Harivamsa

24 – keśivadhaḥ - Slaying of Keshi

vaiśampāyana uvāca

andhakasya vacaḥ śrutvā kaṁsaḥ saṁraktalocanaḥ |

na kiṁchidabravītkrodhādviveśa svaṁ niketanam ||2-24-1

vaīśaṁpāyana said :

Hearing the words of andhaka, kaṁsa with eyes red as blood, did not say anything. He was angry and he went to his residence.

te ca sarve yathā veshma yādavāḥ śrutavistarāḥ |

jagmurvigatasaṅkalpāḥ kaṁsavaikṛtaśaṁsinaḥ ||2-24-2

All those yādava-s heard the discussions. They were disappointed and returned home. They discussed how kaṁsa's mind is confused.

akrūro'pi yathā''jṣaptaḥ kṛṣṇādarśanalālasaḥ |

jagāma rathamukhyena manasā tulyagāminā ||2-24-3

akrūra was eager to see kṛṣṇa. As ordered, he mounted a chariot, and proceeded as fast as mind.

kṛṣṇasyāpi nimittāni śubhānyaṅgagatāni vai |

pitṛtulyena śaṁsanti bāndhavena samāgamam ||2-24-4

Meanwhile kṛṣṇa also witnessed some auspicious omens indicating the arrival of a relative equal to father.

prāgeva ca narendreṇa māthureṇograseninā |

keśinaḥ preṣito dūto vadhāyopendrakāraṇāt ||2-24-5

Before this, the king of mathura, the son of ugrasena, had sent a messenger to keshi for killing the upendra (kṛṣṇa).

sa ca dūtavacaḥ śrutvā keśī kleshakaro nṛṇām |

vṛndāvanagato gopānbādhate sma durāsadaḥ ||2-24-6

Hearing the words of the messenger, the terrible keshi, who creates difficulties to men, went to vṛndāvana and began to harass the gopas.

mānuṣaṁ māṁsamaśnānaḥ kruddho dhuṣṭaparākramaḥ |

durdānto vājidaityo'sāvakarotkadanaṁ mahat ||2-24-7

He ate human flesh. He was angry, wicked and valiant. The formidable daitya, in the form of a horse, created great sorrow.

nighnangā vai sagopālān gavāṁ piśitabhojanaḥ |

durmadaḥ kāmacārī ca sa keśī niravagrahaḥ ||2-24-8

He killed cows and cow tenders and ate the flesh. He was ferocious. He wandered freely without any control.

tadaraṇyaṁ śmaśānābhaṁ nṛṇāṁ māṁsāsthibhirvṛtam |

yatrāste sa hi duṣṭātmā keśī turagadānavaḥ ||2-24-9

Covered with human flesh and bones, that forest appeared like a crematorium, where the dānava with wicked soul, keshi, was staying.

khurairdārayate bhūmiṁ vegenārujate drumān |

heṣitaiḥ sparddhate vāyuṁ plutairlaṁghayate nabhaḥ ||2-24-10

He pierced the surface of earth with his hooves and fell trees with his force. He neighed loudly and jumped high in the sky.

atipravṛddho mattashcha duṣṭo'śvo vanagocharaḥ |

ākampitasaṭo raudraḥ kaṁsasya caritānugaḥ ||2-24-11

He was highly proud of his strength. The wicked horse roamed in the forest. The terrible follower of kaṁsa moved his manes menacingly.

īriṇaṁ tadvanaṁ sarvaṁ tenāsītpāpakarmaṇā |

kṛtaṁ turagadaityena sarvāngopāṣjighāṁsatā ||2-24-12

That doer of sinful deeds made the entire forest a desert. That daitya in the form of a horse wanted to kill all the gopas.

tena duṣṭapracāreṇā dūṣitaṁ tadvanaṁ mahat |

na nṛbhirgodhanairvāpi sevyate vanavṛttibhiḥ ||2-24-13

The men and cattle living in the forest did not enter that great forest, polluted by the wicked being.

niḥsampātaḥ kṛtaḥ panthāstena tadviṣayāśrayaḥ |

madācalitavṛttena nṛmāmsānyaśnatā bhṛśaṁ ||2-24-14

He made that route devoid of all human movements. His actions were misdirected by pride and he was fond of eating human flesh.

nṛśabdānusaraḥ kruddhaḥ sa kadācidvanāgame |

jagāma ghoṣasaṁvāsaṁ choditaḥ kāladharmaṇā ||2-24-15

In that forest he followed human sound angrily. Once he entered vraja, as if prompted by death.

taṁ dṛṣṭvā dudruvurgopāḥ striyashcha śiśubhiḥ saha |

krandamānā jagannāthaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ nāthamupāśritāḥ ||2-24-16

Seeing him, the gopa-s, women and children ran away. Calling loudly, they approached the lord of the world, kṛṣṇa.

tāsāṁ ruditashabdena gopānāṁ kranditena ca |

dattvābhayaṁ tu kṛṣṇo vai keśinaṁ so'bhidudruve ||2-24-17

Hearing the sound of their crying and the loud calls of gopa-s, kṛṣṇa protected them and confronted keshi.

keśī cāpyunnatagrīvaḥ prakāśadaśanekṣaṇaḥ |

heṣamāṇo javodagro govindābhimukho yayau ||2-24-18

Exposing his teeth, projecting his eyes and raising his neck, keshi neighed loudly and charged towards govinda.

tamāpatantaṁ saṁprekṣya keśinaṁ hayadānavam |

pratyujjagāma govindastoyadaḥ shashinam yathā ||2-24-19

Seeing the horse faced keshi rushing towards him, govinda charged against him, like a rain cloud approaching moon.

keshinastu tamabhyāśe dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇamavasthitam |

manuṣyabuddhayo gopāḥ kṛṣṇamūcurhitaiṣiṇaḥ ||2-24-20

Seeing kṛṣṇa standing near keshi, the gopa-s , his well wishers, told kṛṣṇa, considering him to be an ordinary human being.

kṛṣṇā tāta na khalveṣa sahasā te hayādhamaḥ |

upasarpyo bhavānbālaḥ pāpaśchaiṣa durāsadaḥ ||2-24-21

kṛṣṇa, son! Do not go near the evil horse suddenly. You are only a young boy. This is a formidable sinful being.

eṣa kaṁsasya sahajaḥ prāṇastāta bahiścharaḥ |

uttamashcha hayendrāṇāṁ dānavo'pratimo yudhi ||2-24-22

This is a brother, soul and alter ego of kaṁsa. He is the best among horses. This dānava is unconquerable in war.

trāsanaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ turagāṇāṁ mahābalaḥ |

avadhyaḥ sarvabhūtānāṁ prathamaḥ pāpakarmaṇām ||2-24-23

He terrifies all living entities. He is most powerful among horses. He can not be killed by any living entity. He is foremost among sinful beings.

gopānāṁ tadvacaḥ śrutvā vadatāṁ madhusūdanaḥ |

keśinā saha yuddhāya matiṁ cakre'risūdanaḥ ||2-24-24

Hearing these words spoken by the gopa-s, the killer of madhu, the slayer of enemies decided to fight with keshi.

tataḥ savyaṁ dakṣiṇaṁ ca maṇḍalaṁ sa paribhraman |

padbhyāmubhābhyāṁ sa hayaḥ krodhenārujate drumān ||2-24-25

The horse, turned around left and right. He began to break trees by kicking his hind legs angrily.

mukhe lambasate cāsya skandhe keśaghanāvṛte |

balayo'bhrataraṅgābhāḥ sutruvuḥ krodhajaṁ jalam ||2-24-26

On the face with manes and on the shoulder covered with thick hair, and on the curves on forehead, the perspirations of anger could be seen.

sa phenaṁ vaktrajaṁ caiva vavarṣa rajasāvṛtam |

himakāle yathā vyomni nīhāramiva candramāḥ ||2-24-27

From his mouth, foam with dust emerged like moon creating fog in the sky during dewy season.

govindamaravindākṣaṁ heṣitodgāraśīkaraiḥ |

sa phenairvaktranirgīrṇaiḥ prokṣayāmāsa bhārata ||2-24-28

O Bharata! He soaked govinda, with lotus eyes, with drops of saliva and foam coming out of his mouth, when he neighed.

khuroddhūtāvasiktena madhukakṣodapāṇḍunā |

rajasā sa hayaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ cakārāruṇamūrdhajam ||2-24-29

When the horse's hooves struck the earth, dust was stirred up, the color of which resembled the pollen of madhuka flowers. The red dust made black haired kṛṣṇa, red haired.

plutavalgitapādastu takṣamāṇo dharāṁ khuraiḥ |

dantānnirdaśamānastu keśī kṛṣṇāmupādravat ||2-24-30

keshi jumped up and tore the earth with his hooves. Showing his teeth, keshi forcefully charged at kṛṣṇa.

sa saṁsaktastu kṛṣṇena keśī turagasattamaḥ |

pūrvābhyāṁ charaṇābhyāṁ vai kṛṣṇaṁ vakṣasyatāḍayat ||2-24-31

The best of the horses, keshi charged at kṛṣṇa. Lifting his front legs, the horse kicked kṛṣṇa on his chest.

punaḥ punaḥ sa ca balī prāhiṇotpārśvataḥ khurān |

kṛṣṇasya dānavo ghoraṁ prahāramamitaujasaḥ ||2-24-32

The powerful dānava, in the form of horse, kicked kṛṣṇa again and again on all sides with his hooves.

vaktreṇa cāsya ghoreṇa tīkṣṇadaṁṣṭrāyudhena vai |

adaśadbāhuśikharaṁ kṛṣṇasya ruṣito hayaḥ ||2-24-33

With his terrible mouth having sharp teeth as weapon, the angry horse bit the tip of kṛṣṇa's hand.

sa lambakesarasaṭaḥ kṛṣṇena saha saṅgataḥ |

rarāja keśī meghena saṁsaktaḥ kha ivāṁśumān ||2-24-34

keshi with his long mane, fighting with kṛṣṇa, dazzled like a cloud confronting the sun in the sky.

urastasyorasā hantumiyeṣa balavānhayaḥ |

vegena vāsudevasya krodhāddviguṇavikramaḥ ||2-24-35

The powerful horse tried to hit kṛṣṇa's chest with his chest. With anger, his power and speed doubled.

tasyotsiktasya balavān kṛṣṇo'pyamitavikramaḥ |

bāhumābhoginam kṛtvā mukhe kruddhaḥ samādadhat ||2-24-36

kṛṣṇa with immense power also became angry. kṛṣṇa struck his huge hand in the mouth of the proud horse.

sa taṁ bāhumaśakto vai khādituṁ bhoktumeva ca |

daśanairmūlanirmuktaiḥ saphenaṁ rudhiraṁ vaman ||2-24-37

The horse was unable to bite or eat the hand. Along with broken teeth, blood and foam oozed out.

vipāṭitābhyāmoṣṭhābhyāṁ kaṭābhyāṁ vidalīkṝtaḥ |

akṣiṇī vikṝte cakre visṛte muktabandhane ||2-24-38

His lips and cheeks were torn apart and his throat was choked. Both his eyes were deformed and came out.

nirastahanurāviṣṭaḥ śoṇitāktavilocanaḥ |

utkarṇo naṣṭachetāstu sa keśī bahvacheṣṭata ||2-24-39

His chin was broken. Blood came out from his eye sockets. His ears upright, keshi lost his consciousness beating his legs all around.

utpatannasakṛtpādaiḥ śakṛnmūtraṁ samutsṛjan |

khinnāṅgaromā śrāntastu niryatnacharaṇo'bhavat ||2-24-40

He tried to jump again with his legs. He passed urine and stool. He was sweating all over. All his limbs became still.

keshivaktravilagnastu kṛṣṇabāhuraśobhata |

vyābhugna iva gharmānte candrārdhakiraṇairghanaḥ ||2-24-41

kṛṣṇa's hand dazzled inside keshi's mouth like a rain cloud surrounded by the rays of the crescent moon.

keṣī ca kṛṣṇāsaṁsaktaḥ śāntagātro vyarochata |

prabhātāvanataścandraḥ śrānto merumivāśritah ||2-24-42

keshi who fought with kṛṣṇa sparkled with his still body like an exhausted moon in the morning leaning on the mountain meru.

tasya kṛṣṇabhujoddhūtāḥ keshino daśanā mukhāt |

petuḥ śaradi nistoyāḥ sitābhrāvayavā iva ||2-24-43

Being hit by kṛṣṇa's hand, keshi's teeth fell from his mouth like white clouds in autumn.

sa tu keśī bhṛśaṁ śāntaḥ kṛṣṇenākliṣṭakarmaṇā |

svabhujaṁ svāyataṁ kṛtvā pāṭito balavattadā ||2-24-44

kṛṣṇa who is capable of performing difficult tasks, expanded his hand and forcefully split him.

sa pāṭito bhujenājau kṛṣṇena vikṛtānanaḥ |

keśī nadanmahānādaṁ dānavo vyathitastadā || 2-24-45

Being torn apart by the hand of kṛṣṇa, his mouth was disfigured. The dānava screamed loudly with immense pain.

vighūrṇamānastrastāṅgo mukhādrudhiramudvaman |

bhṛśaṁ vyaṅgīkṛtavapurnikṛttārdha ivācalaḥ ||2-24-46

His body exhausted, he struggled and vomited blood. His limbs were severed. He was like a mountain split in two parts.

vyāditāsyo mahāraudraḥ so'suraḥ kṛṣṇabāhunā |

nipapāta yathā kṛtto nāgo hi dvidalīkṛtah ||2-24-47

The terrible dānava, with his mouth split opened by kṛṣṇa's hand, fell down like a serpent, split in two.

bāhunā kṛttadehasya keshino rūpamābabhau |

pashoriva mahāghoraṁ nihatasya pinākinā ||2-24-48

keshi's body split in two parts by kṛṣṇa, appeared extremely fearful like the terrible mahiṣa killed by pināki (Siva).

dvipādapṛṣṭhapuchcārddhe śravaṇaikākṣināsike |

keśinastaddvidhābhūte dve cārdhe rejatuḥ kṣitau ||2-24-49

The body of keshi lay on the ground in two parts, each having two legs, half a back, half of a tail, one ear, one eye and one nostril.

keśidantakṣatasyāpi kṛṣṇasya shuśubhe bhujaḥ |

vṛddhaḥ sāla ivāraṇye gajendradaśanāṅkitaḥ ||2-24-50

kṛṣṇa's hand, bitten by keshi, sparkled like a sāla tree in the forest, marred by the teeth of king of elephants.

taṁ hatvā keśinaṁ yuddhe kalpayitvā ca bhāgaśaḥ |

kṛṣṇaḥ padmapalāśākṣo hasaṁstatraiva tasthivān ||2-24-51

kṛṣṇa, with lotus eyes, killed keshi in the fight by tearing his body into pieces and stood there smiling.

taṁ hataṁ keśinaṁ dṛṣṭvā gopā gopastriyastathā |

babhūvurmuditāḥ sarve hatavighnā gataklamāḥ ||2-24-52

Seeing keshi killed, the gopa-s and gopa women became jubilant, their troubles having been vanquished.

dāmodaraṁ tu śrīmantaṁ yathāsthānaṁ yathāvayaḥ |

abhyanandanpriyairvākyaiḥ pūjayantaḥ punaḥ punaḥ ||2-24-53

According to their ages and status, they congratulated the auspicious dāmodara with dear words again and again.

div class="sansktext"> gopā ūcuḥ

aho tāta kṛtaṁ karma hato'yaṁ lokakaṇṭakaḥ |

daityaḥ kṣiticharaḥ kṛṣṇa hayarūpaṁ samāsthitaḥ ||2-24-54

div class="transtext"> gopā-s said:

Your action is a wonder. You have killed the formidable daitya, who appeared on earth in the form of a horse for troubling the world.

kṛtaṁ vṛndāvanaṁ kṣemaṁ sevyaṁ nṛmṝgapakṣiṇām |

ghnatā pāpamimaṁ tāta keśinaṁ hayadānavam ||2-24-55

Son! by killing the sinful horse keshi, you have brought welfare to vṛ+ndāvana, make it suitable for men, animals and birds.

hatā no bahavo gopā gāvo vatseṣu vatsalāḥ |

naike cānye janapadā hatānena durātmanā ||2-24-56

This wicked soul has killed many gopa-s, cows, dear calves and many other living beings.

esha saṁvartakaṁ kartumudyataḥ khalu pāpakṛt |

nṛlokaṁ nirnaraṁ kṝtvā chartukāmo yathāsukham ||2-24-57

This sinful being is trying to cause a big disaster. He wanted to make earth devoid of men and live happily as he liked.

naitasya pramukhe sthātuṁ kaścicchakto jijīviṣuḥ |

api devasamūheṣu kiṁ punaḥ pṛthivītale ||2-24-58

There is no one who values his life to stand before him even among the gods. What to speak of men who live on earth?

vaiśampāyana uvāca

athāhāntarhito vipro nāradaḥ khagamo muniḥ |

prīto'smi viṣṇo devesha kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇeti cābravīt ||2-24-59

vaiśaṁpāyana said:

(O janamejaya!) At that moment the great sage Narada, traveling through the sky, spoke while remaining unseen: I am pleased. viṣṇu! kṛṣṇa! Lord of gods!

nārada uvāca

yadidaṁ duṣkaraṁ karma kṛtaṁ keśijighāmsayā |

tvayyeva kevalaṁ yuktaṁ tridive tryambakasya vā ||2-24-60

nārada said:

By killing keshi, you have done a formidable task, which is befitting only you. Among the gods, only (tryambaka) shiva would have been capable of this act.

ahaṁ yuddhotsukastāta tvadgatenāntarātmanā |

idaṁ narahayaṁ yuddhaṁ draṣṭuṁ svargādihāgataḥ ||2-24-61

I like fights. My mind is devoted to you. I came from heaven to watch this fight between man and horse.

pūtanānidhanādīni karmāṇi tava dṛṣṭavān |

ahaṁ tvanena govinda karmaṇā paritoṣitaḥ ||2-24-62

I have seen your actions such as killing of pūtanā. Govinda! I am most happy with your killing of this horse.

hayādasmānmahendro'pi bibheti balasūdana |

kurvāṇāccha vapurghoraṁ keshino duṣṭachetasaḥ ||2-24-63

The killer of bala, mahendra (indra) is also afraid of this wicked keshi, who has taken the terrible form of horse.

yattvayā pāṭito deho bhujenāyataparvaṇā |

eṣo'sya mṛtyurantāya vihito viśvayoninā ||2-24-64

You killed him by tearing the body with your long arms. This is how brahma had desired his death.

yasmāttvayā hataḥ keśī tasmānmachcāsanaṁ śṛṇū |

keshavo nāma nāmnā tvaṁ khyāto loke bhaviṣyasi ||2-24-65

You killed keshi. Now hear my order. Hence you will become famous in the world by the name keshava.

svastyastu bhavato loke sādhu yāmyahamāśugaḥ |

kṛtyaśeṣam ca te kāryaṁ shaktastvamasi mā ciram ||2-24-66

Let everything be good for you in the world. Please continue your mission with out any delay. I am leaving now.

tvayi kāryāntaragate narā iva divaukasaḥ |

viḍambayantaḥ krīḍanti līlāṁ tvadbalamāśritāḥ ||2-24-67

When you carry out your mission, the deva-s, protected by your power, take part in relishing your (līlā) plays.

abhyāśe vartate kālo bhāratasyāhavodadheḥ |

hastaprāptāni yuddhāni rājṣāṁ tridivagāminām ||2-24-68

Time is nearing for the war of bharata. Battles are approaching for the kings to enter heaven.

panthānaḥ śodhitā vyomni vimānārohaṇordhvagāḥ |

avakāśā vibhajyante śakraloke mahīkṣitām ||2-24-69

The pathways for heaven are cleared for the kings to ascent to heaven. Places are being assigned for the kings in the world of indra (śakra).

ugrasenasute śānte padasthe tvayi keshava |

abhitastanmahadyuddhaṁ bhaviṣyati mahīkṣitām ||2-24-70

O keshava, after the death of ugrasena's son, kaṁsa, a great battle of kings will take place.

tvāṁ cāpratimakarmāṇaṁ saṁśrayiṣyanti pāṇḍavāḥ |

bhedakāle narendrāṇāṁ pakṣagrāho bhaviṣyasi ||2-24-71

The pāṇḍava-s will depend on you, whose actions are beyond comparison. During the time of dispute, the kings will take sides.

tvayi rājāsanasthe hi rājaśriyamanuttamām |

śubhāṁ tyakṣyanti rājānastvatprabhāvānna saṁśayaḥ ||2-24-72

When you take the most important position, all other powerful kings will give up their position without any doubt.

eṣa me kṛṣṇa sandeśaḥ śrutibhiḥ khyātimeṣyati |

devatānāṁ divisthānāṁ jagatashcha jagatpate ||2-24-73

O kṛṣṇa! Lord of universe! This is my message to you to reveal your nature unknown to shruti-s (Veda-s), gods and the world.

dṛṣṭaṁ me bhavataḥ karma dṛṣṭaścāsi mayā prabho |

kaṁṣe bhūyaḥ sameṣyāmi sādhite sādhu yāmyaham ||2-24-74

Lord! I have seen your action. I have seen you. I will meet you after you kill kaṁsa. I am leaving now.

evamuktvā sa tu tadā nāradaḥ khaṁ jagāma ha |

nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā devasaṅgītayoninaḥ ||2-24-75

Saying this, nārada left for heaven immediately. kṛṣṇa heard the words spoken by nārada, composer of divine music.

tatheti sa samābhāṣya punargopān samāsadat |

gopāḥ kṛṣṇaṁ samāsādya vivivshurvrajameva ha ||2-24-76

Saying "so be it", kṛṣṇa joined gopa-s and returned to vraja along with them.

iti srimahābhārate khileṣu harivaṁśe viṣṇuparvaṇi keshivadhe caturviṁśo'dhyāyaḥ

Thus this is the twenty-fourth chapter of viṣṇuparva of harivaṁśa, khila of śrimahābhārata, slaying of keshi.

nīlakaṇṭha commentary

caturviṁśe tvathādhyāye akrūrāgamanātpurā ||

keshino hayarūpasya kṛṣṇāścha vadha ucyate || 1 ||

· 2-24-1 andhakasyeti ||

· 2-24-5 prāgeva ahrūrapreṣanāt keśinaḥ nikaṭe iti śeṣaḥ ||

· 2-24-7 vājirūpo daityaḥ ||

· 2-24-8 niravagrahaḥ uhcchṛṅkhalaḥ ||

· 2-24-12 īriṇaṁ śūnyam ||

· 2-24-14 niḥsampātaḥ agamyaḥ ||

· 2-24-15 nṛśabdānusaraḥ manuṣyaśabdānusārī kāladharmaṇā mṛtyunā ||

· 2-24-18 javodagraḥ ugraḥ ||

· 2-24-26 balayo lalāṭasthāḥ krodhajaṁ krodhāt prasvinnam ||

· 2-24-27 rajasā khuroddhūtena vṛttaṁ miśraṁ phenum | ayatheti vyomno viśeṣaṇam | asuṣire gāḍhena rajasā vyāpte ityarthaḥ | nīhāram avaśyāyam | etenāyaṁ mantra upabṛṁhitaḥ |

"na tā arvā reṇukakāṭo ashnute

na saṁskṛtatramupayanti tā abhi|

urugāyamabhayaṁ tasya tā anu

gāvo martasya vicaranti yajvana"

iti |

tā gā arvā aśvarūpo asuraḥ reṇukakaṭiti atishayena varṣati tena vā avṛṇoti viśvamiti reṇukakāṭaḥ |

"kaṭe varṣāvaraṇayoḥ"

it yasmāt yaṅluki dhaṣ | na ashnute na vyāpnoti saṁśṛtaḥ saṁskāro dāhacchedauṣadapānādistena trāyata iti saṁśṛtatro vaidyastaṁ pratyapi tā gāvaḥ na abhyupayanti nirbādhatvāt yatastāḥ gāvaḥ martyasya yajvanaḥ nandādeḥ saṁbandhinyaḥ abhayaṁ urugāyaṁ mahākīrtiṁ anulakṣīkṛtya carantīti mantrārthaḥ ||

Gopal Champu

Chapter Thirty-two - Killing of Keśi

[1] I will now describe the morning recitation.

[2] At first Madhukaṇṭha was silent, thinking of a spotless topic.

[3-4] “Those of us who have been absorbed in stories of Kṛṣṇa from childhood should speak about conversations that Nārada had with Kaṁsa, since he showers us with joy from the Lord’s pastimes. Those who have qualification for the topics of the Lord, those who help others and do not commit violence, are qualified for the talks of Nārada and not the fools. However, these talks will not give much happiness to the inhabitants of Vraja, who, though most intelligent and absorbed in Kṛṣṇa, are the highest examples of unparalleled, intense happiness arising from their fixed prema. Therefore this topic should be mentioned without telling who spoke it.”

[5] Therefore hiding some aspects he began to speak out loud.

[6] When Kṛṣṇa killed Ariṣṭa, Kaṁsa was so upset that for a year he did not send anyone there. When Keśi came, he sent him home when Keśi said, “Do not make enemies uselessly.”

[7] On the eleventh day of the waning moon in the principal Māgha month, Nārada, Kaṁsa’s enemy, endowed with great knowledge, came to Kaṁsa, and acted in a friendly manner. He told him the secret activities of Vasudeva in Nanda’s house, that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were the sons of Vasudeva.

[8] Hearing this Kaṁsa, enemy of the devotees, became angry and again imprisoned Vasudeva and Devakī with iron chains so they could not kill him.

[9] After imprisoning them, foolish Kaṁsa called Keśi and again engaged him. As soon as he got his orders, Keśi departed for Vraja and arrived in the morning. After Ariṣṭa had been killed, Keśi lived far from Nandīśvara hill, and thus he came from a distance to Vraja.

[10] He tore up the soil of Vraja with his sharp hooves. Coming to Vraja and tossing his mane high in the air he wandered about. The devatās flying in their airplanes became terrified of his loud neighing and, stopping their functions, hid behind the clouds. But Keśi covered the airplanes with his huge body just as the clouds had previous covered them. Because of Keśi, the clouds released deafening thunder and the devatās withered up.

[11] Running with speed, the horse demon smashed all the trees. Intensely arrogant, he made everyone tremble and spread his loud neighing everywhere like a lion’s roar.

[12] When the roaring spread, the cows leaped from the stables, which had unbreakable wooden bolts and huge, rough doors which were difficult to pass which were surrounded by fortresses of tall trees having thick trunks and massive branches, and immediately fled to the forest in extreme panic.

[13] Not considering the difficulty in leaving the place, the horse-demon entered the edge of Vraja and galloped around searching for Kṛṣṇa, the killer of Ariṣṭa.

[14] Because the cows ran away, Nanda and the cowherd men, full of lamentation, immediately came out of their houses and went towards Keśi with caution.

[15] Then Kṛṣṇa who destroys the happiness of the demons passed all others at full speed and went in front. Passing Balarāma, he appeared astonishing as he faced the demon.

[16] The people of Vraja, feeling intense pain, tried to prevent Kṛṣṇa from going in front of the demon. They spoke:

“The horse’s hairs are as hard as thunderbolts. He can defeat Indra. At his neighing the devatās in Svarga are defeated and leave the road. You are like a tender young tāla tree growing in a shady place. Do not go immediately from the town and face the demon.” ||1||

[17] As the inauspiciousness got closer, an argument arose between Yaśodā and Kṛṣṇa:

‘O son! Where are you going?”

“O mother! I see a horse.”

“It appears to have very bad intentions.”

“But what are we going to do mother? The horse does not have a rider.”

“Go to the house!”

“Mother, am I without knowledge of what is beneficial?” ||2||

[18] Losing her self-control and showing boldness, Yaśodā spoke to Nanda:

“O king of Vraja! You are the master of the house. From childhood I have not addressed you with any impolite words. But today I am revealing my desire. Please hear. Why do you not catch and hold the boy with all his friends? Why does no one else go to the horse?” ||3||

[19] From time without beginning, the brother of Balarāma has destroyed the demons. Thus, on hearing her words, giving faith to her with a smile, Kṛṣṇa, the object of faith for the universe and giver of joy to all, regarding the demon with disdain, beckoned him to come close.

[20] Called by Kṛṣṇa, the demon began scolding him. Internally the demon was defeated by Kṛṣṇa’s power but did not tremble before him, because he thought he was brave. Coming close to show his prowess, he then ran to a space on the bank of the Yamunā. He galloped to the space near the river because he could show his power in running a great distance. Ascertaining Kṛṣṇa as the performer of action, the enemy of the devatās with great pride roared like a hundreds of thousands of lions.

[21] The demon wanted to approach them, toss them about and then swallow everyone at once. Not able to tolerate this, Kṛṣṇa roared like a lion. Glaring at the demon intensely, he faced him and challenged him. All the distressed people of Vraja followed Kṛṣṇa. The demon, seeing him coming, became blind, unable to see or hear. In that condition he came before Kṛṣṇa and spoke in anger.

The demon surpassed the sky and spread everywhere. He opened his mouth as if to swallow the sky. He attacked the sky with his hooves. Kṛṣṇa countered all his moves. ||4||

As ocean waves toss piles of foam, Kṛṣṇa threw the strong demon high in the air as if he were a bunch of dense hairs, with his feet and tail upwards. The demon landed a hundred dhanus away. ||5||

Regaining consciousness, Keśi stood up. With gaping mouth, he charged Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa shoved his left arm into his mouth, like a snake entering a frog’s mouth. ||6||

In the spirit of vīra-rasa, Kṛṣṇa’s arm, like a divine snake, grew large in the demon’s throat. Because of the arm’s power, Keśi’s teeth fell out, as if he were afflicted with poison. ||7||

His teeth fell out. His senses stopped functioning. His body began to shiver. Old age approached and death waited. ||8||

When Kṛṣṇa’s arm blocked Keśi’s throat, all the demon’s organs burst open. It seemed that, out of grief for the blocked throat, all limbs were obedient to it. ||9||

Did his life air leave, thinking that Kṛṣṇa’s arm which blocked Keśi’s throat was the destroyer of the life airs of the universe? ||10||

“One door named the throat was blocked. We will make many doors so we can get out.” The senses then made many holes in the body and left. ||11||

When the life air left the body, similar to a house, Kṛṣṇa’s arm, like a guest, also left the body. Except for the master of the body, the life air, the house was completely destroyed. By good fortune the subtle body was also destroyed. ||12||

When Kṛṣṇa pulled his arm from Keśi’s throat, the demon, gleaming like a brahmastra at the time of destruction, attained a suitable spiritual nature. ||13||

It is proper that the demon expelled stool (giving up all impurity) when he died. The mercy that Kṛṣṇa shows to the demons by giving them liberation is beyond reasoning. ||14||

Some describe Keśi’s body through two comparisons: like Jarāsandha’s body or like a karkaṭī fruit. ||15||

[22] When the horse demon’s body was thus divided and the jīva attained sāyujya, the devatās with pure minds showered flowers and indicated Kṛṣṇa’s intentions by their words:

“Since you opened your mouth to swallow my whole body, I will offer my arm to your mouth to see it get swallowed. O proud horse! If your life air leaves because of my arm entering, why did you arrogantly try to swallow everyone?” ||16||

After Keśi’s death, the people of Vraja talked like the rumbling of clouds and joyfully surrounded Kṛṣṇa who was standing motionless. He shed tears of joy which flowed in showers with the force of a waterfall. The demon lay on the earth. ||17||

[23] With great desire they placed Kṛṣṇa in the center and experienced within themselves appropriate love in various degrees of prema. Though Keśi had been killed and divided in two parts, they thought that he could not be split. Thus they considered themselves fortunate. Embracing each other but not Kṛṣṇa, they developed sāttvika-bhāvas on thinking of Kṛṣṇa.

[24] After a short time, they recovered consciousness and, along with Kṛṣṇa, went to the Yamunā and bathed. The wise know that place as Keśi-tīrtha, the best of holy places even today. Taking shelter of another ghaṭta nearby on the bank surrounded by trees, where the Yamunā becomes crooked, they took rest to get relief from their fatigue. The ancients called this place Cena-ghaṭta and today it is called Cira-ghaṭta. In Mathurā dialect cena means “the happiness of resting.”

[25] They thought optimistically that the death of Keśi would be the end of Kaṁsa’s ill intentions towards them and thus their happiness doubled. Their mouths dancing with Kṛṣṇa’s extensive glories, the people offered respects to him. When he came among them, the residents of Vraja surrounded him, and then, following Nanda, first retrieved the cows.

The cowherds said, “Hī hī” and that sound became clearly associated with Kṛṣṇa, just as, when the sound of falling rain is heard, the deep rumbling of clouds accompanies it. ||18||

[26] The cowherds and Kṛṣṇa, conquerors of enemies, went to gather the cows while Nanda alone remained in Vraja.

[27] Hearing of Keśi’s death, Kaṁsa became alarmed. He did not leave the house because of shame, as if having no nose.

[28] The speaker concluded:

“O king of Vraja!This son who made Keśi an associate of Yamarāja makes his all desires come true.” ||19||