Adhyaya 43

Verse 1

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ कृष्णश्च रामश्च कृतशौचौ परन्तप । मल्लदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुमुपेयतु: ॥ १ ॥

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O chastiser of enemies, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, having completed the rites of purification, heard the kettledrums resounding in the wrestling arena and went there to see.

Verse 2

रङ्गद्वारं समासाद्य तस्मिन् नागमवस्थितम् । अपश्यत्कुवलयापीडं कृष्णोऽम्बष्ठप्रचोदितम् ॥ २ ॥

Reaching the entrance of the arena, Lord Kṛṣṇa saw the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa blocking His path, urged on by its keeper.

Verse 3

बद्ध्वा परिकरं शौरि: समुह्य कुटिलालकान् । उवाच हस्तिपं वाचा मेघनादगभीरया ॥ ३ ॥

Binding His garments securely and drawing back His curly locks, Śauri, Lord Kṛṣṇa, addressed the elephant-keeper in a voice deep as the rumbling of clouds.

Verse 4

अम्बष्ठाम्बष्ठ मार्गं नौ देह्यपक्रम मा चिरम् । नो चेत् सकुञ्जरं त्वाद्य नयामि यमसादनम् ॥ ४ ॥

Lord Kṛṣṇa said: “O Ambastha, Ambastha! Move aside at once and give Us the way; do not delay. Otherwise, this very day I shall send you and your elephant to the abode of Yamarāja.”

Verse 5

एवं निर्भर्त्सितोऽम्बष्ठ: कुपित: कोपितं गजम् । चोदयामास कृष्णाय कालान्तकयमोपमम् ॥ ५ ॥

Thus threatened, Ambastha the elephant-keeper grew angry. He urged on his raging elephant—terrible like Time, Death, and Yamarāja—to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse 6

करीन्द्रस्तमभिद्रुत्य करेण तरसाग्रहीत् । कराद्विगलित: सोऽमुं निहत्याङ्‍‍‍‍‍घ्रिष्वलीयत ॥ ६ ॥

The lord of the elephants charged at Kṛṣṇa and violently seized Him with his trunk. But Kṛṣṇa slipped free, struck him a blow, and vanished from his sight among his legs.

Verse 7

सङ्‌क्रुद्धस्तमचक्षाणो घ्राणद‍ृष्टि: स केशवम् । परामृशत् पुष्करेण स प्रसह्य विनिर्गत: ॥ ७ ॥

Unable to see Lord Keśava, the elephant grew furious and searched for Him by smell. Again he seized the Lord with the tip of his trunk, but the Lord forcefully freed Himself.

Verse 8

पुच्छे प्रगृह्यातिबलं धनुष: पञ्चविंशतिम् । विचकर्ष यथा नागं सुपर्ण इव लीलया ॥ ८ ॥

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa seized the mighty Kuvalayāpīḍa by the tail and, as if in play, dragged him twenty-five bow-lengths—just as Garuḍa might drag a snake.

Verse 9

स पर्यावर्तमानेन सव्यदक्षिणतोऽच्युत: । बभ्राम भ्राम्यमाणेन गोवत्सेनेव बालक: ॥ ९ ॥

Lord Acyuta held fast to the elephant’s tail; as the beast twisted left and right, the Lord was swung in the opposite direction, like a young boy turning about while pulling a calf by its tail.

Verse 10

ततोऽभिमुखमभ्येत्य पाणिनाहत्य वारणम् । प्राद्रवन् पातयामास स्पृश्यमान: पदे पदे ॥ १० ॥

Kṛṣṇa then came face to face with the elephant, slapped him with His hand, and ran off. Kuvalayāpīḍa chased Him, seeming to touch Him at every step, but Kṛṣṇa outwitted the beast and made him stumble and fall.

Verse 11

स धावन् क्रीडया भूमौ पतित्वा सहसोत्थित: । तं मत्वा पतितं क्रुद्धो दन्ताभ्यां सोऽहनत्क्षितिम् ॥ ११ ॥

As Kṛṣṇa darted about, He playfully fell to the ground and at once sprang up again. The enraged elephant, thinking Him down, tried to gore Him with his tusks but struck the earth instead.

Verse 12

स्वविक्रमे प्रतिहते कुञ्जरेन्द्रोऽत्यमर्षित: । चोद्यमानो महामात्रै: कृष्णमभ्यद्रवद् रुषा ॥ १२ ॥

His prowess thwarted, the lordly elephant became wildly enraged. Urged on by the keepers, he charged at Kṛṣṇa once again, seething with fury.

Verse 13

तमापतन्तमासाद्य भगवान् मधुसूदन: । निगृह्य पाणिना हस्तं पातयामास भूतले ॥ १३ ॥

Confronting the charging elephant, the Supreme Lord Madhusūdana seized his trunk with one hand and hurled him down upon the earth.

Verse 14

पतितस्य पदाक्रम्य मृगेन्द्र इव लीलया । दन्तमुत्पाट्य तेनेभं हस्तिपांश्चाहनद्धरि: ॥ १४ ॥

Then Lord Hari, with the effortless grace of a mighty lion, climbed upon the elephant, tore out a tusk, and with it slew the beast and its keepers.

Verse 15

मृतकं द्विपमुत्सृज्य दन्तपाणि: समाविशत् । अंसन्यस्तविषाणोऽसृङ्‌मदबिन्दुभिरङ्कित: । विरूढस्वेदकणिकावदनाम्बुरुहो बभौ ॥ १५ ॥

Leaving the dead elephant aside, Lord Kṛṣṇa, tusk in hand, entered the wrestling arena. Resting the tusk upon His shoulder, sprinkled with the elephant’s blood, sweat and musth, and with His lotus face beaded with His own fine perspiration, the Lord shone in wondrous beauty.

Verse 16

वृतौ गोपै: कतिपयैर्बलदेवजनार्दनौ । रङ्गं विविशतू राजन् गजदन्तवरायुधौ ॥ १६ ॥

O King, surrounded by several cowherd boys, Lord Baladeva and Lord Janārdana entered the arena, each bearing an elephant tusk as His chosen weapon.

Verse 17

मल्लानामशनिर्नृणां नरवर: स्त्रीणां स्मरो मूर्तिमान्गोपानां स्वजनोऽसतां क्षितिभुजां शास्ता स्वपित्रो: शिशु: । मृत्युर्भोजपतेर्विराडविदुषां तत्त्वं परं योगिनांवृष्णीनां परदेवतेति विदितो रङ्गं गत: साग्रज: ॥ १७ ॥

As Kṛṣṇa entered the arena with His elder brother, each group beheld Him differently: the wrestlers saw a thunderbolt; the men of Mathurā, the finest of men; the women, Cupid embodied; the cowherds, their own kinsman; the impious kings, a stern chastiser; His parents, their child; Kaṁsa, lord of the Bhojas, death itself; the foolish, the universal form; the yogīs, the Supreme Truth; and the Vṛṣṇis, their highest worshipable Deity.

Verse 18

हतं कुवलयापीडं द‍ृष्ट्वा तावपि दुर्जयौ । कंसो मनस्यपि तदा भृशमुद्विविजे नृप ॥ १८ ॥

O King, when Kaṁsa saw Kuvalayāpīḍa slain and realized that the two brothers were invincible, he was seized within his mind by intense fear and anxiety.

Verse 19

तौ रेजतू रङ्गगतौ महाभुजौविचित्रवेषाभरणस्रगम्बरौ । यथा नटावुत्तमवेषधारिणौमन: क्षिपन्तौ प्रभया निरीक्षताम् ॥ १९ ॥

Entering the arena, the two mighty-armed Lords shone brilliantly, adorned with variegated ornaments, garlands, and garments, like a pair of actors in the finest costume. Their effulgence stole the minds of all who gazed upon Them.

Verse 20

निरीक्ष्य तावुत्तमपूरुषौ जनामञ्चस्थिता नागरराष्ट्रका नृप । प्रहर्षवेगोत्कलितेक्षणानना:पपुर्न तृप्ता नयनैस्तदाननम् ॥ २० ॥

O King, as the citizens and the people from the outlying districts gazed from the galleries upon those two Supreme Persons, the surge of joy made their eyes open wide and their faces blossom. They drank the Lords’ faces with their eyes, yet were never satiated.

Verse 21

पिबन्त इव चक्षुर्भ्यां लिहन्त इव जिह्वया । जिघ्रन्त इव नासाभ्यां श्लिष्यन्त इव बाहुभि: ॥ २१ ॥ ऊचु: परस्परं ते वै यथाद‍ृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् । तद्रूपगुणमाधुर्यप्रागल्भ्यस्मारिता इव ॥ २२ ॥

The people seemed to drink Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with their eyes, lick Them with their tongues, smell Them with their nostrils, and embrace Them with their arms. Recalled to the Lords’ beauty, virtues, sweetness, and valor, they began describing these to one another according to what they had seen and heard.

Verse 22

पिबन्त इव चक्षुर्भ्यां लिहन्त इव जिह्वया । जिघ्रन्त इव नासाभ्यां श्लिष्यन्त इव बाहुभि: ॥ २१ ॥ ऊचु: परस्परं ते वै यथाद‍ृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् । तद्रूपगुणमाधुर्यप्रागल्भ्यस्मारिता इव ॥ २२ ॥

The people seemed to drink Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with their eyes, lick Them with their tongues, smell Them with their nostrils, and embrace Them with their arms. Recalled to the Lords’ beauty, virtues, sweetness, and valor, they began describing these to one another according to what they had seen and heard.

Verse 23

एतौ भगवत: साक्षाद्धरेर्नारायणस्य हि । अवतीर्णाविहांशेन वसुदेवस्य वेश्मनि ॥ २३ ॥

[The people said:] These two boys are surely expansions of the Supreme Lord Hari-Nārāyaṇa Himself, descended into this world within the home of Vasudeva.

Verse 24

एष वै किल देवक्यां जातो नीतश्च गोकुलम् । कालमेतं वसन् गूढो ववृधे नन्दवेश्मनि ॥ २४ ॥

This Śrī Kṛṣṇa was born of Devakī and brought to Gokula; hidden all this time, He has grown up in Nanda’s home.

Verse 25

पूतनानेन नीतान्तं चक्रवातश्च दानव: । अर्जुनौ गुह्यक: केशी धेनुकोऽन्ये च तद्विधा: ॥ २५ ॥

He sent Pūtanā and the whirlwind demon to their death, pulled down the twin Arjuna trees, and slew Śaṅkhacūḍa, Keśī, Dhenuka, and other such demons.

Verse 26

गाव: सपाला एतेन दावाग्ने: परिमोचिता: । कालियो दमित: सर्प इन्द्रश्च विमद: कृत: ॥ २६ ॥ सप्ताहमेकहस्तेन धृतोऽद्रिप्रवरोऽमुना । वर्षवाताशनिभ्यश्च परित्रातं च गोकुलम् ॥ २७ ॥

He saved the cows and cowherds from a forest fire, subdued the serpent Kāliya, and humbled Indra’s false pride. With one hand He held aloft the best of mountains for seven days, protecting Gokula from rain, wind, and hail.

Verse 27

गाव: सपाला एतेन दावाग्ने: परिमोचिता: । कालियो दमित: सर्प इन्द्रश्च विमद: कृत: ॥ २६ ॥ सप्ताहमेकहस्तेन धृतोऽद्रिप्रवरोऽमुना । वर्षवाताशनिभ्यश्च परित्रातं च गोकुलम् ॥ २७ ॥

He saved the cows and cowherds from a forest fire, subdued the serpent Kāliya, and humbled Indra’s false pride. With one hand He held aloft the best of mountains for seven days, protecting Gokula from rain, wind, and hail.

Verse 28

गोप्योऽस्य नित्यमुदितहसितप्रेक्षणं मुखम् । पश्यन्त्यो विविधांस्तापांस्तरन्ति स्माश्रमं मुदा ॥ २८ ॥

The gopīs, beholding His face—ever cheerful, with smiling glances—crossed beyond all distress and, in joy, forgot their weariness.

Verse 29

वदन्त्यनेन वंशोऽयं यदो: सुबहुविश्रुत: । श्रियं यशो महत्वं च लप्स्यते परिरक्षित: ॥ २९ ॥

Under His complete protection, the Yadu dynasty will become exceedingly renowned and will attain prosperity, glory, and greatness.

Verse 30

अयं चास्याग्रज: श्रीमान्‍राम: कमललोचन: । प्रलम्बो निहतो येन वत्सको ये बकादय: ॥ ३० ॥

His lotus-eyed elder brother, the glorious Lord Balarāma, is the master of all transcendental opulences; He has slain Pralamba, Vatsaka, Baka, and other demons.

Verse 31

जनेष्वेवं ब्रुवाणेषु तूर्येषु निनदत्सु च । कृष्णरामौ समाभाष्य चाणूरो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ३१ ॥

As the people spoke in this way and the instruments resounded, the wrestler Cāṇūra addressed Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with these words.

Verse 32

हे नन्दसूनो हे राम भवन्तौ वीरसम्मतौ । नियुद्धकुशलौ श्रुत्वा राज्ञाहूतौ दिद‍ृक्षुणा ॥ ३२ ॥

O son of Nanda, O Rāma, you are honored among the brave and are skilled in wrestling. Hearing of your prowess, the King has summoned you here, wishing to see it for himself.

Verse 33

प्रियं राज्ञ: प्रकुर्वत्य: श्रेयो विन्दन्ति वै प्रजा: । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा विपरीतमतोऽन्यथा ॥ ३३ ॥

Subjects who strive to please the King with mind, deed, and speech surely attain good fortune; otherwise they suffer the opposite result.

Verse 34

नित्यं प्रमुदिता गोपा वत्सपाला यथास्फुटम् । वनेषु मल्लयुद्धेन क्रीडन्तश्चारयन्ति गा: ॥ ३४ ॥

It is well known that the cowherd boys are ever joyful as they tend the calves, and that in the many forests, while grazing the cows, they playfully wrestle with one another.

Verse 35

तस्माद् राज्ञ: प्रियं यूयं वयं च करवाम हे । भूतानि न: प्रसीदन्ति सर्वभूतमयो नृप: ॥ ३५ ॥

Therefore let us do what the King desires. Then all beings will be pleased with us, for the King embodies all living creatures.

Verse 36

तन्निशम्याब्रवीत्कृष्णो देशकालोचितं वच: । नियुद्धमात्मनोऽभीष्टं मन्यमानोऽभिनन्द्य च ॥ ३६ ॥

Hearing this, Lord Kṛṣṇa—who delighted in wrestling and welcomed the challenge—replied with words appropriate to the time and place.

Verse 37

प्रजा भोजपतेरस्य वयं चापि वनेचरा: । करवाम प्रियं नित्यं तन्न: परमनुग्रह: ॥ ३७ ॥

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] Though We dwell in the forest, We too are subjects of this Bhoja king. We should always fulfill his desire, for that will bring Us the greatest favor.

Verse 38

बाला वयं तुल्यबलै: क्रीडिष्यामो यथोचितम् । भवेन्नियुद्धं माधर्म: स्पृशेन्मल्ल सभासद: ॥ ३८ ॥

We are but young boys and should play properly with those of equal strength. Let the wrestling proceed according to dharma, so that irreligion does not taint the honorable members of the assembly.

Verse 39

चाणूर उवाच न बालो न किशोरस्त्वं बलश्च बलिनां वर: । लीलयेभो हतो येन सहस्रद्विपसत्त्वभृत् ॥ ३९ ॥

Cāṇūra said: You are not truly a child or even a youth, and Balarāma is the strongest among the strong. For in Your divine līlā You playfully slew an elephant whose might equaled that of a thousand elephants.

Verse 40

तस्माद्भ‍वद्‌भ्यां बलिभिर्योद्धव्यं नानयोऽत्र वै । मयि विक्रम वार्ष्णेय बलेन सह मुष्टिक: ॥ ४० ॥

Therefore you two should fight powerful wrestlers; there is nothing unfair in this. O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, display Your prowess against me, and let Balarāma contend with Muṣṭika.