Hearing those wise words of Rohini's son, Krishna sportively raised up his arms and rose up snapping the fetters of the serpents (32). And placing his feet on the hoods of the serpent-king that were above the water he got hold of his bead with his hands (33). Then rising up, by force, on his middle head, Krishna, who was adorned with a beautiful Angada, began to dance there (34). Thus grinded by Krishna the hoods of that serpent-king became pale and blood came out therefrom. (Kālya) then with dreadful accents said to him (35). "O Krishna of a beautiful countenance, unwittingly did I display anger against thee. But now I have been vanquished and subdued by thee and my venom has been destroyed. Do thou give me my life and command me whom I am to serve along with my wife, children and friends (36–37)."
Beholding that five-hooded serpent-king and hearing his distressful words, the Lord Krishna, having the enemy of serpents[213] as his carrier, replied like one having no anger (38):—"O serpent, I do not wish to allow you to live in this water of Yamunā. Therefore repair to the ocean with your wife and kinsmen (39). After this whoever amongst your sons and servants shall be seen either in the water or on the land of this province he will be killed by me (40). O king of serpents, let this water prove wholesome unto all and yourself proceed to the mighty deep. If you remain here after this you will be visited by a great calamity that will bring about the termination of your life (41). If Garuda, the enemy of serpents, behold in the ocean, my foot-marks on your head he will not kill you" (42).
(Thus accosted by the Lord) that foremost of serpents Kalya, carrying on his head Krishna’s foot-marks, fled away stealthily from the lake in the very presence of the milk-men (43). After the king of serpents had thus fled away vanquished the Lord came out from the water and stood on the bank. Filled with surprise the milk-men chanted his glories and circumambulated him (44). Thereupon those milk-men, living in the forest, delightedly said to Nanda: "Indeed thou art fortunate and a favourite of the gods since your son is (so very powerful) (45). From to-day, O sinless one, the powerful Krishna, having large eyes, will be a refuge of the milk-men in their perils and a protector of the kine in the cow-shed (46). The water of the Yamunā has become everywhere delightful and wholesome. From now all our kine will happily range in every landing stair (47). Really we are milk-men for we have not been able to know Krishna truly in Vraja like fire covered with ashes" (48). Thereupon eulogising the immortal Krishna the milk-men, filled with surprise, entered their hamlet like unto the celestials entering the Chitraratha garden (49).
| [212] | When a cycle terminates every thing in the world is destroyed. The serpent is compared to this termination for every thing there was destroyed by his dreadful venom. |
| [213] | This refers to Garuda whom Vishnu used to ride. Garuda used to devour serpents and was thus their enemy. |
CHAPTER LXIII. THE DESTRUCTION OF KHARA AND DHENUKA.
Vaishampayana said:—After the king of serpents had been vanquished by Krishna in the lake of Yamunā Rāma and Keshava began to range there (1). Thereupon going to the mountain Govarddhana[214] along with their precious kine, those two heroic sens of Vasudeva beheld a huge forest of palm trees, situate, on its north, on the bank of Yamunā (2-3). They were greatly delighted at its sight and began to range in that charming forest of palm trees covered with palm leaves like two new grown plants (4). It was well levelled, cool, coated with black earth and profuse grass and was freed from stones and clods of earth. Dark-blue and tall palm trees, with fruits and branches hanging, shone there like the trunks of elephants (5–6).
While thus ranging Dāmodara, the foremost of speakers, said to Sangkarshana:—"O reverend sir, this forest-land is perfumed with the fragrance of ripe palm fruits. Let us both quickly pluck the sweet, ripe and dark-blue fruits. While its smell is so very sweet and pleasing to the odiferous organ it must undoubtedly be delicious like ambrosia. This is (in short) my conviction (7–9)."
Hearing the words of Dāmodara, Rohini’s son smilingly shook the trees with a view of felling down the fruits (10). Appearing like a desert, although very useful, that forest of palm trees was unworthy of being resorted to and traversed by men like a habitation of the Rākshasas (11). For encircled by a herd of mules that huge and dreadful demon Dhenuka used always to live there, in the shape of an ass (12). Terrifying men, beasts and birds there that wicked minded ass used to protect the forest of palm trees (13). Hearing the sound of the fall of palm fruits he grew exceedingly enraged and could not bear it like unto an elephant (14). Shaking his manes in anger, lifting up his tail in delight and scratching the earth with his hoof that Daitya, of motionless eyes and wide lips, followed the sound of palm fruits and arrived where the son of Rohini was (15–16). Beholding under the palm tree that immortal son of Rohini resembling a flag in form, that Daitya-chief Khara, having the teeth for his weapon, all on a sudden bit him; and then turning back his face he struck his breast with his long legs (17–18) Then holding that demon in the shape of an ass by the legs and whirling his head and shoulders (Sangkarshana) threw him up on the top of the palm tree (16). He too, with his thighs, waist, neck and back mutilated and a disfigured form, fell down on earth along with palm fruits (20). Beholding that ass thus dead and shorn of beauty Baladeva threw up his other relations too on the top of the tree (21). At that time the ground there was covered with palm fruits and bodies of the asses and it shone there like the autumnal sky covered with clouds (22).
Thus when that Daitya, in the form of an ass, was slain with all his followers that forest of palm trees assumed again a picturesque view (23). When that most excellent white forest of palm trees was shorn of fear the kine began to range there with great glee (24). And entering that forest the milkmen, rangers of woods, began to move about on all sides divested of sorrow and fear (25). Observing the kine roam on all sides at ease the two sons of Vasudeva, powerful like elephants, spread there seats of grass and sat down at ease (26).