Krishna Kills the Elephant Kuvalayapida

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.43.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ कृष्णश्च रामश्च कृतशौचौ परन्तप । मल्लदुन्दुभिनिर्घोषं श्रुत्वा द्रष्टुमुपेयतुः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca atha kṛṣṇaś ca rāmaś ca kṛta-śaucau parantapa malla-dundubhi-nirghoṣaṁ śrutvā draṣṭum upeyatuḥ

Sukadeva said: O scorcher of foes, having then completed their ablutions, Krishna and Rama heard the roar of the wrestling drums, and set out to see what it announced.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.43.2)

रङ्गद्वारं समासाद्य तस्मिन् नागमवस्थितम् । अपश्यत्कुवलयापीडं कृष्णोऽम्बष्ठप्रचोदितम् ॥ २ ॥

raṅga-dvāraṁ samāsādya tasmin nāgam avasthitam apaśyat kuvalayāpīḍaṁ kṛṣṇo ’mbaṣṭha-pracoditam

Reaching the gate of the arena, Krishna saw the elephant Kuvalayapida standing there, set upon Him at the urging of its driver.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.43.3)

बद्ध्वा परिकरं शौरिः समुह्य कुटिलालकान् । उवाच हस्तिपं वाचा मेघनादगभीरया ॥ ३ ॥

baddhvā parikaraṁ śauriḥ samuhya kuṭilālakān uvāca hastipaṁ vācā megha-nāda-gabhīrayā

Tying up His garment, and gathering back His curling locks, Shauri addressed the mahout in a voice as deep as the rumble of thunder.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.43.4)

अम्बष्ठाम्बष्ठ मार्गं नौ देह्यपक्रम मा चिरम् । नो चेत् सकुञ्जरं त्वाद्य नयामि यमसादनम् ॥ ४ ॥

ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaṁ nau dehy apakrama mā ciram no cet sa-kuñjaraṁ tvādya nayāmi yama-sādanam

[Krishna said:] O driver, driver, give Us the way and step aside at once — otherwise, this very day I shall send you, along with your elephant, to the abode of Yama!

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.43.5)

एवं निर्भर्त्सितोऽम्बष्ठः कुपितः कोपितं गजम् । चोदयामास कृष्णाय कालान्तकयमोपमम् ॥ ५ ॥

evaṁ nirbhartsito ’mbaṣṭhaḥ kupitaḥ kopitaṁ gajam codayām āsa kṛṣṇāya kālāntaka-yamopamam

Thus rebuked, the driver grew angry, and goaded his already-furious elephant, an animal like Yama himself, the ender of time, on against Krishna.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.43.6)

करीन्द्रस्तमभिद्रुत्य करेण तरसाग्रहीत् । कराद्विगलितः सोऽमुं निहत्याङ्घ्रिष्वलीयत ॥ ६ ॥

karīndras tam abhidrutya kareṇa tarasāgrahīt karād vigalitaḥ so ’muṁ nihatyāṅghriṣv alīyata

The lord of elephants charged and swiftly seized Him in his trunk; but slipping free of that grip, Krishna struck him a blow and vanished from sight among his legs.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.43.7)

सङ्क्रुद्धस्तमचक्षाणो घ्राणदृष्टिः स केशवम् । परामृशत् पुष्करेण स प्रसह्य विनिर्गतः ॥ ७ ॥

saṅkruddhas tam acakṣāṇo ghrāṇa-dṛṣṭiḥ sa keśavam parāmṛśat puṣkareṇa sa prasahya vinirgataḥ

Enraged at not being able to see Keshava, the elephant sought Him out by scent, and again seized Him violently with the tip of his trunk — but the Lord forcibly wrenched Himself free.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.43.8)

पुच्छे प्रगृह्यातिबलं धनुषः पञ्चविंशतिम् । विचकर्ष यथा नागं सुपर्ण इव लीलया ॥ ८ ॥

pucche pragṛhyāti-balaṁ dhanuṣaḥ pañca-viṁśatim vicakarṣa yathā nāgaṁ suparṇa iva līlayā

He of matchless strength seized the elephant by the tail and playfully dragged him twenty-five bow-lengths, as easily as Suparna might drag along a serpent.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.43.9)

स पर्यावर्तमानेन सव्यदक्षिणतोऽच्युतः । बभ्राम भ्राम्यमाणेन गोवत्सेनेव बालकः ॥ ९ ॥

sa paryāvartamānena savya-dakṣiṇato ’cyutaḥ babhrāma bhrāmyamāṇena go-vatseneva bālakaḥ

As the elephant twisted now to the left, now to the right, Achyuta, still holding fast, was whirled about in the opposite direction with him — like a boy swung around by a calf he grips by the tail.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.43.10)

ततोऽभिमुखमभ्येत्य पाणिनाहत्य वारणम् । प्राद्रवन् पातयामास स्पृश्यमानः पदे पदे ॥ १० ॥

tato ’bhimakham abhyetya pāṇināhatya vāraṇam prādravan pātayām āsa spṛśyamānaḥ pade pade

Then, coming face to face with the elephant, He struck him with His hand and ran off; though touched again and again at every step in the chase, He made the beast stumble and fall.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.43.11)

स धावन् क्रीडया भूमौ पतित्वा सहसोत्थितः । तं मत्वा पतितं क्रुद्धो दन्ताभ्यां सोऽहनत्क्षितिम् ॥ ११ ॥

sa dhāvan kṛīdayā bhūmau patitvā sahasotthitaḥ tam matvā patitaṁ kruddho dantābhyāṁ so ’hanat kṣitim

Running as if in sport, He fell to the ground and rose again at once; taking Him for fallen, the enraged elephant struck the earth itself with his tusks.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.43.12)

स्वविक्रमे प्रतिहते कुञ्जरेन्द्रोऽत्यमर्षितः । चोद्यमानो महामात्रैः कृष्णमभ्यद्रवद् रुषा ॥ १२ ॥

sva-vikrame pratihate kuñjarendro ’ty-amarṣitaḥ codyamāno mahāmātraiḥ kṛṣṇam abhyadravad ruṣā

His might thus thwarted, the lordly elephant grew all the more enraged, and, spurred on again by his keepers, charged furiously at Krishna once more.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.43.13)

तमापतन्तमासाद्य भगवान् मधुसूदनः । निगृह्य पाणिना हस्तं पातयामास भूतले ॥ १३ ॥

tam āpatantam āsādya bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ nigṛhya pāṇinā hastaṁ pātayām āsa bhū-tale

Meeting that charging elephant, Bhagavan Madhusudana seized his trunk with His own hand and threw him down upon the ground.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.43.14)

पतितस्य पदाक्रम्य मृगेन्द्र इव लीलया । दन्तमुत्पाट्य तेनेभं हस्तिपांश्चाहनद्धरिः ॥ १४ ॥

patitasya padākramya mṛgendra iva līlayā dantam utpāṭya tenebhaṁ hastipāṁś cāhanad dhariḥ

Setting His foot upon the fallen beast as easily as a lion would, Hari tore loose one of its tusks, and with it slew both the elephant and its keepers.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.43.15)

मृतकं द्विपमुत्सृज्य दन्तपाणिः समाविशत् । अंसन्यस्तविषाणोऽसृङ्मदबिन्दुभिरङ्कितः । विरूढस्वेदकणिकावदनाम्बुरुहो बभौ ॥ १५ ॥

mṛtakaṁ dvipam utsṛjya danta-pāṇiḥ samāviśat aṁsa-nyasta-viṣāṇo ’sṛṅ- mada-bindubhir aṅkitaḥ virūḍha-sveda-kaṇikā vadanāmburuho babhau

Leaving the dead elephant behind, the tusk now in His hand, He entered the arena — the tusk resting upon His shoulder, His body flecked with drops of blood and musth, His lotus face gleaming with beads of sweat, radiant with beauty.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.43.16)

वृतौ गोपैः कतिपयैर्बलदेवजनार्दनौ । रङ्गं विविशतू राजन् गजदन्तवरायुधौ ॥ १६ ॥

vṛtau gopaiḥ katipayair baladeva-janārdanau raṅgaṁ viviśatū rājan gaja-danta-varāyudhau

O King, surrounded by a handful of cowherd boys, Baladeva and Janardana, each bearing an elephant's tusk as his weapon of choice, entered the arena.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.43.17)

मल्लानामशनिर्नृणां नरवरः स्त्रीणां स्मरो मूर्तिमान्गोपानां स्वजनोऽसतां क्षितिभुजां शास्ता स्वपित्रोः शिशुः । मृत्युर्भोजपतेर्विराडविदुषां तत्त्वं परं योगिनांवृष्णीनां परदेवतेति विदितो रङ्गं गतः साग्रजः ॥ १७ ॥

mallānām aśanir nṛṇāṁ nara-varaḥ strīṇāṁ smaro mūrtimān gopānāṁ sva-jano ’satāṁ kṣiti-bhujāṁ śāstā sva-pitroḥ śiśuḥ mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāṁ tattvaṁ paraṁ yogināṁ vṛṣṇīnāṁ para-devateti vidito raṅgaṁ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ

To the wrestlers he seemed a thunderbolt; to the men, the finest of males; to the women, Cupid himself embodied; to the cowherds, their own kinsman; to the wicked kings, a chastiser; to His own parents, their child; to the lord of the Bhojas, death itself; to the ignorant, the universal form; to the yogis, the Supreme Truth; and to the Vrishnis, their own highest worshipable deity. Known thus in so many ways at once, He entered the arena together with His elder brother.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.43.18)

हतं कुवलयापीडं दृष्ट्वा तावपि दुर्जयौ । कंसो मनस्यपि तदा भृशमुद्विविजे नृप ॥ १८ ॥

hataṁ kuvalayāpīḍaṁ dṛṣṭvā tāv api durjayau kaṁso manasy api tadā bhṛśam udvivije nṛpa

Seeing Kuvalayapida slain and the two brothers still unconquered, Kamsa's heart, O King, grew exceedingly troubled even then.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.43.19)

तौ रेजतू रङ्गगतौ महाभुजौविचित्रवेषाभरणस्रगम्बरौ । यथा नटावुत्तमवेषधारिणौमनः क्षिपन्तौ प्रभया निरीक्षताम् ॥ १९ ॥

tau rejatū raṅga-gatau mahā-bhujau vicitra-veṣābharaṇa-srag-ambarau yathā naṭāv uttama-veṣa-dhāriṇau manaḥ kṣipantau prabhayā nirīkṣatām

Those two mighty-armed ones shone in the arena, arrayed in wondrous attire, ornaments, garlands and garments, like a pair of actors clad in the finest costume — and with Their own radiance They stole away the minds of all who watched.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.43.20)

निरीक्ष्य तावुत्तमपूरुषौ जनामञ्चस्थिता नागरराष्ट्रका नृप । प्रहर्षवेगोत्कलितेक्षणाननाःपपुर्न तृप्ता नयनैस्तदाननम् ॥ २० ॥

nirīkṣya tāv uttama-pūruṣau janā mañca-sthitā nāgara-rāṣṭrakā nṛpa praharṣa-vegotkalitekṣaṇānanāḥ papur na tṛptā nayanais tad-ānanam

Beholding those two Supreme Persons, O King, the townsfolk and country-folk seated in the galleries, their eyes and faces opening wide with the force of their delight, drank in that face with their eyes and never grew satisfied.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.43.21)

पिबन्त इव चक्षुर्भ्यां लिहन्त इव जिह्वया । जिघ्रन्त इव नासाभ्यां श्लिष्यन्त इव बाहुभिः ॥ २१ ॥

pibanta iva cakṣurbhyāṁ lihanta iva jihvayā jighranta iva nāsābhyāṁ śliṣyanta iva bāhubhiḥ

As if drinking Them in with their eyes, as if licking Them with their tongues, as if breathing Them in through their nostrils, as if embracing Them with their very arms —

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.43.22)

ऊचुः परस्परं ते वै यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् । तद्रूपगुणमाधुर्यप्रागल्भ्यस्मारिता इव ॥ २२ ॥

ūcuḥ parasparaṁ te vai yathā-dṛṣṭaṁ yathā-śrutam tad-rūpa-guṇa-mādhurya- prāgalbhya-smāritā iva

— so, as though reminded afresh of Their beauty, character, sweetness and daring, the people began telling one another, each in his own words, what he had seen and heard of Them.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.43.23)

एतौ भगवतः साक्षाद्धरेर्नारायणस्य हि । अवतीर्णाविहांशेन वसुदेवस्य वेश्मनि ॥ २३ ॥

etau bhagavataḥ sākṣād dharer nārāyaṇasya hi avatīrṇāv ihāṁśena vasudevasya veśmani

[The people said:] These two are indeed direct expansions of Bhagavan Hari Narayana Himself, who have descended here, as a partial manifestation, into the household of Vasudeva.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.43.24)

एष वै किल देवक्यां जातो नीतश्च गोकुलम् । कालमेतं वसन् गूढो ववृधे नन्दवेश्मनि ॥ २४ ॥

eṣa vai kila devakyāṁ jāto nītaś ca gokulam kālam etaṁ vasan gūḍho vavṛdhe nanda-veśmani

This one was indeed born of Devaki and carried away to Gokula; living there in hiding through all this time, He grew up in the house of Nanda.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.43.25)

पूतनानेन नीतान्तं चक्रवातश्च दानवः । अर्जुनौ गुह्यकः केशी धेनुकोऽन्ये च तद्विधाः ॥ २५ ॥

pūtanānena nītāntaṁ cakravātaś ca dānavaḥ arjunau guhyakaḥ keśī dhenuko ’nye ca tad-vidhāḥ

By Him Putana was brought to her end, as was the whirlwind demon; He uprooted the twin Arjuna trees, and slew Keshi, Dhenuka, and other demons of their kind.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.43.26)

गावः सपाला एतेन दावाग्नेः परिमोचिताः । कालियो दमितः सर्प इन्द्रश्च विमदः कृतः ॥ २६ ॥

gāvaḥ sa-pālā etena dāvāgneḥ parimocitāḥ kāliyo damitaḥ sarpa indraś ca vimadaḥ kṛtaḥ

By Him the cows, together with their herdsmen, were delivered from a forest fire; the serpent Kaliya was subdued, and even Indra was relieved of his pride.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.43.27)

सप्ताहमेकहस्तेन धृतोऽद्रिप्रवरोऽमुना । वर्षवाताशनिभ्यश्च परित्रातं च गोकुलम् ॥ २७ ॥

saptāham eka-hastena dhṛto ’dri-pravaro ’munā varṣa-vātāśanibhyaś ca paritrātaṁ ca gokulam

For seven days He held aloft the finest of mountains with a single hand, and in this way protected Gokula from rain, wind and thunderbolt.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.43.28)

गोप्योऽस्य नित्यमुदितहसितप्रेक्षणं मुखम् । पश्यन्त्यो विविधांस्तापांस्तरन्ति स्माश्रमं मुदा ॥ २८ ॥

gopyo ’sya nitya-mudita- hasita-prekṣaṇaṁ mukham paśyantyo vividhāṁs tāpāṁs taranti smāśramaṁ mudā

The gopis, beholding His face — ever joyful, its glance ever smiling — cross over every kind of sorrow through that sight alone, and dwell in happiness.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.43.29)

वदन्त्यनेन वंशोऽयं यदोः सुबहुविश्रुतः । श्रियं यशो महत्वं च लप्स्यते परिरक्षितः ॥ २९ ॥

vadanty anena vaṁśo ’yaṁ yadoḥ su-bahu-viśrutaḥ śriyaṁ yaśo mahatvaṁ ca lapsyate parirakṣitaḥ

They say that this dynasty of the Yadus, already so widely renowned, shall now, under His protection, attain wealth, fame and greatness.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.43.30)

अयं चास्याग्रजः श्रीमान्रामः कमललोचनः । प्रलम्बो निहतो येन वत्सको ये बकादयः ॥ ३० ॥

ayaṁ cāsyāgrajaḥ śrīmān rāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ pralambo nihato yena vatsako ye bakādayaḥ

And this glorious, lotus-eyed elder brother of His, Rama — it was by him that Pralamba was slain, and Vatsaka, Baka, and other demons of their kind as well.

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.43.31)

जनेष्वेवं ब्रुवाणेषु तूर्येषु निनदत्सु च । कृष्णरामौ समाभाष्य चाणूरो वाक्यमब्रवीत् ॥ ३१ ॥

janeṣv evaṁ bruvāṇeṣu tūryeṣu ninadatsu ca kṛṣṇa-rāmau samābhāṣya cāṇūro vākyam abravīt

While the people were speaking in this way, and the instruments continued to resound, Chanura, addressing Krishna and Rama, spoke these words.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.43.32)

हे नन्दसूनो हे राम भवन्तौ वीरसम्मतौ । नियुद्धकुशलौ श्रुत्वा राज्ञाहूतौ दिदृक्षुणा ॥ ३२ ॥

he nanda-sūno he rāma bhavantau vīra-sammatau niyuddha-kuśalau śrutvā rājñāhūtau didṛkṣuṇā

[Chanura said:] O son of Nanda, O Rama, you two are held in high esteem among heroes and are skilled in combat; hearing this, the king, wishing to see for himself, has summoned you here.

Verse 33 (bhagavata.10.43.33)

प्रियं राज्ञः प्रकुर्वत्यः श्रेयो विन्दन्ति वै प्रजाः । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा विपरीतमतोऽन्यथा ॥ ३३ ॥

priyaṁ rājñaḥ prakurvatyaḥ śreyo vindanti vai prajāḥ manasā karmaṇā vācā viparītam ato ’nyathā

Subjects who act with thought, deed and word to please their king attain good fortune; those who do otherwise meet with the opposite result.

Verse 34 (bhagavata.10.43.34)

नित्यं प्रमुदिता गोपा वत्सपाला यथास्फुटम् । वनेषु मल्लयुद्धेन क्रीडन्तश्चारयन्ति गाः ॥ ३४ ॥

nityaṁ pramuditā gopā vatsa-pālā yathā-sphuṭam vaneṣu malla-yuddhena krīḍantaś cārayanti gāḥ

It is plain to see that the cowherd boys who tend the calves are always cheerful, and that while grazing the cattle in the forests, they play at wrestling among themselves.

Verse 35 (bhagavata.10.43.35)

तस्माद् राज्ञः प्रियं यूयं वयं च करवाम हे । भूतानि नः प्रसीदन्ति सर्वभूतमयो नृपः ॥ ३५ ॥

tasmād rājñaḥ priyaṁ yūyaṁ vayaṁ ca karavāma he bhūtāni naḥ prasīdanti sarva-bhūta-mayo nṛpaḥ

Therefore, good sirs, let both you and us do what pleases the king; when the king, who embodies all beings, is pleased, then all beings become gracious toward us.

Verse 36 (bhagavata.10.43.36)

तन्निशम्याब्रवीत्कृष्णो देशकालोचितं वचः । नियुद्धमात्मनोऽभीष्टं मन्यमानोऽभिनन्द्य च ॥ ३६ ॥

tan niśamyābravīt kṛṣṇo deśa-kālocitaṁ vacaḥ niyuddham ātmano ’bhīṣṭaṁ manyamāno ’bhinandya ca

Hearing this, Krishna, who indeed regarded this wrestling match as something He Himself desired, replied with words fitting the time and place, and welcomed the challenge.

Verse 37 (bhagavata.10.43.37)

प्रजा भोजपतेरस्य वयं चापि वनेचराः । करवाम प्रियं नित्यं तन्नः परमनुग्रहः ॥ ३७ ॥

prajā bhoja-pater asya vayaṁ cāpi vane-carāḥ karavāma priyaṁ nityaṁ tan naḥ param anugrahaḥ

[Krishna said:] Though We are forest-dwellers, We too are subjects of this lord of the Bhojas; let Us always do what pleases him, for that alone shall be Our highest good.

Verse 38 (bhagavata.10.43.38)

बाला वयं तुल्यबलैः क्रीडिष्यामो यथोचितम् । भवेन्नियुद्धं माधर्मः स्पृशेन्मल्ल सभासदः ॥ ३८ ॥

bālā vayaṁ tulya-balaiḥ krīḍiṣyāmo yathocitam bhaven niyuddhaṁ mādharmaḥ spṛśen malla-sabhā-sadaḥ

We are only young boys; let Us play, then, as is proper, with those of equal strength — let the match be conducted rightly, lest wrongdoing touch these worthy members of the assembly.

Verse 39 (bhagavata.10.43.39)

चाणूर उवाच न बालो न किशोरस्त्वं बलश्च बलिनां वरः । लीलयेभो हतो येन सहस्रद्विपसत्त्वभृत् ॥ ३९ ॥

cāṇūra uvāca na bālo na kiśoras tvaṁ balaś ca balināṁ varaḥ līlayebho hato yena sahasra-dvipa-sattva-bhṛt

Chanura said: You are no child, nor even a youth — nor, for that matter, is Bala, best among the mighty; for by You, in mere play, an elephant bearing the strength of a thousand elephants has been slain.

Verse 40 (bhagavata.10.43.40)

तस्माद्भवद्भ्यां बलिभिर्योद्धव्यं नानयोऽत्र वै । मयि विक्रम वार्ष्णेय बलेन सह मुष्टिकः ॥ ४० ॥

tasmād bhavadbhyāṁ balibhir yoddhavyaṁ nānayo ’tra vai mayi vikrama vārṣṇeya balena saha muṣṭikaḥ

Therefore you two ought to fight with mighty wrestlers — there is nothing unfair in that. Show your prowess against me, O descendant of Vrishni, while Bala fights with Mushtika.