Vaishampayana said:—Upon the following day the ampitheatre was filled by the citizens anxious to behold the great game (1). The place of assembly was supported by octagonal painted pillars, fitted up with terraces, doors and bolts, with windows circular or crescent; shaped and accomodated with seats with cushions; and it shone like the ocean whilst large clouds hang upon it, with spacious substantial pavillions fitted up for the sight of the combat; open to the front but screened with beautiful and fine curtains, crowned with festoons of flowers and glistening with radiance, like autumnal clouds. The pavillions of the different companies and corporations, vast as mountains, were decorated with banners, bearing upon them the implements and emblems of the several crafts. The chambers of the inhabitants of the inner apartments shone near at hand, bright with gold and painting and net-work of gems: they were richly decorated with precious stones, were enclosed below with costly hangings and ornamented above with spires and banners and looked like mountains spreading their rays in the sky; while the rays of light reflected from the valuable jewels were blended with the waving of white chowries and the musical tinkling of female ornaments. The separate pavilions of the courtesans were graced by lovely women attired in the most splendid dresses and emulated the radiance of the cars of the gods. In the place of assembly there were excellent seats, couches made of gold and hangings of various colours, intermixed with bunches of flowers; and there were golden vases of water and handsome places for refreshment, filled with fruits of various kinds and cooling juices, sherbets fit for drinking. And there were many other stages and platforms constructed of strong timber; and hangings by hundreds and thousands were displayed; and upon the tops of the houses, chambers, fitted up with delicate jealousies through which the women might behold the sports, appeared like swans flying through the air. In front stood the pavilion of Kansha surpassing all the rest in splendour looking like mount Meru in radiance; its sides, its columns being covered with furnished gold; fastened with coloured cords and every way worthy the presence of a king (2-15).
Having ordered 'Let the elephant Kuvalyapida wait at the gate' the king Kansa entered the arena abounding in men hailing from various countries, echoing with their noise, shaking and radiant like a huge ocean (16-17). With two white chowries on his two sides, with two pieces of white raiment on his body and a white turban on his head he shone like the moon of white rays on the white summit of the white mountain (18). When that intelligent king was seated at ease on his throne, the citizens, beholding his matchless beauty, exclaimed shouts of victory (19).
Thereupon entering the arena, the powerful wrestlers, with loose garments, took ground on three sides (20). Afterwards accompanied by the sound of trumpets and the slapping of the arms the two sons of Vasudeva, with delighted minds, arrived at the gate of the arena (21). As soon as they entered there quickly those two sons of Vasudeva, of beautiful faces, were obstructed by that mad elephant moving hither and thither (22). Driven again and again that wicked elephant, folding up its trunk, attempted to destroy Rama and Krishna (23). Thereupon terrorized by the elephant, Krishna, smiling and speaking ill of the intention of the wicked-minded Kansa, said:—"While Kansa is desirous of killing me through this elephant forsooth he is eager to repair to the abode of Yama" (24-25).
Thereupon when that elephant, roaring like a cloud, neared him, the powerful Govinda, leaping up, slapped his arms (26). Roaring like a lion and slapping his arms, he, stationed before the elephant, took its trunk covered with water, on his breast (27). Sometimes he went between his two tusks and again between his two legs and thus agitated him as does wind the ocean (28). Then coming out of the top of his trunk and tusks and of his legs Vasudeva drew his tail and put it into the ground (29). Thereat that huge-bodied best of elephants became bewildered and could not slay Krishna. And with his body, as if grinded, he began to roar there (30). Then touching the earth with his two knees and assailing the surface the earth with his tusks he began to discharge must[265] in anger like a cloud in the rains (31). Thus sporting with that elephant under the pretext of a childish freak Krishna, in order to kill Kansa, desired to destroy him soon (32). Thereupon placing his foot on his lower lip he, with his two hands, uprooted his tusks and struck him therewith (33). Assailed with the strokes of his own thunder-like tusks the elephant passed urine and excreta with a great sound (34). Profuse blood came out of the temples of that elephant whose limbs were mutilated by Krishna and whose mind was stricken with sorrow (35). As Vinatā's son (Garuda) draws a serpent lying with its half on the face of a mountain so the holder of plough-share (Baladeva) began to drag him with force by the tail (36). Thus striking the elephant with the tusks, Krishna, with one stroke, hurt the elephant-driver by name Ulvana (37). Then setting up a terribly plaintive roar, that huge elephant, with his tusks broken, fell down along with Mahāmātra like fire thrown down by thunder bolt (38). Thereupon taking up a Torana and other weapons those two foremost of men, Rāma and Krishna, dreadful in battle, destroyed the guards protecting the rear of the elephant (39). Having slain them when those two Mādhavas, adorned with wild garlands, entered the arena all the Vrishnis, Andhakas and Bhojas took them for two Ashinis coming down, of their own accord, from the celestial region. With their leonine roars, shouts of joy, slapping of arms and striking of palms they pleased all the people there (40-41). O descendant of Bharata, beholding them and the attachment and joy of the citizens the vain Kansa was filled with sorrow (42). Having thus slain the roaring elephant the lotus-eyed Krishna, along with his elder brother, arrived at the ocean-like arena (43).
| [265] | It is a Persian word for Mada which means a juice that exudes from the temples of a rutting elephant. |
CHAPTER LXXXV. TRIAL OF ARMS.
Vaishampayana said:—Shaking the earth with the sound of the slapping of his arms Krishna, the lotus-eyed son of Devaki, entered the arena, with his elder brother before him. His raiment was being shaken by the wind, his body was wounded with the tusks of the elephant and his limbs were covered with must and blood; he was bounding like a lion and entered there quickly like a cloud for bringing about the destruction of Kansa. He was very careful to find out the defects and his beautiful arms were adorned with the tusks of the elephant. Beholding him thus enter with great force the face of Ugrasena's son grew pale and he began to eye them in anger (1–4). With the tusks in his hand Keshava shone there like a mountain of one summit stricken with the image of the half-moon (5). While he ranged by leaps and bounds, that ocean-like arena shone there filled with the echoes of the crowd (6).
Thereupon with his eyes reddened in anger the highly wrathful Kansa ordered the greatly powerful Chānura to fight with Krishna (7). He ordered the powerful wrestlers Andhra, Nikriti and Mushthika, resembling so many mountains, to engage with Balarāma (8). Chānura had already been ordered by Kansa to fight with Krishna carefully. And again commanded thus, he, with his eyes reddened with ire, went forward to fight like a cloud surcharged with water (9-10). Afterwards when the royal mandate "Be all silent" was announced on all sides and the entire crowd was hushed into silence the Yādavas, assembled together, said (11): "This trial at arms was first introduced by the Creator as one in which no weapons should be used, in which skill and strength are necessary, in which there should be judges and no cowards should take part (12). In it (the parties) should await the appointed hour and remove their toil with water. It is also laid down that wrestlers should besmear their body with cow-dung (13). In it one standing should fight with another such, one lying on the ground should engage with another such; in whatever condition one may be one should fight with him in that order; such the judges say (14). A boy, a youth, an old man, a strong man or a weak man, whoever he may be, they should be informed of the particulars of the trial waiting in their respective quarters (15). Persons, conversant with the modes of wrestling, say that one, conversant with this mode, should not display his strength or skill while his antagonist is defeated (16). Now Krishna and the wrestler Andhra will fight with each other in the arena. Krishna is a mere boy and Andhra is an elderly person. We should exercise our judgment in this matter (17)."
Thereupon a great tumult arose in the midst of that assembly and Govinda, leaping up, said "I am a boy and though Andhra is of a huge body like a mountain I wish to fight with this wrestler of strong arms (18–19). Though I am a boy I will commit no transgression of the rules of fight and will not at a stain on the opinions of the wrestlers (20). Let all the rules, laid down by the cult of wrestlers regarding the use of cow-dung, water and other things for besmearing the body, be followed (21). One attains to success in the arena by self-control, fortitude, manliness, exercise, good conduct and strength; such is the opinion of exerts (22). Although I cherish no enmity this man is about to create this feeling in me. Vanquishing him I shall therefore please the world (23). This wrestler Chānura of huge proportion is born in the province of Karusha. Although he is a wrestler his deeds ought to be considered (24). This one, desirous of acquiring influence in the arena, has put a stigma on the ways of wrestlers by destroying many of them after their discomfiture (25). Success, of those fighting with weapons in a battle, consists in cutting off those (of this antagonist). So the success of a wrestler lies in throwing down his antagonist (26). By acquiring victory in battle one attains to eternal glory; and the slain depart to the land of the celestials (27). The slayer and the slain, both of them, achieve the same end in a battle; so it is called a life-terminating match and is spoken highly of by the pious (28). Besides this way of the wrestlers is beyond both strength and deed. Where is heaven for the dead and glory for the victorious[266] (29)? By his folly a king, who is proud of his learning, for a display of his power, brings about the death of some wrestlers through his own men. (Herein both the agent and the engager) are visited by the sin of destruction (30)." No sooner had he said this than a highly terrible fight took place between them both like that of two elephants in the forest (31). They wrestled with each other in various ways, by mutually entwining, laying hold of, letting go the adversary, throwing on earth and taking up in the air (32). By mutually pulling to and casting back, stricking with fists, elbow, fore-arm and knees, interlacing the arms, kicking and striking blows as hard as stones and shaking their heads awry those two heroes, as if made of the essence of rocks, fought that dreadful contest without weapons (33). Thereupon at witnessing that strength of arms of the heroes a rejoicing arose in that assembly. The mind of the people was drawn by that acclamation (36). The other people from the pavillions spoke highly (of this feat).
Casting his looks at Krishna and with his face soaked with perspiration Kansa, with his right hand, prevented the blowing of the bugle (37). Although his trumpets and bugles were not sounded the celestials in the sky began to blow their own. When the lotus-eyed Hrishikesha engaged in fight the sound of bugles arose of itself on all sides (39). Along with the Vidyadharas, the Devas, capable of assuming form at will, disappeared from view and began to pray for Krishna's victory (40). Stationed in the sky the seven Rishis exclaimed "O Krishna, vanquish the Dānava in the form of the wrestler Chānura" (41). Wrestling with Chānura for a long time, Devaki's son, who foresaw Kansa's death, stole away his strength (42). Thereat the earth trembled, the pavillions rolled and the most excellent jewel slipped off from Kansa's crown (45). Thereupon again throwing down the reviving Chānura by his arms Krishna pressed his breast with his knees and struck him on the head with his fist (44). Thereat his eyes, covered with tears and blood, were driven out of their sockets. And hanging on his side they appeared like golden bells (45). Thus with his eyes drawn out Chānura, shorn of his strength and life, lay in the arena (46). With the body of the wrestler Chānura, deprived of his life, that big arena appeared is if to have been obstructed by a mountain (47).