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.
S'ukadeva
Goswâmî said: The demon Arishtha then came to
the cowherd village. Appearing in the form of a bull with a
large hump, he made the earth tremble as he tore it apart
with his hooves. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
Arishthâsura
bellowed very harshly and pawed the ground. With his tail
raised and his eyes glaring, he began to tear up the
embankments with the tips of his horns, every now and then
passing a little stool and urine. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
My
dear King, clouds hovered about sharp-horned
Arishthâsura's hump, mistaking it for a mountain, and
when the cowherd men and ladies caught sight of the demon,
they were struck with terror. Indeed, the strident
reverberation of his roar so frightened the pregnant cows
and women that they lost their fetuses in miscarriages.
(Vedabase)
Text
5
The
animals panicking ran away from the pasture, o King, while the
people all [crying] 'Krishna Krishna!' sought Govinda
for shelter.
The
domestic animals fled the pasture in fear, O King, and all
the inhabitants rushed to Lord Govinda for shelter, crying,
"Krishna, Krishna!" (Vedabase)
Text
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:
When
the Supreme Lord saw the cowherd community distraught and
fleeing in fear, He calmed them, saying, "Don't be afraid."
Then He called out to the bull demon as follows.
(Vedabase)
Text
7
'You
dull-witted bad creature, what do you with Me, the chastiser of
foul miscreants like you, have in mind with these frightened
gopas and their animals?!'
You
fool! What do you think you're doing, you wicked rascal,
frightening the cowherd community and their animals when I
am here just to punish corrupt miscreants like you!
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
Having
spoken these words, the infallible Lord Hari slapped His
arms with His palms, further angering Arishtha with the loud
sound. The Lord then casually threw His mighty, serpentine
arm over the shoulder of a friend and stood facing the
demon. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
Thus
provoked, Arishtha pawed the ground with one of his hooves
and then, with the clouds hovering around his upraised tail,
furiously charged Krishna. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
Pointing
the tips of his horns straight ahead and glaring menacingly
at Lord Krishna from the corners of his bloodshot eyes,
Arishtha rushed toward Him at full speed, like a thunderbolt
hurled by Indra. (Vedabase)
Text
11
The Supreme
Lord though like a rival elephant seized him by the horns and
threw him eighteen feet to the back.
The
Supreme Lord Krishna seized Arishthâsura by the horns
and threw him back eighteen steps, just as an elephant might
do when fighting a rival elephant. (Vedabase)
Text
12
Warded off he
quickly restored to charge again sweating all over while he
mindless in his anger breathed heavily.
Thus
repulsed by the Supreme Lord, the bull demon got up and,
breathing hard and sweating all over his body, again charged
Him in a mindless rage. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
As
Arishtha attacked, Lord Krishna seized him by the horns and
knocked him to the ground with His foot. The Lord then
thrashed him as if he were a wet cloth, and finally He
yanked out one of the demon's horns and struck him with it
until he lay prostrate. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
Vomiting
blood and profusely excreting stool and urine, kicking his
legs and rolling his eyes about, Arishthâsura thus
went painfully to the abode of Death. The demigods honored
Lord Krishna by scattering flowers upon Him.
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
Having
thus killed the bull demon Arishtha, He who is a festival
for the gopîs' eyes entered the cowherd village with
Balarâma. (Vedabase)
Text
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]
After
Arishthâsura had been killed by Krishna, who acts
wonderfully, Nârada Muni went to speak to King Kamsa.
That powerful sage of godly vision addressed the King as
follows. (Vedabase)
Text
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.'
[Nârada
told Kamsa:] Yas'odâ's child was actually a
daughter, and Krishna is the son of Devakî. Also,
Râma is the son of Rohinî. Out of fear, Vasudeva
entrusted Krishna and Balarâma to his friend Nanda
Mahârâja, and it is these two boys who have
killed your men. (Vedabase)
Text
18
Hearing that
did the lord of Bhoja, in his senses disturbed of anger, take
up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
Upon
hearing this, the master of the Bhojas became furious and
lost control of his senses. He picked up a sharp sword to
kill Vasudeva. (Vedabase)
Text
19
Nârada
withheld Kamsa [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].
But
Nârada restrained Kamsa by reminding him that it was
the two sons of Vasudeva who would cause his death. Kamsa
then had Vasudeva and his wife shackled in iron chains.
(Vedabase)
Text
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'.
After
Nârada left, King Kamsa summoned Kes'î and
ordered him, "Go kill Râma and Krishna."
(Vedabase)
Text
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:
The
King of the Bhojas next called for his ministers, headed by
Mushthika, Cânûra, S'ala and Tos'ala, and also
for his elephant-keepers. The King addressed them as
follows. (Vedabase)
Text
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 You kill
them.
My
dear heroic Cânûra and Mushthika, please hear
this. Râma and Krishna, the sons of
Ânakadundubhi [Vasudeva], are living in
Nanda's cowherd village. It has been predicted that these
two boys will be the cause of my death. When They are
brought here, kill Them on the pretext of engaging Them in a
wrestling match. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
Erect
a wrestling ring with many surrounding viewing stands, and
bring all the residents of the city and the outlying
districts to see the open competition. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
You,
elephant-keeper, my good man, should position the elephant
Kuvalayâpîda at the entrance to the wrestling
arena and have him kill my two enemies. (Vedabase)
Text
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.'
Commence
the bow sacrifice on the Caturdas'î day in accordance
with the relevant Vedic injunctions. In ritual slaughter
offer the appropriate kinds of animals to the magnanimous
Lord S'iva. (Vedabase)
Text
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:
Having
thus commanded his ministers, Kamsa next called for
Akrûra, the most eminent of the Yadus. Kamsa knew the
art of securing personal advantage, and thus he took
Akrûra's hand in his own and spoke to him as follows.
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
My
dear Akrûra, most charitable one, please do me a
friendly favor out of respect. Among the Bhojas and
Vrishnis, there is no one else as kind to us as you.
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
Gentle
Akrûra, you always carry out your duties soberly, and
therefore I am depending on you, just as powerful Indra took
shelter of Lord Vishnu to achieve his goals.
(Vedabase)
Text
30
Go to Nanda's
cowherd village where the two sons of
Ânakadundubhi
live and bring Them without delay here on this
chariot.
Please
go to Nanda's village, where the two sons of
Ânakadundubhi are living, and without delay bring Them
here on this chariot. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
The
demigods, who are under the protection of Vishnu, have sent
these two boys as my death. Bring Them here, and also have
Nanda and the other cowherd men come with gifts of tribute.
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
After
you bring Krishna and Balarâma, I will have Them
killed by my elephant, who is as powerful as death itself.
And if by chance They escape from him, I will have Them
killed by my wrestlers, who are as strong as lightning.
(Vedabase)
Text
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].
When
these two have been killed, I will kill Vasudeva and all
Their lamenting relatives - the Vrishnis, Bhojas and
Das'ârhas. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
I
will also kill my old father, Ugrasena, who is greedy for my
kingdom, and I will kill his brother Devaka and all my other
enemies as well. (Vedabase)
Text
35
And thus, o
friend, will those thorns in this world be
destroyed.
Then,
my friend, this earth will be free of thorns.
(Vedabase)
Text
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.
My
elder relative Jarâsandha and my dear friend Dvivida
are solid well- wishers of mine, as are S'ambara, Naraka and
Bâna. I will use them all to kill off those kings who
are allied with the demigods, and then I will rule the
earth. (Vedabase)
Text
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].'
Now
that you understand my intentions, please go at once and
bring Krishna and Balarâma to watch the bow sacrifice
and see the glory of the Yadus' capital. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
S'rî
Akrûra said: O King, you have expertly devised a
process to free yourself of misfortune. Still, one should be
equal in success and failure, since it is certainly destiny
that produces the results of one's work. (Vedabase)
Text
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.'
An
ordinary person is determined to act on his desires even
when fate prevents their fulfillment. Therefore he
encounters both happiness and distress. Yet even though such
is the case, I will execute your order. (Vedabase)
Text
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.
S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî said: Having thus instructed
Akrûra, King Kamsa dismissed his ministers and retired
to his quarters, and Akrûra returned home.
(Vedabase)