When Shree Krishnù was five years old, he said to his mother, “I will go out to graze the calves; tell Buldao not to leave me alone in the jungle.” She replied, “Son! there are many servants of yours, whose business it is to take the calves out to graze; do not you go, who are the protection of my eye-lids, and dearer to me than my eyes.” Krishnù said, “If I am allowed to go into the jungle to amuse myself, I will eat my food; if not, I will not.” On hearing this, Jusodha having called the cowherds’ children, and entrusted Krishnù and Bulram to them, said, “Do not go far to graze the calves, and bring them both home together before evening. Do not leave them by themselves in the jungle; remain with them; you are their guardians.” Saying this, and giving them food, she made over Ram and Krishnù to them. They having gone to the banks of the Jumna, began to graze the calves and to play with the cowherds’ children. At this time, Buchasoor, who had been sent by Kuns, came there under a disguised form: on seeing him, the frightened calves ran off in all directions. Upon this, Shree Krishnù remarked to Buldeo with a wink, “Brother! this is some demon that has come here.” Afterwards, when in the act of feeding he approached near to accomplish his treacherous design (lit: to arrange his ambuscade,) Shree Krishnù having seized him by the hind leg, and twisted him round his head, dashed him down with such violence, that life left his body. Having heard of the death of Buchasoor, Kuns sent Bukasoor, who having come to Brindabun, and arranged his snare, went and sat on the bank of the Jumna, in the appearance of a hill—On beholding him, the cowherds began, through fear, to say to Krishnù, “Brother! this is some demon, who has come in the form of a crane; how shall we escape from him?” On the one hand, the cowherds were speaking thus to Krishnù; on the other, the demon was revolving in his mind, “That he would certainly destroy Krishnù on that day.” In the meantime, when Shree Krishnù went near him, he raised him up with his bill, and shut his mouth.
The cowherds’ children being perplexed, looking round on all sides and crying, began to call out, and say, “Alas! alas! Huldhur too is not here, what shall we go and tell Jusodha?” Seeing that they were greatly distressed, Shree Krishnù became so hot, that the crane could not retain him in his mouth. When the crane vomited him out, Krishnù having seized his beak, and pressed it under his feet, tore it in pieces; and collecting the calves, he returned home with his companions, laughing and playing.
CHAPTER XIII.
Shree Shookdeo said,—O great king! Shree Krishnù went one day early to the jungle to feed the calves; and all the cowherds’ children, taking provisions with them from their homes, accompanied him. Having gone to the pasture ground, and deposited their food, and let the calves loose to graze, staining their bodies with white and red earth, making necklaces of jungle fruits and flowers, they put them on, and imitating the sounds of beasts and birds, and indulging in sports of various kinds, they began to dance and sing.
In the meantime, a demon named Ooghasoor, sent by Kuns, arrived; and being transformed into a huge serpent, sat with his mouth open; and Shree Krishnú playing, sporting and taking his companions with him, came to the spot where the serpent, having prepared his ambuscade, was sitting with his mouth open. Having beheld him from a distance, the cowherds’ children began to say amongst themselves, “Brother! this is some great mountain, the chasm of which is so large.” Thus conversing, and leading the calves, they came near the serpent. One child then seeing its mouth open, said, “Brother! this is some very frightful cave, do not let us go inside it, we are frightened on even looking at it.” One of the companions, named Tokh, then said, “Come, let us go inside, what fear have we, whilst Krishnù is with us? If it should be any demon, he will be destroyed as Bukasoor was.” They were all standing and conversing thus, when the serpent drew such a deep breath, that all the cowherds’ children together with the calves fell into his mouth. There was such a poisonous, hot vapour, that the calves alarmed, began to low, and Krishnù’s companions to call out, “O beloved Krishnù! quickly take thought of us, or we shall be burnt to death.” Hearing their cries, Shree Krishnù, being distressed, went also into his mouth; and the serpent delighted shut its mouth. Upon this, Shree Krishnù increased his body to such a size, that the serpent’s stomach was burst. All the calves and cowherds’ children fell out. At this time, the gods delighted, and raining flowers and nectar, took away the heat, under which all were suffering. Upon this, the cowherds’ children began to say to Shree Krishnù, “Brother! by putting this demon to death, you have well saved us: otherwise, all would have perished—(or had perished.)”
CHAPTER XIV.
Shree Shookdeo said,—Raja! having thus destroyed Ooghasoor, Shree Krishnù Chund having collected the calves, and taking his companions with him, proceeded on his road. Having gone some distance, standing under the shade of a kudum tree, playing on the flute, and calling all the cowherds’ children, he said, “Brothers! this is a nice place, why need we go farther? let us sit down here and eat.”
On hearing this, they drove away the calves to graze, and having brought leaves of different trees, and made them into plates and cups, sweeping the place clean, they sat down in rows on all sides of Krishnù, and producing their provisions, began to serve them out.
When they had finished serving them out, Shree Krishnù standing in the midst, having first himself taken a mouthful, gave the order for them to eat. They began to eat; and amongst them, Shree Krishnù with a peacock crown, a necklace of various flowers reaching to his feet, with a club in his hand, standing awry, and dressed in yellow silk, laughing gave them all some of his own food; and taking some from the plate of each, tasting it he pronounced upon the different flavours; the bitter, sweet, hot and pungent; and appeared as beautiful in that assembly, as the moon among the stars. At this time Bruhmù and all the gods seated in their chariots looked down from the sky on the enjoyments of the cowherds’ assembly. Bruhmù, having come down from amongst them, stole and took away all the calves; and whilst the cowherds were eating, happening to think about them, they said to Krishnù, “Brother! we are sitting here at our ease, and eating; who knows where the calves may have gone to?”
Then Krishnù said to the cowherds, “Do you all remain feasting; let no one get up, or be at all anxious; I will collect the calves belonging to all, and bring them here.”