Shloka 11
Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena
स धावन् क्रीडया भूमौ पतित्वा सहसोत्थित: । तं मत्वा पतितं क्रुद्धो दन्ताभ्यां सोऽहनत्क्षितिम् ॥ ११ ॥
sa dhāvan kṛīdayā bhūmau patitvā sahasotthitaḥ tam matvā patitaṁ kruddho dantābhyāṁ so ’hanat kṣitim
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.
FAQs
This verse depicts Krishna’s swift, playful mastery in combat—he falls and immediately rises, while Muṣṭika, misjudging the moment, lashes out in anger and frustration.
Because he mistook Krishna as having fallen; in rage and momentum he ended up biting/striking the ground, highlighting his bewilderment before Krishna’s superior prowess.
Stay steady under pressure: like Krishna rising instantly, one should recover quickly from setbacks and avoid acting from anger or misjudgment, which leads to self-defeating results.