Site menuChapter 37: Kes'î and Vyoma Killed and Nârada Eulogizes Krishna's Future
(1-2) S'rî S'uka said: 'Then as sent by Kamsa [in 10.36:
20] was there Kes'î,, a
huge horse that, with his hooves ripping open the earth and with the
speed of mind scattering the clouds as well the celestial carriers of
the gods, with his manes and neighing frightened everyone. The Supreme
Lord stepped, in response to the stir of the clouds created by his tail
and his whinnying which terrified His cowherd village, thereupon
forward to fight and called for Kes'î who searching for Him was
roaring like a lion. (3) When he, hard to conquer and approach and
agressive with a mouth wide open swallowing the sky, saw Him before
him, rushed he furiously forward to attack the lotus eyed Lord with his
legs. (4) Dodging that
seized the Lord of the Beyond, alert to it, him with His arms by the
legs to whirl him around indifferently and throw him at a distance of a
hundred bow lengths, standing there just like the son of Târkshya
[Garuda] throwing a snake. (5) He regaining his consciousness rose in bitter
rage and ran, opening wide [his mouth], fast for the Lord who on His
turn with a smile put His left arm in his mouth like a snake in a hole.
(6) As
Kes'î,'s teeth came in touch with the Lord His arm fell they out
as if they had come in contact with a redhot iron and swelled the arm
of the Supreme Soul having entered his body up like a sick belly [of
dropsy] in neglect. (7) With Krishna's arm thus expanding was his
breath arrested and fell he, kicking his legs, perspiring all over,
rolling with his eyes and excreting feces, lifeless down to the ground.
(8) The Mighty-armed
One retracting His arm from the dead body that looked like a cucumber [karkathikâ],
was, as unassuming as He was in His effortlessly having killed His
enemy, from above worshiped by the gods with a rain of flowers.
(9) The devarishi [Nârada], the most exalted devotee of the Lord, o King, said in private to Krishna who is so effortless in His actions this: (10-11) 'Krishna, o Krishna, o Vâsudeva, immeasurable Soul, o Lord of Yoga, o Controller of the Universe, o shelter of each, o You master and very best of the Yadus; You alone are the Soul of all living beings who like fire hidden in firewood resides within the heart as the Witness, the Controller, the Supreme Personality. (12) As the Refuge of the Intelligence of the Spirit Soul You first produced, by Your energy, the modes of nature and through these [then] this thruth [of the Universe], to the drive of which You create, destroy and maintain as the Controller. (13) You, this one [creator] Himself, has in order to protect the saintly descended for the destruction of the demons [Daityas], wildmen [Râkshasas] and tormentors [Pramathas] who impose as leaders. (14) To our fortune have You sportfully killed this demon that assumed the form of a horse of whose neighing the vigilant gods terrified abandoned heaven. (15-20) The day after tomorrow, will I see Cânûra, Mushthika and other wrestlers as also the elephant [Kuvalayâpîda] and Kamsa been killed by You, o Almighty One. Thereafter will follow [the demons] S'ankha, [Kâla-]yavana and Mura as well as Naraka and will You steal the pârijâta flower and defeat Indra. In Dvârakâ will You, o Master of the Universe, be known for marrying the daughters of the heroic [kings] with the gift of Your valor, the deliverance of King Nriga from his curse, capturing the jewel named Syamantaka together with a wife and presenting the dead son of a brahmin [Sândîpani Muni] from Your abode [of death]. Next will You kill Paundraka, burn down the city of Kâs'î [Benares] and see to the demise of Dantavakra and the king of Cedi [S'is'upâla] during the great sacrifice [see also: 3.2: 19, 7.1: 14-15]. About these and other great feats that I will see performed by You as You stay in Dvârakâ will the poets on this earth be singing. (21) Then will I see You as the charioteer of Arjuna with whom You assume the form of Time with the purpose of effectively bringing about the destruction of the complete of the armed forces of this world. (22) Let me approach [You who are] this Supreme Lord, full of the purest spiritual awareness, who in His original identity is completely fulfilled, whose will in none of His exploits can be thwarted and who by the power of His potency is always elevated above the flow of the things happening with the modes of the illusory, material energy. (23) For You, the Controller self-contained, who by the creative potency of Your own Self has arranged for an unlimited number of specific situations so that You could enact and now have taken upon Yourself [the burden of] humanity divided [in warfare], I do bow myself down, You the Greatest of the Yadus, Vrishnis and Sâtvatas.'
(9) The devarishi [Nârada], the most exalted devotee of the Lord, o King, said in private to Krishna who is so effortless in His actions this: (10-11) 'Krishna, o Krishna, o Vâsudeva, immeasurable Soul, o Lord of Yoga, o Controller of the Universe, o shelter of each, o You master and very best of the Yadus; You alone are the Soul of all living beings who like fire hidden in firewood resides within the heart as the Witness, the Controller, the Supreme Personality. (12) As the Refuge of the Intelligence of the Spirit Soul You first produced, by Your energy, the modes of nature and through these [then] this thruth [of the Universe], to the drive of which You create, destroy and maintain as the Controller. (13) You, this one [creator] Himself, has in order to protect the saintly descended for the destruction of the demons [Daityas], wildmen [Râkshasas] and tormentors [Pramathas] who impose as leaders. (14) To our fortune have You sportfully killed this demon that assumed the form of a horse of whose neighing the vigilant gods terrified abandoned heaven. (15-20) The day after tomorrow, will I see Cânûra, Mushthika and other wrestlers as also the elephant [Kuvalayâpîda] and Kamsa been killed by You, o Almighty One. Thereafter will follow [the demons] S'ankha, [Kâla-]yavana and Mura as well as Naraka and will You steal the pârijâta flower and defeat Indra. In Dvârakâ will You, o Master of the Universe, be known for marrying the daughters of the heroic [kings] with the gift of Your valor, the deliverance of King Nriga from his curse, capturing the jewel named Syamantaka together with a wife and presenting the dead son of a brahmin [Sândîpani Muni] from Your abode [of death]. Next will You kill Paundraka, burn down the city of Kâs'î [Benares] and see to the demise of Dantavakra and the king of Cedi [S'is'upâla] during the great sacrifice [see also: 3.2: 19, 7.1: 14-15]. About these and other great feats that I will see performed by You as You stay in Dvârakâ will the poets on this earth be singing. (21) Then will I see You as the charioteer of Arjuna with whom You assume the form of Time with the purpose of effectively bringing about the destruction of the complete of the armed forces of this world. (22) Let me approach [You who are] this Supreme Lord, full of the purest spiritual awareness, who in His original identity is completely fulfilled, whose will in none of His exploits can be thwarted and who by the power of His potency is always elevated above the flow of the things happening with the modes of the illusory, material energy. (23) For You, the Controller self-contained, who by the creative potency of Your own Self has arranged for an unlimited number of specific situations so that You could enact and now have taken upon Yourself [the burden of] humanity divided [in warfare], I do bow myself down, You the Greatest of the Yadus, Vrishnis and Sâtvatas.'
