cave's entrance and led the trapped cowherd boys to safety. Thereafter, as the demigods and cowherd boys sang His glories, He returned to His cowherd village, Gokula.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Thirty-seventh Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Killing of the Demons Keśī and Vyoma."
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