1-çré bädaräyaëir uväca
atha tarhy ägato goñöham
ariñöo våñabhäsuraù
mahém mahä-kakut-käyaù
kampayan khura-vikñatäm
Çukadeva Goswämé said: The demon Ariñöa then came to the cowherd
village. Appearing in the form of a bull with a large hump, he made the earth
tremble as he tore it apart with his hooves.
2-rambhamäëaù kharataraà
padä ca vilikhan mahém
udyamya pucchaà vapräëi
viñäëägreëa coddharan
kiïcit kiïcic chakån muïcan
mütrayan stabdha-locanaù
Ariñöäsura bellowed very harshly and pawed the ground. With his tail raised
and his eyes glaring, he began to tear up the embankments with the tips of his
horns, every now and then passing a little stool and urine.
3/4-yasya nirhräditenäìga
960
niñöhureëa gaväà nåëäm
patanty akälato garbhäù
sravanti sma bhayena vai
nirviçanti ghanä yasya
kakudy acala-çaìkayä
taà tékñëa-çåìgam udvékñya
gopyo gopäç ca tatrasuù
My dear King, clouds hovered about sharp-horned Ariñöäsura’s hump,
mistaking it for a mountain, and when the cowherd men and ladies caught sight
of the demon, they were struck with terror. Indeed, the strident reverberation
of his roar so frightened the pregnant cows and women that they lost their
fetuses in miscarriages.
5-paçavo dudruvur bhétä
räjan santyajya go-kulam
kåñëa kåñëeti te sarve
govindaà çaraëaà yayuù
The domestic animals fled the pasture in fear, O King, and all the
inhabitants rushed to Lord Govinda for shelter, crying, “Kåñëa, Kåñëa!”
6-bhagavän api tad vékñya
go-kulaà bhaya-vidrutam
mä bhaiñöeti giräçväsya
våñäsuram upähvayat
When the Supreme Lord saw the cowherd community distraught and fleeing
in fear, He calmed them, saying, “Don’t be afraid.” Then He called out to the
bull demon as follows.
7-gopälaiù paçubhir manda
träsitaiù kim asattama
mayi çästari duñöänäà
tvad-vidhänäà durätmanäm
You fool! What do you think you’re doing, you wicked rascal, frightening
the cowherd community and their animals when I am here just to punish
corrupt miscreants like you!
8-ity äsphotyäcyuto ‘riñöaà
tala-çabdena kopayan
sakhyur aàse bhujäbhogaà
prasäryävasthito hariù
Having spoken these words, the infallible Lord Hari slapped His arms with
His palms, further angering Ariñöa with the loud sound. The Lord then casually
threw His mighty, serpentine arm over the shoulder of a friend and stood facing
the demon.
9-so ‘py evaà kopito ‘riñöaù
khureëävanim ullikhan
udyat-puccha-bhraman-meghaù
kruddhaù kåñëam upädravat
Thus provoked, Ariñöa pawed the ground with one of his hooves and then,
with the clouds hovering around his upraised tail, furiously charged Kåñëa.
10-agra-nyasta-viñäëägraù
stabdhäsåg-locano ‘cyutam
kaöäkñipyädravat türëam
indra-mukto ‘çanir yathä
Pointing the tips of his horns straight ahead and glaring menacingly at Lord
Kåñëa from the corners of his bloodshot eyes, Ariñöa rushed toward Him at full
speed, like a thunderbolt hurled by Indra.
11-gåhétvä çåìgayos taà vä
añöädaça padäni saù
pratyapoväha bhagavän
gajaù prati-gajaà yathä
The Supreme Lord Kåñëa seized Ariñöäsura by the horns and threw him back
eighteen steps, just as an elephant might do when fighting a rival elephant.
12-so ‘paviddho bhagavatä
punar utthäya satvaram
äpatat svinna-sarväìgo
niùçvasan krodha-mürcchitaù
Thus repulsed by the Supreme Lord, the bull demon got up and, breathing
hard and sweating all over his body, again charged Him in a mindless rage.
13-tam äpatantaà sa nigåhya çåìgayoù
padä samäkramya nipätya bhü-tale
niñpéòayäm äsa yathärdram ambaraà
kåtvä viñäëena jaghäna so ‘patat
As Ariñöa attacked, Lord Kåñëa seized him by the horns and knocked him to
the ground with His foot. The Lord then thrashed him as if he were a wet
cloth, and finally He yanked out one of the demon’s horns and struck him with
it until he lay prostrate.
14-asåg vaman mütra-çakåt samutsåjan
kñipaàç ca pädän anavasthitekñaëaù
jagäma kåcchraà niråter atha kñayaà
puñpaiù kiranto harim éòire suräù
Vomiting blood and profusely excreting stool and urine, kicking his legs and
rolling his eyes about, Ariñöäsura thus went painfully to the abode of Death.
The demigods honored Lord Kåñëa by scattering flowers upon Him.
15-evaà kukudminaà hatvä
stüyamänaù dvijätibhiù
viveça goñöhaà sa-balo
gopénäà nayanotsavaù
Having thus killed the bull demon Ariñöa, He who is a festival for the gopés’
eyes entered the cowherd village with Balaräma.
16-ariñöe nihate daitye
kåñëenädbhuta-karmaëä
kaàsäyäthäha bhagavän
närado deva-darçanaù
After Ariñöäsura had been killed by Kåñëa, who acts wonderfully, Närada
Muni went to speak to King Kaàsa. That powerful sage of godly vision
addressed the King as follows.
17-yaçodäyäù sutäà kanyäà
devakyäù kåñëam eva ca
rämaà ca rohiëé-putraà
vasudevena bibhyatä
nyastau sva-mitre nande vai
yäbhyäà te puruñä hatäù
[Närada told Kaàsa:] Yaçodä’s child was actually a daughter, and Kåñëa is
the son of Devaké. Also, Räma is the son of Rohiëé. Out of fear, Vasudeva
entrusted Kåñëa and Balaräma to his friend Nanda Mahäräja, and it is these two
boys who have killed your men.
18-niçamya tad bhoja-patiù
kopät pracalitendriyaù
niçätam asim ädatta
vasudeva-jighäàsayä
Upon hearing this, the master of the Bhojas became furious and lost control
of his senses. He picked up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
19-nivärito näradena
tat-sutau måtyum ätmanaù
jïätvä loha-mayaiù päçair
babandha saha bhäryayä
But Närada restrained Kaàsa by reminding him that it was the two sons of
Vasudeva who would cause his death. Kaàsa then had Vasudeva and his wife
shackled in iron chains.
20-pratiyäte tu devarñau
kaàsa äbhäñya keçinam
preñayäm äsa hanyetäà
bhavatä räma-keçavau
After Närada left, King Kaàsa summoned Keçé and ordered him, “Go kill
Räma and Kåñëa.”
21-tato muñöika-cäëüra
çala-toçalakädikän
amätyän hastipäàç caiva
samähüyäha bhoja-räö
The King of the Bhojas next called for his ministers, headed by Muñöika,
Cäëüra, Çala and Toçala, and also for his elephant-keepers. The King addressed
them as follows
22/23-bho bho niçamyatäm etad
véra-cäëüra-muñöikau
nanda-vraje kiläsäte
sutäv änakadundubheù
räma-kåñëau tato mahyaà
måtyuù kila nidarçitaù
bhavadbhyäm iha sampräptau
hanyetäà malla-lélayä
My dear heroic Cäëüra and Muñöika, please hear this. Räma and Kåñëa, the
sons of Änakadundubhi [Vasudeva], are living in Nanda’s cowherd village. It
has been predicted that these two boys will be the cause of my death. When
They are brought here, kill Them on the pretext of engaging Them in a
wrestling match.
24-maïcäù kriyantäà vividhä
malla-raìga-pariçritäù
paurä jänapadäù sarve
paçyantu svaira-saàyugam
Erect a wrestling ring with many surrounding viewing stands, and bring all
the residents of the city and the outlying districts to see the open competition.
25-mahämätra tvayä bhadra
raìga-dväry upanéyatäm
dvipaù kuvalayäpéòo
jahi tena mamähitau
You, elephant-keeper, my good man, should position the elephant
Kuvalayäpéòa at the entrance to the wrestling arena and have him kill my two
enemies.
26-ärabhyatäà dhanur-yägaç
caturdaçyäà yathä-vidhi
viçasantu paçün medhyän
bhüta-räjäya méòhuñe
Commence the bow sacrifice on the Caturdaçé day in accordance with the
relevant Vedic injunctions. In ritual slaughter offer the appropriate kinds of
animals to the magnanimous Lord Çiva.
27-ity äjïäpyärtha-tantra-jïa
ähüya yadu-puìgavam
gåhétvä päëinä päëià
tato ‘krüram uväca ha
Having thus commanded his ministers, Kaàsa next called for Akrüra, the
most eminent of the Yadus. Kaàsa knew the art of securing personal advantage,
and thus he took Akrüra’s hand in his own and spoke to him as follows
28-bho bho däna-pate mahyaà
kriyatäà maitram ädåtaù
nänyas tvatto hitatamo
vidyate bhoja-våñëiñu
My dear Akrüra, most charitable one, please do me a friendly favor out of
respect. Among the Bhojas and Våñëis, there is no one else as kind to us as you.
29-atas tväm äçritaù saumya
kärya-gaurava-sädhanam
yathendro viñëum äçritya
svärtham adhyagamad vibhuù
Gentle Akrüra, you always carry out your duties soberly, and therefore I am
depending on you, just as powerful Indra took shelter of Lord Viñëu to achieve
his goals.
30-gaccha nanda-vrajaà tatra
sutäv änakadundubheù
äsäte täv ihänena
rathenänaya mä ciram
Please go to Nanda’s village, where the two sons of Änakadundubhi are
living, and without delay bring Them here on this chariot.
31-nisåñöaù kila me måtyur
devair vaikuëöha-saàçrayaiù
täv änaya samaà gopair
nandädyaiù säbhyupäyanaiù
The demigods, who are under the protection of Viñëu, have sent these two
boys as my death. Bring Them here, and also have Nanda and the other
cowherd men come with gifts of tribute
32-ghätayiñya ihänétau
käla-kalpena hastinä
yadi muktau tato mallair
ghätaye vaidyutopamaiù
After you bring Kåñëa and Balaräma, I will have Them killed by my
elephant, who is as powerful as death itself. And if by chance They escape from
him, I will have Them killed by my wrestlers, who are as strong as lightning.
33-tayor nihatayos taptän
vasudeva-purogamän
tad-bandhün nihaniñyämi
våñëi-bhoja-daçärhakän
When these two have been killed, I will kill Vasudeva and all Their
lamenting relatives—the Våñëis, Bhojas and Daçärhas.
34-ugrasenaà ca pitaraà
sthaviraà räjya-kämukaà
tad-bhrätaraà devakaà ca
ye cänye vidviño mama
I will also kill my old father, Ugrasena, who is greedy for my kingdom, and I
will kill his brother Devaka and all my other enemies as well.
35-tataç caiñä mahé mitra
bhavitré nañöa-kaëöakä
Then, my friend, this earth will be free of thorns.
36-jaräsandho mama gurur
dvivido dayitaù sakhä
çambaro narako bäëo
mayy eva kåta-sauhådäù
tair ahaà sura-pakñéyän
hatvä bhokñye mahéà nåpän
My elder relative Jaräsandha and my dear friend Dvivida are solid
well-wishers of mine, as are Çambara, Naraka and Bäëa. I will use them all to
kill off those kings who are allied with the demigods, and then I will rule the
earth.
37-etaj jïätvänaya kñipraà
räma-kåñëäv ihärbhakau
dhanur-makha-nirékñärthaà
drañöuà yadu-pura-çriyam
Now that you understand my intentions, please go at once and bring Kåñëa
and Balaräma to watch the bow sacrifice and see the opulence of the Yadus’
capital.
38-çré-akrüra uväca
räjan manéñitaà sadhryak
tava svävadya-märjanam
siddhy-asiddhyoù samaà kuryäd
daivaà hi phala-sädhanam
Çré Akrüra said: O King, you have expertly devised a process to free yourself
of misfortune. Still, one should be equal in success and failure, since it is
certainly destiny that produces the results of one’s work.
39-manorathän karoty uccair
jano daiva-hatän api
yujyate harña-çokäbhyäà
tathäpy äjïäà karomi te
An ordinary person is determined lo act on his desires even when fate
prevents their fulfillment. Therefore he encounters both happiness and distress.
Yet even though such is the case, I will execute your order.
40-çré-çuka uväca
evam ädiçya cäkrüraà
mantriëaç ca viñåjya saù
praviveça gåhaà kaàsas
tathäkrüraù svam älayam
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Having thus instructed Akrüra, King Kaàsa
dismissed his ministers and retired to his quarters, and Akrüra returned home.
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