Shloka 22
The Killing of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, and Kaṁsa; Liberation and Restoration of Dharma in Mathurā
नाचलत्तत्प्रहारेण मालाहत इव द्विप: । बाह्वोर्निगृह्य चाणूरं बहुशो भ्रामयन् हरि: ॥ २२ ॥ भूपृष्ठे पोथयामास तरसा क्षीणजीवितम् । विस्रस्ताकल्पकेशस्रगिन्द्रध्वज इवापतत् ॥ २३ ॥
nācalat tat-prahāreṇa mālāhata iva dvipaḥ bāhvor nigṛhya cāṇūraṁ bahuśo bhrāmayan hariḥ
Nem os golpes poderosos do demônio abalaram Śrī Kṛṣṇa, como um elefante atingido por uma simples guirlanda de flores. Então Hari agarrou Cāṇūra pelos braços, girou-o várias vezes e o arremessou ao chão com grande força. Suas roupas, cabelos e guirlanda se espalharam, e o lutador caiu morto, como um enorme mastro de Indradhvaja que desaba numa festa.
Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains the words indra-dhvaja as follows: “In Bengal, on the occasion of a certain festival, people erect a tall column in the form of a man and decorate it with flags, banners, etc. He [Cāṇūra] fell just as such a pole might fall.”
FAQs
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa remains unmoved by Cāṇūra’s blows, then grips him by the arms and repeatedly whirls him, demonstrating effortless divine mastery.
The image shows the futility of Cāṇūra’s attacks—Kṛṣṇa is unaffected, just as an elephant would not be shaken by something as soft as a garland.
A devotee can learn steadiness: when rooted in dharma and remembrance of God, one need not be tossed by external pressures or aggression.