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 KRSNa 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 KRSNa 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
KRSNa'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, KRSNa 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
KRSNa, crying out, "Kill Him! Kill Him!" but RAma and KRSNa
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 KRSNa 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 KRSNa'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 KRSNa, which even the goddess of fortune
hankers after.

As the sun was setting, KRSNa 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 KRSNa 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

srI-sukaH uvAca-- Sukadeva GosvAmI said; atha-- then; vrajan--

walking; rAja-pathena-- along the King's road; mAdhavaH-- KRSNa;
striyam-- a woman; gRhIta-- holding; anga-- for the body;
vilepa-- with ointments; bhAjanam-- a tray; vilokya-- seeing;
kubjAm-- hunchbacked; yuvatIm-- young; vara-A`nanAm-- with an
attractive face; papraccha-- He inquired; yAntIm-- going;
prahasan-- smiling; rasa-- of ecstastic loving reciprocations;
pradaH-- the bestower.

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 A`vayor anga-vilepam uttamaM
sreyas tatas te na cirAd bhaviSyati

kA-- who; tvAm-- you; vara-uru-- O beautiful-thighed one;

etat-- this; u hA-- ah, indeed; anulepanam-- ointment; kasya--
for whom; angane-- My dear woman; vA-- or; kathayasva-- please
tell; sAdhu-- honestly; naH-- Us; dehi-- please give; A`vayoH--
Us two; anga-vilepam-- ointment; uttamam-- excellent; sreyaH--
supreme benefit; tataH-- thereafter; te-- Your; na cirAt--
without a long wait; bhaviSyati-- will be.

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

sairandhrI uvAca-- the maidservant said; dAsI-- a servant;

asmi-- am; aham-- I; sundara-- O handsome one; kaMsa-- by KaMsa;
sammatA-- respected; trivakra-nAmA-- known as TrivakrA ("bent in
three places"); hi-- indeed; anulepa-- with ointments; karmaNi--
for my work; mat-- by me; bhAvitam-- put together; bhoja-pateH--
to the chief of the Bhojas; ati-priyam-- very dear; vinA-- except
for; yuvAm-- You two; kaH-- who; anyatamaH-- else; tat-- that;
arhati-- deserves.
 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 (KRSNa).

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 KRSNa 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
 rUpa-- by His beauty; pesala-- charm; mAdhurya-- sweetness;
hasita-- smiles; A`lApa-- talking; vIkSitaiH-- and glances;
dharSita-- overwhelmed; A`tmA-- her mind; dadau-- he gave;
sAndram-- plentiful; ubhayoH-- to both of Them; anulepanam--
ointment.

TRANSLATION

Her mind overwhelmed by KRSNa'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

KRSNa 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 A`ha sA kRSNaM

gRhyatAM iti sAdaram
anulepanaM pradadau
gAtra-yogyam athobhayoH]

"Hearing this, she replied respectfully to Lord KRSNa, '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

tataH-- then; tau-- They; anga-- of Their bodies; rAgeNa-- with

the coloring cosmetics; sva-- Their own; varNa-- with colors;
itara-- other than; sobhinA-- adorning; samprApta-- which
exhibited; para-- the highest; bhAgena-- excellence; susubhAte--
They appear beautiful; anuranjitau-- annointed.

TRANSLATION

Annointed 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 KRSNa'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 KRSNa 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
R`jvIM kartuM manas cakre
darsayan darsane phalam

prasannaH-- satisfied; bhagavAn-- the Supreme Lord; kubjAm-- the

hunchback; trivakrAm-- Trivakra; rucira-- attractive; A`nanam--
whose face; R`jvIm-- straight; kartum-- to make; manaH cakre-- He
decided; darsayan-- showing; darsane-- of seeing Him; phalam--
the consequence.

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 A`kramya prapade

dvy-anguly-uttAna-pANinA
pragRhya cibuke 'dhyAtmam
udanInamad acyutaH

padbhyAm-- with both His feet; A`kramya-- pressing down;

prapade-- on her toes; dvi-- having two; anguli-- fingers;
uttAna-- pointing upwards; pANinA-- with His hands; pragRhya--
taking hold of; cibuke-- her cheeks; adhyAtmam-- her body;
udanInamat-- He raised; acyutaH-- Lord KRSNa.

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

sA-- she; tadA-- then; Rju-- straight; samAna-- even; angI--

her limbs; bRhat-- large; sroNi-- her hips; payaH-dharA-- and breasts;
mukunda-sparsanAt-- by the touch of Lord Mukunda; sadyaH-- suddenly;
babhUva-- became; pramadA-- a woman; uttamA-- most perfect.

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 A`kRSya
smayantI jAta-hRc-chayA

tataH-- then; rUpa-- with beauty; guNa-- good character;

audArya-- and generosity; sampannA-- endowed; prAha-- she
addressed; kesavam-- Lord KRSNa; uttarIya-- of His upper garment;
antam-- the end; A`kRSya-- pulling; smayantI-- smiling; jAta--
having developed; hRt-chayA-- lusty feelings.

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

ehi-- come; vIra-- O hero; gRham-- to my house; yAmaH-- let us go;

na-- not; tvAm-- you; tyaktum-- to leave; iha-- here; utsahe-- do
I wish; tvayA-- by You; unmathita-- agitated; cittAyAH-- with she
whose mind; prasIda-- please be satisfied; puruSa-R`Sabha-- O
best of men.

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

A`dityo 'stam upeyivAn
kRSNa-rAmau vRtau gopaiH
purAc chakaTam I`yatuH

tayoH-- as They; vicaratoH-- moved about; svairam-- at Their will;

A`dityaH-- the sun; astam-- its setting; upeyivAn-- approached;
kRSNa-rAmau-- KRSNa and BalarAma; vRtau-- accompanied; gopaiH--
by the cowherd boys; purAt-- from the city; chakaTam-- to the
place where the wagons had been unharnessed; I`yatuH-- went.

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

A`sAsatAsiSa R`tA madhu-pury abhUvan
sampasyatAM puruSa-bhUSaNa-gAtra-lakSmIM
hitvetarAn nu bhajatas cakame 'yanaM srIH

gopyaH-- the [gopIs;] mukunda-vigame-- when Lord Mukunda was

departing; viraha-- by feelings of separation; A`turAH--
tormented; yAH-- who; A`sAsata-- prayed for; A`siSaH--
benedictions; R`tAH-- true; madhu-pury-- in MathurA; abhUvan--
have become; sampasyatAm-- for those who are fully seeing;
puruSa-- of men; bhUSaNa-- of the ornament; gAtra-- of His body;
lakSmIm-- the beauty; hitvA-- abandoning; itarAn-- others; nu--
indeed; bhajataH-- who were worshiping her; cakame-- hankered
for; ayanam-- shelter; srIH-- the goddess of fortune.

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 ([R`tAH = satyAH]). Of the
ornament of men, Sri KRSNa, the beauty ([lakSmIm = sobhAm]) of
His body. Of what kind of body? Ah ([nu = aho]), which shelter
([ayanam = A`srayam]), 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 who
were seeing the beauty of KRSNa'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 (KRSNa'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
U`Satus tAM sukhaM rAtriM
jnAtvA kaMsa-cikIrSitam

avanikta-- bathed; anghri-yugalau-- the two feet of each of Them;

bhuktvA-- eating; kSIra-upasecanam-- boiled rice sprinkled with milk;
U`SatuH-- they stayed there; tAm-- for that; sukham--
comfortably; rAtrim-- night; jnAtvA-- knowing; kaMsa-cikIrSitam--
what KaMsa intended to do.

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 KRSNa'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

kaMsaH-- King KaMsa; tu-- but; dhanuSaH-- of the bow; bhangam--

the breaking; rakSiNAm-- of the guards; sva-- his; balasya-- of
the army; ca-- and; vadham-- the killing; nisamya-- hearing of;
govinda-rAma-- of KRSNa and BalarAma; vikrIDitam-- the playing;
param-- merely; dIrgha-- for a long time; prajAgaraH-- remaining
awake; bhItaH-- afraid; durnimittAni-- bad omens; durmatiH-- the
wicked-minded; bahUni-- many; acaSTa-- saw; ubhayathA-- in both
states (sleep and wakefulness); mRtyoH-- of death;
dautya-karANi-- the messengers; ca-- and.

TRANSLATION

KaMsa, on the other hand, was frightened to hear of how KRSNa

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 A`gataH] ("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 A`visya daivIM
vAcaM vadasi].
VisvanAtha CakravartI

And that killing was merely the sport of RAma and KRSNa, 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

adarsanam-- the invsibility; sva-- of his own; sirasaH-- head;

pratirUpe-- his reflection; ca-- and; sati-- being present; api--
even; asati-- there not being; api-- even; dvitIye-- a cause for
duplication; ca-- and; dvai-rUpyam-- double-imaged appearance;
jyotiSAm-- of the heavenly bodies; tathA-- also; chidra-- of a
hole; pratItiH-- the seing; chAyAyAm-- in his shadow; prANa-- of
his life air; ghoSa-- of the reverberation; anupasrutiH-- the
failure to hear; svarNa-- of a golden color; pratItiH-- the
perception; vRkSeSu-- on trees; sva-- of his own; padAnAm--
footprints; adarsanam-- the invisibility; svapne-- while asleep;
preta-- by ghostly spirits; pariSvangaH-- being embraced; khara--
upon a donkey; yAnam-- traveling; viSa-- poison; adanam--
swallowing; yAyAt-- was going about; nalada-- of spikenards;
mAlI-- wearing a garland; ekaH-- someone; taila-- with oil;
abhyaktaH-- anointed; dik-ambaraH-- naked; anyAni-- other
(omens); ca-- and; ittham-bhUtAni-- like these; svapna-- while
asleep; jAgaritAni-- while awake; ca-- also; pasyan-- seeing;
maraNa-- of death; santrastaH-- terrified; nidrAm-- sleep;
lebhe-- he could achieve; na-- not; cintayA-- because of his
anxiety.

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 A`sa vai kaMso
malla-krIDA-mahotsavaH

vyuSTAyAm-- having passed; nisi-- the night; kauravya-- O

descendent of Kuru (ParIkSit); sUrye-- the sun; ca-- and;
adbhyAH-- from the water; samutthite-- rising; kArayAm A`sa-- had
carried out; vai-- indeed; kaMsaH-- KaMsa; malla-- of wrestlers;
krIDA-- of the sport; mahA-utsavaH-- the great festival.

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,

[ya udagAn mahato 'rNavAd/ vibhrajamAnaH salilasya madhyAt

sa mA vRSabho lohitAkSaH/ sUryo vipascin manasA punAtu]

VisvanAtha CakravartI

(Repeats Sridhara SvAmI.)

TEXT 33

A`narcuH puruSA rangaM

tUrya-bheryas ca jaghnire
mancAs cAlankRtAH sragbhiH
patAkA-caila-toraNaiH

A`narcuH-- worshiped; puruSAH-- the King's servants; rangam--

the arena; tUrya-- musical instruments; bheryaH-- drums; ca--
and; jaghnire-- they vibrated; mancAH-- the viewing platforms;
ca-- and; alankRtAH-- were decorated; sragbhiH-- with garlands;
patAkA-- with flags; caila-- cloth ribons; toraNaiH-- and
gateways.

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

teSu-- upon these (platforms); paurAH-- the city dwellers;

jAnapadAH-- and the people of the suburbs; brahma-- by the
[brAhmaNas;] kSatra-- and the [kSatriyas;] puraH-gamAH-- headed;
yathA-upajoSam-- as suited their comfort; vivisuH-- came and sat;
rAjAnaH-- the kings; kRta-- given; A`sanAH-- special seats.

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