Gopala Champu

Chapter Thirteen - Defeating Kāliya, the Forest Fire

[1] As on previous days, when the assembly met early in the morning, Madhukaṇṭha was eager to speak, but he began to reflect internally.

[2] “Śukadeva has described the killing of Dhenuka directly after the description of Kṛṣṇa starting to herd the cows, because it also deals with the same subject of herding the cows. This is actually said to have taken place at the end of Kṛṣṇa’s paugaṇḍa age since on that day a portion of kaiśora was manifesting when he entered his house.[1] Therefore this event took place after subduing Kāliya, though Śukadeva describes it before Kāliya’s killing. This is made clear in Hari-vaṁśa (2.13.1). After describing the subduing of Kāliya in that text, the killing of Dhenuka is described. Even by logic this sequence becomes evident. Padma Purāṇa clearly describes that Kṛṣṇa began herding cows on the eighth waxing lunar day of Kārtika month (October). Tāla fruits become ripe in Bhādra month (September). Therefore Dhenuka was killed during Bhādra month (when he was guarding the tāla fruit.) Therefore I should describe Kāliya’s defeat before describing the killing of Dhenuka.

[3] He began speaking aloud, “Those who are famous as poets are not really poets. They describe matters of happiness as if they were events of great distress.” ||1||

Remaining silent, he then spoke again:

“He is the best among poets who, conquering all unfavorable topics before him whether involving happiness or bravery, attains excellence in an unprecedented way, and who, singing of this continually in his heart, is not fully satisfied.” ||2||

[4] “Though the describing the defeat of Kāliya is intolerable, all the events will bring happiness to people in the future. With that in mind, I will now describe it. Please listen.” Requesting in this way he began speaking while trembling.

[5] Since the cows were wandering everywhere, Balarāma gave permission to Kṛṣṇa to go to the lake of Kāliya, but not to go into its waters, since it was also according to instructions given by Yaśodā. His constant desire to see this place had not decreased for a long time, because of his great curiosity and his great, unimpaired strength, which showed intolerance of the influence of demons.

[7] One day the birth constellation (Śravaṇa) of Balarāma arrived like a guest coming to the assembly of Vraja. Balarāma was kept in the house in order that he takes an auspicious, joyful bath.

[8] Kṛṣṇa, thinking of nourishing the pregnant cows, went out with his friends but without Balarāma, and came to a small forest.When lunch time arrived he took the opportunity to cheat others. Quickly, like an ocean of black nectar, he went towards Kāliya’s lake in the black Yamunā, filled with poison which would kill others.

[9] The chief cowherd boys went in front of the cows. Seeing an area of grass which the cows had never eaten, out of curiosity the boys delayed themselves for a short time. The cows, out of great thirst in the summer heat, began drinking the water mixed with the snake’s poison. As soon as they drank the water, they fell unconscious. The boys in front, seeing this, began to lament. Desiring to give up their bodies, they also drank the water and fell unconscious.

[10] This was the working of Yogamāyā alone, which makes the impossible destruction of demons possible.

[11] Immediately Kṛṣṇa came and, seeing everyone unconscious, changed his complexion and began lamenting:

“The cows, like the inhabitants of Vraja, are equivalent to devatās. The boys are equivalent to my life. They have all fallen into danger. What should I do? I am their only helper. What will I say to their mothers and fathers and all people? What misfortune my impulsive nature gives.” ||3||

[12] With his heart melting, Kṛṣṇa glanced at all the boys and cows. His lips became moist and his eyes filled with tears of great regret. The streams of tears, falling on earth like drops of nectar, revived the boys. But those who were not immediately in front of him did not regain consciousness immediately, since he wanted to see each person personally.

[13] When they were revived, they did not immediately think and move about. They realized that Kṛṣṇa, moving here and there, had protected them from fainting from the poison of Agha and again they understood that he was their source of consciousness.

[14] Seeing them with disheveled clothing and sitting upright, he gathered them together and embraced each one.

[15] It is said that he has a natural quality which surpass logic. Thinking of that quality, he immediately manifests many forms at once.

[16] Meeting the boys:

Their eyes filled with tears. Their bodies became motionless and they lost consciousness. Their attempts at communicating became repeatedly useless. What is happiness? What is suffering? They remained without moving. They could not give each other up from a long time even for a moment. ||4||

[17] Meeting the cows:

Mooing, the cows assembled and licked Kṛṣṇa for a long time. They were eager to be with him and their necks became splendid when he embraced them with his two arms. The boys then gave up embracing the cows’ necks and remained standing there with eyes unsatisfied on drinking the brilliant nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s face. ||5||

[18] In that condition, there arose in Kṛṣṇa intense emotion. Previously Kṛṣṇa, endowed with beauty, had been eager to kill the snake living in the water, who gave sorrow to the moving and non-moving beings on the shores of the river, but he remained silent out of shyness in front of the snake’s wives. But now, unable to tolerate the approach of death to the cowherds and cows, he became most angry.

[19] Hiding his feelings, he spoke, “O friends! Look! The uncontrollable snake called Kāliya lives in this lake by stopping the motion of the water. By hissing, the snake makes the whole place poisonous. All places are afflicted by this burning poison. Afflicted by the poison, birds in the sky fall down. See this with your eyes. Out of fear of the snake who devours their life airs, the birds fall and cannot be revived. Though this kadamba tree that you see is also afflicted by the poison, because Garuḍa has sprinkled nectar on it, that tree alone remains splendid with beautiful leaves and buds. Even now, in a hole high up in the tree the nectar remains. I will climb the tree and see. Go a little distance away and care for the cows.”

[20] Speaking in this way, lotus-faced Kṛṣṇa climbed the kadamba tree, and, tightening his belt, like a shining cloud of nectar, jumped into the abode of Kāliya to have some fun in the water, which appeared like another cloud by proximity to his body.

[21] He swam around in the water of the serpent lake measuring four hundred hastas. For Kṛṣṇa, who was the result of Nanda’s pious acts, for Kṛṣṇa who had unlimited power, such an action was not remarkable, for Kṛṣṇa had reached the paugaṇḍa age. His body was not very strong but near the snake, his body shone like ten-thousand suns. His arms mocked the serpent by thrashing the water with sound, showing his prowess which could restrain the elephant of the devatās. The family members of Kāliya could not tolerate his skill. Kāliya in his playground then approached Kṛṣṇa, who was smiling because of the joy of playing; who was like an attractive, dark cloud, with his garland as a rainbow, his arms and legs as Indra’s invisible rainbow, and his yellow cloth as lightning.

[23] Thinking he could crush Kṛṣṇa with his coils which were like the noose of Varuṇa and with his poisonous, ravenous fangs, Kāliya was pride incarnate. To crush his pride, Yogamāyā produced a shield to cover Kṛṣṇa’s body. Kṛṣṇa jumped upon him and remained there. The snake’s powerful hoods became powerless as a spider’s web and his poisonous fangs became like piles of cotton.

[24] But when Kṛṣṇa, wearing a garland of kadamba flowers, jumped from the kadamba tree, his friends with agitated hearts cried out in sorrow and stumbled as they ran towards that place.

[25] The cows along with their calves also came running there.

[26] When his friends began to enter the water, the cows followed. Seeing the cows following them, the cowherd boys became disturbed and felt completely helpless. With burned up bodies, resembling sunken areas on the bank of the Yamunā, they maintained their lives only with the hope that Kṛṣṇa would emerge from the water just as he emerged from the stomach of Bakāsura.

The friends thought, “Is this the waking state? Is this a dream? Is this deep sleep? Have we fainted? Is this death? Or is this life?” They could not distinguish. The cows filled up the hearts of the boys with their rivers of tears, as if filling the lake with poison. ||6||

[27] When the boys had attained such a state externally and were internally not functioning, the devatās produced natural calamities, on considering that no one would inform the people of Vraja of such an unfortunate event.

[28] The people of Vraja said:

“Why is there such a disturbance in the heavens, sky and on earth at this time? All these disturbances have arisen because of Kṛṣṇa, the lord of our lives.” ||7||

[29] All the citizens along with the leaders who had come to the assembly of Nanda to find a suitable place for eating on the occasion of Balarāma’s constellation celebration became extremely agitated. Yaśodā and the other women gave up shyness and came to that place. From a distance she spoke:

“Because Kṛṣṇa went to that poisonous place without Balarāma, there are many inauspicious omens. The time for returning has come, but Kṛṣṇa has not arrived. How can the leader of the cowherds remain here contentedly?” ||8||

Criticizing their bodies, houses and all objects devoid of Kṛṣṇa, they gave up the excellent food. They became devoid of life, while going to the evil lake of Kāliya. ||9||

[30] Understanding Kṛṣṇa’s powers, Balarāma remained happy. Though others were worried about the cause of the omens, Balarāma did not seek their cause. He desired to speak. Otherwise, he would have been considered ignorant. Yogamāyā produced suitable thoughts for him.

[31] He considered in his mind: “Repeatedly thinking systematically, we can know that Kṛṣṇa, who is like a forest fire for the evil persons who are like bamboo, cannot be killed by them. Since the inhabitants are maintained by great affection for him, on seeing evil omens which are like thunderbolts, they worry for his life, and they make great attempts to go to him who is the cause of their life. Since they are like uncontrollable elephants who cannot tolerate the fire generated from forest wood and seek coolness, and whose foreheads ooze liquid because of rut, they will not listen if I oppose them. I am also afflicted in seeing that they are worried because of separation from Kṛṣṇa and are now suffering. That suffering cannot be erased. If I acknowledge that suffering, it will become less. Just as a blazing fire makes a small light insignificant, by recognizing their suffering, my suffering will become reduced. The best plan is to joke while thinking of the greatest auspiciousness. One must consider that they are thinking only of Kṛṣṇa’s welfare. I should not think of preventing them. Let them consider that I and Kṛṣṇa have been one life till this time.”

[32] Considering all this, he then suddenly laughed. Getting some comfort, the inhabitants began to move again.

Thinking that the path was long, their eyes widened. They saw Kṛṣṇa’s footprints on the path. When the path became wet with their tears, they held the hand of Balarāma. Taking his assistance, they continued moving. ||10||

Though they tried to move quickly, they unfortunately moved slowly. Only with great difficulty they proceeded to the lake. I cannot fathom their internal state at that time. ||11||

Seeing Kṛṣṇa dancing on Kāliya’s hoods, Nanda, the cowherds and women became completely disturbed in heart. Their limbs dried up and became discolored. One would think that their internal fires were leaving their bodies. ||12||

They experienced pain on seeing that humans had lost all intelligence and were behaving like animals and animals were weeping like humans. ||13||

As ice dries up ghee, the hearts of the people full of affection dried up because of fright. But as the sun melts ghee, they melted because of the heat generated by what they saw. ||14||

Full of affection, they started to enter the poisonous lake like a wave, but Balarāma, though a child, assumed great strength and quickly stopped them like a dam. ||15||

[33] He said, “O father, king of Vraja! O queen of Vraja! Do I not have affection for Kṛṣṇa? O mother Rohiṇī! I know the truth about Kṛṣṇa. Touching the effulgence of your lotus feet, I swear that not a hair on his head will be harmed. This is according to Garga’s words.” ||16||

[34] In this way Balarāma held them raising his excellent arms.

Withdrawing from the poisonous lake, they perceived that their lives were even more seriously in danger, since they felt themselves in the midst of the poison on seeing Kṛṣṇa there. ||17||

When Kṛṣṇa was in Kāliya’s lake the people of Gokula began weeping. Heaven wept (rudatī) like an echo in reply, thus showing the derivation of the word rodas (sky). ||18|| [

The cowherd women, grasping each others’ necks, wept loudly. But this weeping made the mothers remember how Kṛṣṇa was saved from Pūtanā and this gave them comfort. ||19||

Pained by their situation and seeing their attempt to enter the lake, Kṛṣṇa angrily extended his limbs and began cutting the limbs of the snake. Quickly the snake became limp and Kṛṣṇa climbed upon him. ||20||

[35] When Kṛṣṇa climbed on the snake, though Kāliya resisted, all became overjoyed.

The devatās showered flowers while shouting, “Victory! Victory!” and playing instrumental music. The inhabitants of Vraja, its children, youths and elders made soft sounds in joy, which surpassed the sounds of the devatās. ||21||

[36] The evil snake’s heart was agitated by the effulgence of Kṛṣṇa. Longing to curb Kṛṣṇa’s pride, he stood at a distance, eager to accomplish his desire. His anger grew, revealing his naturally cruel nature. With great pride he prepared to attack Kṛṣṇa. Hissing and glancing harshly, he produced virulent poison. His body became as huge as a mountain. Bewildered, the snake flicked its forked tongue at the edge of its lips as if calling out, “I am a snake with two tongues, I am flicking my tongue.” Desiring to be punished, he displayed himself everywhere.

[37] Like an expert snake charmer, Kṛṣṇa began moving about with pride in order to seal the snake’s mouth. The snake came close to him with his heads. Sometimes like a snake, it would move far or would come close. With its tongue moving crookedly, it moved about everywhere and became tired.

[38] Though Kṛṣṇa was eager to show his expertise at fighting this long snake, on seeing an opportunity, he caught the main neck of the snake with force and brought it under control.

[39] Having brought all the limbs of the snake under control, Kṛṣṇa had the strong desire to dance on the dance floor of the snake’s broad foreheads encrusted with jewels. Thus, with beautiful effulgence and eyes, to the accompaniment of music and song, he began dancing on the snake without the assistance of others—whose eyes were filled with tears. ||22||

The flood of beauty from Vraja, mixed with joy and astonishment, reached the heavens. And the sounds from Svarga reached Vraja on earth. One could not detect which was the original sound and which was the echo. ||23||

He then began to dance very quickly to the accompaniment of Śiva’s drum, which gives the opportunity for pride, in order to punish Kāliya. Jumping higher and higher, he crushed the serpent’s heads. With anger and great pleasure, he danced excellently on Kāliya’s head. ||24||

Brahmā and Śiva sprinkled flowers and shouted, “Victory! Victory!” while their hairs stood on end. In joy they perspired. All the devatās began singing joyfully to accompany Kṛṣṇa’s dancing. ||25||

Nanda and all the other living beings saw Kṛṣṇa enter the mouth of Kāliya and then come out, offering āratrika with his life, and saw him dance with his toe nails upon the heads of the snake. The joy in their eyes and body spread throughout the universe. ||26||

It was astonishing that Kṛṣṇa danced on Kāliya’s heads and in the sky. Whenever Kāliya raised one of his heads in anger, Kṛṣṇa beat it down with his foot to the rhythm of the music. ||27||

Kāliya began to vomit blood and ooze poison from his eyes. His head, with jewels askew, was injured by the imprints of Kṛṣṇa’s feet. When his body became limp, he could no longer serve as the dance floor for Kṛṣṇa’s feet. Kāliya’s wives saw him in this condition. ||28||

[40] First the snake was broken and then torn apart. He no longer had a proper form and could not move at all. He then surrendered to Nārāyaṇa in order to stop the intense pain caused by Kṛṣṇa.

[41] Kāliya’s wives never had great affection for Kāliya since they knew he was opposed to the Lord. But seeing him with a sprout of devotion, they approached Kṛṣṇa because of that. ||29||

Placing their young daughters, sons and eggs in front of Kṛṣṇa, they offered him respects. ||30||

[42] Greatly desiring to appease his devotees, Kṛṣṇa smiled. Repeatedly rolling on the ground, the wives pleaded with him in pitiful voices. The meaning of their words is summarized here.

This proud snake has no intelligence. We follow you, omniscient and full of mercy. If you have affection for us, then do as you wish. ||31||

Those whose evil nature cannot be removed by your association deserve to be punished. See. This poisonous lake in front of us has immediately lost its poison due to contact with you. ||32||

You show only mercy. What appears to be punishment inflicted by you is only our foolish misconception. If the serpent deserves punishment and you are determined to give punishment by any means, then why have you offered your lotus feet for giving him punishment? ||33||

The snake must have performed many pious acts, and as result, has received the touch of your lotus feet. We understand that you have touched him with your lotus feet in order to purify his body of sinful acts. ||34||

Kṛṣṇa, who showed great mercy by placing his feet on Kāliya’s heads which deserved to be crushed and by marking them with his foot prints, is our shelter. ||35||

[43] When the king of snakes became humble, Kṛṣṇa accepted him with compassion, gave up his anger, and gave fame to Yaśodā. When Kṛṣṇa alighted from the hoods of Kāliya, who had beaten by his feet, the snake, without displaying excessive prowess, remained with bowed head. Kṛṣṇa for some moments glanced at him with compassion and then purified Kāliya’s heart like the water in the Yamunā abounding with lotuses.

[44] When the snake had all his faults removed, he gave up his anger and begged with folded hands.

[45] I am sinful, but that is my nature.

Whatever good or bad qualities I have, my success depends on you alone. What other accomplishment do I have than having your feet placed on my head? ||36||

[46] Therefore please tell me where I can go.

[47] Kṛṣṇa gave him the following order.

O king of the snakes! Fortunately you have given up your bad qualities. Your birth as a snake is not beneficial for the world.

nātra stheyaṁ tvayā sarpa samudraṁ yāhi mā ciram |

tvaṁ jṣāty-apatya-dārāḍhyo go-nṛbhir bhujyate nadī ||

O serpent, you may not remain here any longer. Go back to the ocean immediately, accompanied by your retinue of children, wives, other relatives and friends. Let this river be enjoyed by the cows and humans. SB 10.16.60

dvīpaṁ ramaṇakaṁ hitvā hradam etam upāśritaḥ |

yad-bhayāt sa suparṇas tvāṁ nādyān mat-pāda-lāṣchitam ||

Out of fear of Garuḍa, you left Ramaṇaka Island and came to take shelter of this lake. But because you are now marked with my footprints, Garuḍa will no longer try to eat you. SB 10.16 .64

“According to authorities, an r at the end of sentence becomes visarga (ḥ).” It is my opinion that a fool (repha) should leave the village because of contact with my foot. This is your punishment. ||37||

Because your head is marked with my foot print, you will be known to have all good qualities in the future in Ramaṇaka. ||38||

[48] Having fallen down like a rod, the king of the snakes offered his head to the lotus hand of the lord, which was like nectar, and became free of all faults when his body was saturated with nectar.

[49] Śukadeva has described Kāliya’s later actions as follows:

taṁ pūjayāmāsa mudā nāgaḥ patnyaś ca sādaram |

divyāmbara-sraṅ-maṇibhiḥ parārdhyair api bhūṣaṇaiḥ |

divya-gandhānulepaiś ca mahatyotpala-mālayā ||

pūjayitvā jagannāthaṁ prasādya garuḍa-dhvajam |

tataḥ prīto ’bhyanujṣātaḥ parikramyābhivandya tam ||

sakalatra-suhṛt-putro dvīpam abdher jagāma ha |

tadaiva sāmṛta-jalā yamunā nirviṣābhavat ||

Kāliya joined his wives in worshiping Him with great joy and reverence. Kāliya worshiped the Lord of the universe by offering him fine garments, along with necklaces, jewels and other valuable ornaments, wonderful scents and ointments, and a large garland of lotus flowers. Having thus pleased the Lord, whose flag is marked with the emblem of Garuḍa, Kāliya felt satisfied. Receiving the Lord’s permission to leave, Kāliya circumambulated him and offered him obeisances. Then, taking his wives, friends and children, he went to his island in the sea. The very moment Kāliya left, the Yamunā was immediately restored to her original condition, free from poison. SB 10.16.65-68

kṛṣṇaṁ hradād viniṣkrāntaṁ divya-srag-gandha-vāsasam |

mahā-maṇi-gaṇākīrṇaṁ jāmbūnada-pariṣkṛtam |

upalabhyotthitāḥ sarve labdha-prāṇā ivāsavaḥ ||

Kṛṣṇa rose up out of the lake wearing divine garlands, fragrances and garments, covered with many fine jewels, and decorated with gold. When the cowherds saw him they all stood up immediately, just like an unconscious person’s senses coming back to life. SB 10.17.13-14

What is great and priceless is called divya. But in this case what shines on Kṛṣṇa’s limbs is called divya. ||39||

The eternal items were present in the lake in the Yamunā. As the full moon rests among the constellations over the Eastern Mountain, the Kaustubha jewel among all eternal things shines eternally on the body of Kṛṣṇa ||40||

The astonishing nature of the Lord called “he who has Garuḍa on his flag” is not found in Dvārakā. ||41||

By logical one can conclude that Garuḍa, having great powers like a devatā, travels in the sky. If Garuḍa travelled in any other way, it would give trouble to other entities. How could that be approved by Kṛṣṇa? ||42||

When the Yamunā was touched by his feet, it became like nectar.

Kṛṣṇa’s ornaments and clothing did not become contaminated by the gifts offered by Kāliya. The snakes suddenly saw Kṛṣṇa. Therefore it is suitable to say that “Kṛṣṇa rose up out of the lake wearing divine garlands, fragrances and garments, covered with many fine jewels.” ||44||

[50] The emotions on seeing Kṛṣṇa are described.

The people made great noise, came quickly, developed slack limbs, quivered, spoke in broken words, and wept. But they could not be completely satisfied with seeing him. In their happiness on attaining Kṛṣṇa there was also grief. ||45||

The inhabitants experienced complete bliss on hearing that Kṛṣṇa was coming. But by this, their bodies and minds were not able to function at all. ||46||

On seeing the symptoms of his friends such as being stunned in all joints, hairs standing on end resembling boils, eyes flowing with tears, choked up voice, shivering such that the teeth made chattering sounds and were about to fall out, and perspiration which cleaved the body, Kṛṣṇa became aggrieved. ||47||

[51] First, the black, wide eyes of his friends filled with tears on seeing him rise from the water. Then their bodies began quivering as if they were dancing. When he embraced them, waves of joy appeared, such that they could not identify themselves to him.

[52] Kṛṣṇa respected them all, and made his mother, father and friends happy. Because of this, they became stunned and experienced the greatest bliss.

[53] If the sages were not telling the truth, who would believe them? The cows and other animals excited by Kṛṣṇa’s arrival, acted just like the inhabitants of Vraja. The trees also had dried up previously from grief. Now in great joy their leaves and flowers began to blossom.

When all the friends met with Kṛṣṇa, conqueror of demons, certainly unprecedentedly love spread everywhere. When Yaśodā, overflowing with prema, arrived, what can be said? All people simply melted. ||48||

[54] Thinking of his strength, Balarāma was happy, but he had dried up internally because of the suffering of the people of Vraja. Though that had happened, concealing his grief by his inscrutable nature, he smiled. Kṛṣṇa smiled and embraced him for a long time.

[55] The people began to consider:

“If one attains Kṛṣṇa in a dream, then grief concerning him also occurs in a dream. But if we attain Kṛṣṇa in the waking state, we have attained our goal and there is no obstacle to our happiness.” ||49||

[56] In order that all could see him, they placed him in the center, like a lost treasure regained. He was like the sun amidst the planets, giving joy to the eyes of the devatās moving in the sky without shame. A multitude of men and women gathered and brāhmaṇas knowing the Vedas invoked future auspiciousness and gave Kṛṣṇa blessings. They then praised Nanda and instilled confidence in everyone:

“O Nanda! We repeatedly describe your son who has killed many enemies. You desired to destroy all inauspiciousness. He has come quickly because of your pious acts.” ||50||

[57] Having experienced both lamentation and joy, the people were unaware of the passing of time. Night had arrived. Having become thin because of affliction from extreme fatigue because of Kṛṣṇa who is beyond hunger and thirst, they stayed at that place till the morning. Fearing enemies, Yaśodā kept her son on her lap all night. Completely absorbed in seeing Kṛṣṇa’s face with happiness, she remembered his activities with astonishment. Morning then arrived. Though they milked the cows they did not give Kṛṣṇa the milk, though he was hungry, for fear that the whole place was contaminated with poison.

[58] During the night Kṛṣṇa performed another praiseworthy activity. When Kāliya was banished from the Yamunā, Kaṁsa heard the news from his spies. Overcome with anxiety he became motionless.

[59-60] He began thinking, “Oh! All my warriors have been killed by that boy. An evil spirit with a face of fire, laughing, burns my assistants. Going throughout the universe it dances. Though Kāliya was powerful, his strength was suddenly destroyed. I consider his banishment like his death since we are now without any idea about what to do. We must do something so that we are not injured and Kṛṣṇa is destroyed.”

[61] Kaṁsa heard from other messengers that Kṛṣṇa was on the bank of Yamunā with the inhabitants of Vraja. Hearing this he ordered his nearby followers to go there, light a blazing fire everywhere and then disappear.

[62] Following his order they went there and lit a fire. When the forest fire began to burn the inhabitants, they quickly fled. They then began to think, “Some evil persons will catch us.” With Balarāma they went to Kṛṣṇa and reported what happened:

“We are not afraid of death or a river of hardship. But we are afraid of not seeing your moonlike face.” ||51||

Kṛṣṇa then extinguished the fire just by blowing but sages fancy that he swallowed the fire. ||52||

[63] When the fire was created by scheming Kaṁsa, the fire was destroyed and they were saved from the calamity. When dawn came, they returned to Vraja joyfully following Kṛṣṇa under his influence. On the way, Balarāma entered the Yamunā and pulled Kṛṣṇa in as well. Playing with their friends, they brought the cows into the water. After much fun, he allowed them to return home.

[64] The return home is described.

As the sun and other planets enter the sky, the inhabitants entered Vraja, putting Kṛṣṇa in the center and dancing without shame in great joy to the accompaniment of music, singing, dancing, chanting the Vedas, monsoon showers of flowers from earth and heaven, shouts of “Victory! Victory!” and a joyous clamour. ||53||

[65] They let the cows roam about. Though nothing had been protected, by the influence of the elevated persons, not even water containers were perceived as different from what they were before. Nothing could be rejected as inferior. Though the huge quantity of food cooked in ghee was old, it did not rot. Since only the food cooked the previous morning for Balarāma’s celebration was available, everyone took that food in the house and, putting Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in front, without worries, they ate all the food.

[66] Having spoken Madhukaṇṭha then concluded:

“That child born to you, having subdued Kāliya, then subdued Kaṁsa and others.” ||54||

[67] In this way the inhabitants of Vraja crossed the two rivers of danger by the boat of Kṛṣṇa. After experiencing the actions giving bliss, to conclude the story and shower sweet nectar of praise, the two reciters folded their hands and remained standing. After a long time the inhabitants of Vraja, serving Kṛṣṇa by caressing and protecting him, returned to their duties along with Nanda.

[1] SB 10.15.43 mentions the gopīs glancing at Kṛṣṇa with affection at the end of paugaṇḍa age.