The Slaying of Arishta

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.14.1)

श्रीपराशर उवाच। प्रदोषाग्रे कदाचित्तु रासासक्ते जनार्दने। त्रासयन्समदो गोष्ठमरिष्टस्समुपागमत्

śrīparāśara uvāca pradoṣāgre kadācittu rāsāsakte janārdane trāsayansamado goṣṭhamariṣṭassamupāgamat

Parashara said: Once, at the fall of evening twilight, while Janardana was absorbed in the rasa dance, the demon Arishta, wild with pride, came terrifying the cow-pen.

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.14.2)

स तोयतोयदच्छायस्तीक्ष्णशृंगोर्कलोचनः। खुराग्रपातैरत्यर्थं दारयन्धरणीतलम्

sa toyatoyadacchāyastīkṣṇaśṛṁgorkalocanaḥ khurāgrapātairatyarthaṁ dārayandharaṇītalam

He had the hue of a rain-laden cloud, sharp horns, and eyes like the sun; with the blows of his hooves he tore up the surface of the earth.

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.14.3)

लेलिहानस्सनिष्पेषं जिह्वयोष्ठौ पुनःपुनः। संरंभाविद्धलांगूलः कठिनस्कंधबंधनः

lelihānassaniṣpeṣaṁ jihvayoṣṭhau punaḥpunaḥ saṁraṁbhāviddhalāṁgūlaḥ kaṭhinaskaṁdhabaṁdhanaḥ

Again and again he licked his lips with a grinding tongue, lashing his tail about in fury, his shoulders bound hard with muscle.

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.14.4)

उदग्रककुदाभोगप्रमाणो दुरतिक्रमः। विण्मूत्रलिप्तपृष्ठांगो गवामुद्वेगकारकः

udagrakakudābhogapramāṇo duratikramaḥ viṇmūtraliptapṛṣṭhāṁgo gavāmudvegakārakaḥ

His hump rose high, vast beyond measure, impossible to overcome; his back and limbs smeared with dung and urine, he became a terror to the cows.

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.14.5)

प्रलंबकंठोऽतिमुखस्तरुखातांकिताननः। पातयन्स गवां गर्भान्दैत्यो वृषभरूपधृक्

pralaṁbakaṁṭho'timukhastarukhātāṁkitānanaḥ pātayansa gavāṁ garbhāndaityo vṛṣabharūpadhṛk

With a hanging dewlap and an immense face marked with scars from goring trees, the demon who had taken the form of a bull went about making the cows miscarry their calves.

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.14.6)

सूदयंस्तापसानुग्रो वनानटति यस्सदा

sūdayaṁstāpasānugro vanānaṭati yassadā

That fierce demon, ever roaming the forests, kept destroying ascetics there.

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.14.7)

ततस्तमतिघोराक्षमवेक्ष्यातिभयातुराः। गोपा गोपस्त्रियश्चैव कृष्णकृष्णेति चुक्रुशुः

tatastamatighorākṣamavekṣyātibhayāturāḥ gopā gopastriyaścaiva kṛṣṇakṛṣṇeti cukruśuḥ

Then, seeing that demon with his terrible eyes, the cowherds and cowherd women, overcome with fear, cried out, 'Krishna! Krishna!'

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.14.8)

सिंहनादं ततश्चक्रे तलशब्दं च केशवः। तच्छब्दश्रवणाच्चाऽसौ दामोदरमुपाययौ

siṁhanādaṁ tataścakre talaśabdaṁ ca keśavaḥ tacchabdaśravaṇāccā'sau dāmodaramupāyayau

Keshava then roared like a lion and clapped his palms; hearing that sound, the demon rushed straight toward Damodara.

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.14.9)

अग्रन्यस्तविषाणाग्रः कृष्णकुक्षिकृतेक्षणः। अभ्यधावत दुष्टात्मा कृष्णं वृषभदानवः

agranyastaviṣāṇāgraḥ kṛṣṇakukṣikṛtekṣaṇaḥ abhyadhāvata duṣṭātmā kṛṣṇaṁ vṛṣabhadānavaḥ

With the tips of his horns thrust forward, his gaze fixed on Krishna's belly, that wicked-souled bull-demon charged straight at Krishna.

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.14.10)

आयांतं दैत्यवृषभं दृष्ट्वा कृष्णो महाबलः। न चचाल तदा स्थानादवज्ञास्मितलीलया

āyāṁtaṁ daityavṛṣabhaṁ dṛṣṭvā kṛṣṇo mahābalaḥ na cacāla tadā sthānādavajñāsmitalīlayā

Seeing the demon-bull come on, the mighty Krishna did not stir from his place, meeting him only with a smile of playful disdain.

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.14.11)

आसन्नं चैव जग्राह ग्राहवन्मधुसूदनः। जघान जानुना कुक्षौ विषाणग्रहणाचलम्

āsannaṁ caiva jagrāha grāhavanmadhusūdanaḥ jaghāna jānunā kukṣau viṣāṇagrahaṇācalam

As it drew close, Madhusudana seized it as a crocodile seizes its prey, and, gripping it by both horns, struck its belly with his knee.

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.14.12)

तस्य दर्पबलं भंक्त्वा गृहीतस्य विषाणयोः। अपीडयदरिष्टस्य कंठं क्लिन्नमिवांबरम्

tasya darpabalaṁ bhaṁktvā gṛhītasya viṣāṇayoḥ apīḍayadariṣṭasya kaṁṭhaṁ klinnamivāṁbaram

Holding it fast by both horns, he broke its prideful strength and squeezed Arishta's throat as one wrings a soaked cloth.

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.14.13)

उत्पाट्य शृंगमेकं तु तेनैवाताडयत्ततः। ममार स महादैत्यो मुखाच्छोणितमुद्वमन्

utpāṭya śṛṁgamekaṁ tu tenaivātāḍayattataḥ mamāra sa mahādaityo mukhācchoṇitamudvaman

Then, tearing off one horn, he struck the demon with it; and the great demon died at once, vomiting blood from his mouth.

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.14.14)

तुष्टुवुर्निहते तस्मिन्दैत्ये गोपा जनार्दनम्। जंभे हते सहस्राक्षं पुरा देवगणा यथा

tuṣṭuvurnihate tasmindaitye gopā janārdanam jaṁbhe hate sahasrākṣaṁ purā devagaṇā yathā

When that demon was slain, the cowherds praised Janardana, just as in ages past the hosts of gods praised thousand-eyed Indra when Jambha was slain.