Chapter 43: Kṛṣṇa Kills the Elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa

 

10.43.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

atha kṛṣṇaś ca rāmaś ca

kṛta-śaucau parantapa

malla-dundubhi-nirghoṣaḿ

śrutvā draṣṭum upeyatuḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; atha — next; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; ca — and; rāmaḥ — Balarāma; ca — also; kṛta — having carried out; śaucau — purification; param-tapa — 0 chastiser of enemies; malla — of the wrestling match; dundubhi — of the kettledrums; nirghoṣam — the resounding vibration; śrutvā — hearing; draṣṭum — to see; upeyataḥ — They approached.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O chastiser of enemies, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, having executed all necessary purification, then heard the kettledrums resounding at the wrestling arena, and They went there to see what was happening.

 

10.43.2

rańga-dvāraḿ samāsādya

tasmin nāgam avasthitam

apaśyat kuvalayāpīḍaḿ

kṛṣṇo 'mbaṣṭha-pracoditam

 

rańga — of the arena; dvāram — the gate; samāsādya — reaching; tasmin — in that place; nāgam — an elephant; avasthitam — standing; apaśyat — He saw; kuvalayāpīḍam — named Kuvalayāpīḍa; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; ambaṣṭha — by his keeper; pracoditam — urged on.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Lord Kṛṣṇa reached the entrance to the arena, He saw the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa blocking His way at the urging of his keeper.

 

10.43.3

baddhvā parikaraḿ śauriḥ

samuhya kuṭilālakān

uvāca hastipaḿ vācā

megha-nāda-gabhīrayā

 

baddhvā — binding; parikaram — His clothes; śauriḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; samuhya — tying together; kuṭila — curled; alakān — the locks of His hair; uvāca — He spoke; hasti-pam — to the elephant-keeper; vācā — with words; megha — of a cloud; nāda — like the sound; gabhīrayā — grave.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Securely binding up His clothes and tying back His curly locks, Lord Kṛṣṇa addressed the elephant-keeper with words as grave as the rumbling of a cloud.

 

10.43.4

ambaṣṭhāmbaṣṭha mārgaḿ nau

dehy apakrama mā ciram

no cet sa-kuñjaraḿ tvādya

nayāmi yama-sādanam

 

ambaṣṭha ambaṣṭha — O elephant-keeper, elephant-keeper; mārgam — way; nau — to Us; dehi — give; apakrama — move aside; ma ciram — without delay; na u cet — if not; sa-kuñjaram — together with your elephant; tva — you; adya — today; nayāmi — I will send; yama — of the lord of death; sādanam — to the abode.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:l O driver, driver, move aside at once and let Us pass! If you don't, this very day I will send both you and your elephant to the abode of Yamarāja!

 

10.43.5

evaḿ nirbhartsito 'mbaṣṭhaḥ

kupitaḥ kopitaḿ gajam

codayām āsa kṛṣṇāya

kālāntaka-yamopamam

 

evam — thus; nirbhartsitaḥ — threatened; ambaṣṭhaḥ — the elephant-keeper; kupitaḥ — angered; kopitam — the enraged; gajam — elephant; codayām āsa — he goaded; kṛṣṇāya — toward Kṛṣṇa; kāla — time; antaka — death; yama — and Yamarāja; upamam — comparable to.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thus threatened, the elephant-keeper became angry. He goaded his furious elephant, who appeared equal to time, death and Yamarāja, into attacking Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.43.6

karīndras tam abhidrutya

kareṇa tarasāgrahīt

karād vigalitaḥ so 'muḿ

nihatyāńghriṣv alīyata

 

kari — of elephants; indraḥ — the lord; tam — Him; abhidrutya — running toward; kareṇa — with his trunk; tarasā — violently; agrahīt — seized; karāt — from the trunk; vigalitaḥ — slipping away; saḥ — He, Kṛṣṇa; amum — him, Kuvalayāpīḍa; nihatya — striking; ańghriṣu — among his legs; alīyata — He disappeared.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The lord of the elephants charged Kṛṣṇa and violently seized Him with his trunk. But Kṛṣṇa slipped away, struck him a blow and disappeared from his view among his legs.

 

10.43.7

sańkruddhas tam acakṣāṇo

ghrāṇa-dṛṣṭiḥ sa keśavam

parāmṛśat puṣkareṇa

sa prasahya vinirgataḥ

 

sańkruddhaḥ — infuriated; tam — Him; acakṣāṇaḥ — not seeing; ghrāṇa — by his sense of smell; dṛṣṭiḥ — whose vision; saḥ — he, the elephant; keśavam — Lord Keśava; parāmṛśat — took hold of; puṣkareṇa — with the end of his trunk; saḥ — He, Kṛṣṇa; prasahya — by force; vinirgataḥ — came free.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Infuriated at being unable to see Lord Keśava, the elephant sought Him out with his sense of smell. Once again Kuvalayāpīḍa seized the Lord with the end of his trunk, only to have the Lord forcefully free Himself.

 

10.43.8

pucche pragṛhyāti-balaḿ

dhanuṣaḥ pañca-viḿśatim

vicakarṣa yathā nāgaḿ

suparṇa iva līlayā

 

pucche — by his tail; pragṛhya — grabbing him; ati-balam — the extremely powerful (elephant); dhanuṣaḥ — bow-lengths; pañca-viḿśatim — twenty-five; vicakarṣa — He dragged; yathā — as; nāgam — a snake; suparṇaḥ — Garuḍa; iva — as; līlayā — playfully.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa then grabbed the powerful Kuvalayāpīḍa by the tail and playfully dragged him twenty-five bow-lengths as easily as Garuḍa might drag a snake.

 

10.43.9

sa paryāvartamānena

savya-dakṣiṇato 'cyutaḥ

babhrāma bhrāmyamāṇena

go-vatseneva bālakaḥ

 

saḥ — He; paryāvartamānena — with him (the elephant) who was being moved around; savya-dakṣiṇataḥ — to the left and then the right; acyutaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; babhrāma — moved also; bhrāmyamāṇena — together with him who was being moved; go-vatsena — with a calf; iva — just as; bālakaḥ — a young boy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Lord Acyuta held on to the elephant's tail, the animal tried to twist away to the left and to the right, making the Lord swerve in the opposite direction, as a young boy would swerve when pulling a calf by the tail.

 

10.43.10

tato 'bhimakham abhyetya

pāṇināhatya vāraṇam

prādravan pātayām āsa

spṛśyamānaḥ pade pade

 

tataḥ — then; abhimukham — face to face; abhyetya — coming; pāṇinā — with His hand; āhatya — slapping; vāraṇam — the elephant; prādravan — running away; pātayām āsa — He made him fall; spṛśyamānaḥ — being touched; pade pade — with each step.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa then came face to face with the elephant and slapped him and ran away. Kuvalayāpīḍa pursued the Lord, managing to touch Him again and again with each step, but Kṛṣṇa outmaneuvered the elephant and made him trip and fall.

 

10.43.11

sa dhāvan kṛīdayā bhūmau

patitvā sahasotthitaḥ

tam matvā patitaḿ kruddho

dantābhyāḿ so 'hanat kṣitim

 

saḥ — He; dhāvan — running; krīḍayā — playfully; bhūmau — on the ground; patitvā — falling; sahasā — suddenly; utthitaḥ — getting up; tam — Him; matvā — thinking; patitam — fallen; kruddhaḥ — angry; dantābhyām — with his tusks; saḥ — he, Kuvalayāpīḍa; ahanat — struck; kṣitim — the earth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Kṛṣṇa dodged about, He playfully fell on the ground and quickly got up again. The raging elephant, thinking Kṛṣṇa was down, tried to gore Him with his tusks but struck the earth instead.

 

10.43.12

sva-vikrame pratihate

kuñjarendro 'ty-amarṣitaḥ

codyamāno mahāmātraiḥ

kṛṣṇam abhyadravad ruṣā

 

sva — his; vikrame — prowess; pratihate — being thwarted; kuñjara-indraḥ — the lord of elephants; ati — extreme; amarṣitaḥ — with frustrated anger; codyamānaḥ — urged on; mahāmātraiḥ — by the elephant-keepers; kṛṣṇam — at Kṛṣṇa; abhyadravat — he charged; ruṣā — furiously.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His prowess foiled, the lordly elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa went into a frenzied rage out of frustration. But the elephant-keepers goaded him on, and he furiously charged Kṛṣṇa once again.

 

10.43.13

tam āpatantam āsādya

bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ

nigṛhya pāṇinā hastaḿ

pātayām āsa bhū-tale

 

tam — him; āpatantam — attacking; āsādya — confronting; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; madhu-sūdanaḥ — the killer of the demon Madhu; nigṛhya — firmly seizing; pāṇinā — with His hand; hastam — his trunk; pātayām āsa — He made him fall; bhū-tale — onto the ground.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Lord, killer of the demon Madhu, confronted the elephant as he attacked. Seizing his trunk with one hand, Kṛṣṇa threw him to the ground.

 

10.43.14

patitasya padākramya

mṛgendra iva līlayā

dantam utpāṭya tenebhaḿ

hastipāḿś cāhanad dhariḥ

 

patitasya — of the fallen (elephant); padā — with His foot; ākramya — climbing upon him; mṛgendraḥ — a lion; iva — as if; līlayā — with ease; dantam — one of his tusks; utpāṭya — pulling out; tena — with it; ibham — the elephant; hasti-pān — the elephant-keepers; ca — also; ahanat — killed; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Hari then climbed onto the elephant with the ease of a mighty lion, pulled out a tusk, and with it killed the beast and his keepers.

 

10.43.15

mṛtakaḿ dvipam utsṛjya

danta-pāṇiḥ samāviśat

aḿsa-nyasta-viṣāṇo 'sṛń-

mada-bindubhir ańkitaḥ

virūḍha-sveda-kaṇikā

vadanāmburuho babhau

 

mṛtakam — dead; dvipam — the elephant; utsṛjya — discarding; danta — his tusk; pāṇiḥ — in His hand; samāviśat — He entered (the arena); aḿsa — upon His shoulder; nyasta — placing; viṣāṇaḥ — the tusk; asṛk — of blood; mada — and the elephant's sweat; bindubhiḥ — with drops; ańkitaḥ — sprinkled; virūḍha — exuding; sveda — of (His own) perspiration; kaṇikā — with fine drops; vadana — His face; ambu-ruhaḥ — lotuslike; babhau — shone.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Leaving the dead elephant aside, Lord Kṛṣṇa held on to the tusk and entered the wrestling arena. With the tusk resting on His shoulder, drops of the elephant's blood and sweat sprinkled all over Him, and His lotus face covered with fine drops of His own perspiration, the Lord shone with great beauty.

 

10.43.16

vṛtau gopaiḥ katipayair

baladeva-janārdanau

rańgaḿ viviśatū rājan

gaja-danta-varāyudhau

 

vṛtau — surrounded; gopaiḥ — by cowherd boys; katipayaiḥ — several; baladeva-janārdanau — Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa; rańgam — the arena; viviśatuḥ — entered; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); gaja-danta — the elephant's tusks; vara — chosen; āyudhau — whose weapons.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear King, Lord Baladeva and Lord Janārdana, each carrying one of the elephant's tusks as His chosen weapon, entered the arena with several cowherd boys.

 

10.43.17

mallānām aśanir nṛṇāḿ nara-varaḥ strīṇāḿ smaro mūrtimān

gopānāḿ sva-jano 'satāḿ kṣiti-bhujāḿ śāstā sva-pitroḥ śiśuḥ

mṛtyur bhoja-pater virāḍ aviduṣāḿ tattvaḿ paraḿ yogināḿ

vṛṣṇīnāḿ para-devateti vidito rańgaḿ gataḥ sāgrajaḥ

 

mallānām — for the wrestlers; aśaniḥ — lightning; nṛṇām — for the males; nara-varaḥ — the best of men; strīṇām — for the women; smaraḥ — Cupid; mūrti-mān — incarnate; gopānām — for the cowherds; sva-janaḥ — their relative; asatām — impious; kṣiti-bhujām — for the kings; śāstā — a punisher; sva-pitroḥ — for His parents; śiśuḥ — a child; mṛtyuḥ — death; bhoja-pateḥ — for the King of the Bhojas, Kaḿsa; virāṭ — the totality of the material universe; aviduṣām — for the unintelligent; tattvam — the Truth; param — Supreme; yoginām — for the yogīs; vṛṣṇīnām — for the members of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty; para-devatā — their most worshipable Deity; iti — in these ways; viditaḥ — understood; rańgam — the arena; gataḥ — He entered; sa — along with; agra-jaḥ — His elder brother.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The various groups of people in the arena regarded Kṛṣṇa in different ways when He entered it with His elder brother. The wrestlers saw Kṛṣṇa as a lightning bolt, the men of Mathurā as the best of males, the women as Cupid in person, the cowherd men as their relative, the impious rulers as a chastiser, His parents as their child, the King of the Bhojas as death, the unintelligent as the Supreme Lord's universal form, the yogīs as the Absolute Truth and the Vṛṣṇis as their supreme worshipable Deity.

 

10.43.18

hataḿ kuvalayāpīḍaḿ

dṛṣṭvā tāv api durjayau

kaḿso manasy api tadā

bhṛśam udvivije nṛpa

 

hatam — killed; kuvalayāpīḍam — the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tau — the two of Them, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; api — and; durjayau — invincible; kaḿsaḥ — King Kaḿsa; manasi — in his mind; api — indeed; tadā — then; bhṛśam — exceedingly; udvivije — became anxious; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Kaḿsa saw that Kuvalayāpīḍa was dead and the two brothers were invincible, he was overwhelmed with anxiety, O King.

 

10.43.19

tau rejatū rańga-gatau mahā-bhujau

vicitra-veṣābharaṇa-srag-ambarau

yathā naṭāv uttama-veṣa-dhāriṇau

manaḥ kṣipantau prabhayā nirīkṣatām

 

tau — the two of Them; rejatuḥ — shone; rańga-gatau — present in the arena; mahā-bhujau — the mighty-armed Lords; vicitra — variegated; veṣa — whose style of dress; ābharaṇa — ornaments; srak — garlands; ambarau — and garments; yathā — like; naṭau — two actors; uttama — excellent; veṣa — costumes; dhāriṇau — wearing; manaḥ — the minds; kṣipantau — striking; prabhayā — with Their effulgences; nirīkṣatām — of those who looked on.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Arrayed with variegated ornaments, garlands and garments, just like a pair of excellently costumed actors, the two mighty-armed Lords shone splendidly in the arena. Indeed, They overpowered the minds of all onlookers with Their effulgences.

 

10.43.20

nirīkṣya tāv uttama-pūruṣau janā

mañca-sthitā nāgara-rāṣṭrakā nṛpa

praharṣa-vegotkalitekṣaṇānanāḥ

papur na tṛptā nayanais tad-ānanam

 

nirīkṣya — seeing; tau — both of Them; uttama-pūruṣau — the Supreme Personalities; janāḥ — the people; mañca — in the viewing galleries; sthitāḥ — sitting; nāgara — the city-dwellers; rāṣṭrakāḥ — and the people from outlying districts; nṛpa — O King; praharṣa — of their joy; vega — by the force; utkalita — made to expand widely; īkṣaṇa — their eyes; ānanāḥ — and faces; papuḥ — they drank; na — not; tṛptāḥ — satiated; nayanaiḥ — with their eyes; tat — of Them; ānanam — the faces.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King, as the citizens of the city and the people from outlying districts gazed upon those two Supreme Personalities from their seats in the galleries, the force of the people's happiness caused their eyes to open wide and their faces to blossom. They drank in the vision of the Lords' faces without becoming satiated.

 

10.43.21-22

pibanta iva cakṣurbhyāḿ

lihanta iva jihvayā

jighranta iva nāsābhyāḿ

śliṣyanta iva bāhubhiḥ

 

ūcuḥ parasparaḿ te vai

yathā-dṛṣṭaḿ yathā-śrutam

tad-rūpa-guṇa-mādhurya-

prāgalbhya-smāritā iva

 

pibantaḥ — drinking; iva — as if; cakṣurbhyām — with their eyes; lihantaḥ — licking; iva — as if; jihvayā — with their tongues; jighrantaḥ — smelling; iva — as if; nāsābhyām — with their nostrils; sliṣyantaḥ — embracing; iva — as if; bāhubhiḥ — with their arms;

 

ūcuḥ — they spoke; parasparam — among one another; te — they; vai — indeed; yathā — just as; dṛṣṭam — they had seen; yathā — just as; śrutam — they had heard; tat — Their; rūpa — of the beauty; guṇa — qualities; mādhurya — charm; prāgalbhya — and bravery; smāritāḥ — reminded; iva — as if.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The people seemed to be drinking Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with their eyes, licking Them with their tongues, smelling Them with their nostrils and embracing Them with their arms. Reminded of the Lords' beauty, character, charm and bravery, the members of the audience began describing these features to one another according to what they had seen and heard.

 

10.43.23

etau bhagavataḥ sākṣād

dharer nārāyaṇasya hi

avatīrṇāv ihāḿśena

vasudevasya veśmani

 

etau — these two; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Lord; sākṣāt — directly; hareḥ — of Lord Hari; nārāyaṇasya — Nārāyaṇa; hi — certainly; avatīrṇau — have descended; iha — to this world; aḿśena — as expansions; vasudevasya — of Vasudeva; veśmani — in the home.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[The people said:] These two boys are certainly expansions of the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa who have descended to this world in the home of Vasudeva.

 

10.43.24

eṣa vai kila devakyāḿ

jāto nītaś ca gokulam

kālam etaḿ vasan gūḍho

vavṛdhe nanda-veśmani

 

eṣaḥ — this (Kṛṣṇa); vai — certainly; kila — indeed; devakyām — from the womb of Devaki; jātaḥ — born; nītaḥ — brought; ca — and; gokulam — to Gokula; kālam — time; etam — this much; vasan — living; gūḍhaḥ — hidden; vavṛdhe — He grew up; nanda-veśmani — in the house of Nanda Mahārāja.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This one [Kṛṣṇa] took birth from mother Devakī and was brought to Gokula, where He has remained concealed all this time, growing up in the house of King Nanda.

 

10.43.25

pūtanānena nītāntaḿ

cakravātaś ca dānavaḥ

arjunau guhyakaḥ keśī

dhenuko 'nye ca tad-vidhāḥ

 

pūtanā — the witch Pūtanā; anena — by Him; nītā — brought; antam — to her end; cakravātaḥ — whirlwind; ca — and; dānavaḥ — the demon; arjunau — the twin Arjuna trees; guhyakaḥ — the demon Śańkhacūḍa; keśī — the horse demon, Keśī; dhenukaḥ — the jackass demon, Dhenuka; anye — others; ca — and; tat-vidhāḥ — like them.

 

TRANSLATION

 

He made Pūtanā and the whirlwind demon meet with death, pulled down the twin Arjuna trees and killed Śańkhacūḍa, Keśī, Dhenuka and similar demons.

 

10.43.26-27

gāvaḥ sa-pālā etena

dāvāgneḥ parimocitāḥ

kāliyo damitaḥ sarpa

indraś ca vimadaḥ kṛtaḥ

 

saptāham eka-hastena

dhṛto 'dri-pravaro 'munā

varṣa-vātāśanibhyaś ca

paritrātaḿ ca gokulam

 

gāvaḥ — the cows; sa — together with; pālāḥ — their tenders; etena — by Him; dāva-agneḥ — from the forest fire; parimocitāḥ — saved; kāliyaḥ — Kāliya; damitaḥ — subdued; sarpaḥ — the serpent; indraḥ — Indra; ca — and; vimadaḥ — prideless; kṛtaḥ — made;

 

sapta-aham — for seven days; eka-hastena — with one hand; dhṛtaḥ — held; adri — of mountains; pravaraḥ — the most eminent; amunā — by Him; varṣa — from rain; vāta — wind; aśanibhyaḥ — and hail; ca — also; paritrātam — delivered; ca — and; gokulam — the residents of Gokula.

 

TRANSLATION

 

He saved the cows and the cowherds from a forest fire and subdued the serpent Kāliya. He removed Lord Indra's false pride by holding up the best of mountains with one hand for an entire week, thus protecting the inhabitants of Gokula from rain, wind and hail.

 

10.43.28

gopyo 'sya nitya-mudita-

hasita-prekṣaṇaḿ mukham

paśyantyo vividhāḿs tāpāḿs

taranti smāśramaḿ mudā

 

gopyaḥ — the young gopīs; asya — His; nitya — always; mudita — cheerful; hasita — smiling; prekṣaṇam — whose glance; mukham — the face; paśyantyaḥ — seeing; vividhān — of various kinds; tāpān — distress; taranti sma — transcended; aśramam — free from fatigue; mudā — happily.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The gopīs overcame all kinds of distress and experienced great happiness by seeing His face, which is always cheerful with smiling glances and ever free of fatigue.

 

10.43.29

vadanty anena vaḿśo 'yaḿ

yadoḥ su-bahu-viśrutaḥ

śriyaḿ yaśo mahatvaḿ ca

lapsyate parirakṣitaḥ

 

vadanti — they say; anena — by Him; vaḿśaḥ — the dynasty; ayam — this; yadoḥ — descending from King Yadu; su-bahu — very much; viśrutaḥ — famous; śriyam — riches; yaśaḥ — glory; mahatvam — power; ca — and; lapsyate — it will achieve; parirakṣitaḥ — protected on all sides.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It is said that under His full protection the Yadu dynasty will become extremely famous and attain wealth, glory and power.

 

10.43.30

ayaḿ cāsyāgrajaḥ śrīmān

rāmaḥ kamala-locanaḥ

pralambo nihato yena

vatsako ye bakādayaḥ

 

ayam — this; ca — and; asya — His; agra-jaḥ — elder brother; śrī-man — the possessor of all opulences; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; kamala-locanaḥ — the lotus-eyed; pralambaḥ — the demon Pralamba; nihataḥ — killed; yena — by whom; vatsakaḥ — Vatsāsura; ye — who; baka — Bakāsura; ādayaḥ — and others.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This lotus-eyed elder brother of His, Lord Balarāma, is the proprietor of all transcendental opulences. He has killed Pralamba, Vatsaka, Baka and other demons.

 

10.43.31

janeṣv evaḿ bruvāṇeṣu

tūryeṣu ninadatsu ca

kṛṣṇa-rāmau samābhāṣya

cāṇūro vākyam abravīt

 

janeṣu — as the people; evam — thus; bruvāṇeṣu — were speaking; tūryeṣu — as the musical instruments; ninadatsu — were resounding; ca — and; kṛṣṇa-rāmau — Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; samābhāṣya — addressing; cānūraḥ — the demonic wrestler Cāṇūra; vākyam — words; abravīt — said.

 

TRANSLATION

 

While the people talked in this way and the musical instruments resounded, the wrestler Cāṇūra addressed Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma with the following words.

 

10.43.32

he nanda-sūno he rāma

bhavantau vīra-sammatau

niyuddha-kuśalau śrutvā

rājñāhūtau didṛkṣuṇā

 

he nanda-sūno — O son of Nanda; he rāma — O Rāma; bhavantau — You two; vīra — by heroes; sammatau — are well respected; niyuddha — in wrestling; kuśalau — skillful; śrutvā — hearing; rājñā — by the King; āhūtau — called for; didṛkṣuṇā — who wanted to see.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Cāṇūra said:l O son of Nanda, O Rāma, You two are well respected by courageous men and are both skillful at wrestling. Having heard of Your prowess, the King has called You here, wanting to see for himself.

 

10.43.33

priyaḿ rājñaḥ prakurvatyaḥ

śreyo vindanti vai prajāḥ

manasā karmaṇā vācā

viparītam ato 'nyathā

 

priyam — the pleasure; rājñaḥ — of the King; prakurvatyaḥ — executing; śreyaḥ — good fortune; vindanti — acquire; vai — indeed; prajāḥ — citizens; manasā — with their minds; karmaṇā — with their deeds; vācā — with their words; viparītam — opposite; ataḥ — to this; anyathā — otherwise.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Subjects of the King who try to please him with their thoughts, acts and words are sure to achieve good fortune, but those who fail to do so will suffer the opposite fate.

 

10.43.34

nityaḿ pramuditā gopā

vatsa-pālā yathā-sphuṭam

vaneṣu malla-yuddhena

krīḍantaś cārayanti gāḥ

 

nityam — always; pramuditāḥ — very happy; gopāḥ — cowherds; vatsapālāḥ — tending the calves; yathā-sphuṭam — obviously; vaneṣu — in the various forests; malla-yuddhena — with wrestling; krīḍantaḥ — playing; cārayanti — they graze; gāḥ — the cows.

 

TRANSLATION

 

It is well known that cowherd boys are always joyful as they tend their calves, and that the boys playfully wrestle with each other while grazing their animals in the various forests.

 

10.43.35

tasmād rājñaḥ priyaḿ yūyaḿ

vayaḿ ca karavāma he

bhūtāni naḥ prasīdanti

sarva-bhūta-mayo nṛpaḥ

 

tasmāt — therefore; rājñaḥ — the King's; priyam — pleasure; yūyam — You two; vayam — we; ca — also; karavāma he — let us do; bhūtāni — all living beings; naḥ — with us; prasīdanti — will be satisfied; sarva-bhūta — all beings; mayaḥ — comprising; nṛpaḥ — the king.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore let's do what the King wants. Everyone will be pleased with us, for the king embodies all living beings.

 

10.43.36

tan niśamyābravīt kṛṣṇo

deśa-kālocitaḿ vacaḥ

niyuddham ātmano 'bhīṣṭaḿ

manyamāno 'bhinandya ca

 

tat — that; niśamya — hearing; abravīt — spoke; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; deśa — for the place; kāla — and time; ucitam — appropriate; vacaḥ — words; niyuddham — wrestling; ātmanaḥ — to Himself; abhīṣṭam — desirable; manyamānaḥ — considering; abhinandya — welcoming; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Hearing this, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who liked to wrestle and welcomed the challenge, replied with words appropriate to the time and place.

 

10.43.37

prajā bhoja-pater asya

vayaḿ cāpi vane-carāḥ

karavāma priyaḿ nityaḿ

tan naḥ param anugrahaḥ

 

prajāḥ — subjects; bhoja-pateḥ — of the King of the Bhojas; asya — of him; vayam — We; ca — also; api — even though; vane-carāḥ — wandering in the forest; karavāma — We must execute; priyam — his pleasure; nityam — always; tat — that; naḥ — for Us; param — the greatest; anugrahaḥ — benefit.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] Although forest-dwellers, We are also subjects of the Bhoja king. We must gratify his desires, for such behavior will confer upon Us the greatest benefit.

 

10.43.38

bālā vayaḿ tulya-balaiḥ

krīḍiṣyāmo yathocitam

bhaven niyuddhaḿ mādharmaḥ

spṛśen malla-sabhā-sadaḥ

 

bālāḥ — young boys; vayam — We; tulya — equal; balaiḥ — with those whose strength; krīḍiṣyāmaḥ — We will play; yathā ucitam — in a fitting manner; bhavet — should occur; niyuddham — the wrestling match; mā — not; adharmaḥ — irreligion; spṛśet — should touch; malla-sabhā — of the assembly in the wrestling arena; sadaḥ — the members.

 

TRANSLATION

 

We are just young boys and should play with those of equal strength. The wrestling match must go on properly so that irreligion does not taint the respectable members of the audience.

 

10.43.39

cāṇūra uvāca

na bālo na kiśoras tvaḿ

balaś ca balināḿ varaḥ

līlayebho hato yena

sahasra-dvipa-sattva-bhṛt

 

cāṇūraḥ uvāca — Cāṇūra said; na — not; bālaḥ — a boy; na — not; kiśoraḥ — a youth; tvam — You; balaḥ — Balarāma; ca — and; balinām — of the strong; varaḥ — the best; līlayā — as play; ibhaḥ — the elephant; hataḥ — killed; yena — by whom; sahasra — of one thousand; dvipa — elephants; sattva — of the strength; bhṛt — the bearer.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Cāṇūra said: You aren't really a child or even a young man, and neither is Balarāma, the strongest of the strong. After all, You playfully killed an elephant who had the strength of a thousand other elephants.

 

10.43.40

tasmād bhavadbhyāḿ balibhir

yoddhavyaḿ nānayo 'tra vai

mayi vikrama vārṣṇeya

balena saha muṣṭikaḥ

 

tasmāt — therefore; bhavadbhyām — You two; balibhiḥ — with those who are strong; yoddhavyam — should fight; na — there is not; anayaḥ — injustice; atra — in this; vai — certainly; mayi — to me; vikrama — (show) Your prowess; vārṣṇeya — O descendant of Vṛṣṇi; balena saha — with Balarāma; muṣṭikaḥ — Muṣṭika (should fight).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Therefore You two should fight powerful wrestlers. There's certainly nothing unfair about that. You, O descendant of Vṛṣṇi, can show Your prowess against me, and Balarāma can fight with Muṣṭika.