Chapter 42

In this chapter are described the uplifting of Kubja, the braking of

the bow, the destruction of Kamsa's police force, the inauspcious
omens seen by Kamsa and the festivities at the wrestling arena.

After leaving sudama's house, Lord Sri Krishna met on the road a
young hunch-back maidservant who was carrying a tray of
ointments. Asking her who she was, the Lord requested some
ointment from her. This Kubja was entranced at seeing His beauty
and hearing His joking words. She gave a good deal of ointment of
Him and Lord Balarama. Lord Krishna then, to show the world the
immediate result of seeing Him, decided to make cure the young
girl of her deformity; stepping on her toes with His lotus feet, He
took hold of her cheeks and pulling her upward and thus
straightening her spine. Simply by mukunda's touch, Kubja at once
became most beautiful, displaying all the charms of excellent form
and youth. She then grabbed onto the edge of sri Krishna's upper
cloth and expressed her desire that He come to her house. Being
thus entreatied by a young girl in the presence of Lord Baladeva,
Krishna replied that after He had executed His required business
He would come to her house and pacify the torment of her mind.
Since He had no place of His own, certainly He would take shelter
in her house. Speaking these words, He then left that place.

Along the road the merchants worshiped the Lord with various
offerings. He aksed the city residents where the sacrifice was to
take place and went there. There He saw the wonderful sacrificial
bow, which appeared just like the bow of indra and, despite the
protests of the guards, He by force picked it up, playfully strung it,
and in an instant broke it in half. The sound of the bow's breaking
filled the sky and upper heavens in all directions and brought fear
to the heart of Kamsa. The numerous guards who had been
watching over the bow tried to attacked sri Krishna, crying out,
"Kill Him! Kill Him!" but Rama and Krishna simply picked up the
two pieces of the broken bow and began to kill the guards. After
this they destroyed an entire army sent by Kamsa, left the place
and continued their sightseeing tour.

The people of the city, seeing the amazing strength, prowess and
beauty of Krishna and Balarama, thought that they must be two of
the chief demigods. All the blessings which the gopis had uttered
on behalf of the residents of Mathura during Lord Krishna's
departure from Vraja were now coming true, since know these
residents of Mathura were seeing the beauty of the limbs of the
best of males, Sri Krishna, which even the Goddess of Fortune
hankers after.

As the sun was setting, Krishna and Balarama went back to the
place where the wagons were parked to take their evening meal.
they then passed the night resting comfortably. But King Kamsa,
when He heard how Krishna and Balarama had as a mere sport
broken the bow and destroyed His soldiers, spent the night in great
fear. He had visions of many ill omens indicating death. At each
moment, both while awake and asleep, He thus saw various
inauspicuous signs, and could not take rest out of fear of His
impending death.

When the night finally turned to dawn, the wrestling festival

began. The people of the city and of the outlying districts entered
the sporting pavilion and sitting galleries, which were well
decorated. Kamsa, His heart trembling, took His seat on the royal
platform and invited the cowherd men headed by nanda to come sit
in their places. Nanda maharaja and the cowherds offered their
gifts to Kamsa, King of the Bhojas, and sat down. the musical
overture then began, during which the sounds of the wrestlers
slapping their arms resounded throughout the sky.

TEXT 1
 sri-suka uvaca
atha vrajan raja-pathena madhavah
striyam grhitanga-vilepa-bhajanam
vilokya kubjam yuvatim varananam
papraccha yantim prahasan rasa-pradah

TRANSLATION

Sukadeva Gosvami said: Lord madhava then, while walking down

the King's road, saw a woman come by holding a tray of fragrant
ointments. She was huncbacked, but was young and had an
attractive face. The bestower of ecstatic loving reciprocations
smiled and inquired from her.

Sridhara Svami

In Chapter Forty-two occur the uplifting of Kubja, the breaking of

the bow, the killing of its guards, Kamsa's ill omens, the festivity at
the wrestling arena, etc.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

In Chapter Forty-two occur the uplifting of Kubja, the breaking of

the bow, the killing Kamsa's army, His ill omens, the festivity at
the wrestling arena, etc.

Anga-vilepana means sandalwood paste and so on. He who gives

rasa, which for Kubja means the conjugal mood, for His own
companions the mood of laughter and for everyone the mood of
astonishment. This woman is a partial expansion of satyabhama,
who is directly the Lord's internal bhu-sakti. Specifically, she is
her vibhuti well known as prthivi. This implies that she (the earth),
through her (Kubja), is showing by her hunchback her condition of
being bent by the burden of countless wicked demons, and she,
prthivi, a topmost devotee, is offering her own quality of her
fragrance, in the guise of the sandlewood paste and so on, to the
supreme Lord, whom she meets on the road. the Lord,
furthermore, gladly accepts this fragrance and, granting madhurya-
rasa, says, "my dear devotee prthivi, please know that I have now
arranged to remove all the demons who are like Kamsa. So know
please resume your healthy condition." thus encouraging her, He
straightened out His blissful devotee. this has been stated to be the
purport of this passage by some authorities.

TEXT 2

ka tvam varorv etad u hanulepanam

kasyangane va kathayasva sadhu nah
dehy avayor anga-vilepam uttamam
sreyas tatas te na cirad bhavisyati

TRANSLATION

Who are you, O beautiful-thighed one? ah, this is ointment! Who

is it for, my dear lady? Please tell us honestly. Give us two some
your best ointment and you will gain the highest benefit without
delay.

Sridhara Svami

O young woman (angane), O beautiful-thighed one; thus jokingly

He addresses her and inquires from her, who are you? and who is
this ointment meant for? the interjections u and ha indicate
conjecture. The Lord states that "service to me fructifies
immediately," with the words na cirat.

Visvanatha Cakravarti
 O young woman (angane), O beautiful-thighed one; thus jokingly
and with inner desire He addresses her and inquires from her, who
are you? and who is this ointment meant for?

TEXT 3

sairandhry uvaca
dasy asmy aham sundara kamsa-sammata
trivakra-nama hy anulepa-karmani
mad-bhavitam bhoja-pater ati-priyam
vina yuvam ko 'nyatamas tad arhati

TRANSLATION

The maid replied: O handsome one, I am servant highly thought of

by King Kamsa for my ointments I make. My name is trivakra.
Who else but You two deserve to receive this ointment I have put
together, which the lord of the Bhojas likes so much?

Sridhara Svami

She who is called trivakra because of the three bends in her neck,
chest and waist. I am a servant of Kamsa highly thought of by Him
for my work in making ointments.

Jiva Gosvami

"For You two" implies that sri Rama also deserves it because of
His relationship with Him (Krishna).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Because there is no other modifying word used with the phrase "I
am a servant," "of Yours" is implied by His proximity. The word
"Your" is not explicitly used because that would have been an
untruth and also a disclosure of her feelings. By the singular form
of the word sundara it is implied that she has desire for Krishna
alone, and by the dual form of the word yuvam that she is trying to
cover up her inner sentiment.

She who is called trivakra because of the three bends in her neck,
chest and waist. The masculine form (of the word trivakra-) is by
poetic license of the sages. The word hi carries the (exclusive)
meaning of eva, thus indicating that "Kamsa respects me only for
my work with ointments, and not for anything else, because of my
hunchback deformity." In this way she is requesting her
purification.

TEXT 4

rupa-pesala-madhurya-
hasitalapa-viksitaih
dharsitatma dadau sandram
ubhayor anulepanam

TRANSLATION

Her mind overwhelmed by Krishna's beauty, charm, sweetness,

smiles, talking and glances, Kubja gave both of them plentiful
ointment.

Sridhara Svami

Rupam is the fineness of His limbs and pesalam is His great

gentleness; also madhurya or His good taste in loving dealings
(rasikata), His smiles, His talking, His glances. By all these her
mind was overwhelmed, bewildered (dharsitatma = mohita-citta).
sandram means plentiful (ghanam).

Jiva Gosvami
 Madhuryam is His natural attractivness, and that is joined by the
charm of His form, the fineness of His beauty. These qualities are
furthermore characterized by the words hasita and so on.

"By His beauty and so on" can be understood as applying to sri

Krishna alone, or else to both of them. By His desire she gave it, as
stated also in the Visnu Purana (5.20.7),

srutva tam aha sa krsnam

grhyatam iti sadaram
anulepanam pradadau
gatra-yogyam athobhayoh

"Hearing this, she replied respectfully to Lord Krishna, 'Please take

it,' and gave both of them ointment which was suitable for putting
on their bodies."

Visvanatha Cakravarti

By His beauty (rupena = saundaryena) and by His charms, His

sweetness and so on, which are expert at the business of
bewildering; by them her mind became overwhelmed. The amara-
kosa states, dakse tu catura-pesala-patavah. ("the words catura,
pesala and patavah are all synonyms for 'skillful'.")

TEXT 5

tatas tav anga-ragena

sva-varnetara-sobhina
samprapta-para-bhagena
susubhate 'nuranjitau

TRANSLATION
 Anointed with these most excellent cosmetics, which adorned
them with colors opposite to their own complexions, the two Lords
appeared extremely beautiful.

Sridhara Svami

"Which beautified them with colors other than their own" means
with that (ointment) which had the capacity to beautify them, being
colored other than Rama and Krishna's own colors, such as yellow
and so on. samprapta-para-bhagena means with that (ointment)
which reached their upper parts, the part (of their bodies) above
their navels; or else it means which (ointment) achieved the highest
excellence of beauty (sobhatisaya). With that they were anointed.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Sva-varnetarena means with that which had the capacity to

beautify Krishna and Rama with colors other than their own,
namely yellow and dark-blue. samprapta-para-bhaga means which
had achieved the highest excellence, by logic of bhusana-
bhusanangam ("actually the Lord's ornaments are beautified by His
body, rather than the other way around.")

TEXT 6

prasanno bhagavan kubjam

trivakram rucirananam
rjvim kartum manas cakre
darsayan darsane phalam

TRANSLATION

Satisfied, the Lord decided straighten trivakra, this hunchback

woman with a pleasing face. This would demonstrate the result of
having His audience.
Sridhara Svami

Showing the immediate fruit of seeing Him.

TEXT 7

padbhyam akramya prapade

dvy-anguly-uttana-panina
pragrhya cibuke 'dhyatmam
udaninamad acyutah

TRANSLATION

Pressing down on her toes with both His feet, Lord acyuta seized
the woman's cheeks by His hands with pairs of fingers raised, and
pulled her body upward.

Sridhara Svami

Pressing down on the front of her two feet (prapade = padagra-

dvayam) with His feet, He caught hold of her cheeks, the bottom
parts of her face, with His hands, which had two fingers pointing
upward, and raised her body up.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(Repeats Sridhara Svami.)

TEXT 8

sa tadarju-samanangi
brhac-chroni-payodhara
mukunda-sparsanat sadyo
babhuva pramadottama
 TRANSLATION

Suddenly, simply by the touch of Lord mukunda, Kubja became

transformed into the most perfect woman, with straight, even limbs
and large hips and breasts.

Sridhara Svami

Just then (she became a woman with) straight, even limbs and
large hips and breasts. "By the touch of mukunda" indicates that
this is the primary reason.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(Repeats Sridhara Svami.)

TEXT 9

tato rupa-gunaudarya-
sampanna praha kesavam
uttariyantam akrsya
smayanti jata-hrc-chaya

TRANSLATION

Now endowed with beauty, character and generosity, Kubja began

to feel lusty desires for Lord Kesava. Taking hold of the end of His
upper cloth, she smiled and addressed Him as follows.

(No commentaries)

TEXT 10

ehi vira grham yamo

 na tvam tyaktum ihotsahe
tvayonmathita-cittayah
prasida purusarsabha

TRANSLATION

O hero, come, let us go to my house. I have no desire to leave you

here. Please, O best of males, show Your grace upon me whose
mind You have agitated.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

The words ehi vira indicate that there are others who are heros in
religiosity and other matters, but You are the hero in destroying the
religiosity of women. "But is it for the purpose of inviting me to
dine that You are saying, 'Come with me'?" this she replies to by
the words beginning "I cannot leave you here." "But people here
on the King's road will construe what you are saying wrongly.
They will laugh and think the wrong thing. Therefore don't speak
like this." she replies to this with the words beginning
tayonmathita. Then why (she asks) is my mind so agitated by
You?; by this she implies, "You commited the mistake of touching
me. It is not my fault." here the genitive form (of the word mathita-
cittayah) is used in the sense of the locative case.

TEXT 11

evam striya yacyamanah

krsno ramasya pasyatah
mukham viksyanu gopanam
prahasams tam uvaca ha

evam striya yacyamanah

krsno ramasya pasyatah
mukham viksyanu gopanam
 prahasams tam uvaca ha

Sridhara Svami

Who are heros in religiosity and other matters, but You are the
hero in destroying the religiosity of women. "But

TEXT 23

tayor vicaratoh svairam

adityo 'stam upeyivan
krsna-ramau vrtau gopaih
purac chakatam Iyatuh

TRANSLATION

As they walked about at their leisure, the sun began to set. they
took the cowherd boys with them and went out of the city to the
place where the cowherds' wagons were waiting.

Sridhara Svami

Sakatam indicates the place where the wagons had been

unharnessed.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Sakatam is the place known as sakatavamocana, on the outskirts

of Mathura, where Nanda Maharaja was staying.

TEXT 24

gopyo mukunda-vigame virahatura ya

asasatasisa rta madhu-pury abhuvan
sampasyatam purusa-bhusana-gatra-laksmim
 hitvetaran nu bhajatas cakame 'yanam srih

TRANSLATION

All the benedictions which the gopis had wished upon inhabitants
of Mathura at the time of mukunda's departure were now coming
true for those in the city who were taking full advantage of the
opportunity to see Him, the ornament of men. indeed, the Goddess
of Fortune herself abandoned so many other men who were
worshiping her because she desired the shelter of His physical
beauty.

Sridhara Svami

The benedictions which they wished (upon them) upon mukunda's

going away, at the time of His departure from Vraja-- the
statements which they made, such as sukham prabhata rajaniyam
(Bhag. 10.39.23) and adya dhruvam tatra drso bhavisyate (Bhag.
10.39.25)-- these came true (rtah = satyah). Of the ornament of
men, Sri Krishna, the beauty (laksmim = sobham) of His body. Of
what kind of body? ah (nu = aho), which shelter (ayanam =
asrayam), or else, which beauty of His body, the Goddess of
Fortune desired, leaving aside others such as Brahma.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Because He was dwelling on the ecstatic sentiment of the young

girls of Vraja, the king of sages (Sukadeva) unexpectedly
beccomes unhappy at remembering their separation, and reminds
King Pariksit about the early topics, in the verse beginning gopyah.

The benedictions, the future assets of happiness which they

wished (upon them) upon mukunda's going away, at the time of
His departure from Vraja; they had said, in other words, "may the
benedictions we now have accrue to the ladies of the city." (these
were expressed in such words as) sukham prabhata rajaniyam and
adya dhruvam tatra drso bhavisyate. These became true,
appropriate (yathartha) for those in madhupuri ho were seeing the
beauty of Krishna's body. How, it is implied, could the words of
lamentation of such women (as the gopis) result otherwise (than in
coming true)?

Sri refers to all the beauty in the three worlds, and to the presiding
deity of all beauty; leaving aside, abandoning, other men, who are
worshiped her, hankering after herself, she who desired (Krishna's)
bodily beauty. It is implied that she wanted to beautify herself (by
associating with His beauty), as stated, bhusana-bhusanangam)
("the ornaments on the Lord's limbs are beautified by His body,
rather than the other way around"). The beauty of His body is
characterized by the word ayanam, meaning the shelter of all
beauty, both mundane and transcendental.

TEXT 25

avaniktanghri-yugalau
bhuktva ksiropasecanam
usatus tam sukham ratrim
jnatva kamsa-cikirsitam

TRANSLATION

After their feet were bathed and they ate rice with milk, the tow
Lords spent the night there quite comfortably, even though they
were aware of what Kamsa intended to do.

Sridhara Svami

The two of them whose feet had been bathed (avaniktam =

ksalitam). After eating rice mixed with milk they stayed there
comfortably.
Visvanatha Cakravarti

They whose pairs of feet were bathed by their servants. Eating

ksiropasecanam, boiled rice sprinkled (uapsicyamanam) with ksira,
the milk of Krishna's favorite cows in Vraja with one-year old
calves, which was being kept on top of the wagon in a vessel
meant for the sacrificial fire and which the Queen of Vraja offered
them in a jar. After eating this, they remained there sleeping
extremely comfortably, even though they were aware of what
Kamsa intended to do, that He was planning to commit violence
against them the next day. They slept comfortably because they
were fearless. We should undestand that it is because of their being
fast asleep that they did not hear the words of their father nanda,
was afraid and could not sleep the entire night, "alas, alas, why
have I brought these two young boys here from the cowherd
village?"

TEXTS 26-27

kamsas tu dhanuso bhangam

raksinam sva-balasya ca
vadham nisamya govinda-
Rama-vikriditam param

dirgha-prajagaro bhito
durnimittani durmatih
bahuny acastobhayatha
mrtyor dautya-karani ca

TRANSLATION

Kamsa, on the other hand, was frightened to hear of how Krishna

and Balarama had broken the bow and killed its guards and His
army simply as a game. He remain awake for a long time, and both
when awake and while drifting off into sleep, He saw many bad
omens, which were messengers of death.

Sridhara Svami

(Text 26) merely (param = kevalam) the playing of Govinda and

Rama, and not any real prowess.

(Text 27) in both ways, both while asleep and awake. And which
were messengers of death, as is also described in such mantras as
itthad ulukas capaghnan hiranyakso ayo-mukhah raksasam duta
agatah ("here a owl is flapping His wings, with golden eyes and
steel-colored face. He has come as the messenger of the raksasas.")
and yad etad abhutany anv avisya daivim vacam vadasi.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

And that killing was merely the sport of Rama and Krishna, not
any display of prowess; hearing this. In both ways, while asleep
and while awake, (He saw) those omens, which delivered the
messages of death.

TEXTS 28-31

adarsanam sva-sirasah
pratirupe ca saty api
asaty api dvitiye ca
dvai-rupyam jyotisam tatha

chidra-pratitis chayayam
prana-ghosanupasrutih
svarna-pratitir vrksesu
sva-padanam adarsanam

svapne preta-parisvangah
 khara-yanam visadanam
yayan nalada-malyaikas
tailabhyakto dig-ambarah

anyani cettham-bhutani
svapna-jagaritani ca
pasyan marana-santrasto
nidram lebhe na cintaya

TRANSLATION

When He looked at His own reflection, He could not see His head,
and without any reason the moon and stars appeared double in the
sky. He saw a hole in His shadow and could not hear the sound of
His life air. Trees seemed covered with a golden hue. His
footprints became invisible. While asleep He dreamed that He was
being embraced by ghosts, riding a donkey and drinking poison.
He also dreamed that some naked man was passing by, wearing a
garland of spikenards and anointed with oil. Seeing these and other
such omens in both sleep and wakefulness, Kamsa was terrified by
the prospect of death. Because of His anxiety He could not sleep.

Sridhara Svami

These (omens) are shown in these three verses.

(Text 28) although He saw His reflection in water and so on, He

could not see His head there (in the reflections). Even when they
were not present because of something else, they were invisible to
His eyes because of being obstructed by His fingers and so on, He
saw double images of the heavenly lights, the moon and so on.

(Text 29) the perception in His reflections (chayayam =

pratibimbe) of a hole, the failure to hear the prana-ghosa, or the
sound which is heard when one closes His ear holes, the perception
of a golden hue upon trees and the inability to see His own
footprints in the dust and mud-- these are the bad omens (He saw)
while awake.

(Text 30) those (He saw) while asleep are described by the words
beginning svapne. The embrace by pretas or representatives of
death (mrtaih) and traveling on the back of a donkey; that He went
about wearing a garland of spikenards (nalada-mali = java-
kusuma-mali is one bad omen (ekam = ekam durnimittam).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

These are shown in these three verses. Even though He saw His
reflection in mirrors and so on, He could not see His head there.
Even in the absense of dvitiye or a reason for double images, such
as putting His finger in His eye, there were double images of the
moon and other heavenly lights. In His shadow or own reflection,
He saw a hole. He could not hear the prana-ghosa, the
reverberation that is heard when one closes one's ears. He saw a
golden hue on the trees. He could not see His own footprints in the
dust, mud and so on. These are the omens He saw while awake.

Being embraced, together with His brothers and friends, by pretas,

representatives of death. Khara-yanam, climbing onto a donkey
and visadanam, eating poison. That He went about wearing a
garland of spikenards was one bad omen.

The word svapna-jagaritani means in connection with these (His

sleeping and wakefulness).

TEXT 32

vyustayam nisi kauravya

surye cadbhyah samutthite
karayam asa vai kamso
 malla-krida-mahotsavah

TRANSLATION

When the night finally passed and the sun rose up again from the
water, Kamsa set about to initiate the wrestling festival.

Sridhara Svami

When with difficulty He somehow reached the dawn and the sun
once again rose up from the water, as stated in sruti, adbhyo va esa
pratar udeti, and also,

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(Repeats Sridhara Svami.)

TEXT 33

anarcuh purusa rangam

turya-bheryas ca jaghnire
mancas calankrtah sragbhih
pataka-caila-toranaih

TRANSLATION

The King's order-carriers did the ritual worship of the wrestling

arena, started playing their drums and other instruments, and
decorated the viewing platforms with garlands, flags, ribbons and
gateways.

Visvanatha Cakravarti

Purusah means Kamsa's order-carriers. "they worshiped" means

they decorated them with auspicious waterpots and so on. "they
struck" means they beat them with wood sticks to make them
sound.

TEXT 3

tesu paura janapada

brahma-ksatra-purogamah
yathopajosam vivisuh
rajanas ca krtasanah

TRANSLATION

The city dwellers and people from the outlying districts came and
sat on these platforms as suited their comfort, the brahmanas and
ksatriyas sitting first. The royal guests were given their special
seats.

Sridhara Svami

Yathopajosam means as suited their comfort (yatha-sukham).

Visvanatha Cakravarti

(Repeats Sridhara Svami.)

TEXT 35

kamsah parivrto 'matyai

raja-manca upavisat
mandalesvara-madhya-stho
hrdayena viduyata

kamsah parivrto 'matyai

raja-manca upavisat
mandalesvara-madhya-stho
 hrdayena viduyata
Sridhara Svami

Some verses missing