Chapter 37: The Killing of the Demons Keśi and Vyoma

 

10.37.1-2

śrī-śuka uvāca

keśī tu kaḿsa-prahitaḥ khurair mahīḿ

mahā-hayo nirjarayan mano-javaḥ

saṭāvadhūtābhra-vimāna-sańkulaḿ

kurvan nabho heṣita-bhīṣitākhilaḥ

 

taḿ trāsayantaḿ bhagavān sva-gokulaḿ

tad-dheṣitair vāla-vighūrṇitāmbudam

ātmānam ājau mṛgayantam agra-ṇīr

upāhvayat sa vyanadan mṛgendra-vat

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; keśī — the demon named Keśī; tu — and then; kaḿsa-prahitaḥ — sent by Kaḿsa; khuraiḥ — with his hooves; mahīm — the earth; mahā-hayaḥ — a huge horse; nirjarayan — ripping apart; manaḥ — like that of the mind; javaḥ — whose speed; saṭā — by the hairs of his mane; avadhūta — scattered; abhra — with the clouds; vimāna — and the airplanes (of the demigods); sańkulam — crowded; kurvan — making; nabhaḥ — the sky; heṣita — by his neighing; bhīṣita — frightened; akhilaḥ — everyone;

 

tam — him; trāsayantam — terrifying; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; sva-gokulam — His cowherd village; tat-heṣitaiḥ — by that neighing; vāla — by the hairs of his tail; vighūrṇita — shaken; ambudam — the clouds; ātmānam — Himself; ājau — for a fight; mṛgayantam — searching after; agra-nīḥ — coming forward; upāhvayat — called out; saḥ — he, Keśī; vyanadan — roared; mṛgendra-vat — like a lion.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The demon Keśī, sent by Kaḿsa, appeared in Vraja as a great horse. Running with the speed of the mind, he tore up the earth with his hooves. The hairs of his mane scattered the clouds and the demigods' airplanes throughout the sky, and he terrified everyone present with his loud neighing.

 

10.37.3

sa taḿ niśāmyābhimukho makhena khaḿ

pibann ivābhyadravad aty-amarṣaṇaḥ

jaghāna padbhyām aravinda-locanaḿ

durāsadaś caṇḍa-javo duratyayaḥ

 

saḥ — he, Keśī; tam — Him, Kṛṣṇa; niśāmya — seeing; abhimukhaḥ — in front of himself; mukhena — with his mouth; kham — the sky; piban — drinking up; iva — as if; abhyadravat — ran forward; ati-amarṣaṇaḥ — very angry; jaghāna — he attacked; padbhyām — with his two legs; aravinda-locanam — the lotus-eyed Lord; durāsadaḥ — unapproachable; caṇḍa — fierce; javaḥ — whose speed; duratyayaḥ — unconquerable.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Seeing the Lord standing before him, Keśī ran toward Him in extreme rage, his mouth gaping as if to swallow up the sky. Rushing with furious speed, the unconquerable and unapproachable horse demon tried to strike the lotus-eyed Lord with his two front legs.

 

10.37.4

tad vañcayitvā tam adhokṣajo ruṣā

pragṛhya dorbhyāḿ parividhya pādayoḥ

sāvajñam utsṛjya dhanuḥ-śatāntare

yathoragaḿ tārkṣya-suto vyavasthitaḥ

 

tat — that; vañcayitvā — avoiding; tam — him; adhokṣajaḥ — the transcendental Lord; ruṣā — angrily; pragṛhya — seizing; dorbhyām — with His arms; parividhya — whirling around; pādayoḥ — by the legs; sa-avajñam — contemptuously; utsṛjya — discarding; dhanuḥ — of bow-lengths; śata — one hundred; antare — to the distance; yathā — as; uragam — a snake; tārkṣya — of Kardama Muni; sutaḥ — the son (Garuḍa); vyavasthitaḥ — standing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

But the transcendental Lord dodged Keśī's blow and then with His arms angrily seized the demon by the legs, whirled him around in the air and contemptuously threw him the distance of one hundred bow-lengths, just as Garuḍa might throw a snake. Lord Kṛṣṇa then stood there.

 

10.37.5

saḥ labdha-saḿjñaḥ punar utthito ruṣā

vyādāya keśī tarasāpatad dharim

so 'py asya vaktre bhujam uttaraḿ smayan

praveśayām āsa yathoragaḿ bile

 

saḥ — he, Keśī; labdha — regaining; saḿjñaḥ — consciousness; punaḥ — again; utthitaḥ — rose up; ruṣā — in anger; vyādāya — opening (his mouth) wide; keśī — Keśī; tarasā — rapidly; apatat — ran; harim — toward Kṛṣṇa; saḥ — He, Lord Kṛṣṇa; api — and; asya — his; vaktre — in the mouth; bhujam — His arm; uttaram — left; smayan — smiled; praveśayām āsa — placed within; yathā — as; uragam — a snake; bile — (enters)within a hole.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Upon regaining consciousness Keśī angrily got up, opened his mouth wide and again rushed to attack Lord Kṛṣṇa. But the Lord just smiled and thrust His left arm into the horse's mouth as easily as one would make a snake enter a hole in the ground.

 

10.37.6

dantā nipetur bhagavad-bhuja-spṛśas

te keśinas tapta-maya-spṛśo yathā

bāhuś ca tad-deha-gato mahātmano

yathāmayaḥ saḿvavṛdhe upekṣitaḥ

 

dantāḥ — the teeth; nipetuḥ — fell out; bhagavat — of the Supreme Lord; bhuja — the arm; spṛśaḥ — touching; te — they; keśinaḥ — of Keśī; tapta-maya — red-hot (iron); spṛśaḥ — touching; yathā — as; bāhuḥ — the arm; ca — and; tat — his, Keśī's; deha — body; gataḥ — having entered; mahā-ātmanaḥ — of the Supreme Soul; yathā — like; āmayaḥ — a diseased condition (particularly, distension of the stomach); saḿvavṛdhe — increased greatly in size; upekṣitaḥ — neglected.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Keśī's teeth immediately fell out when they touched the Supreme Lord's arm, which to the demon felt as hot as molten iron. Within Keśī's body the Supreme Personality's arm then expanded greatly, like a diseased stomach swelling because of neglect.

 

10.37.7

samedhamānena sa kṛṣṇa-bāhunā

niruddha-vāyuś caraṇāḿś ca vikṣipan

prasvinna-gātraḥ parivṛtta-locanaḥ

papāta laṇḍaḿ visṛjan kṣitau vyasuḥ

 

samedhamānena — expanding; saḥ — he; kṛṣṇa-bāhunā — by Lord Kṛṣṇa's arm; niruddha — stopped; vāyuḥ — his breathing; caraṇān — his legs; ca — and; vikṣipan — throwing about; prasvinna — perspiring; gātraḥ — his body; parivṛtta — rolling; locanaḥ — his eyes; papāta — he fell down; laṇḍam — feces; visṛjan — excreting; kṣitau — onto the ground; vyasuḥ — lifeless.

 

TRANSLATION

 

As Lord Kṛṣṇa's expanding arm completely blocked Keśī's breathing, his legs kicked convulsively, his body became covered with sweat, and his eyes rolled around. The demon then passed stool and fell on the ground, dead.

 

10.37.8

tad-dehataḥ karkaṭikā-phalopamād

vyasor apākṛṣya bhujaḿ mahā-bhujaḥ

avismito 'yatna-hatārikaḥ suraiḥ

prasūna-varṣair varṣadbhir īḍitaḥ

 

tat-dehataḥ — from Keśī's body; karkaṭikā-phala — a karkaṭikā fruit; upamāt — which resembled; vyasoḥ — from which the vital airs had departed; apākṛṣya — withdrawing; bhujam — His arm; mahā-bhujaḥ — the mighty-armed Lord; avismitaḥ — without undue pride; ayatna — without effort; hata — having killed; arikaḥ — His enemy; suraiḥ — by the demigods; prasūna — of flowers; varṣaiḥ — with downpours; varṣadbhiḥ — who were raining upon Him; īḍitaḥ — worshiped.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa withdrew His arm from Keśī's body, which now appeared like a long karkaṭikā fruit. Without the least display of pride at having so effortlessly killed His enemy, the Lord accepted the demigods' worship in the form of flowers rained down from above.

 

10.37.9

devarṣir upasańgamya

bhāgavata-pravaro nṛpa

kṛṣṇam akliṣṭa-karmāṇaḿ

rahasy etad abhāṣata

 

deva-ṛṣiḥ — the sage among the demigods (Nārada Muni); upasańgamya — approaching; bhāgavata — of devotees of the Lord; pravaraḥ — the most exalted; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; akliṣṭa — without trouble; karmāṇam — whose activities; rahasi — in privacy; etat — this; abhāṣata — said.

 

TRANSLATION

 

My dear King, thereafter Lord Kṛṣṇa was approached in a solitary place by the great sage among the demigods, Nārada Muni. That most exalted devotee spoke as follows to the Lord, who effortlessly performs His pastimes.

 

10.37.10-11

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇāprameyātman

yogeśa jagad-īśvara

vāsudevākhilāvāsa

sātvatāḿ pravara prabho

 

tvam ātmā sarva-bhūtānām

eko jyotir ivaidhasām

gūḍho guhā-śayaḥ sākṣī

mahā-puruṣa īśvaraḥ

 

kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa — O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa; aprameya-ātman — O immeasurable one; yoga-īśa — O source of all mystic power; jagat-īśvara — O Lord of the universe; vāsudeva — O son of Vasudeva; akhila-āvāsa — O shelter of all beings; sātvatām — of the Yadu dynasty; pravara — O You who are the best; prabho — O master;

 

tvam — You; ātmā — the Supreme Soul; sarva — of all; bhūtānām — created beings; ekaḥ — alone; jyotiḥ — fire; iva — like; edhasām — in kindling wood; gūḍhaḥ — hidden; guhā — within the cave of the heart; śayaḥ — sitting; sākṣī — the witness; mahā-puruṣaḥ — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller.

 

TRANSLATION

 

[Nārada Muni said:] O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, unlimited Lord, source of all mystic power, Lord of the universe! O Vāsudeva, shelter of all beings and best of the Yadus ! O master, You are the Supreme Soul of all created beings, sitting unseen within the cave of the heart like the fire dormant within kindling wood. You are the witness within everyone, the Supreme Personality and the ultimate controlling Deity.

 

10.37.12

ātmanātmāśrayaḥ pūrvaḿ

māyayā sasṛje guṇān

tair idaḿ satya-sańkalpaḥ

sṛjasy atsy avasīśvaraḥ

 

ātmanā — by Your personal potency; ātma — of the spirit soul; āśrayaḥ — the shelter; pūrvam — first; māyayā — by Your creative energy; sasṛje — You produced; guṇān — the basic modes of material nature; taiḥ — through these; idam — this (universe); satya — always realized in fact; sańkalpaḥ — whose desires; sṛjasi — You create; atsi — withdraw; avasi — and maintain; īśvaraḥ — the controller.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You are the shelter of all souls, and being the supreme controller, You fulfill Your desires simply by Your will. By Your personal creative potency You manifested in the beginning the primal modes of material nature, and through their agency You create, maintain and then destroy this universe.

 

10.37.13

sa tvaḿ bhūdhara-bhūtānāḿ

daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām

avatīrṇo vināśāya

sādhunāḿ rakṣaṇāya ca

 

saḥ — He; tvam — Yourself; bhū-dhara — as kings; bhūtānām — who are appearing; daitya-pramatha-rakṣasām — of various kinds of demons; avatīrṇaḥ — You have descended; vināśāya — for the destruction; sādhūnām — of saintly persons; rakṣaṇāya — for the protection; ca — and.

 

TRANSLATION

 

You, that very same creator, have now descended on the earth to annihilate the Daitya, Pramatha and Rākṣasa demons who are posing as kings, and also to protect the godly.

 

10.37.14

diṣṭyā te nihato daityo

līlayāyaḿ hayākṛtiḥ

yasya heṣita-santrastās

tyajanty animiṣā divam

 

diṣṭyā — by (our) good fortune; te — by You; nihataḥ — killed; daityaḥ — demon; līlayā — as a game; ayam — this; haya-ākṛtiḥ — having the form of a horse; yasya — whose; heṣita — by the neighing; santrastāḥ — terrified; tyajanti — abandon; animiṣāḥ — the demigods; divam — heaven.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The horse demon was so terrifying that his neighing frightened the demigods into leaving their heavenly kingdom. But by our good fortune You have enjoyed the sport of killing him.

 

10.37.15-20

cāṇūraḿ muṣṭikaḿ caiva

mallān anyāḿś ca hastinam

kaḿsaḿ ca nihataḿ drakṣye

paraśvo 'hani te vibho

 

tasyānu śańkha-yavana-

murāṇāḿ narakasya ca

pārijātāpaharaṇam

indrasya ca parājayam

 

udvāhaḿ vīra-kanyānāḿ

vīrya-śulkādi-lakṣaṇam

nṛgasya mokṣaṇaḿ śāpād

dvārakāyāḿ jagat-pate

 

syamantakasya ca maṇer

ādānaḿ saha bhāryayā

mṛta-putra-pradānaḿ ca

brāhmaṇasya sva-dhāmataḥ

 

pauṇḍrakasya vadhaḿ paścāt

kāśi-puryāś ca dīpanam

dantavakrasya nidhanaḿ

caidyasya ca mahā-kratau

 

yāni cānyāni vīryāṇi

dvārakām āvasan bhavān

kartā drakṣyāmy ahaḿ tāni

geyāni kavibhir bhuvi

 

cāṇūram — Cāṇūra; muṣṭikam — Muṣṭika; ca — and; eva — also; mallān — the wrestlers; anyān — others; ca — and; hastinam — the elephant (Kuvalayāpīḍa); kaḿsam — King Kaḿsa; ca — and; nihatam — killed; drakṣye — I will see; para-śvaḥ — the day after tomorrow; ahani — on that day; te — by You; vibho — O almighty Lord;

 

tasya anu — after that; śańkha-yavana-murāṇām — of the demons Śańkha (Pañcajana), Kālayavana and Mura; narakasya — of Narakāsura; ca — as well; pārijāta — of the heavenly pārijāta flower; apaharaṇam — the stealing; indrasya — of Lord Indra; ca — and; parājayam — the defeat;

 

udvāham — the marriage; vīra — of heroic kings; kanyānām — of the daughters; vīrya — by Your valor; śulka — as the payment for the brides; ādi — and so forth; lakṣaṇam — characterized; nṛgasya — of King Nṛga; mokṣaṇam — the deliverance; śāpāt — from his curse; dvārakāyām — in the city of Dvārakā; jagat-pate — O master of the universe;

 

syamantakasya — named Syamantaka; ca — and; maṇeḥ — of the jewel; ādānam — the taking; saha — together with; bhāryayā — a wife (Jāmbavatī); mṛta — dead; putra — of the son; pradānam — the presenting; ca — and; brāhmaṇasya — of a brāhmaṇa; sva-dhāmataḥ — from Your own domain (i.e., from the abode of Death);

 

pauṇḍrakasya — of Pauṇḍraka; vadham — the killing; paścāt — after; kāśi-puryāḥ — of the city of Kāśī (Benares); ca — and; dīpanam — the burning; dantavakrasya — of Dantavakra; nidhanam — the demise; caidyasya — of Caidya (Śiśupāla); ca — and; mahā-kratau — during the great sacrificial performance (the Rājasūya-yajña of Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira);

 

yāni — which; ca — and; anyāni — other; vīryāṇi — great feats; dvārakām — in Dvārakā; āvasan — dwelling; bhavān — You; kartā — are going to perform; drakṣyāmi — will see; aham — I; tāni — them; geyāni — to be sung about; kavibhiḥ — by poets; bhuvi — on this earth.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In just two days, O almighty Lord, I will see the deaths of Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika and other wrestlers, along with those of the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa and King Kaḿsa — all by Your hand. Then I will see You kill Kālayavana, Mura, Naraka and the conch demon, and I will also see You steal the pārijāta flower and defeat Indra. I will then see You marry many daughters of heroic kings after paying for them with Your valor. Then, O Lord of the universe, in Dvārakā You will deliver King Nṛga from a curse and take for Yourself the Syamantaka jewel, together with another wife. You will bring back a brāhmaṇa's dead son from the abode of Your servant Yamarāja, and thereafter You will kill Pauṇḍraka, burn down the city of Kāśī and annihilate Dantavakra and the King of Cedi during the great Rājasūya sacrifice. I shall see all these heroic pastimes, along with many others You will perform during Your residence in Dvārakā. These pastimes are glorified on this earth in the songs of transcendental poets.

 

10.37.21

atha te kāla-rūpasya

kṣapayiṣṇor amuṣya vai

akṣauhiṇīnāḿ nidhanaḿ

drakṣyāmy arjuna-sāratheḥ

 

atha — then; te — by You; kāla-rūpasya — who are assuming the form of time; kṣapayiṣṇoḥ — who is intending to effect the destruction; amuṣya — of (the burden of) this world; vai — indeed; akṣauhiṇīnām — of entire armies; nidhanam — the destruction; drakṣyāmi — I will see; arjuna sāratheḥ — by the chariot driver of Arjuna.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Subsequently I will see You appear as time personified, serving as Arjuna's chariot driver and destroying entire armies of soldiers to rid the earth of her burden.

 

10.37.22

viśuddha-vijñāna-ghanaḿ sva-saḿsthayā

samāpta-sarvārtham amogha-vāñchitam

sva-tejasā nitya-nivṛtta-māyā-

guṇa-pravāhaḿ bhagavantam īmahi

 

viśuddha — perfectly pure; vijñāna — spiritual awareness; ghanam — full of; sva-saḿsthayā — in His original identity; samāpta — already fulfilled; sarva — in all; artham — purposes; amogha — never frustrated; vāñchitam — whose desires; sva-tejasā — by His own potency; nitya — eternally; nivṛtta — desisting; māyā — of the illusory, material energy; guṇa — of the manifest modes; pravāham — from the flowing interaction; bhagavantam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; īmahi — let us approach.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Let us approach You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, for shelter. You are full of perfectly pure spiritual awareness and are always situated in Your original identity. Since Your will is never thwarted, You have already achieved all possible desirable things, and by the power of Your spiritual energy You remain eternally aloof from the flow of the qualities of illusion.

 

10.37.23

tvām īśvaraḿ svāśrayam ātma-māyayā

vinirmitāśeṣa-viśeṣa-kalpanam

krīḍārtham adyātta-manuṣya-vigrahaḿ

nato 'smi dhuryaḿ yadu-vṛṣṇi-sātvatām

 

tvām — to You; īśvaram — the supreme controller; sva-āśrayam — self-contained; ātma — Your own; māyayā — by the creative potency; vinirmita — constructed; aśeṣa — unlimited; viśeṣa — particular; kalpanam — arrangements; krīḍa — of playing; artham — for the sake; adya — now; ātta — taken on; manuṣya — among humans; vigraham — battle; nataḥ — bowed down; asmi — I am; dhuryam — to the greatest; yadu-vṛṣṇi-sātvatām — of the Yadu, Vṛṣṇi and Sātvata dynasties.

 

TRANSLATION

 

I bow down to You, the supreme controller, who are dependent only on Yourself. By Your potency You have constructed the unlimited particular arrangements of this universe. Now you have appeared as the greatest hero among the Yadus, Vṛṣṇis and Sātvatas and have chosen to participate in human warfare.

 

10.37.24

śrī-śuka uvāca

evaḿ yadu-patiḿ kṛṣṇaḿ

bhāgavata-pravaro muniḥ

praṇipatyābhyanujñāto

yayau tad-darśanotsavaḥ

 

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; yadu-patim — to the chief of the Yadus; kṛṣṇam — Lord Kṛṣṇa; bhāgavata — of devotees; pravaraḥ — most eminent; muniḥ — the sage Nārada; praṇipatya — respectfully bowing down; abhyanujñātaḥ — given leave; yayau — went; tat — Him, Kṛṣṇa; darśana — by having seen; utsavaḥ — experiencing great joy.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa, the chief of the Yadu dynasty, Nārada bowed down and offered Him obeisances. Then that great sage and most eminent devotee took his leave from the Lord and went away, feeling great joy at having directly seen Him.

 

10.37.25

bhagavān api govindo

hatvā keśinam āhave

paśūn apālayat pālaiḥ

prītair vraja-sukhāvahaḥ

 

bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; api — and; govindaḥ — Govinda; hatvā — having killed; keśinam — the demon Keśī; āhave — in battle; paśūn — the animals; apālayat — He tended; pālaiḥ — together with the cowherd boys; prītaiḥ — who were pleased; vraja — to the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana; sukha — happiness; āvahaḥ — bringing.

 

TRANSLATION

 

After killing the demon Keśī in battle, the Supreme Personality of Godhead continued to tend the cows and other animals in the company of His joyful cowherd boyfriends. Thus He brought happiness to all the residents of Vṛndāvana.

 

10.37.26

ekadā te paśūn pālāś'

cārayanto 'dri-sānuṣu

cakrur nilāyana-krīḍāś

cora-pālāpadeśataḥ

 

ekadā — one day; te — they; paśūn — the animals; pālāḥ — the cowherd boys; cārayantaḥ — grazing; adri — of a mountain; sānuṣu — on the sides; cakruḥ — they enacted; nilāyana — of "stealing and hiding"; krīḍāḥ — games; cora — of thieves; pāla — and protectors; apadeśataḥ — playing the roles.

 

TRANSLATION

 

One day the cowherd boys, while grazing their animals on the mountain slopes, played the game of stealing and hiding, acting out the roles of rival thieves and herders.

 

10.37.27

tatrāsan katicic corāḥ

pālāś ca katicin nṛpa

meṣāyitāś ca tatraike

vijahrur akuto-bhayāḥ

 

tatra — in that; āsan — were; katicit — some; corāḥ — thieves; pālāḥ — herders; ca — and; katicit — some; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); meṣāyitāḥ — acting as the sheep; ca — and; tatra — therein; eke — some of them; vijahruḥ — they played; akutaḥ-bhayāḥ — without any fear.

 

TRANSLATION

 

In that game, O King, some acted as thieves, others as shepherds and others as sheep. They played their game happily, without fear of danger.

 

10.37.28

maya-putro mahā-māyo

vyomo gopāla-veṣa-dhṛk

meṣāyitān apovāha

prāyaś corāyito bahūn

 

maya-putraḥ — a son of the demon Maya; mahā māyaḥ — a powerful magician; vyomaḥ — named Vyoma; gopāla — of a cowherd boy; veṣa — the disguise; dhṛk — assuming; meṣāyitān — those who were acting as sheep; apovāha — he took away; prāyaḥ — almost all; corāyitaḥ — pretending to be playing as a thief; bahūn — many.

 

TRANSLATION

 

A powerful magician named Vyoma, son of the demon Maya, then appeared on the scene in the guise of a cowherd boy. Pretending to join the game as a thief, he proceeded to steal most of the cowherd boys who were acting as sheep.

 

10.37.29

giri-daryāḿ vinikṣipya

nītaḿ nītaḿ mahāsuraḥ

śilayā pidadhe dvāraḿ

catuḥ-pañcāvaśeṣitāḥ

 

giri — of a mountain; daryām — in a cave; vinikṣipya — throwing; nītam nītam — gradually bringing them; mahā-asuraḥ — the great demon; śilayā — with a stone; pidadhe — he blocked; dvāram — the entrance; catuḥ-pañca — four or five; avaśeṣitāḥ — remained.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Gradually the great demon abducted more and more of the cowherd boys and cast them into a mountain cave, which he sealed shut with a boulder. Finally only four or five boys acting as sheep remained in the game.

 

10.37.30

tasya tat karma vijñāya

kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇa-daḥ satām

gopān nayantaḿ jagrāha

vṛkaḿ harir ivaujasā

 

tasya — of him, Vyomāsura; tat — that; karma — activity; vijñāya — fully understanding; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; śaraṇa — of shelter; daḥ — the giver; satām — to saintly devotees; gopān — cowherd boys; nayantam — who was leading; jagrāha — He seized; vṛkam — a wolf; hariḥ — a lion: iva — just as; ojasā — forcefully.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Kṛṣṇa, who shelters all saintly devotees, understood perfectly well what Vyomāsura was doing. Just as a lion grabs a wolf, Kṛṣṇa forcefully seized the demon as he was taking away more cowherd boys.

 

10.37.31

sa nijaḿ rūpam āsthāya

girīndra-sadṛśaḿ balī

icchan vimoktum ātmānaḿ

nāśaknod grahaṇāturaḥ

 

saḥ — he, the demon; nijam — his original; rūpam — form; āsthāya — assuming; giri-indra — a kingly mountain; sadṛśam — just like; balī — powerful; icchan — wanting; vimoktum — to free; ātmānam — himself; na aśaknot — he was not able; grahaṇa — by being forcibly held; āturaḥ — debilitated.

 

TRANSLATION

 

The demon changed into his original form, as big and powerful as a great mountain. But try as he might to free himself, he could not do so, having lost his strength from being held in the Lord's tight grip.

 

10.37.32

taḿ nigṛhyācyuto dorbhyāḿ

pātayitvā mahī-tale

paśyatāḿ divi devānāḿ

paśu-māram amārayat

 

tam — him; nigṛhya — holding fast; acyutaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; dorbhyām — with His arms; pātayitvā — making him fall; mahī-tale — onto the ground; paśyatām — while they were watching; divi — in the heavenly planets; devānām — the demigods; paśu-māram — as a sacrificial animal is slaughtered; amārayat — He killed him.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Lord Acyuta clutched Vyomāsura between His arms and threw him to the ground. Then, while the demigods in heaven looked on, Kṛṣṇa killed him in the same way that one kills a sacrificial animal.

 

10.37.33

guhā-pidhānaḿ nirbhidya

gopān niḥsārya kṛcchrataḥ

stūyamānaḥ surair gopaiḥ

praviveśa sva-gokulam

 

guhā — of the cave; pidhānam — the blockage; nirbhidya — breaking; gopān — the cowherd boys; niḥsārya — leading out; kṛcchrataḥ — from the dangerous place; stūyamānaḥ — being praised; suraiḥ — by the demigods; gopaiḥ — and by the cowherd boys; praviveśa — he entered; sva — His own; gokulam — cowherd village.

 

TRANSLATION

 

Kṛṣṇa then smashed the boulder blocking the cave's entrance and led the trapped cowherd boys to safety. Thereafter, as the demigods and cowherd boys sang His glories, He returned to His cowherd village, Gokula.