Chapter 12: The Killing of the Demon Aghāsura

 

10.12.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

kvacid vanāśāya mano dadhad vrajāt

prātaḥ samutthāya vayasya-vatsapān

prabodhayañ chṛńga-raveṇa cāruṇā

vinirgato vatsa-puraḥsaro hariḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; kvacit — one day; vana-āśāya — just to enjoy a picnic in the forest; manaḥ — mind; dadhat — gave attention; vrajāt — and went out of Vrajabhūmi; prātaḥ — early in the morning; samutthāya — waking up; vayasya-vatsa-pān — the cowherd boys and the calves; prabodhayan — to get everyone to rise, waking up and informing them; śṛńga-raveṇa — by sounding the bugle made of horn; cāruṇā — very beautiful; vinirgataḥ — came out of Vrajabhūmi; vatsa-puraḥsaraḥ — keeping the respective groups of calves in front; hariḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: O King, one day Kṛṣṇa decided to take His breakfast as a picnic in the forest. Having risen early in the morning, He blew His bugle made of horn and woke all the cowherd boys and calves with its beautiful sound. Then Kṛṣṇa and the boys, keeping their respective groups of calves before them, proceeded from Vrajabhūmi to the forest.

 

10.12.2

tenaiva sākaḿ pṛthukāḥ sahasraśaḥ

snigdhāḥ suśig-vetra-viṣāṇa-veṇavaḥ

svān svān sahasropari-sańkhyayānvitān

vatsān puraskṛtya viniryayur mudā

 

tena — Him; eva — indeed; sākam — accompanied by; pṛthukāḥ — the boys; sahasraśaḥ — by the thousands; snigdhāḥ — very attractive; su — beautiful; śik — lunch bags; vetra — sticks for controlling the calves; viṣāṇa — horn bugles; veṇavaḥ — flutes; svān svān — their own respective; sahasra-upari-sańkhyayā anvitān — numbering over a thousand; vatsān — the calves; puraḥ-kṛtya — keeping in front; viniryayuḥ — they came out; mudā — with great pleasure.

 

TRANSLATION

 

At that time, hundreds and thousands of cowherd boys came out of their respective homes in Vrajabhūmi and joined Kṛṣṇa, keeping before them their hundreds and thousands of groups of calves. The boys were very beautiful, and they were equipped with lunch bags, bugles, flutes, and sticks for controlling the calves.

 

10.12.3

kṛṣṇa-vatsair asańkhyātair

yūthī-kṛtya sva-vatsakān

cārayanto 'rbha-līlābhir

vijahrus tatra tatra ha

 

kṛṣṇa — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; vatsaiḥ — along with the calves; asańkhyātaiḥ — unlimited; yūthī-kṛtya — assembled them; sva-vatsakān — personal calves; cārayantaḥ — executing; arbha-līlābhiḥ — by boyhood pastimes; vijahruḥ — enjoyed; tatra tatra — here and there; ha — indeed.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Along with the cowherd boys and their own groups of calves, Kṛṣṇa came out with an unlimited number of calves assembled. Then all the boys began to sport in the forest in a greatly playful spirit.

 

10.12.4

phala-prabāla-stavaka-

sumanaḥ-piccha-dhātubhiḥ

kāca-guñjā-maṇi-svarṇa-

bhūṣitā apy abhūṣayan

 

phala — fruits from the forest; prabāla — green leaves; stavaka — bunches; sumanaḥ — beautiful flowers; piccha — peacock feathers; dhātubhiḥ — very soft and colorful minerals; kāca — a kind of gem; guñjā — small conchshells; maṇi — pearls; svarṇa — gold; bhūṣitāḥ — although decorated; api abhūṣayan — in spite of being decorated by their mothers, the boys decorated themselves still more with the above-mentioned articles.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Although all these boys were already decorated by their mothers with ornaments of kāca, guñjā, pearls and gold, when they went into the forest they further decorated themselves with fruits, green leaves, bunches of flowers, peacock feathers and soft minerals.

 

10.12.5

muṣṇanto 'nyonya-śikyādīn

jñātān ārāc ca cikṣipuḥ

tatratyāś ca punar dūrād

dhasantaś ca punar daduḥ

 

muṣṇantaḥ — stealing; anyonya — from one another; śikya-ādīn — lunch bags and other belongings; jñātān — having been understood by the proprietor of the bag; ārāt ca — to a distant place; cikṣipuḥ — threw away; tatratyāḥ ca — those who were in that place also; punaḥ dūrāt — then again threw farther away; hasantaḥ ca punaḥ daduḥ — when they saw the proprietor, they threw it farther away and enjoyed laughing, and when the owner sometimes cried, his bag was given to him again.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the cowherd boys used to steal one another's lunch bags. When a boy came to understand that his bag had been taken away, the other boys would throw it farther away, to a more distant place, and those standing there would throw it still farther. When the proprietor of the bag became disappointed, the other boys would laugh, the proprietor would cry, and then the bag would be returned.

 

10.12.6

yadi dūraḿ gataḥ kṛṣṇo

vana-śobhekṣaṇāya tam

ahaḿ pūrvam ahaḿ pūrvam

iti saḿspṛśya remire

 

yadi — if; dūram — to a distant place; gataḥ — went; kṛṣṇaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vana-śobha — the beauty of the forest; īkṣaṇāya — for visiting and enjoying; tam — unto Kṛṣṇa; aham — I; pūrvam — first; aham — I; pūrvam — first; iti — in this way; saḿspṛśya — by touching Him; remire — they enjoyed life.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sometimes Kṛṣṇa would go to a somewhat distant place to see the beauty of the forest. Then all the other boys would run to accompany Him, each one saying, "I shall be the first to run and touch Kṛṣṇa! I shall touch Kṛṣṇa first!" In this way they enjoyed life by repeatedly touching Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.12.7-11

kecid veṇūn vādayanto

dhmāntaḥ śṛńgāṇi kecana

kecid bhṛńgaiḥ pragāyantaḥ

kūjantaḥ kokilaiḥ pare

 

vicchāyābhiḥ pradhāvanto

gacchantaḥ sādhu-haḿsakaiḥ

bakair upaviśantaś ca

nṛtyantaś ca kalāpibhiḥ

 

vikarṣantaḥ kīśa-bālān

ārohantaś ca tair drumān

vikurvantaś ca taiḥ sākaḿ

plavantaś ca palāśiṣu

 

sākaḿ bhekair vilańghantaḥ

saritaḥ srava-samplutāḥ

vihasantaḥ praticchāyāḥ

śapantaś ca pratisvanān

 

itthaḿ satāḿ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā

dāsyaḿ gatānāḿ para-daivatena

māyāśritānāḿ nara-dārakeṇa

sākaḿ vijahruḥ kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ

 

kecit — some of them; veṇūn — flutes; vādayantaḥ — blowing; dhmāntaḥ — bugling; śṛńgāṇi — the horn bugles; kecana — someone else; kecit — someone; bhṛńgaiḥ — with the bumblebees; pragāyantaḥ — singing along with; kūjantaḥ — imitating the sound of; kokilaiḥ — with the cuckoos; pare — others;

 

vicchāyābhiḥ — with running shadows; pradhāvantaḥ — someone running on the ground after the birds; gacchantaḥ — going along; sādhu — beautiful; haḿsakaiḥ — with the swans; bakaiḥ — with the ducks sitting in one place; upaviśantaḥ ca — sitting silently like them; nṛtyantaḥ ca — and dancing with; kalāpibhiḥ — with the peacocks;

 

vikarṣantaḥ — attracting; kīśa-bālān — the young monkeys; ārohantaḥ ca — gliding over; taiḥ — with the monkeys; drumān — the trees; vikurvantaḥ ca — exactly imitating them; taiḥ — with the monkeys; sākam — along with; plavantaḥ ca — gliding over; palāśiṣu — on the trees;

 

sākam — along with; bhekaiḥ — with the frogs; vilańghantaḥ — jumping like them; saritaḥ — the water; srava-samplutāḥ — became wet in the water of the river; vihasantaḥ — laughing; praticchāyāḥ — at the shadows; śapantaḥ ca — condemned; pratisvanān — the sound of their echoes;

 

ittham — in this way; satām — of the transcendentalists; brahma-sukha-anubhūtyā — with Kṛṣṇa, the source of brahma-sukha (Kṛṣṇa is Parabrahman, and from Him originates His personal effulgence); dāsyam — servitorship; gatānām — of the devotees who have accepted; para-daivatena — with the Supreme Personality of Godhead; māyā-āśritānām — for those in the clutches of material energy; nara-dārakeṇa — with Him who is like an ordinary child; sākam — along with; vijahruḥ — enjoyed; kṛta-puṇya-puñjāḥ — all these boys, who had accumulated the results of life after life of pious activities.

 

TRANSLATION

 

All the boys would be differently engaged. Some boys blew their flutes, and others blew bugles made of horn. Some imitated the buzzing of the bumblebees, and others imitated the voice of the cuckoo. Some boys imitated flying birds by running after the birds' shadows on the ground, some imitated the beautiful movements and attractive postures of the swans, some sat down with the ducks, sitting silently, and others imitated the dancing of the peacocks. Some boys attracted young monkeys in the trees, some jumped into the trees, imitating the monkeys, some made faces as the monkeys were accustomed to do, and others jumped from one branch to another. Some boys went to the waterfalls and crossed over the river, jumping with the frogs, and when they saw their own reflections on the water they would laugh. They would also condemn the sounds of their own echoes. In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Kṛṣṇa, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jñānīs desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary persons is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their great fortune?

 

10.12.12

yat-pāda-pāḿsur bahu-janma-kṛcchrato

dhṛtātmabhir yogibhir apy alabhyaḥ

sa eva yad-dṛg-viṣayaḥ svayaḿ sthitaḥ

kiḿ varṇyate diṣṭam ato vrajaukasām

 

yat — whose; pāda-pāḿsuḥ — dust of the lotus feet; bahu-janma — in many births; kṛcchrataḥ — from undergoing severe austerities and penances as a way of practicing yoga, meditation, etc.; dhṛta-ātmabhiḥ — by persons able to control the mind; yogibhiḥ — by such yogīs (jña-na-yogīs, rāja-yogīs, dhyāna-yogīs, etc.); api — indeed; alabhyaḥ — cannot be achieved; saḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva — indeed; yat-dṛk-viṣayaḥ — has become the object of direct vision, face to face; svayam — personally; sthitaḥ — present in front of them; kim — what; varṇyate — can be described; diṣṭam — about the fortune; ataḥ — therefore; vraja-okasām — of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Yogīs may undergo severe austerities and penances for many births by practicing yama, niyama, āsana and prāṇāyāma, none of which are easily performed. Yet in due course of time, when these yogīs attain the perfection of controlling the mind, they will still be unable to taste even a particle of dust from the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What then can we describe about the great fortune of the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana, with whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally lived and who saw the Lord face to face?

 

10.12.13

athāgha-nāmābhyapatan mahāsuras

teṣāḿ sukha-krīḍana-vīkṣaṇākṣamaḥ

nityaḿ yad-antar nija-jīvitepsubhiḥ

pītāmṛtair apy amaraiḥ pratīkṣyate

 

atha — thereafter; agha-nāma — a very powerful demon by the name Agha; abhyapatat — appeared on the spot; mahā-asuraḥ — a great, extremely powerful demon; teṣām — of the cowherd boys; sukha-krīḍana — the enjoyment of their transcendental pastimes; vīkṣaṇa-akṣamaḥ — being unable to see, he could not tolerate the transcendental happiness of the cowherd boys; nityam — perpetually; yat-antaḥ — the end of the life of Aghāsura; nija-jīvita-īpsubhiḥ — just to live undisturbed by Aghāsura; pīta-amṛtaiḥ api — although they drank nectar every day; amaraiḥ — by such demigods; pratīkṣyate — was also being awaited (the demigods were also awaiting the death of the great demon Aghāsura).

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear King Parīkṣit, thereafter there appeared a great demon named Aghāsura, whose death was being awaited even by the demigods. The demigods drank nectar every day, but still they feared this great demon and awaited his death. This demon could not tolerate the transcendental pleasure being enjoyed in the forest by the cowherd boys.

 

10.12.14

dṛṣṭvārbhakān kṛṣṇa-mukhān aghāsuraḥ

kaḿsānuśiṣṭaḥ sa bakī-bakānujaḥ

ayaḿ tu me sodara-nāśa-kṛt tayor

dvayor mamainaḿ sa-balaḿ haniṣye

 

dṛṣṭvā — after seeing; arbhakān — all the cowherd boys; kṛṣṇa-mukhān — headed by Kṛṣṇa; aghāsuraḥ — the demon by the name Aghāsura; kaḿsa-anuśiṣṭaḥ — sent by Kaḿsa; saḥ — he (Aghāsura); bakī-baka-anujaḥ — the younger brother of Pūtanā and Bakāsura; ayam — this Kṛṣṇa; tu — indeed; me — my; sodara-nāśa-kṛt — the killer of my brother and sister; tayoḥ — for my brother and sister; dvayoḥ — for those two; mama — my; enam — Kṛṣṇa; sa-balam — along with His assistants, the cowherd boys; haniṣye — I shall kill.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Aghāsura, who had been sent by Kaḿsa, was the younger brother of Pūtanā and Bakāsura. Therefore when he came and saw Kṛṣṇa at the head of all the cowherd boys, he thought, "This Kṛṣṇa has killed my sister and brother, Pūtanā and Bakāsura. Therefore, in order to please them both, I shall kill this Kṛṣṇa, along with His assistants, the other cowherd boys."

 

10.12.15

ete yadā mat-suhṛdos tilāpaḥ

kṛtās tadā naṣṭa-samā vrajaukasaḥ

prāṇe gate varṣmasu kā nu cintā

prajāsavaḥ prāṇa-bhṛto hi ye te

 

ete — this Kṛṣṇa and His associates, the cowherd boys; yadā — when; mat-suhṛdoḥ — of my brother and sister; tila-āpaḥ kṛtāḥ — become the last ritualistic ceremonial offering of sesame and water; tadā — at that time; naṣṭa-samāḥ — without life; vraja-okasaḥ — all the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana; prāṇe — when the vital force; gate — has been thrown out of the body; varṣmasu — as far as the body is concerned; kā — what; nu — indeed; cintā — consideration; prajā-asavaḥ — those whose love for their children is the same as their love for their own life; prāṇa-bhṛtaḥ — those living beings; hi — indeed; ye te — all the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Aghāsura thought: If somehow or other I can make Kṛṣṇa and His associates serve as the last offering of sesame and water for the departed souls of my brother and sister, then the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, for whom these boys are the life and soul, will automatically die. If there is no life, there is no need for the body; consequently, when their sons are dead, naturally all the inhabitants of Vraja will die.

 

10.12.16

iti vyavasyājagaraḿ bṛhad vapuḥ

sa yojanāyāma-mahādri-pīvaram

dhṛtvādbhutaḿ vyātta-guhānanaḿ tadā

pathi vyaśeta grasanāśayā khalaḥ

 

iti — in this way; vyavasya — deciding; ājagaram — python; bṛhat vapuḥ — a very, very large body; saḥ — Aghāsura; yojana-āyāma — occupying eight miles of land; mahā-adri-pīvaram — as thick as a great mountain; dhṛtvā — assuming this form; adbhutam — wonderful; vyātta — spread; guhā-ānanam — having a mouth resembling a big cave in a mountain; tadā — at that time; pathi — on the road; vyaśeta — occupied; grasana-āśayā — expecting to swallow all the cowherd boys; khalaḥ — the most crooked.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After thus deciding, that crooked Aghāsura assumed the form of a huge python, as thick as a big mountain and as long as eight miles. Having assumed this wonderful python's body, he spread his mouth like a big cave in the mountains and lay down on the road, expecting to swallow Kṛṣṇa and His associates the cowherd boys.

 

10.12.17

dharādharoṣṭho jaladottaroṣṭho

dary-ānanānto giri-śṛńga-daḿṣṭraḥ

dhvāntāntar-āsyo vitatādhva-jihvaḥ

paruṣānila-śvāsa-davekṣaṇoṣṇaḥ

 

dharā — on the surface of the globe; adhara-oṣṭhaḥ — whose lower lip; jalada-uttara-oṣṭhaḥ — whose upper lip was touching the clouds; darī-ānana-antaḥ — whose mouth was expanded very widely like a mountain cave; giri-śṛńga — like a mountain peak; daḿṣṭraḥ — whose teeth; dhvānta-antaḥ-āsyaḥ — within whose mouth the atmosphere was as dark as possible; vitata-adhva-jihvaḥ — whose tongue was like a broad way; paruṣa-anila-śvāsa — whose breath was like a warm wind; dava-īkṣaṇa-uṣṇaḥ — and whose glance was like flames of fire.

 

TRANSLATION

 

His lower lip rested on the surface of the earth, and his upper lip was touching the clouds in the sky. The borders of his mouth resembled the sides of a big cave in a mountain, and the middle of his mouth was as dark as possible. His tongue resembled a broad traffic-way, his breath was like a warm wind, and his eyes blazed like fire.

 

10.12.18

dṛṣṭvā taḿ tādṛśaḿ sarve

matvā vṛndāvana-śriyam

vyāttājagara-tuṇḍena

hy utprekṣante sma līlayā

 

dṛṣṭvā — seeing; tam — that Aghāsura; tādṛśam — in that posture; sarve — Kṛṣṇa and all the cowherd boys; matvā — thought it; vṛndāvana-śriyam — a beautiful statue of Vṛndāvana; vyātta — spread; ajagara-tuṇḍena — with the form of a python's mouth; hi — indeed; utprekṣante — as if observing; sma — in the past; līlayā — as a matter of pastimes.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Upon seeing this demon's wonderful form, which resembled a great python, the boys thought that it must be a beautiful scenic spot of Vṛndāvana. Thereafter, they imagined it to be similar to the mouth of a great python. In other words, the boys, unafraid, thought that it was a statue made in the shape of a great python for the enjoyment of their pastimes.

 

10.12.19

aho mitrāṇi gadata

sattva-kūṭaḿ puraḥ sthitam

asmat-sańgrasana-vyātta-

vyāla-tuṇḍāyate na vā

 

aho — oh; mitrāṇi — friends; gadata — just let us know; sattva-kūṭam — dead python; puraḥ sthitam — as it is just before us all; asmat — all of us; sańgrasana — to devour us altogether; vyātta-vyāla-tuṇḍā-yate — the python has spread its mouth; na vā — whether it is a fact or not.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The boys said: Dear friends, is this creature dead, or is it actually a living python with its mouth spread wide just to swallow us all? Kindly clear up this doubt.

 

10.12.20

satyam arka-karāraktam

uttarā-hanuvad ghanam

adharā-hanuvad rodhas

tat-praticchāyayāruṇam

 

satyam — now the boys decided that it was in fact a living python; arka-kara-āraktam — appearing like the sunshine; uttarā-hanuvat ghanam — on the cloud resembling the upper lips; adharā-hanuvat — resembling the lower lips; rodhaḥ — big bank; tat-praticchāyayā — by the reflection of sunshine; aruṇam — reddish.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter they decided: Dear friends, this is certainly an animal sitting here to swallow us all. Its upper lip resembles a cloud reddened by the sunshine, and its lower lip resembles the reddish shadows of a cloud.

 

10.12.21

pratispardhete sṛkkabhyāḿ

savyāsavye nagodare

tuńga-śṛńgālayo 'py etās

tad-daḿṣṭrābhiś ca paśyata

 

pratispardhete — just resembling; sṛkkabhyām — with the corners of the mouth; savya-asavye — left and right; naga-udare — caves of a mountain; tuńga-śṛńga-ālayaḥ — the high mountain peaks; api — although it is so; etāḥ tat-daḿṣṭrābhiḥ — they resemble the teeth of the animal; ca — and; paśyata — just see.

 

TRANSLATION

 

On the left and right, the two depressions resembling mountain caves are the corners of its mouth, and the high mountain peaks are its teeth.

 

10.12.22

āstṛtāyāma-mārgo 'yaḿ

rasanāḿ pratigarjati

eṣāḿ antar-gataḿ dhvāntam

etad apy antar-ānanam

 

āstṛta-āyāma — the length and breadth; mārgaḥ ayam — a broad way; rasanām — the tongue; pratigarjati — resembles; eṣām antaḥ-gatam — on the inside of the mountains; dhvāntam — darkness; etat — this; api — indeed; antaḥ-ānanam — the inside of the mouth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In length and breadth the animal's tongue resembles a broad traffic-way, and the inside of its mouth is very, very dark, like a cave in a mountain.

 

10.12.23

dāvoṣṇa-khara-vāto 'yaḿ

śvāsavad bhāti paśyata

tad-dagdha-sattva-durgandho

'py antar-āmiṣa-gandhavat

 

dāva-uṣṇa-khara-vātaḥ ayam — hot breath coming out exactly like fire; śvāsa-vat bhāti paśyata — just see how it resembles his breath; tat-dagdha-sattva — of burning corpses; durgandhaḥ — the bad smell; api — indeed; antaḥ-āmiṣa-gandha-vat — is like the fleshy smell coming out from within.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The hot fiery wind is the breath coming out of his mouth, which is giving off the bad smell of burning flesh because of all the dead bodies he has eaten.

 

10.12.24

asmān kim atra grasitā niviṣṭān

ayaḿ tathā ced bakavad vinańkṣyati

kṣaṇād aneneti bakāry-uśan-mukhaḿ

vīkṣyoddhasantaḥ kara-tāḍanair yayuḥ

 

asmān — all of us; kim — whether; atra — here; grasitā — will swallow; niviṣṭān — who have attempted to enter; ayam — this animal; tathā — so; cet — if; baka-vat — like Bakāsura; vinańkṣyati — he will be vanquished; kṣaṇāt — immediately; anena — by this Kṛṣṇa; iti — in this way; baka-ari-uśat-mukham — the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Bakāsura; vīkṣya — observing, looking at; uddhasantaḥ — loudly laughing; kara-tāḍanaiḥ — with clapping of hands; yayuḥ — entered the mouth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then the boys said, "Has this living creature come to swallow us? If he does so, he will immediately be killed like Bakāsura, without delay." Thus they looked at the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa, the enemy of Bakāsura, and, laughing loudly and clapping their hands, they entered the mouth of the python.

 

10.12.25

itthaḿ mitho 'tathyam ataj-jña-bhāṣitaḿ

śrutvā vicintyety amṛṣā mṛṣāyate

rakṣo viditvākhila-bhūta-hṛt-sthitaḥ

svānāḿ niroddhuḿ bhagavān mano dadhe

 

ittham — in this way; mithaḥ — or another; atathyam — a subject matter that is not a fact; a-tat-jña — without knowledge; bhāṣitam — while they were talking; śrutvā — Kṛṣṇa hearing them; vicintya — thinking; iti — thus; amṛṣā — actually, truly; mṛṣāyate — who is trying to appear as a false thing (actually the animal was Aghāsura, but because of poor knowledge they were thinking him to be a dead python); rakṣaḥ — (Kṛṣṇa, however, could understand that) he was a demon; viditvā — knowing it; akhila-bhūta-hṛt-sthitaḥ — because He is antaryāmī, situated everywhere, in the core of everyone's heart; svānām — of His own associates; niroddhum — just to forbid them; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; manaḥ dadhe — made up His mind.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is situated as antaryāmī, the Supersoul, in the core of everyone's heart, heard the boys talking among themselves about the artificial python. Unknown to them, it was actually Aghāsura, a demon who had appeared as a python. Kṛṣṇa, knowing this, wanted to forbid His associates to enter the demon's mouth.

 

10.12.26

tāvat praviṣṭās tv asurodarāntaraḿ

paraḿ na gīrṇāḥ śiśavaḥ sa-vatsāḥ

pratīkṣamāṇena bakāri-veśanaḿ

hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena rakṣasā

 

tāvat — in the meantime; praviṣṭāḥ — all entered; tu — indeed; asura-udara-antaram — within the belly of the great demon; param — but; na gīrṇāḥ — they were not swallowed; śiśavaḥ — all the boys; sa-vatsāḥ — along with their calves; pratīkṣamāṇena — who was just waiting for; baka-ari — of the enemy of Bakāsura; veśanam — the entering; hata-sva-kānta-smaraṇena — the asura was thinking of his own dead relatives, who would not be satisfied unless Kṛṣṇa were dead; rakṣasā — by the demon.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In the meantime, while Kṛṣṇa was considering how to stop them, all the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon. The demon, however, did not swallow them, for he was thinking of his own relatives who had been killed by Kṛṣṇa and was just waiting for Kṛṣṇa to enter his mouth.

 

10.12.27

tān vīkṣya kṛṣṇaḥ sakalābhaya-prado

hy ananya-nāthān sva-karād avacyutān

dīnāḿś ca mṛtyor jaṭharāgni-ghāsān

ghṛṇārdito diṣṭa-kṛtena vismitaḥ

 

tān — all those boys; vīkṣya — seeing; kṛṣṇaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa; sakala-abhaya-pradaḥ — who is the source of fearlessness for everyone; hi — indeed; ananya-nāthān — especially for the cowherd boys, who did not know anyone except Kṛṣṇa; sva-karāt — from the control of His hand; avacyutān — now gone out; dīnān ca — helpless; mṛtyoḥ jaṭhara-agni-ghāsān — who had all entered like straws into the fire of the abdomen of Aghāsura, who was very bold and hungry, like death personified (because the asura had assumed a big body, he must have had a very strong appetite); ghṛṇā-arditaḥ — therefore, being compassionate due to causeless mercy; diṣṭa-kṛtena — by things arranged by His internal potency; vismitaḥ — He also, for the time being, was astonished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa saw that all the cowherd boys, who did not know anyone but Him as their Lord, had now gone out of His hand and were helpless, having entered like straws into the fire of the abdomen of Aghāsura, who was death personified. It was intolerable for Kṛṣṇa to be separated from His friends the cowherd boys. Therefore, as if seeing that this had been arranged by His internal potency, Kṛṣṇa was momentarily struck with wonder and unsure of what to do.

 

10.12.28

kṛtyaḿ kim atrāsya khalasya jīvanaḿ

na vā amīṣāḿ ca satāḿ vihiḿsanam

dvayaḿ kathaḿ syād iti saḿvicintya

jñātvāviśat tuṇḍam aśeṣa-dṛg ghariḥ

 

kṛtyam kim — what to do; atra — in this situation; asya khalasya — of this envious demon; jīvanam — the existence of life; na — there should not be; vā — either; amīṣām ca — and of those who are innocent; satām — of the devotees; vihiḿsanam — the death; dvayam — both actions (killing the demon and saving the boys); katham — how; syāt — can be possible; iti saḿvicintya — very perfectly thinking about the subject matter; jñātvā — and deciding what to do; aviśat — entered; tuṇḍam — within the mouth of the demon; aśeṣa-dṛk hariḥ — Kṛṣṇa, who has unlimited potency, could understand past, future and present.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Now, what was to be done? How could both the killing of this demon and the saving of the devotees be performed simultaneously? Kṛṣṇa, being unlimitedly potent, decided to wait for an intelligent means by which He could simultaneously save the boys and kill the demon. Then He entered the mouth of Aghāsura.

 

10.12.29

tadā ghana-cchadā devā

bhayād dhā-heti cukruśuḥ

jahṛṣur ye ca kaḿsādyāḥ

kauṇapās tv agha-bāndhavāḥ

 

tadā — at that time; ghana-chadāḥ — behind the clouds; devāḥ — all the demigods; bhayāt — on account of feeling danger because Kṛṣṇa had entered the mouth of the demon; hā-hā — alas, alas; iti — in this way; cukruśuḥ — they exclaimed; jahṛṣuḥ — became jubilant; ye — those; ca — also; kaḿsa-ādyāḥ — Kaḿsa and others; kauṇapāḥ — the demons; tu — indeed; agha-bāndhavāḥ — the friends of Aghāsura.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Kṛṣṇa entered the mouth of Aghāsura, the demigods hidden behind the clouds exclaimed, "Alas! Alas!" But the friends of Aghāsura, like Kaḿsa and other demons, were jubilant.

 

10.12.30

tac chrutvā bhagavān kṛṣṇas

tv avyayaḥ sārbha-vatsakam

cūrṇī-cikīrṣor ātmānaḿ

tarasā vavṛdhe gale

 

tat — that exclamation of hā-hā; śrutvā — hearing; bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; tu — indeed; avyayaḥ — never vanquishable; sa-arbha-vatsakam — along with the cowherd boys and the calves; cūrṇī-cikīrṣoḥ — of that demon, who desired to smash within the abdomen; ātmānam — personally, Himself; tarasā — very soon; vavṛdhe — enlarged; gale — within the throat.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When the invincible Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, heard the demigods crying "Alas! Alas!" from behind the clouds, He immediately enlarged Himself within the demon's throat, just to save Himself and the cowherd boys, His own associates, from the demon who wished to smash them.

 

10.12.31

tato 'tikāyasya niruddha-mārgiṇo

hy udgīrṇa-dṛṣṭer bhramatas tv itas tataḥ

pūrṇo 'ntar-ańge pavano niruddho

mūrdhan vinirbhidya vinirgato bahiḥ

 

tataḥ — after Kṛṣṇa took action to kill the demon's body from within the mouth; ati-kāyasya — of that great demon, who had expanded his body to a very large size; niruddha-mārgiṇaḥ — because of suffocating, all outlets being stopped up; hi udgīrṇa-dṛṣṭeḥ — whose eyes had popped out; bhramataḥ tu itaḥ tataḥ — the eyeballs, or the life air, moving here and there; pūrṇaḥ — completely filled; antaḥ-ańge — within the body; pavanaḥ — the life air; niruddhaḥ — being stopped; mūrdhan — the hole in the top of the head; vinirbhidya — breaking; vinirgataḥ — went out; bahiḥ — externally.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Then, because Kṛṣṇa had increased the size of His body, the demon extended his own body to a very large size. Nonetheless, his breathing stopped, he suffocated, and his eyes rolled here and there and popped out. The demon's life air, however, could not pass through any outlet, and therefore it finally burst out through a hole in the top of the demon's head.

 

10.12.32

tenaiva sarveṣu bahir gateṣu

prāṇeṣu vatsān suhṛdaḥ paretān

dṛṣṭyā svayotthāpya tad-anvitaḥ punar

vaktrān mukundo bhagavān viniryayau

 

tena eva — through that brahma-randhra, or the hole in the top of the head; sarveṣu — all the air within the body; bahiḥ gateṣu — having gone out; prāṇeṣu — the life airs, along with the vital force; vatsān — the calves; suhṛdaḥ — the cowherd boy friends; paretān — who were all dead within; dṛṣṭyā svayā — by Kṛṣṇa's glancing over; utthāpya — brought them back to life; tat-anvitaḥ — thus accompanied by them; punaḥ — again; vaktrāt — from the mouth; mukundaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; bhagavān — Kṛṣṇa; viniryayau — came out.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When all the demon's life air had passed away through that hole in the top of his head, Kṛṣṇa glanced over the dead calves and cowherd boys and brought them back to life. Then Mukunda, who can give one liberation, came out from the demon's mouth with His friends and the calves.

 

10.12.33

pīnāhi-bhogotthitam adbhutaḿ mahaj

jyotiḥ sva-dhāmnā jvalayad diśo daśa

pratīkṣya khe 'vasthitam īśa-nirgamaḿ

viveśa tasmin miṣatāḿ divaukasām

 

pīna — very great; ahi-bhoga-utthitam — issuing from the serpent's body, which was meant for material enjoyment; adbhutam — very wonderful; mahat — great; jyotiḥ — effulgence; sva-dhāmnā — by his own illumination; jvalayat — making glaring; diśaḥ daśa — all the ten directions; pratīkṣya — waiting; khe — in the sky; avasthitam — individually staying; īśa-nirgamam — until the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, came out; viveśa — entered; tasmin — in the body of Kṛṣṇa; miṣatām — while observing; divaukasām — all the demigods.

 

TRANSLATION

 

From the body of the gigantic python, a glaring effulgence came out, illuminating all directions, and stayed individually in the sky until Kṛṣṇa came out from the corpse's mouth. Then, as all the demigods looked on, this effulgence entered into Kṛṣṇa's body.

 

10.12.34

tato 'tihṛṣṭāḥ sva-kṛto 'kṛtārhaṇaḿ

puṣpaiḥ sugā apsarasaś ca nartanaiḥ

gītaiḥ surā vādya-dharāś ca vādyakaiḥ

stavaiś ca viprā jaya-niḥsvanair gaṇāḥ

 

tataḥ — thereafter; ati-hṛṣṭāḥ — everyone becoming very much pleased; sva-kṛtaḥ — own respective duty; akṛta — executed; arhaṇam — in the shape of worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puṣpaiḥ — by showering flowers grown in Nandana-kānana from the heavens; su-gāḥ — the celestial singers; apsarasaḥ ca — and the celestial dancing girls; nartanaiḥ — by dancing; gītaiḥ — by singing celestial songs; surāḥ — all the demigods; vādya-dharāḥ ca — those who played on musical drums; vādyakaiḥ — by playing respectively; stavaiḥ ca — and by offering prayers; viprāḥ — the brāhmaṇas; jaya-niḥsvanaiḥ — simply by glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead; gaṇāḥ — everyone.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Thereafter, everyone being pleased, the demigods began to shower flowers from Nandana-kānana, the celestial dancing girls began to dance, and the Gandharvas, who are famous for singing, offered songs of prayer. The drummers began to beat their kettledrums, and the brāhmaṇas offered Vedic hymns. In this way, both in the heavens and on earth, everyone began to perform his own duties, glorifying the Lord.

 

10.12.35

tad-adbhuta-stotra-suvādya-gītikā-

jayādi-naikotsava-mańgala-svanān

śrutvā sva-dhāmno 'nty aja āgato 'cirād

dṛṣṭvā mahīśasya jagāma vismayam

 

tat — that celebration performed by the demigods in the upper planetary system; adbhuta — wonderful; stotra — prayers; su-vādya — glorious musical sounds of drums and other instruments; gītikā — celestial songs; jaya-ādi — sounds of jaya, etc.; na-eka-utsava — celebrations simply for glorifying the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mańgala-svanān — transcendental sounds auspicious for everyone; śrutvā — hearing such sounds; sva-dhāmnaḥ — from his abode; anti — nearby; ajaḥ — Lord Brahmā; āgataḥ — coming there; acirāt — very soon; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; mahi — the glorification; īśasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; jagāma vismayam — became astonished.

 

TRANSLATION

 

When Lord Brahmā heard the wonderful ceremony going on near his planet, accompanied by music and songs and sounds of "Jaya! Jaya!" he immediately came down to see the function. Upon seeing so much glorification of Lord Kṛṣṇa, he was completely astonished.

 

10.12.36

rājann ājagaraḿ carma

śuṣkaḿ vṛndāvane 'dbhutam

vrajaukasāḿ bahu-tithaḿ

babhūvākrīḍa-gahvaram

 

rājan — O Mahārāja Parīkṣit; ājagaram carma — the dry body of Aghāsura, which remained only a big skin; śuṣkam — when it completely dried up; vṛndāvane adbhutam — like a wonderful museum piece in Vṛndāvana; vraja-okasām — for the inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi, Vṛndāvana; bahu-titham — for many days, or for a long time; babhūva — became; ākrīḍa — sporting place; gahvaram — a cave.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O King Parīkṣit, when the python-shaped body of Aghāsura dried up into merely a big skin, it became a wonderful place for the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana to visit, and it remained so for a long, long time.

 

10.12.37

etat kaumārajaḿ karma

harer ātmāhi-mokṣaṇam

mṛtyoḥ paugaṇḍake bālā

dṛṣṭvocur vismitā vraje

 

etat — this incident of delivering both Aghāsura and Kṛṣṇa's associates from death; kaumāra-jam karma — performed during their kaumāra age (the age of five years); hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; ātma — the devotees are the Lord's heart and soul; ahi-mokṣaṇam — their deliverance and the deliverance of the python; mṛtyoḥ — from the path of repeated birth and death; paugaṇḍake — at the age of paugaṇḍa, beginning with the sixth year (one year later); bālāḥ — all the boys; dṛṣṭvā ūcuḥ — disclosed the fact after one year; vismitāḥ — as if it had happened on that very day; vraje — in Vṛndāvana.

 

TRANSLATION

 

This incident of Kṛṣṇa's saving Himself and His associates from death and of giving deliverance to Aghāsura, who had assumed the form of a python, took place when Kṛṣṇa was five years old. It was disclosed in Vrajabhūmi after one year, as if it had taken place on that very day.

 

10.12.38

naitad vicitraḿ manujārbha-māyinaḥ

parāvarāṇāḿ paramasya vedhasaḥ

agho 'pi yat-sparśana-dhauta-pātakaḥ

prāpātma-sāmyaḿ tv asatāḿ sudurlabham

 

na — not; etat — this; vicitram — is wonderful; manuja-arbha-māyinaḥ — of Kṛṣṇa, who appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, being compassionate upon them; para-avarāṇām — of all causes and effects; paramasya vedhasaḥ — of the supreme creator; aghaḥ api — Aghāsura also; yat-sparśana — simply by the slight association of whom; dhauta-pātakaḥ — became freed from all contamination of material existence; prāpa — became elevated; ātma-sāmyam — to a body exactly resembling that of Nārāyaṇa; tu — but; asatām sudurlabham — which is not at all possible to be obtained by contaminated souls (but everything can be possible by the mercy of the Supreme Lord).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa is the cause of all causes. The causes and effects of the material world, both higher and lower, are all created by the Supreme Lord, the original controller. When Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, He did so by His causeless mercy. Consequently, for Him to exhibit His unlimited opulence was not at all wonderful. Indeed, He showed such great mercy that even Aghāsura, the most sinful miscreant, was elevated to being one of His associates and achieving sārūpya-mukti, which is actually impossible for materially contaminated persons to attain.

 

10.12.39

sakṛd yad-ańga-pratimāntar-āhitā

manomayī bhāgavatīḿ dadau gatim

sa eva nityātma-sukhānubhūty-abhi-

vyudasta-māyo 'ntar-gato hi kiḿ punaḥ

 

sakṛt — once only; yat — whose; ańga-pratimā — the form of the Supreme Lord (there are many forms, but Kṛṣṇa is the original form); antaḥ-āhitā — placing within the core of the heart, somehow or other; manaḥ-mayī — thinking of Him even by force; bhāgavatīm — which is competent to offer devotional service to the Lord; dadau — Kṛṣṇa gave; gatim — the best destination; saḥ — He (the Supreme Personality of Godhead); eva — indeed; nitya — always; ātma — of all living entities; sukha-anubhūti — anyone thinking of Him immediately enjoys transcendental pleasure; abhivyudasta-māyaḥ — because all illusion is completely removed by Him; antaḥ-gataḥ — He is always present within the core of the heart; hi — indeed; kim punaḥ — what to speak.

 

TRANSLATION

 

If even only once or even by force one brings the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead into one's mind, one can attain the supreme salvation by the mercy of Kṛṣṇa, as did Aghāsura. What then is to be said of those whose hearts the Supreme Personality of Godhead enters when He appears as an incarnation, or those who always think of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the source of transcendental bliss for all living entities and by whom all illusion is completely removed?

 

10.12.40

śrī-sūta uvāca

itthaḿ dvijā yādavadeva-dattaḥ

śrutvā sva-rātuś caritaḿ vicitram

papraccha bhūyo 'pi tad eva puṇyaḿ

vaiyāsakiḿ yan nigṛhīta-cetāḥ

 

śrī-sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī spoke to the assembled saints at Naimiṣāraṇya; ittham — in this way; dvijāḥ — O learned brāhmaṇas; yādava-deva-dattaḥ — Mahārāja Parīkṣit (or Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira), who was protected by Yādavadeva, Kṛṣṇa; śrutvā — hearing; sva-rātuḥ — of Kṛṣṇa, who was his savior within the womb of his mother, Uttarā; caritam — the activities; vicitram — all wonderful; papraccha — inquired; bhūyaḥ api — even again; tat eva — such activities; puṇyam — which are always full of pious activities (śṛṇvatāḿ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ: [SB 1.2.17] to hear about Kṛṣṇa is always pious); vaiyāsakim — unto Śukadeva Gosvāmī; yat — because; nigṛhīta-cetāḥ — Parīkṣit Mahārāja had already become steady in hearing about Kṛṣṇa.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said: O learned saints, the childhood pastimes of Śrī Kṛṣṇa are very wonderful. Mahārāja Parīkṣit, after hearing about those pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who had saved him in the womb of his mother, became steady in his mind and again inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī to hear about those pious activities.

 

10.12.41

śrī-rājovāca

brahman kālāntara-kṛtaḿ

tat-kālīnaḿ kathaḿ bhavet

yat kaumāre hari-kṛtaḿ

jaguḥ paugaṇḍake 'rbhakāḥ

 

śrī-rājā uvāca — Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired; brahman — O learned brāhmaṇa (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); kāla-antara-kṛtam — things done in the past, at a different time (in the kaumāra age); tat-kālīnam — described as happening now (in the paugaṇḍa age); katham bhavet — how could it be so; yat — which pastime; kaumāre — in the kaumāra age; hari-kṛtam — was done by Kṛṣṇa; jaguḥ — they described; paugaṇḍake — in the paugaṇḍa age (after one year); arbhakāḥ — all the boys.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired: O great sage, how could things done in the past have been described as being done at the present? Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa performed this pastime of killing Aghāsura during His kaumāra age. How then, during His paugaṇḍa age, could the boys have described this incident as having happened recently?

 

10.12.42

tad brūhi me mahā-yogin

paraḿ kautūhalaḿ guro

nūnam etad dharer eva

māyā bhavati nānyathā

 

tat brūhi — therefore please explain that; me — unto me; mahā-yogin — O great yogī; param — very much; kautūhalam — curiosity; guro — O my lord, my spiritual master; nūnam — otherwise; etat — this incident; hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; eva — indeed; māyā — the illusion; bhavati — becomes; na anyathā — nothing more.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O greatest yogī, my spiritual master, kindly describe why this happened. I am very much curious to know about it. I think that it was nothing but another illusion due to Kṛṣṇa.

 

10.12.43

vayaḿ dhanyatamā loke

guro 'pi kṣatra-bandhavaḥ

vayaḿ pibāmo muhus tvattaḥ

puṇyaḿ kṛṣṇa-kathāmṛtam

 

vayam — we are; dhanya-tamāḥ — most glorified; loke — in this world; guro — O my lord, my spiritual master; api — although; kṣatra-bandhavaḥ — the lowest of the kṣatriyas (because we did not act like kṣatriyas); vayam — we are; pibāmaḥ — drinking; muhuḥ — always; tvattaḥ — from you; puṇyam — pious; kṛṣṇa-kathā-amṛtam — the nectar of kṛṣṇa-kathā.

 

TRANSLATION

 

O my lord, my spiritual master, although we are the lowest of kṣatriyas, we are glorified and benefited because we have the opportunity of always hearing from you the nectar of the pious activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

 

10.12.44

śrī-sūta uvāca

itthaḿ sma pṛṣṭaḥ sa tu bādarāyaṇis

tat-smāritānanta-hṛtākhilendriyaḥ

kṛcchrāt punar labdha-bahir-dṛśiḥ śanaiḥ

pratyāha taḿ bhāgavatottamottama

 

śrī-sūtaḥ uvāca — Śrī Sūta Gosvāmī said; ittham — in this way; sma — in the past; pṛṣṭaḥ — being inquired from; saḥ — he; tu — indeed; bādarāyaṇiḥ — Śukadeva Gosvāmī; tat — by him (Śukadeva Gosvāmī); smārita-ananta — as soon as Lord Kṛṣṇa was remembered; hṛta — lost in ecstasy; akhila-indriyaḥ — all actions of the external senses; kṛcchrāt — with great difficulty; punaḥ — again; labdha-bahiḥ-dṛśiḥ — having revived his external sensory perception; śanaiḥ — slowly; pratyāha — replied; tam — unto Mahārāja Parīkṣit; bhāgavata-uttama-uttama — O great saintly person, greatest of all devotees (Śaunaka).

 

TRANSLATION

 

Sūta Gosvāmī said: O Śaunaka, greatest of saints and devotees, when Mahārāja Parīkṣit inquired from Śukadeva Gosvāmī in this way, Śukadeva Gosvāmī, immediately remembering subject matters about Kṛṣṇa within the core of his heart, externally lost contact with the actions of his senses. Thereafter, with great difficulty, he revived his external sensory perception and began to speak to Mahārāja Parīkṣit about kṛṣṇa-kathā.