Gopala-campu
Gopal Champu
[1] The morning recitation began in Nanda’s assembly with Kṛṣṇa present.
[2] Snigdhakaṇṭha spoke:
Night came. When it came, an auspicious jackal, auspicious for Kṛṣṇa and inauspicious for Kaṁsa appeared. Kaṁsa passed the fearful night dreaming and waking up. Proud Kaṁsa then intensely strengthened the sporting of the wrestlers. The arena, arranged in the center of the many viewing stands which were profusely decorated, looked attractive with various colors. It was like the sky with stars twinkling amidst a mass of autumn clouds shining with lightning.
[3] Kaṁsa occupied the highest position, like the ornament of all the evil kings. Though filled with the pride of being the king of kings, he would soon end up terrified.
Near Kaṁsa’s stand was the stand of Akrūra and Vasudeva and that of the women of Mathurā, where Devakī sat. Nanda and the cowherds were in a stand far away. Near the entrance Kaṁsa arranged for the elephant Kuvalyāpīḍa and in front he arranged the immovable wrestlers. Thus no one could be disturbed. ||1||
The music that started on the order of Kaṁsa for the wrestlers became auspicious for the entrance of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. ||2||
[4] When they reached the gate of the arena, the two boys did not go first, but sent the elder cowherds. After finishing morning rites, as soon as they just entered the gates of the arena, the crowd made a clamor of excitement on seeing them.
[5] To kill that elephant, fierce and dripping with juice from his forehead, putting to shame all who could not discern whether it was an elephant or a mountain, Kṛṣṇa, killer of demons, tied up his cloth and head ornaments, and approached the elephant, with Balarāma and his friends following behind.
His friends forbade him from going to the elephant by shouting and his enemies forbade the elephant from approaching, thinking Kṛṣṇa would kill him. Gazing at both sides with a smile, Kṛṣṇa approached the elephant. ||3||
[6] He asked the elephant to get out of the way and then went boldly towards the elephant which was enraged by its mahout. Repeatedly the elephant tried to crush him with its trunk, tusks and feet, but he escaped. He grasped its tail and whirled it around. Facing it, he struck the elephant. Running towards it, he quickly threw it on the ground. In confusion the beast twitched its limbs. ||4||
The elephant became unsteady when its tusks, difficult to grasp, hit the earth. When Kṛṣṇa got close to the tusks he grabbed them and threw the elephant on the ground. Attacking its body, he uprooted its tusks. This killed the elephant. Viewed by the spectators, his actions were like waves in the ocean, which submerged the people and then pulled them out. ||5||
When the elephant was killed, what use were the mahouts? When the wrestlers were crushed what can be said of the bugs residing there? ||6||
[7] Some details:
“He moves like a dancer and destroys like a lion. He breaks thunderbolts.” This is what the elephant thought on seeing Kṛṣṇa. ||7||
Killing the pachyderm and taking its two tusks, Kṛṣṇa gave one to Balarāma. By this he taught to all that the fame produced by one of them was the fame of two. ||8||
Kṛṣṇa killed the elephant. Balarāma was covered with red drops of the elephant’s mada.[1] Close by Kṛṣṇa’s side, he moved about like his shadow. ||9||
[8] The devatās, afraid of the arrow of the elephant’s roar, were called sleepless[2] because of not sleeping due to fear. The elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, superior in strength to the devatās, was killed by Kṛṣṇa. Thus the devatās became motionless like pictures, out of astonishment. Out of fear no one could boldly tell Kaṁsa the news.
[9] Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, looking splendid in the clothing looted from the king’s wardrobe the previous day, with the tusks of the recently killed elephant in their hands, their anklets and bracelets sprinkled with its blood and mada, came before the king with their friends of similar beauty. ||10||
Courage is the ornament of men, by which the despicable becomes praiseworthy. The bodies of the two, sprinkled with mada and blood from the elephant’s tusks, looked beautiful in Kaṁsa’s assembly. ||11||
His enemies saw him as fearful. The neutral parties saw him as neither fearful nor giving joy. His sympathizers saw him as a form giving joy and attained various special states. According to their individual moods, Kṛṣṇa strongly experienced those feelings simultaneously. ||12||
How can one describe his supreme sweetness at that time, because of which, even while Kaṁsa was living, thousands and thousands of people praised him in the assembly? How can one describe his power? The devatās considered Kaṁsa, though living, to be dead from being merged in that power. ||13||
[10] The two praiseworthy boys, with broad chests, entered the arena while holding the tusks. They looked like two elephants with water lily stems in their trunks and gazed at Kaṁsa while denigrating him with words like, “What is he anyway?” Turning their backs to him, they then looked around.
[11] Kṛṣṇa came close and looked at him again. “Oh! He is following half the path to Svarga. It is not too unfortunate to send him there.” Laughing, he played with his friends and exchanged news.
[12] Colored red with the blood of the dead elephant, Kṛṣṇa appeared like Śiva at the time of the destruction of the universe. Seeing him, Kaṁsa’s effulgence was destroyed. “Who are those two?” he asked. His attendants said, “Those are the two.”
[13] Kaṁsa said, “What is in their hands? Why are their bodies painted?”
[14] They all said, “Those are tusks of Kuvalayāpīḍa. They are covered with the elephant’s blood.”
[15] Kaṁsa said in pride and anger, “Ah! O sinful people! It is impossible that they can be the subject of words.”
[16] When the attendants no longer answered, the effulgence of the two boys informed Kaṁsa:
“O Kaṁsa, if you are strong, that is a misfortune. Why did you put the elephant at the gate and not your body? If you think those tusks are the best, why did you not grab them?” By their appearance they hinted this to Kaṁsa. ||14||
[17] “He killed Pūtanā and overturned the cart demon. He destroyed the wind demon and uprooted the arjuna trees.” Describing Kṛṣṇa’s Vraja pastimes, the people of Mathurā saw Kṛṣṇa before them. He melted the hearts of those looking and the hearts of others who heard the words, “See today what will happen.” ||15||
[18] The women of Svarga became submerged in bliss by simultaneously attempting to open their eyes wide to see the complete forms of the two boys, to move their tongues to taste the full sweetness of his descriptions, to widen their nostrils to let their complete fragrance enter their hearts, taking pride in the festival of attaining the boys’ fragrance, and to throw up their hands to embrace him. Music also sounded. He who is satisfied with praise was praised in this way.
[19] His special powers surpassed all conceptions continually. Hearing of Kṛṣṇa’s powers, Kaṁsa had first sent the wrestlers but the wrestlers ended up praising him by using critical words.
[20] At that time most cruel Cāṇūra spoke. He addressed the two as “son of Nanda” and “Rāma” without respect and without mentioning their father’s name (Vasudeva) in order to show disrespect to them. However Sarasvatī made his voice dance in order to praise Kṛṣṇa. By mentioning the words Nanda (bliss) and Rāma (enjoyment), he indicated that these two were equal to avatāras by having complete bliss as their quality.
[21] Kṛṣṇa said with a smile, “Order us as you please.”
[22] Cāṇūra said, “Good fortune should be situated in your minds.”
[23] Kṛṣṇa said, “How?”
[24] Cāṇūra said, “The king is present, desiring to give his merciful glance.”
[25] Kṛṣṇa said, “True. Please instruct us what we must do.”
[26] Cāṇūra said, “It is proper that you agree. If you are disinclined to fight, it will make us unhappy.”
[27] Kṛṣṇa said, “Being forest people, we have not met persons of elevated conduct respected by the king’s followers. But now we will follow your instruction and act according to the place.”
[28] Cāṇūra said, “For now, do whatever the exalted king orders.”
[29] Kṛṣṇa said with feigned politeness, “Best of wrestlers! Please give the order.”
[30] Cāṇūra said, “You should remain here and experience the happiness of playing with us.”
[31] Kṛṣṇa said, “The king will take pleasure in seeing the playing of us children. But you will experience lamentation. Now you are laughing but this is not proper for you, who are persons endowed with the king’s authority.”
[32] Cāṇūra said, “I swear to the honorable king. This is the king’s order.”
[33] Kṛṣṇa said, “How is that?”
[34-35] Cāṇūra said, “You were not babies when you killed Pūtanā. You were not boys when you performed pastimes like lifting Govardhana. You were not a youth when you killed the elephant which looked like an elephant of the directions. Since you are so strong, the king will take pleasure in seeing us fight with you. And you elder brother showed superiority in killing Pralamba and others.” ||16||
[36] Kṛṣṇa said, “They died because without cause they showed hatred and sinful conduct towards us. Indra’s pride was cut down spontaneously so the sacrificial festival could take place. We are just cowherd boys. Dhenuka was an old bull infested with bugs. His skin was torn in trying to throw off various people riding on him. He crumbled when we just touched him. First the elephant came to kill me. I fled in fear. The elephant drove its tusks into the earth to strike me, and could not remove them. When the elephant pulled this way and that, the tusks broke and the elephant died. People by looking thought that I was the cause of its death. The mahouts died by being crushed under its feet. Do not think otherwise.”
[37] Cāṇūra said, “You are hiding your sinful acts by trying to show humility. The king is not unhappy with these events. He has sent to you persons having long-lasting pride, in order to curb their arrogance since they were useless for protecting him. He wants to exchange them for you two only for increasing his own strength.”
[38] Kṛṣṇa said, “This is most astonishing luck for us. However, you embarrass us with praise. We will serve him by giving him the position of a king (or destination of Indra’s place-death). And we are a little reserved because we are not expert in the art of wrestling.”
[39] Cāṇūra said, “Do not uselessly hide the truth. We have heard what is well known. The cowherds in tending their flocks practice our art. You should follow our order and the king’s order and not disobey.”
[40] Kṛṣṇa said, “Since we are forest people we do not have knowledge of this great art. Following your order, we are ready to show the king.”