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2024-04-20, 2:34 AM |
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Chapter 36: The Bull Arishthâsura defeated
and Akrûra Sent by Kamsa
(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. (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. (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. (5)
The animals
panicking ran away from the pasture, o King, while the people all
[crying] 'Krishna Krishna!' sought Govinda for shelter. (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: (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?!'
(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. (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) 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. (11)
The Supreme Lord though like a rival elephant seized him by the horns
and threw him eighteen feet to the back. (12)
Warded off he quickly restored to charge again sweating all over while
he mindless in his anger breathed heavily. (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. (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. (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.
(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] (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.'
(18) Hearing that did the lord of Bhoja, in his
senses disturbed of anger, take up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva. (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]. (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'.
(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: (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. (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. (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. (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.'
(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: (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. (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. (30)
Go to Nanda's cowherd village where the two sons of Ânakadundubhi live and
bring Them without delay here on this chariot. (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. (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. (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]. (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. (35) And thus, o friend, will those thorns in
this world be destroyed. (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. (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].'
(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. (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.'
(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.'
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