Chapter Two Keśi-vadha The Killing of Keśī

24 verses

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
ataḥ keśī mahā-daityo
haya-rūpi madotkaṭaḥ
etya vṛndāvanaṁ ramyaṁ
jagarja ghanavad balī

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; ataḥ — then ; keśī — Kesi ; mahā-daityaḥ — the great demon ; haya-rūpi — in the form of a horse ; madotkaṭaḥ — wild ; etya — going ; vṛndāvanam — to Vṛndāvana ; ramyam — beautiful ; jagarja — neighed ; ghanavat — like a cloud ; balī — powerful.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: Then the powerful and ferocious demon Keśī assumed the form of a wild horse. Neighing like thunder, he entered beautiful Vṛndāvana.

Verse text

yasya pāda-pratāḍena
nipetuḥ śākhino dṛḍhāḥ
pucchā-ghātena gagane
khaṇḍaṁ khaṇḍaṁ yayur ghanāḥ

Synonyms

yasya — of whom ; pāda-pratāḍena — by the steps ; nipetuḥ — fell ; śākhinaḥ — the trees ; dṛḍhāḥ — solid ; pucchā — of the tial ; ghātena — by the swishing ; gagane — in the sky ; khaṇḍam khaṇḍam — broken apart ; yayuḥ — went ; ghanāḥ — the clouds.

Translation

His footsteps made the great trees fall. The swishing of his tail broke apart the clouds in the sky.

Verse text

taṁ vīkṣya duḥsaha-javaṁ
gopa-gopī-gaṇā bhṛśām
bhayāturā maithilendra
śrī-kṛṣṇaṁ saraṇaṁ yayuḥ

Synonyms

tam — him ; vīkṣya — seeing ; duḥsaha-javam — running with unstoppable speed ; gopa-gopī-gaṇā — the gopas and gopīs ; bhṛśām — greatly ; bhayāturā — afraid ; maithilendra — O king of Mithilā ; śrī-kṛṣṇam — to Śrī Kṛṣṇa ; saraṇam — for shelter ; yayuḥ — went.

Translation

When they saw him fiercely charge at them, the terrified gopas and gopīs ran to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for shelter.

Verse text

mā bhaiṣṭety abhayaṁ dattvā
bhagavān vṛjinārdanaḥ
kaṭau pītāmbaraṁ baddhvā
hantuṁ daityaṁ pracakrame

Synonyms

mā — don't ; bhaiṣṭa — be afraid ; iti — thus ; abhayam — fearlessness ; dattvā — giving ; bhagavān — the Lord ; vṛjinārdanaḥ — the deliverer from miseries ; kaṭau — at His waist ; pītāmbaram — the yellow garment ; baddhvā — tying ; hantum — to kill ; daityam — the demon ; pracakrame — went.

Translation

Saying, "Don't be afraid", the Lord removed their fears. Then, tightening the yellow sash at His waist, the Supreme Lord, the deliverer from troubles, went to kill the demon.

Verse text

hariṁ paścima-pādābhyāṁ
santatāḍa mahāsuraḥ
cālayan pṛthivīṁ rājan
nādayan vyoma-maṇḍalam

Synonyms

harim — Kṛṣṇa ; paścima-pādābhyām — with his hind legs ; santatāḍa — hit ; mahāsuraḥ — the great demon ; cālayan — shaking ; pṛthivīm — the ground ; rājan — O king ; nādayan — neighing ; vyoma-maṇḍalam — the circle of the sky.

Translation

O king, then, shaking the ground, and making the sky echo with his neighing, with his hind legs the great demon kicked Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

gṛhītvā pādayor daityaṁ
bhrāmayitvā bhujena khe
cikṣepa yojanaṁ kṛṣṇo
vātaḥ padmam ivoddhṛtam

Synonyms

gṛhītvā — grabbing ; pādayoḥ — of the legs ; daityam — the demon ; bhrāmayitvā — whrling around ; bhujena — with an arm ; khe — into the sky ; cikṣepa — threw ; yojanam — eight miles ; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa ; vātaḥ — wind ; padmam — a lotus flower ; iva — like ; uddhṛtam — uprooted.

Translation

Grabbing the demon's legs and whirling him around and around, with one arm Lord Kṛṣṇa threw the demon eight miles into the sky as a great wind uproots and throws a lotus flower.

Verse text

punar āgatavān so 'pi
krodha-pūrita-vigrahaḥ
pucchena śrī-hariṁ devaṁ
santatāḍa vrajāṅgane

Synonyms

punaḥ — again ; āgatavān — come ; saḥ — he ; api — also ; krodha-pūrita-vigrahaḥ — filled with angfer ; pucchena — with his tail ; śrī-harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; devam — the Lord ; santatāḍa — hit ; vrajāṅgane — in the courtyard of Vraja.

Translation

Filled with anger, the demon returned to the courtyards of Vraja and with his tail violently struck Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

pucche gṛhītvā taṁ kṛṣṇo
bhrāmayitvā bhujaujasā
yojanānāṁ śataṁ rājan
cikṣepa gagane balāt

Synonyms

pucche — the tail ; gṛhītvā — grabbing ; tam — him ; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa ; bhrāmayitvā — whirling ; bhujaujasā — with the power ofHis arms ; yojanānām — eight miles ; śatam — a hundred ; rājan — O king ; cikṣepa — threw ; gagane — into the sky ; balāt — forcibly.

Translation

Grabbing that tail, and whirling the demon around and around, with the strength of His arms Lord Kṛṣṇa threw him eighty miles into the sky.

Verse text

ākāśāt patitaḥ so 'pi
kiñcid vyākula-mānasaḥ
samutthāya punar daityo
jagarja ghanavad balī

Synonyms

ākāśāt — from the sky ; patitaḥ — fallen ; so 'pi — he ; kiñcit — somewhat ; vyākula-mānasaḥ — agitated at heart ; samutthāya — standing up ; punaḥ — again ; daityaḥ — the demon ; jagarja — neighed ; ghanavat — like a cloud ; balī — powerful

Translation

When he fell from the sky, the powerful demon was somewhat disturbed at heart. Standing up again, he neighed like thunder.

Verse text

saṭā vidhunvan romāṇi
bālaṁ khe cālayan muhuḥ
mahīṁ vidārayan pādair
utpapāta hareḥ puraḥ

Synonyms

saṭā — mane ; vidhunvan — shaking ; romāṇi — the hairs ; bālam — tail ; khe — in the sky ; cālayan — moving ; muhuḥ — again and again ; mahīm — the earth ; vidārayan — breaking ; pādaiḥ — with hooves ; utpapāta — jumped ; hareḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; puraḥ — in front of.

Translation

Shaking his mane, swishing his tail in the sky, and breaking the ground with his hooves, the demon-horse jumped before Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

tatāḍa muṣṭinā taṁ vai
bhagavān madhusūdanaḥ
tasya muṣṭi-prahāreṇa
mūrcchito ghaṭikā-dvayam

Synonyms

tatāḍa — hit ; muṣṭinā — with a fist ; tam — him ; vai — indeed ; bhagavān — the Lord ; madhusūdanaḥ — Kṛṣṇa ; tasya — of Him ; muṣṭi-prahāreṇa — by the puch ; mūrcchitaḥ — unconscious ; ghaṭikā-dvayam — for an hour.

Translation

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa punched him, and the demon was unconscious for an hour.

Verse text

mastakena galoddeśe
samudhṛtya hariṁ hayaḥ
bhū-maṇḍalād utpapāta
gagane lakṣa-yojanam

Synonyms

mastakena — by the head ; galoddeśe — on the neck ; samudhṛtya — grabbing ; harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; hayaḥ — the horse ; bhū-maṇḍalāt — from the earth ; utpapāta — threw ; gagane — into the sky ; lakṣa-yojanam — 800,000 miles.

Translation

Then, grabbing His neck, the demon-horse pulled Lord Kṛṣṇa eight hundred thousand miles into the sky.

Verse text

tayor yuddham abhūd ghoraṁ
gagane prahara-dvayam
pādair dadbhiḥ saṭābhiś ca
puccha-tīkṣna-khurair nṛpa

Synonyms

tayoḥ — of them ; yuddham — battle ; abhūt — was ; ghoram — horrible ; gagane — in the sky ; prahara-dvayam — for six hours ; pādaiḥ — with feet ; dadbhiḥ — with teeth ; saṭābhiś — with mane ; ca — and ; puccha — tail ; khuraiḥ — razor ; nṛpa — O king.

Translation

For six hours they fought fiercely. With his hooves, teeth, mane, and the sharp razor of his tail, the demon-horse attacked the Lord.

Verse text

gṛhītvā taṁ harir dorbhyāṁ
bhrāmayitvā tv itas tataḥ
ākāśāt pātayām āsa
kamaṇḍalum ivārbhakaḥ

Synonyms

gṛhītvā — grabbing ; tam — him ; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; dorbhyām — with both arms ; bhrāmayitvā — whirling around ; tv — indeed ; itas tataḥ — herew and there ; ākāśāt — from the sky ; pātayām āsa — threw ; kamaṇḍalum — a kamandalu ; iva — like ; arbhakaḥ — a child.

Translation

Suddenly grabbing him, and whirling him around and around, with both arms Lord Kṛṣṇa threw the demon to the earth as a child throws a kamaṇḍalu.

Verse text

bhujaṁ praveṣayām āsa
tan-mukhe bhagavān hariḥ
tasyodare gato bāhur
vavṛdhe rogavad bhṛśām

Synonyms

bhujam — His arm ; praveṣayām āsa — inserting ; tan-mukhe — in the demon's mouth ; bhagavān — Lord ; hariḥ — Kṛṣṇa ; tasyodare — in his belly ; gataḥ — wnet ; bāhuḥ — the arm ; vavṛdhe — expanded ; rogavat — like a disease ; bhṛśām — greatly.

Translation

Then Lord Kṛṣṇa thrust His arm in the demon's mouth. Pushed into the demon's belly, the arm expanded like an incurable disease.

Verse text

tadā tu leṇḍaṁ kṛtavān
ruddha-vāyur mahāsuraḥ
khaṇḍī-bhūtodaraḥ sadyo
mamāra haya-rūpa-dhṛk

Synonyms

tadā — then ; tu — indeed ; leṇḍam — stool ; kṛtavān — passing ; ruddha-vāyuḥ — his life-breath stopped ; mahāsuraḥ — the great demon ; khaṇḍī-bhūtodaraḥ — his stomach broken ; sadyaḥ — at once ; mamāra — died ; haya-rūpa-dhṛk — having the form of a horse.

Translation

Then, passing stool and urine, his life breath stopped, and his stomach broken by Lord Kṛṣṇa's arm, the horse-demon suddenly died.

Verse text

dehād vinirgataḥ sadyo
mukuṭī kuṇḍalānvitaḥ
divya-rūpa-dharaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ
prāñjaliḥ praṇanāma ha

Synonyms

dehāt — from the body ; vinirgataḥ — come ; sadyaḥ — suddenly ; mukuṭī — crowned ; kuṇḍalānvitaḥ — decorated with earrings ; divya-rūpa — a splendid form ; dharam — manifesting ; kṛṣṇam — to Lord Kṛṣṇa ; prāñjaliḥ — with folded hands ; praṇanāma — bowed down ; ha — certainly.

Translation

From the demon's body suddenly emerged a being wearing a crown and earrings. With folded hands he bowed down before glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Verse text

śrī-kumuda uvāca
śakrasyānucaro 'haṁ vai
kumudo nāma mādhava
tejasvī rūpavān vīro
jiṣṇuś chatra-bhramiṁ dadhan

Synonyms

śrī-kumuda uvāca — Śrī Kumuda said ; śakrasya — of Indra ; anucaraḥ — a follower ; aham — I am ; vai — indeed ; kumudaḥ — Kumuda ; nāma — named ; mādhava — O Kṛṣṇa ; tejasvī — powerful and splendid ; rūpavān — handsome ; vīraḥ — heroic ; jiṣṇuḥ — glorious ; chatra-bhramim — the parasol ; dadhan — holding.

Translation

Śrī Kumuda said: O Lord Kṛṣṇa, my name is Kumuda and I am a servant of King Indra. I am powerful, handsome, heroic, and glorious. I carry Indra's parasol.

Verse text

vṛtrāsura-vadhe pūrvaṁ
brahma-hatyā-praśāntaye
yajṣaṁ cakāra nākeśo
vājimedhaṁ kratūttamam

Synonyms

vṛtrāsura — of Vṛtrāsura ; vadhe — in the killing ; pūrvam — previously ; brahma-hatyā-praśāntaye — to become free of the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa ; yajṣam — a yajna ; cakāra — did ; nākeśaḥ — Indra ; vājimedham — vajimedha ; kratūttamam — the best of yajnas.

Translation

When Vṛtrāsura was killed, to become free of the sin of killing a brāhmaṇa, Indra performed an aṣvamedha-yajṣa, the best of sacrifices.

Verse text

aśvamedha-hayaṁ śubhraṁ
śyāma-karṇaṁ mano-javam
tam ārurukṣur duṣṭo 'haṁ
corayitvā talaṁ gataḥ

Synonyms

aśvamedha-hayam — the aśvamedha horse ; śubhram — handsome ; śyāma-karṇam — with black ears ; mano-javam — running as fast as the mind ; tam — that ; ārurukṣuḥ — wishing to ride ; duṣṭaḥ — wicked ; aham — I ; corayitvā — stealing ; talam — to Talaloka ; gataḥ — went.

Translation

Yearning to ride it, I stole the splendid sacrificial horse, which had one black ear and ran as fast as the mind, and went to Talaloka.

Verse text

tato marud-gaṇair nītaṁ
pāśa-baddhaṁ mahā-khalam
saśāpa māṁ balārātis
tvaṁ rakṣo bhava durmate

Synonyms

tataḥ — from there ; marud-gaṇaiḥ — by the Maruts ; nītam — brought ; pāśa-baddham — bound with ropes ; mahā-khalam — a great iffender ; saśāpa — cursed ; mām — me ; balārātiḥ — Indra, the enemy of Bala ; tvam — you ; rakṣaḥ — a raksasa ; bhava — become ; durmate — O wicked one.

Translation

The Maruts bound me with ropes and brought me back. Indra cursed me, "Wretch! Become a demon!

Verse text

hayākṛtis te sambhūyād
bhūmau manvantara-dvayam
tac-chāpād adya mukto 'haṁ
sadyas tvat-sparśanāt prabho

Synonyms

hayākṛtiḥ — the form of a horse ; te — of you ; sambhūyāt — will be ; bhūmau — on the earthj ; manvantara-dvayam — for two manvantaras ; tac-chāpāt — from that curse ; adya — today ; muktaḥ — freed ; aham — I am ; sadyaḥ — at once ; tvat-sparśanāt — by Your touch ; prabhaḥ — O Lord.

Translation

"For two manvantaras you will have a horse's form on the earth." O Lord, today Your touch has freed me from that curse.

Verse text

kiṅkaraṁ kuru māṁ deva
tvad-aṅghrau lagna-mānasam
namas tubhyaṁ bhagavate
sarva-lokaika-sākṣiṇe

Synonyms

kiṅkaram — a servant ; kuru — please make ; mām — me ; deva — O Lord ; tvad-aṅghrau — at Your feet ; lagna-mānasam — the mind is placed ; namaḥ — obeisances ; tubhyam — to You ; bhagavate — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; sarva-lokaika-sākṣiṇe — the sole witness of all.

Translation

O Lord please make me Your servant. My heart is fixed on Your feet. I offer my respectful obeisances to You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supersoul who is the witness of all.

Verse text

śrī-nārada uvāca
pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya hariṁ pareśvaraṁ
vimānam āruhya mahojjvalaṁ param
vaikuṇṭhalokaṁ kumudo yayau tvaraṁ
virājayan maithila maṇḍalaṁ diśām

Synonyms

śrī-nārada uvāca — Śrī Nārada said ; pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya — circumambulating ; harim — Lord Kṛṣṇa ; pareśvaram — the Supreme Personality of Godhead ; vimānam — an airplane ; āruhya — climbing ; mahojjvalam — very glorious ; param — transcendental ; vaikuṇṭhalokam — Vaikuṇṭhaloka ; kumudaḥ — Kumuda ; yayau — went ; tvaram — at once ; virājayan — filling with light ; maithila — O king of Mithilā ; maṇḍalam — the circle ; diśām — of the directions.

Translation

Śrī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, after circumambulating Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kumuda entered a celestial airplane and at once flew to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, filling the circle of the directions with light as he went. .pa