Gopal Champu

Chapter Thirty-one - Various Rāgas

[1-2] Snigdhakaṇṭha began speaking in the morning.

In this way Kṛṣṇa, the friend of Gokula, full of bliss at every moment, revealed pastimes of the highest prema during his tenth year.

[3] When all the proud demons had been killed, Kaṁsa, absorbed in killing his enemy, called Ariṣṭa and Keśi whom he had reserved as his best demons, and spoke to them with anger and fear: “It was not right to send persons like Pūtanā. I have underestimated Kṛṣṇa. I thought he was a child but he clearly killed them all. Troubled by my own indolence, I ask you two what should be done.”

[4-5] They said, “We are always ready and await your command. Tell us what should be done now. What is the use of orders? Even without orders, we are engaged as your servants. They rose and offered respects.”

Kaṁsa spoke to them as they were about to leave, “Ariṣṭa should go, but since it is possible that Kṛṣṇa will obstruct being killed, Keśi should stay nearby.” Hearing this, the two returned home and developed enthusiasm for killing Kṛṣṇa.

[6-7] One day in the evening, when the sun’s rays were red, the enemy of the devatās named Ariṣṭa ran everywhere in a zigzag manner at full speed killing cows and came to the edge of beautiful Vraja.

[8] At that time, on the full moon day with Citrā constellation, astute Kṛṣṇa had gone somewhat far with a desire to see Govardhana, which increased his joy.

When Ariṣṭa stepped on the ground, the earth moved and the mountains trembled. The clouds became agitated by the sound of his feet and the moon became distorted. Because the hump on his back collided with the clouds, the people of Vraja surmised that it must be a mountain. They quickly fled in all directions in fear. ||1||

By a little urine, the enemy of the devatās named Ariṣṭa with a body huge as a mountain created rivers and by his stool, he created a mountain range. Look at him! ||2||

He had the pride of a bull and made angry sounds which caused miscarriages in all the cows. ||3||

When he disfigured the earth and dug up the hillocks with his horns and hooves, all of Gokula became covered in dust. ||4||

The earth split wherever he placed his hooves. From the holes in the earth, water rose like tears from the earth’s weeping. ||5||

[9] The people said, “If ever a mountain there is a mountain that moves let it be.” But two suns (his eyes) between horns astonished the people of Vraja. ||6||

[10] In this way the demon showed pride, killed all the cows, violated all objects and roared. The cows and people all became terrified and called out to Kṛṣṇa.

[11] Hearing just a trace of their wailing, merciful Kṛṣṇa appeared before them as if he had not gone anywhere. When he said, “Do no fear” fear disappeared. He then beckoned Ariṣṭa by making the sound of an angry bull announcing to Ariṣṭa, “You can easily be killed.”

[12] He also said.

gopālaiḥ paśubhir manda trāsitaiḥ kim asattama |

mayi śāstari duṣṭānāṁ tvad-vidhānāṁ durātmanām ||

“You fool! What do you think you’re doing, you wicked rascal, frightening the cowherd community a nd their animals when I am here just to punish corrupt miscreants like you!” SB 10.36.7

He also said, “Despicable demon! Why are you showing your cruel nature from far away? Satisfy me just as the ocean satisfied Agastya (who swallowed the ocean).” ||7||

[13] One should understand that he said this to dispel people’s belief that Ariṣṭa was of the cow species, because he wanted to the kill the demon who was disguised as a bull.

When the bull roared, Kṛṣṇa’s roar broke the ear drums of the demons. When the bull became angry, Kṛṣṇa became angry like a child and laughed repeatedly. ||8||

Placing his arm on a friend’s shoulder, Kṛṣṇa laughed loudly. This increased Ariṣṭa’s anger but destroyed the worries of his friends. ||9||

Waving his tail, the bull raised clouds of dust. Wounding the earth with his thunderbolt hooves which were like shovels, he came running towards Kṛṣṇa. ||10||

Kṛṣṇa became hard as a thunderbolt as Ariṣṭa approached and sounded like thunder against the bellowing of his adversary. Not only did Kṛṣṇa laugh but his friends holding his shoulder also laughed. ||11||

[14] When Ariṣṭa came close, Kṛṣṇa firmly grabbed his horns:

When Ariṣṭa threw his horns forward so that they were easy to catch Kṛṣṇa easily subdued them. ||12||

Holding his sharp horns in his noose-like arms, he faced the demon and kicked him strongly eighteen times. ||13||

The demon was arrogant, without prema. There was no use in playing with him. Thus Kṛṣṇa casually threw him high up in the air, making him tumble about. ||14||

Thrown by Kṛṣṇa, not only the demon tumbled on the earth but the devatās in heaven tumbled over with fits of laughter. ||15||

By the power of his horns, his tail fell on the earth and by the power of his tail his horns fell on the earth. By the power of his back, his feet fell on the earth and by the power of his feet his back fell on the earth. The topsy-turvy situation was befitting the demon. ||16||

When he fell, he became ashamed but stood up again. But Kṛṣṇa then uprooted his left horn and crushed his face with it. ||17||

[14] Pulling out his horn, Kṛṣṇa spoke.

“Though inauspicious, you have taken an auspicious form of a bull. The form of a cow is more auspicious than a pile of your horns.” ||18||

As one wrings water out of cloth, Kṛṣṇa squeezed the life out of Ariṣṭa. Expelling his sin in the form of stool, urine and blood, he became purified and attained liberation. ||19||

Though he achieved the highest liberation, sages say that he went to Yama’s kingdom because he was Kṛṣṇa’s enemy. The devatās showered flowers because their enemy had been destroyed. What event is more wonderful than the destruction of the enemy? ||20||

[15] Understanding the intentions of Kṛṣṇa, the life of Gokula, the devatās described his intentions and laughed.

“O bull demon! In childhood I recognized a demon disguised as a calf and killed it. Now in kaiśora age, why should I not recognize you as the most fearful of demons and kill you?” ||21||

[16] Śukadeva, entering the mood of the people of Gokula and Kṛṣṇa, the life of Gokula, describes this:

evaṁ kukudminaṁ hatvā stūyamānaḥ dvijātibhiḥ |

viveśa goṣṭhaṁ sabalo gopīnāṁ nayanotsavaḥ ||

Having thus killed the bull demon Ariṣṭa, he who is a festival for the gopīs’ eyes entered the cowherd village with Balarāma. SB 10.36.15

When Kṛṣṇa, who was praised because of his excellence in the auspicious killing of the enemy, entered Vraja, all the people became overjoyed and began speaking. On seeing his face filled with tears, his mother and father wiped away those tears and, weeping loudly, stood without speaking. ||22||

[17] The reciter concluded the story: “O Nanda! Your son is worthy of praise because he protected the devatās and killed their enemy.” ||23||