Book V. Chapter Xv
*
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 537
Chap. Xv.
Kansa informed by Nrada of the existence of Krishna and Balarma: he sends Kein to destroy them, and Akrra to bring them to Mathur.
After these things had come to pass, Arishta the bull-demon and Dhenuka and Pralamba had been slain, Govarddhana had been lifted up, the serpent Klya had been subdued, the two trees had been broken, the female fiend Ptan had been killed, and the waggon had been overturned, Nrada went to Kansa, and related to him the whole, beginning with the transference of the child from Devak to Yaod, Hearing this from Nrada, Kansa was highly incensed with Vasudeva, and bitterly reproached him, and all the Ydavas, in an assembly of the tribe. Then reflecting what was to be done, he determined to destroy both Krishna and Rma whilst they were yet young, and before they had attained to manly vigour: for which purpose he resolved to invite them from Vraja, under pretext of the solemn rite of the lustration of arms, when he would engage them in a trial of strength with his chief boxers, Chnra and Mushtika, by whom they would assuredly be killed. "I will send," he said, "the noble Yadu, Akrra the son of Swaphalka, to Gokula, to bring them hither: I will order the fierce Kein, who haunts the woods of Vrindvan, to attack them, and he is of unequalled might, and will surely kill them; or, if they arrive here, my elephant Kuvalaypda shall trample to death these two cow-boy sons of Vasudeva." Having thus laid his plans to destroy Rma and Janrddana, the impious Kansa sent for the heroic Akrra, and said to him, "Lord of liberal gifts 1, attend to my words, and, out of friendship for me, perform my orders. Ascend your chariot, and go hence to the station of the herdsman Nanda. Two vile boys, portions of Vishnu, have been born there, for the express object of effecting my destruction. On the fourteenth lunation I have to celebrate the festival of arms 2, and I wish them to be brought here by
p. 538
you, to take part in the games, and that the people may see them engage in a boxing match with my two dexterous athlet, Chnra and Mushtika; or haply my elephant Kuvalaypda, driven against them by his rider, shall kill these two iniquitous youngsters, sons of Vasudeva. When they are out of the way, I will put to death Vasudeva himself, the cowherd Nanda, and my foolish father, Ugrasena, and I will seize upon the herds and flocks, and all the possessions, of the rebellious Gopas, who have ever been my foes. Except thou, lord of liberality, all the Ydavas are hostile to me; but I will devise schemes for their extirpation, and I shall then reign over my kingdom, in concert with thee, without any annoyance. Through regard for me, therefore, do thou go as I direct thee; and thou shalt command the cowherds to bring in with speed their supplies of milk and butter and curds."
Being thus instructed, the illustrious Akrra readily undertook to visit Krishna, and, ascending his stately chariot, he went forth from the city of Mathur.
Footnotes
537:1 Dnapati: the epithet refers to Akrra's possession of the Syamantaka gem (see p. 433); although, as here used by Kansa, it is an anachronism, the gem not becoming his until after Krishna's maturity.
537:2 Dhanurmaha: the same phrase p. 538 occurs in the different authorities. In its ordinary acceptation it would imply any military festival. There is one of great celebrity, which, in the south of India, closes the Dasahar, or festival of Durg, when military exercises are performed, and a field is ravaged, as typical of the opening of a campaign. Worship is paid to military implements. The proper day for this is the Vijaya daam, or tenth of the light half of win, falling about the end of September or beginning of October. Trans. Bombay Soc. Iii. 73; also Amara Kosha, under the word ### (Lohbhisra). Both our text and that of the Bhgavata, however, intimate the celebration of the feast in question on the fourteenth day of the fortnight (in what month is not specified), and an occasional 'passage of arms,' therefore is all that is intended. The fourteenth day of the light lunation of any month is commonly held appropriate for a holiday, or religious rite. It will be seen in the sequel, that the leading feature of the ceremonial was intended to have been a trial of archery, spoiled by Krishna's breaking the bow that was to have been used on the occasion.
"The Vishnu Purana", translated by Horace Hayman Wilson, [1840],
p. 537
Chap. Xv.
Kansa informed by Nrada of the existence of Krishna and Balarma: he sends Kein to destroy them, and Akrra to bring them to Mathur.
After these things had come to pass, Arishta the bull-demon and Dhenuka and Pralamba had been slain, Govarddhana had been lifted up, the serpent Klya had been subdued, the two trees had been broken, the female fiend Ptan had been killed, and the waggon had been overturned, Nrada went to Kansa, and related to him the whole, beginning with the transference of the child from Devak to Yaod, Hearing this from Nrada, Kansa was highly incensed with Vasudeva, and bitterly reproached him, and all the Ydavas, in an assembly of the tribe. Then reflecting what was to be done, he determined to destroy both Krishna and Rma whilst they were yet young, and before they had attained to manly vigour: for which purpose he resolved to invite them from Vraja, under pretext of the solemn rite of the lustration of arms, when he would engage them in a trial of strength with his chief boxers, Chnra and Mushtika, by whom they would assuredly be killed. "I will send," he said, "the noble Yadu, Akrra the son of Swaphalka, to Gokula, to bring them hither: I will order the fierce Kein, who haunts the woods of Vrindvan, to attack them, and he is of unequalled might, and will surely kill them; or, if they arrive here, my elephant Kuvalaypda shall trample to death these two cow-boy sons of Vasudeva." Having thus laid his plans to destroy Rma and Janrddana, the impious Kansa sent for the heroic Akrra, and said to him, "Lord of liberal gifts 1, attend to my words, and, out of friendship for me, perform my orders. Ascend your chariot, and go hence to the station of the herdsman Nanda. Two vile boys, portions of Vishnu, have been born there, for the express object of effecting my destruction. On the fourteenth lunation I have to celebrate the festival of arms 2, and I wish them to be brought here by
p. 538
you, to take part in the games, and that the people may see them engage in a boxing match with my two dexterous athlet, Chnra and Mushtika; or haply my elephant Kuvalaypda, driven against them by his rider, shall kill these two iniquitous youngsters, sons of Vasudeva. When they are out of the way, I will put to death Vasudeva himself, the cowherd Nanda, and my foolish father, Ugrasena, and I will seize upon the herds and flocks, and all the possessions, of the rebellious Gopas, who have ever been my foes. Except thou, lord of liberality, all the Ydavas are hostile to me; but I will devise schemes for their extirpation, and I shall then reign over my kingdom, in concert with thee, without any annoyance. Through regard for me, therefore, do thou go as I direct thee; and thou shalt command the cowherds to bring in with speed their supplies of milk and butter and curds."
Being thus instructed, the illustrious Akrra readily undertook to visit Krishna, and, ascending his stately chariot, he went forth from the city of Mathur.
Footnotes
537:1 Dnapati: the epithet refers to Akrra's possession of the Syamantaka gem (see p. 433); although, as here used by Kansa, it is an anachronism, the gem not becoming his until after Krishna's maturity.
537:2 Dhanurmaha: the same phrase p. 538 occurs in the different authorities. In its ordinary acceptation it would imply any military festival. There is one of great celebrity, which, in the south of India, closes the Dasahar, or festival of Durg, when military exercises are performed, and a field is ravaged, as typical of the opening of a campaign. Worship is paid to military implements. The proper day for this is the Vijaya daam, or tenth of the light half of win, falling about the end of September or beginning of October. Trans. Bombay Soc. Iii. 73; also Amara Kosha, under the word ### (Lohbhisra). Both our text and that of the Bhgavata, however, intimate the celebration of the feast in question on the fourteenth day of the fortnight (in what month is not specified), and an occasional 'passage of arms,' therefore is all that is intended. The fourteenth day of the light lunation of any month is commonly held appropriate for a holiday, or religious rite. It will be seen in the sequel, that the leading feature of the ceremonial was intended to have been a trial of archery, spoiled by Krishna's breaking the bow that was to have been used on the occasion.
