Shloka 10
Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena
ततोऽभिमुखमभ्येत्य पाणिनाहत्य वारणम् । प्राद्रवन् पातयामास स्पृश्यमान: पदे पदे ॥ १० ॥
tato ’bhimakham abhyetya pāṇināhatya vāraṇam prādravan pātayām āsa spṛśyamānaḥ pade pade
Kemudian Kṛṣṇa maju berhadapan, menampar gajah itu dengan tangan lalu berlari. Kuvalayāpīḍa mengejar seolah-olah menyentuh-Nya pada setiap langkah, namun Kṛṣṇa mengatasi dengan cekap hingga gajah itu tersandung dan rebah.
FAQs
In this verse, Śukadeva describes Kṛṣṇa confronting the elephant directly and striking it with His hand, causing it to stumble and fall repeatedly—showing Kṛṣṇa’s effortless supremacy before the Kaṁsa-līlā climax.
Kuvalayāpīḍa was placed as an obstacle by Kaṁsa; Kṛṣṇa’s direct approach displays His fearlessness and His intent to remove every barrier before confronting Kaṁsa.
Face obstacles without hesitation and with steadiness; when one takes shelter of the Lord (or acts in dharma with courage), even overwhelming challenges lose their power step by step.