The Killing of the Demons Keshi and Vyoma

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.37.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच केशी तु कंसप्रहितः खुरैर्महीं महाहयो निर्जरयन् मनोजवः । सटावधूताभ्रविमानसङ्कुलं कुर्वन् नभो हेषितभीषिताखिलः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca keśī tu kaṁsa-prahitaḥ khurair mahīṁ mahā-hayo nirjarayan mano-javaḥ saṭāvadhūtābhra-vimāna-saṅkulaṁ kurvan nabho heṣita-bhīṣitākhilaḥ

Shri Shuka said: Now Keshi, sent by Kamsa, came as a mighty horse swift as thought, tearing up the earth with his hooves; the tossing of his mane scattered the clouds and the celestial cars until the sky grew thick with them, and his neighing struck terror into everyone.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.37.2)

तं त्रासयन्तं भगवान् स्वगोकुलं तद्धेषितैर्वालविघूर्णिताम्बुदम् । आत्मानमाजौ मृगयन्तमग्रणी- रुपाह्वयत् स व्यनदन्मृगेन्द्रवत् ॥ २ ॥

taṁ trāsayantaṁ bhagavān sva-gokulaṁ tad-dheṣitair vāla-vighūrṇitāmbudam ātmānam ājau mṛgayantam agra-ṇīr upāhvayat sa vyanadan mṛgendra-vat

As Keshi terrified the Lord’s own cowherd folk — his neighing and the lashing of his tail sending the very clouds spinning — and, foremost in seeking combat, came searching for the Lord Himself, the Lord called out to him, and Keshi roared back like a lion.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.37.3)

स तं निशाम्याभिमुखो मुखेन खं पिबन्निवाभ्यद्रवदत्यमर्षणः । जघान पद्भ्यामरविन्दलोचनं दुरासदश्चण्डजवो दुरत्ययः ॥ ३ ॥

sa taṁ niśāmyābhimukho mukhena khaṁ pibann ivābhyadravad aty-amarṣaṇaḥ jaghāna padbhyām aravinda-locanaṁ durāsadaś caṇḍa-javo duratyayaḥ

Seeing the Lord standing before him, Keshi charged in unrestrained fury, his mouth gaping as though to swallow the very sky; unapproachable, ferociously swift, and unconquerable, he struck out with his two forelegs at the lotus-eyed Lord.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.37.4)

तद् वञ्चयित्वा तमधोक्षजो रुषा प्रगृह्य दोर्भ्यां परिविध्य पादयोः । सावज्ञमुत्सृज्य धनुःशतान्तरे यथोरगं तार्क्ष्यसुतो व्यवस्थितः ॥ ४ ॥

tad vañcayitvā tam adhokṣajo ruṣā pragṛhya dorbhyāṁ parividhya pādayoḥ sāvajñam utsṛjya dhanuḥ-śatāntare yathoragaṁ tārkṣya-suto vyavasthitaḥ

Dodging that blow, the transcendent Lord angrily seized him by the legs with His two arms, whirled him around, and flung him away with contempt the distance of a hundred bow-lengths — and stood there as Garuda stands after casting aside a snake.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.37.5)

सः लब्धसंज्ञः पुनरुत्थितो रुषा व्यादाय केशी तरसापतद्धरिम् । सोऽप्यस्य वक्त्रे भुजमुत्तरं स्मयन् प्रवेशयामास यथोरगं बिले ॥ ५ ॥

saḥ labdha-saṁjñaḥ punar utthito ruṣā vyādāya keśī tarasāpatad dharim so ’py asya vaktre bhujam uttaraṁ smayan praveśayām āsa yathoragaṁ bile

Regaining his senses, Keshi rose again in fury and, mouth agape, rushed swiftly at Hari; and the Lord, smiling, thrust His arm into the demon’s mouth just as a snake enters its hole.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.37.6)

दन्ता निपेतुर्भगवद्भुजस्पृश- स्ते केशिनस्तप्तमयस्पृशो यथा । बाहुश्च तद्देहगतो महात्मनो यथामयः संववृधे उपेक्षितः ॥ ६ ॥

dantā nipetur bhagavad-bhuja-spṛśas te keśinas tapta-maya-spṛśo yathā bāhuś ca tad-deha-gato mahātmano yathāmayaḥ saṁvavṛdhe upekṣitaḥ

Keshi’s teeth fell out at the touch of the Lord’s arm, as though they had touched molten iron; and that arm, lodged within the great demon’s body, swelled and swelled, like an untreated affliction.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.37.7)

समेधमानेन स कृष्णबाहुना निरुद्धवायुश्चरणांश्च विक्षिपन् । प्रस्विन्नगात्रः परिवृत्तलोचनः पपात लण्डं विसृजन् क्षितौ व्यसुः ॥ ७ ॥

samedhamānena sa kṛṣṇa-bāhunā niruddha-vāyuś caraṇāṁś ca vikṣipan prasvinna-gātraḥ parivṛtta-locanaḥ papāta laṇḍaṁ visṛjan kṣitau vyasuḥ

As Krishna’s arm swelled and choked off his breath, he thrashed his legs, his body ran with sweat, his eyes rolled wildly, and, voiding his bowels, he fell lifeless to the ground.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.37.8)

तद्देहतः कर्कटिकाफलोपमाद् व्यसोरपाकृष्य भुजं महाभुजः । अविस्मितोऽयत्नहतारिकः सुरैः प्रसूनवर्षैर्वर्षद्भिरीडितः ॥ ८ ॥

tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaṁ mahā-bhujaḥ avismito ’yatna-hatārikaḥ suraiḥ prasūna-varṣair varṣadbhir īḍitaḥ

From that body — now like a great, lifeless gourd — the mighty-armed Lord withdrew His arm, showing no wonder at having slain His foe without the least effort, while the gods, raining down flowers, praised Him.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.37.9)

देवर्षिरुपसङ्गम्य भागवतप्रवरो नृप । कृष्णमक्लिष्टकर्माणं रहस्येतदभाषत ॥ ९ ॥

devarṣir upasaṅgamya bhāgavata-pravaro nṛpa kṛṣṇam akliṣṭa-karmāṇaṁ rahasy etad abhāṣata

The celestial sage, most eminent among devotees, then approached Krishna — whose every act is effortless — and, O King, spoke to Him in private as follows.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.37.10)

कृष्ण कृष्णाप्रमेयात्मन् योगेश जगदीश्वर । वासुदेवाखिलावास सात्वतां प्रवर प्रभो ॥ १० ॥

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇāprameyātman yogeśa jagad-īśvara vāsudevākhilāvāsa sātvatāṁ pravara prabho

‘O Krishna, Krishna, immeasurable Self, Lord of all mystic power, Lord of the universe! O son of Vasudeva, refuge of all beings, foremost of the Satvatas, O master!’

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.37.11)

त्वमात्मा सर्वभूतानामेको ज्योतिरिवैधसाम् । गूढो गुहाशयः साक्षी महापुरुष ईश्वरः ॥ ११ ॥

tvam ātmā sarva-bhūtānām eko jyotir ivaidhasām gūḍho guhā-śayaḥ sākṣī mahā-puruṣa īśvaraḥ

‘You are the one Self of all beings, like a single flame hidden within kindling wood; the witness seated within the cave of the heart, the Supreme Person, the Controller.’

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.37.12)

आत्मनात्माश्रयः पूर्वं मायया ससृजे गुणान् । तैरिदं सत्यसङ्कल्पः सृजस्यत्स्यवसीश्वरः ॥ १२ ॥

ātmanātmāśrayaḥ pūrvaṁ māyayā sasṛje guṇān tair idaṁ satya-saṅkalpaḥ sṛjasy atsy avasīśvaraḥ

‘Depending on none but Yourself, You first brought forth, through Your own maya, the three modes of nature; and through them, O controller whose every resolve is true, You create, withdraw and sustain this universe.’

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.37.13)

स त्वं भूधरभूतानां दैत्यप्रमथरक्षसाम् । अवतीर्णो विनाशाय साधुनां रक्षणाय च ॥ १३ ॥

sa tvaṁ bhūdhara-bhūtānāṁ daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām avatīrṇo vināśāya sādhunāṁ rakṣaṇāya ca

‘You, that very Self, have descended for the destruction of the Daityas, Pramathas and Rakshasas who have taken the form of kings, and for the protection of the righteous.’

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.37.14)

दिष्ट्या ते निहतो दैत्यो लीलयायं हयाकृतिः । यस्य हेषितसन्त्रस्तास्त्यजन्त्यनिमिषा दिवम् ॥ १४ ॥

diṣṭyā te nihato daityo līlayāyaṁ hayākṛtiḥ yasya heṣita-santrastās tyajanty animiṣā divam

‘By good fortune this demon in the form of a horse has been slain by You in mere play — he whose neighing so terrified even the unblinking gods that they fled heaven.’

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.37.15)

चाणूरं मुष्टिकं चैव मल्लानन्यांश्च हस्तिनम् । कंसं च निहतं द्रक्ष्ये परश्वोऽहनि ते विभो ॥ १५ ॥

cāṇūraṁ muṣṭikaṁ caiva mallān anyāṁś ca hastinam kaṁsaṁ ca nihataṁ drakṣye paraśvo ’hani te vibho

‘Chanura and Mushtika and the other wrestlers, the elephant, and Kamsa too — I shall see them slain by You, O mighty Lord, on the day after tomorrow.’

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.37.16)

तस्यानु शङ्खयवनमुराणां नरकस्य च । पारिजातापहरणमिन्द्रस्य च पराजयम् ॥ १६ ॥

tasyānu śaṅkha-yavana- murāṇāṁ narakasya ca pārijātāpaharaṇam indrasya ca parājayam

‘After that I shall see the deaths of Shankha, Yavana and Mura, and of Naraka, and the stealing of the parijata flower and Indra’s defeat.’

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.37.17)

उद्वाहं वीरकन्यानां वीर्यशुल्कादिलक्षणम् । नृगस्य मोक्षणं शापाद्द्वारकायां जगत्पते ॥ १७ ॥

udvāhaṁ vīra-kanyānāṁ vīrya-śulkādi-lakṣaṇam nṛgasya mokṣaṇaṁ śāpād dvārakāyāṁ jagat-pate

‘I shall see Your marriages to the daughters of heroic kings, won by valor as the bridal fee, and other such things; and, in Dvaraka, O Lord of the universe, the release of King Nriga from his curse.’

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.37.18)

स्यमन्तकस्य च मणेरादानं सह भार्यया । मृतपुत्रप्रदानं च ब्राह्मणस्य स्वधामतः ॥ १८ ॥

syamantakasya ca maṇer ādānaṁ saha bhāryayā mṛta-putra-pradānaṁ ca brāhmaṇasya sva-dhāmataḥ

‘I shall see the taking of the Syamantaka jewel, together with a wife gained thereby; and the return of a brahmana’s dead son, brought back from Your own abode.’

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.37.19)

पौण्ड्रकस्य वधं पश्चात् काशिपुर्याश्च दीपनम् । दन्तवक्रस्य निधनं चैद्यस्य च महाक्रतौ ॥ १९ ॥

pauṇḍrakasya vadhaṁ paścāt kāśi-puryāś ca dīpanam dantavakrasya nidhanaṁ caidyasya ca mahā-kratau

‘Thereafter I shall see the killing of Paundraka and the burning of the city of Kashi; the death of Dantavakra, and of the King of Chedi at the great sacrifice.’

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.37.20)

यानि चान्यानि वीर्याणि द्वारकामावसन्भवान् । कर्ता द्रक्ष्याम्यहं तानि गेयानि कविभिर्भुवि ॥ २० ॥

yāni cānyāni vīryāṇi dvārakām āvasan bhavān kartā drakṣyāmy ahaṁ tāni geyāni kavibhir bhuvi

‘And whatever other heroic deeds You, dwelling in Dvaraka, are yet to perform — these too I shall see, deeds that poets will sing of on this earth.’

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.37.21)

अथ ते कालरूपस्य क्षपयिष्णोरमुष्य वै । अक्षौहिणीनां निधनं द्रक्ष्याम्यर्जुनसारथेः ॥ २१ ॥

atha te kāla-rūpasya kṣapayiṣṇor amuṣya vai akṣauhiṇīnāṁ nidhanaṁ drakṣyāmy arjuna-sāratheḥ

‘Then I shall see You, having assumed the very form of time and resolved to relieve this earth of her burden, destroy whole armies as the charioteer of Arjuna.’

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.37.22)

विशुद्धविज्ञानघनं स्वसंस्थया समाप्तसर्वार्थममोघवाञ्छितम् । स्वतेजसा नित्यनिवृत्तमाया- गुणप्रवाहं भगवन्तमीमहि ॥ २२ ॥

viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaṁ sva-saṁsthayā samāpta-sarvārtham amogha-vāñchitam sva-tejasā nitya-nivṛtta-māyā- guṇa-pravāhaṁ bhagavantam īmahi

‘Let us take shelter of the Blessed Lord — dense with pure transcendental knowledge in His own eternal form, all purposes already fulfilled in Him, His desires never frustrated, who by His own radiance stands forever apart from the flow of the modes born of illusion.’

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.37.23)

त्वामीश्वरं स्वाश्रयमात्ममायया विनिर्मिताशेषविशेषकल्पनम् । क्रीडार्थमद्यात्तमनुष्यविग्रहं नतोऽस्मि धुर्यं यदुवृष्णिसात्वताम् ॥ २३ ॥

tvām īśvaraṁ svāśrayam ātma-māyayā vinirmitāśeṣa-viśeṣa-kalpanam krīḍārtham adyātta-manuṣya-vigrahaṁ nato ’smi dhuryaṁ yadu-vṛṣṇi-sātvatām

‘To You, the self-sustained Controller, who by Your own maya have fashioned this whole unlimited variety of forms, and who have now, for the sake of play, taken up a human body — to You I bow down, foremost of the Yadus, Vrishnis and Satvatas.’

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.37.24)

श्रीशुक उवाच एवं यदुपतिं कृष्णं भागवतप्रवरो मुनिः । प्रणिपत्याभ्यनुज्ञातो ययौ तद्दर्शनोत्सवः ॥ २४ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca evaṁ yadu-patiṁ kṛṣṇaṁ bhāgavata-pravaro muniḥ praṇipatyābhyanujñāto yayau tad-darśanotsavaḥ

Shri Shuka said: Having thus addressed Krishna, lord of the Yadus, that most eminent sage among devotees bowed down, took his leave, and departed, filled with the joy of having seen Him.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.37.25)

भगवानपि गोविन्दो हत्वा केशिनमाहवे । पशूनपालयत् पालैः प्रीतैर्व्रजसुखावहः ॥ २५ ॥

bhagavān api govindo hatvā keśinam āhave paśūn apālayat pālaiḥ prītair vraja-sukhāvahaḥ

The Lord Govinda, having slain Keshi in that encounter, went on tending the animals together with His delighted cowherd companions, bringing joy to all of Vraja.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.37.26)

एकदा ते पशून्पालाश्चारयन्तोऽद्रिसानुषु । चक्रुर्निलायनक्रीडाश्चोरपालापदेशतः ॥ २६ ॥

ekadā te paśūn pālāś cārayanto ’dri-sānuṣu cakrur nilāyana-krīḍāś cora-pālāpadeśataḥ

One day, while grazing their animals on the mountain slopes, the cowherd boys played a game of hiding and seeking, acting the parts of thieves and herders.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.37.27)

तत्रासन् कतिचिच्चोराः पालाश्च कतिचिन्नृप । मेषायिताश्च तत्रैके विजह्रुरकुतोभयाः ॥ २७ ॥

tatrāsan katicic corāḥ pālāś ca katicin nṛpa meṣāyitāś ca tatraike vijahrur akuto-bhayāḥ

Some of them, O King, played the thieves, and some the herdsmen; and some among them, acting the part of sheep, sported fearlessly.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.37.28)

मयपुत्रो महामायो व्योमो गोपालवेषधृक् । मेषायितानपोवाह प्रायश्चोरायितो बहून् ॥ २८ ॥

maya-putro mahā-māyo vyomo gopāla-veṣa-dhṛk meṣāyitān apovāha prāyaś corāyito bahūn

Maya’s son, the great magician Vyoma, disguised himself as one of the cowherd boys and, playing the thief in the game, carried off most of those who were acting as sheep.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.37.29)

गिरिदर्यां विनिक्षिप्य नीतं नीतं महासुरः । शिलया पिदधे द्वारं चतुःपञ्चावशेषिताः ॥ २९ ॥

giri-daryāṁ vinikṣipya nītaṁ nītaṁ mahāsuraḥ śilayā pidadhe dvāraṁ catuḥ-pañcāvaśeṣitāḥ

Casting them one by one into a mountain cave, the great demon sealed its entrance with a boulder, until only four or five boys remained.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.37.30)

तस्य तत् कर्म विज्ञाय कृष्णः शरणदः सताम् । गोपान् नयन्तं जग्राह वृकं हरिरिवौजसा ॥ ३० ॥

tasya tat karma vijñāya kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇa-daḥ satām gopān nayantaṁ jagrāha vṛkaṁ harir ivaujasā

Understanding what he was doing, Krishna, the giver of shelter to the saintly, seized him — as he was leading off more cowherd boys — with the same force that a lion uses to seize a wolf.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.37.31)

स निजं रूपमास्थाय गिरीन्द्रसदृशं बली । इच्छन्विमोक्तुमात्मानं नाशक्नोद्ग्रहणातुरः ॥ ३१ ॥

sa nijaṁ rūpam āsthāya girīndra-sadṛśaṁ balī icchan vimoktum ātmānaṁ nāśaknod grahaṇāturaḥ

The powerful demon then assumed his true form, huge as a mountain-king, and though he strove to free himself, he could not, exhausted from being held fast.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.37.32)

तं निगृह्याच्युतो दोर्भ्यां पातयित्वा महीतले । पश्यतां दिवि देवानां पशुमारममारयत् ॥ ३२ ॥

taṁ nigṛhyācyuto dorbhyāṁ pātayitvā mahī-tale paśyatāṁ divi devānāṁ paśu-māram amārayat

Gripping him fast with His two arms, the infallible Lord threw him down to the ground and, before the very eyes of the gods in heaven, killed him just as a sacrificial animal is killed.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.37.33)

गुहापिधानं निर्भिद्य गोपान्निःसार्य कृच्छ्रतः । स्तूयमानः सुरैर्गोपैः प्रविवेश स्वगोकुलम् ॥ ३३ ॥

guhā-pidhānaṁ nirbhidya gopān niḥsārya kṛcchrataḥ stūyamānaḥ surair gopaiḥ praviveśa sva-gokulam

Breaking open the seal of the cave, He drew the cowherd boys out from that peril with great effort, and, praised by the gods and the cowherds alike, returned to His own cowherd village.