The Slaying of Ariṣṭā, the Bull Demon
VERSE 10.36.1
śrī bādarāyaṇir uvāca
atha tarhy āgato goṣṭham
ariṣṭo vṛṣabhāsuraḥ
mahīm mahā-kakut-kāyaḥ
kampayan khura-vikṣatām
SYNONYMS
śrī bādarāyaṇiḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; atha — next; tarhi — then; āgataḥ — came; goṣṭham — to the cowherd village; ariṣṭaḥ — named Ariṣṭa; vṛṣabha-asuraḥ — the bull demon; mahīm — the earth; mahā — great; kakut — having a hump; kāyaḥ — whose body; kampayan — making tremble; khura — by his hooves; vikṣatām — torn.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Goswāmī said: The demon Ariṣṭa then came to the cowherd village. Appearing in the form of a bull with a large hump, he made the earth tremble as he tore it apart with his hooves.
VERSE 10.36.2
rambhamāṇaḥ kharataraṁ
padā ca vilikhan mahīm
udyamya pucchaṁ vaprāṇi
viṣāṇāgreṇa coddharan
kiñcit kiñcic chakṛn muñcan
mūtrayan stabdha-locanaḥ
SYNONYMS
rambhamāṇaḥ — bellowing; khara-taram — most harshly; padā — with his hooves; ca — and; vilikhan — scraping; mahīm — the ground; udyamya — raising upward; puccham — his tail; vaprāṇi — the embankments; viṣāṇa — of his horns; agreṇa — with the tips; ca — and; uddharan — lifting and tearing up; kiñcit kiñcit — a little; śakṛt — stool; muñcan — releasing; mūtrayan — urinating; stabdha — glaring; locanaḥ — his eyes.
TRANSLATION
Ariṣṭāsura bellowed very harshly and pawed the ground. With his tail raised and his eyes glaring, he began to tear up the embankments with the tips of his horns, every now and then passing a little stool and urine.
VERSE 10.36.3-4
yasya nirhrāditenāṅga
niṣṭhureṇa gavāṁ nṛṇām
patanty akālato garbhāḥ
sravanti sma bhayena vai
nirviśanti ghanā yasya
kakudy acala-śaṅkayā
taṁ tīkṣṇa-śṛṅgam udvīkṣya
gopyo gopāś ca tatrasuḥ
SYNONYMS
yasya — whose; nirhrāditena — by the reverberating sound; aṅga — my dear King (Parīkṣit); niṣṭhureṇa — rough; gavām — of cows; nṛṇām — of humans; patanti — fall; akālataḥ — untimely; garbhāḥ — the embryos; sravanti sma — are miscarried; bhayena — out of fear; vai — indeed; nirviśanti — enter; ghanāḥ — clouds; yasya — whose; kakudi — onto the hump; acala — as a mountain; śaṅkayā — by the mistaken identification; tam — him; tīkṣṇa — sharp; śṛṅgam — whose horns; udvīkṣya — seeing; gopyaḥ — the cowherd women; gopāḥ — the cowherd men; ca — and; tatrasuḥ — became frightened.
TRANSLATION
My dear King, clouds hovered about sharp-horned Ariṣṭāsura’s hump, mistaking it for a mountain, and when the cowherd men and ladies caught sight of the demon, they were struck with terror. Indeed, the strident reverberation of his roar so frightened the pregnant cows and women that they lost their fetuses in miscarriages.
VERSE 10.36.5
paśavo dudruvur bhītā
rājan santyajya go-kulam
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇeti te sarve
govindaṁ śaraṇaṁ yayuḥ
SYNONYMS
paśavaḥ — the domestic animals; dudruvuḥ — ran away; bhītāḥ — afraid; rājan — O King; santyajya — abandoning; go-kulam — the dairy pasture; kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa iti — “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa”; te — they (the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana); sarve — all; govindam — to Lord Govinda; śaraṇam — for shelter; yayuḥ — went.
TRANSLATION
The domestic animals fled the pasture in fear, O King, and all the inhabitants rushed to Lord Govinda for shelter, crying, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa!”
VERSE 10.36.6
bhagavān api tad vīkṣya
go-kulaṁ bhaya-vidrutam
mā bhaiṣṭeti girāśvāsya
vṛṣāsuram upāhvayat
SYNONYMS
bhagavān — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; api — indeed; tat — that; vīkṣya — seeing; go-kulam — the cowherd community; bhaya — out of fear; vidrutam — made to flee, or distraught; mā bhaiṣṭa — “don’t be afraid”; iti — thus; girā — with words; āśvāsya — pacifying; vṛṣa-asuram — to the bull demon; upāhvayat — He called out.
TRANSLATION
When the Supreme Lord saw the cowherd community distraught and fleeing in fear, He calmed them, saying, “Don’t be afraid.” Then He called out to the bull demon as follows.
VERSE 10.36.7
gopālaiḥ paśubhir manda
trāsitaiḥ kim asattama
mayi śāstari duṣṭānāṁ
tvad-vidhānāṁ durātmanām
SYNONYMS
gopālaiḥ — with the cowherds; paśubhiḥ — and with their animals; manda — O fool; trāsitaiḥ — who are frightened; kim — what purpose; asattama — O most wicked one; mayi — when I (am present); śāstari — as the punisher; duṣṭānām — of the contaminated; tvat-vidhānām — like you; durātmanām — miscreants.
TRANSLATION
You fool! What do you think you’re doing, you wicked rascal, frightening the cowherd community and their animals when I am here just to punish corrupt miscreants like you!
VERSE 10.36.8
ity āsphotyācyuto ’riṣṭaṁ
tala-śabdena kopayan
sakhyur aṁse bhujābhogaṁ
prasāryāvasthito hariḥ
SYNONYMS
iti — speaking thus; āsphotya — slapping His arms; acyutaḥ — the infallible Lord; ariṣṭam — Ariṣṭāsura; tala — from His palms; śabdena — with the sound; kopayan — angering; sakhyuḥ — of a friend; aṁse — over the shoulder; bhuja — His arm; ābhogam — (which is like) a serpent’s body; prasārya — throwing; avasthitaḥ — was standing; hariḥ — Lord Hari.
TRANSLATION
Having spoken these words, the infallible Lord Hari slapped His arms with His palms, further angering Ariṣṭa with the loud sound. The Lord then casually threw His mighty, serpentine arm over the shoulder of a friend and stood facing the demon.
VERSE 10.36.9
so ’py evaṁ kopito ’riṣṭaḥ
khureṇāvanim ullikhan
udyat-puccha-bhraman-meghaḥ
kruddhaḥ kṛṣṇam upādravat
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he; api — indeed; evam — in this way; kopitaḥ — angered; ariṣṭaḥ — Ariṣṭa; khureṇa — with his hoof; avanim — the earth; ullikhan — scratching; udyat — raised; puccha — within his tail; bhraman — wandering; meghaḥ — clouds; kruddhaḥ — furious; kṛṣṇam — toward Lord Kṛṣṇa; upādravat — he charged.
TRANSLATION
Thus provoked, Ariṣṭa pawed the ground with one of his hooves and then, with the clouds hovering around his upraised tail, furiously charged Kṛṣṇa.
VERSE 10.36.10
agra-nyasta-viṣāṇāgraḥ
stabdhāsṛg-locano ’cyutam
kaṭākṣipyādravat tūrṇam
indra-mukto ’śanir yathā
SYNONYMS
agra — forward; nyasta — pointing; viṣāṇa — of his horns; agraḥ — the front; stabdha — glaring; asṛk — bloody; locanaḥ — his eyes; acyutam — at Lord Kṛṣṇa; kaṭa-ākṣipya — looking sideways; adravat — he ran; tūrṇam — at full speed; indra-muktaḥ — released by King Indra; aśaniḥ — a thunderbolt; yathā — like.
TRANSLATION
Pointing the tips of his horns straight ahead and glaring menacingly at Lord Kṛṣṇa from the corners of his bloodshot eyes, Ariṣṭa rushed toward Him at full speed, like a thunderbolt hurled by Indra.
VERSE 10.36.11
gṛhītvā śṛṅgayos taṁ vā
aṣṭādaśa padāni saḥ
pratyapovāha bhagavān
gajaḥ prati-gajaṁ yathā
SYNONYMS
gṛhītvā — seizing; śṛṅgayoḥ — by the horns; tam — him; vai — indeed; aṣṭādaśa — eighteen; padāni — steps; saḥ — He; pratyapovāha — threw back; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; gajaḥ — an elephant; prati-gajam — a rival elephant; yathā — like.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa seized Ariṣṭāsura by the horns and threw him back eighteen steps, just as an elephant might do when fighting a rival elephant.
VERSE 10.36.12
so ’paviddho bhagavatā
punar utthāya satvaram
āpatat svinna-sarvāṅgo
niḥśvasan krodha-mūrcchitaḥ
SYNONYMS
saḥ — he; apaviddhaḥ — thrown back; bhagavatā — by the Lord; punaḥ — again; utthāya — rising; satvaram — quickly; āpatat — attacked; svinna — sweating; sarva — all; aṅgaḥ — his limbs; niḥśvasan — breathing hard; krodha — by anger; mūrcchitaḥ — stupefied.
TRANSLATION
Thus repulsed by the Supreme Lord, the bull demon got up and, breathing hard and sweating all over his body, again charged Him in a mindless rage.
VERSE 10.36.13
tam āpatantaṁ sa nigṛhya śṛṅgayoḥ
padā samākramya nipātya bhū-tale
niṣpīḍayām āsa yathārdram ambaraṁ
kṛtvā viṣāṇena jaghāna so ’patat
SYNONYMS
tam — him; āpatantam — attacking; saḥ — He; nigṛhya — seizing; śṛṅgayoḥ — by the horns; padā — with His foot; samākramya — treading; nipātya — making him fall; bhū-tale — onto the ground; niṣpīḍayām āsa — He beat him; yathā — like; ardram — wet; ambaram — a garment; kṛtvā — making; viṣāṇena — with his horn; jaghāna — struck; saḥ — he; apatat — fell.
TRANSLATION
As Ariṣṭa attacked, Lord Kṛṣṇa seized him by the horns and knocked him to the ground with His foot. The Lord then thrashed him as if he were a wet cloth, and finally He yanked out one of the demon’s horns and struck him with it until he lay prostrate.
VERSE 10.36.14
asṛg vaman mūtra-śakṛt samutsṛjan
kṣipaṁś ca pādān anavasthitekṣaṇaḥ
jagāma kṛcchraṁ nirṛter atha kṣayaṁ
puṣpaiḥ kiranto harim īḍire surāḥ
SYNONYMS
asṛk — blood; vaman — vomiting; mūtra — urine; śakṛt — and feces; samutsṛjan — profusely excreting; kṣipan — throwing about; ca — and; pādān — his legs; anavasthita — unsteady; īkṣaṇaḥ — his eyes; jagāma — he went; kṛcchram — with pain; nirṛteḥ — of Death; atha — then; kṣayam — to the abode; puṣpaiḥ — flowers; kirantaḥ — scattering; harim — upon Lord Kṛṣṇa; īdire — worshiped; suraḥ — the demigods.
TRANSLATION
Vomiting blood and profusely excreting stool and urine, kicking his legs and rolling his eyes about, Ariṣṭāsura thus went painfully to the abode of Death. The demigods honored Lord Kṛṣṇa by scattering flowers upon Him.
VERSE 10.36.15
evaṁ kukudminaṁ hatvā
stūyamānaḥ dvijātibhiḥ
viveśa goṣṭhaṁ sa-balo
gopīnāṁ nayanotsavaḥ
SYNONYMS
evam — thus; kukudminam — the humped (bull demon); hatvā — killing; stūyamānaḥ — being praised; dvijātibhiḥ — by the brāhmaṇas; viveśa — He entered; goṣṭham — the cowherd village; sa-balaḥ — together with Lord Balarāma; gopīnām — of the gopīs; nayana — for the eyes; utsavaḥ — who is a festival.
TRANSLATION
Having thus killed the bull demon Ariṣṭa, He who is a festival for the gopīs’ eyes entered the cowherd village with Balarāma.
VERSE 10.36.16
ariṣṭe nihate daitye
kṛṣṇenādbhuta-karmaṇā
kaṁsāyāthāha bhagavān
nārado deva-darśanaḥ
SYNONYMS
ariṣṭe — Ariṣṭa; nihate — having been killed; daitye — the demon; kṛṣṇena — by Kṛṣṇa; adbhuta-karmaṇā — whose activities are wonderful; kaṁsāya — to Kaṁsa; atha — then; āha — spoke; bhagavān — the powerful sage; nāradaḥ — Nārada; deva-darśanaḥ — whose vision is godly.
TRANSLATION
After Ariṣṭāsura had been killed by Kṛṣṇa, who acts wonderfully, Nārada Muni went to speak to King Kaṁsa. That powerful sage of godly vision addressed the King as follows.
VERSE 10.36.17
yaśodāyāḥ sutāṁ kanyāṁ
devakyāḥ kṛṣṇam eva ca
rāmaṁ ca rohiṇī-putraṁ
vasudevena bibhyatā
nyastau sva-mitre nande vai
yābhyāṁ te puruṣā hatāḥ
SYNONYMS
yaśodāyāḥ — of Yaśodā; sutām — the daughter; kanyām — the female child; devakyāḥ — of Devakī; kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa; eva ca — also; rāmam — Balarāma; ca — and; rohiṇī-putram — the son of Rohiṇī; vasudevena — by Vasudeva; bibhyatā — who was afraid; nyastau — placed; sva-mitre — with his friend; nande — Nanda Mahārāja; vai — indeed; yābhyām — by which two; te — your; puruṣāḥ — men; hatāḥ — have been killed.
TRANSLATION
[Nārada told Kaṁsa:] Yaśodā’s child was actually a daughter, and Kṛṣṇa is the son of Devakī. Also, Rāma is the son of Rohiṇī. Out of fear, Vasudeva entrusted Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to his friend Nanda Mahārāja, and it is these two boys who have killed your men.
VERSE 10.36.18
niśamya tad bhoja-patiḥ
kopāt pracalitendriyaḥ
niśātam asim ādatta
vasudeva-jighāṁsayā
SYNONYMS
niśamya — hearing; tat — that; bhoja-patiḥ — the lord of the Bhoja dynasty (Kaṁsa); kopāt — out of anger; pracalita — disturbed; indriyaḥ — his senses; niśātam — sharp; asim — a sword; ādatta — took up; vasudeva-jighāṁsayā — with the desire to kill Vasudeva.
TRANSLATION
Upon hearing this, the master of the Bhojas became furious and lost control of his senses. He picked up a sharp sword to kill Vasudeva.
VERSE 10.36.19
nivārito nāradena
tat-sutau mṛtyum ātmanaḥ
jñātvā loha-mayaiḥ pāśair
babandha saha bhāryayā
SYNONYMS
nivāritaḥ — checked; nāradena — by Nārada; tat-sutau — his two sons; mṛtyum — death; ātmanaḥ — his own; jñātvā — understanding; loha-mayaiḥ — made of iron; pāśaiḥ — with shackles; babandha — he bound up (Vasudeva); saha — together with; bhāryayā — his wife.
TRANSLATION
But Nārada restrained Kaṁsa by reminding him that it was the two sons of Vasudeva who would cause his death. Kaṁsa then had Vasudeva and his wife shackled in iron chains.
VERSE 10.36.20
pratiyāte tu devarṣau
kaṁsa ābhāṣya keśinam
preṣayām āsa hanyetāṁ
bhavatā rāma-keśavau
SYNONYMS
pratiyāte — having left; tu — then; deva-ṛṣau — the sage among the demigods; kaṁsaḥ — King Kaṁsa; ābhāṣya — addressing; keśinam — the demon Keśī; preṣayām āsa — he sent him; hanyetām — the two should be killed; bhavatā — by you; rāma-keśavau — Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa.
TRANSLATION
After Nārada left, King Kaṁsa summoned Keśī and ordered him, “Go kill Rāma and Kṛṣṇa.”
VERSE 10.36.21
tato muṣṭika-cāṇūra
śala-tośalakādikān
amātyān hastipāṁś caiva
samāhūyāha bhoja-rāṭ
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — then; muṣṭika-cāṇūra-śala-tośalaka-ādikān — Muṣṭika, Cāṇūra, Śala, Tośala and others; amātyān — his ministers; hasti-pān — his elephant-keepers; ca eva — also; samāhūya — calling together; āha — spoke; bhoja-rāṭ — the King of the Bhojas.
TRANSLATION
The King of the Bhojas next called for his ministers, headed by Muṣṭika, Cāṇūra, Śala and Tośala, and also for his elephant-keepers. The King addressed them as follows.
VERSE 10.36.22-23
bho bho niśamyatām etad
vīra-cāṇūra-muṣṭikau
nanda-vraje kilāsāte
sutāv ānakadundubheḥ
rāma-kṛṣṇau tato mahyaṁ
mṛtyuḥ kila nidarśitaḥ
bhavadbhyām iha samprāptau
hanyetāṁ malla-līlayā
SYNONYMS
bhoḥ bhoḥ — my dear (advisers); niśamyatām — please listen; etat — to this; vīra — O heroes; cāṇūra-muṣṭikau — Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika; nanda-vraje — in the cowherd village of Nanda; kila — indeed; āsāte — are living; sutau — the two sons; ānakadundubheḥ — of Vasudeva; rāma-kṛṣṇau — Rāma and Kṛṣṇa; tataḥ — from Them; mahyam — my; mṛtyuḥ — death; kila — indeed; nidarśitaḥ — has been indicated; bhavadbhyām — by you two; iha — here; samprāptau — brought; hanyetām — They should be killed; malla — of wrestling; līlayā — on the pretext of the sport.
TRANSLATION
My dear heroic Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika, please hear this. Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, the sons of Ānakadundubhi [Vasudeva], are living in Nanda’s cowherd village. It has been predicted that these two boys will be the cause of my death. When They are brought here, kill Them on the pretext of engaging Them in a wrestling match.
VERSE 10.36.24
mañcāḥ kriyantāṁ vividhā
malla-raṅga-pariśritāḥ
paurā jānapadāḥ sarve
paśyantu svaira-saṁyugam
SYNONYMS
mancāḥ — stages; kriyantām — should be built; vividhāḥ — various; malla-raṅga — a wrestling ring; pariśritāḥ — surrounding; paurāḥ — the residents of the city; jānapadāḥ — and the residents of the outlying districts; sarve — all; paśyantu — should see; svaira — voluntarily participated in; saṁyugam — the competition.
TRANSLATION
Erect a wrestling ring with many surrounding viewing stands, and bring all the residents of the city and the outlying districts to see the open competition.
VERSE 10.36.25
mahāmātra tvayā bhadra
raṅga-dvāry upanīyatām
dvipaḥ kuvalayāpīḍo
jahi tena mamāhitau
SYNONYMS
mahā-mātra — O elephant-keeper; tvayā — by you; bhadra — my good man; raṅga — of the arena; dvāri — to the doorway; upanīyatām — should be brought; dvipaḥ — the elephant; kuvalayāpīḍaḥ — named Kuvalayāpīḍa; jahi — destroy; tena — with that (elephant); mama — my; ahitau — enemies.
TRANSLATION
You, elephant-keeper, my good man, should position the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa at the entrance to the wrestling arena and have him kill my two enemies.
VERSE 10.36.26
ārabhyatāṁ dhanur-yāgaś
caturdaśyāṁ yathā-vidhi
viśasantu paśūn medhyān
bhūta-rājāya mīḍhuṣe
SYNONYMS
ārabhyatām — should be commenced; dhanuḥ-yāgaḥ — the bow sacrifice; caturdaśyām — on the fourteenth day of the month; yathā-vidhi — in accordance with Vedic injunctions; viśasantu — offer in sacrifice; paśūn — animals; medhyān — which are fit to be offered; bhūta-rājāya — to Lord Śiva, the lord of ghostly spirits; mīḍhuṣe — the giver of benedictions.
TRANSLATION
Commence the bow sacrifice on the Caturdaśī day in accordance with the relevant Vedic injunctions. In ritual slaughter offer the appropriate kinds of animals to the magnanimous Lord Śiva.
VERSE 10.36.27
ity ājñāpyārtha-tantra-jña
āhūya yadu-puṅgavam
gṛhītvā pāṇinā pāṇiṁ
tato ’krūram uvāca ha
SYNONYMS
iti — with these words; ājñāpya — ordering; artha — of personal interest and advantage; tantra — of the doctrine; jñaḥ — the knower; āhūya — calling for; yadu-puṅgavam — the most eminent of the Yadus; gṛhītvā — taking; pāṇinā — with his own hand; pāṇim — his hand; tataḥ — then; akrūram — to Akrūra; uvāca ha — he said.
TRANSLATION
Having thus commanded his ministers, Kaṁsa next called for Akrūra, the most eminent of the Yadus. Kaṁsa knew the art of securing personal advantage, and thus he took Akrūra’s hand in his own and spoke to him as follows.
VERSE 10.36.28
bho bho dāna-pate mahyaṁ
kriyatāṁ maitram ādṛtaḥ
nānyas tvatto hitatamo
vidyate bhoja-vṛṣṇiṣu
SYNONYMS
bhoḥ bhoḥ — my dear; dāna — of charity; pate — master; mahyam — for me; kriyatām — please do; maitram — a friendly favor; ādṛtaḥ — out of respect; na — none; anyaḥ — other; tvattaḥ — than yourself; hita-tamaḥ — who acts most favorably; vidyate — exists; bhoja-vṛṣṇiṣu — among the Bhojas and Vṛṣṇis.
TRANSLATION
My dear Akrūra, most charitable one, please do me a friendly favor out of respect. Among the Bhojas and Vṛṣṇis, there is no one else as kind to us as you.
VERSE 10.36.29
atas tvām āśritaḥ saumya
kārya-gaurava-sādhanam
yathendro viṣṇum āśritya
svārtham adhyagamad vibhuḥ
SYNONYMS
ataḥ — therefore; tvām — on you; āśritaḥ — (I am) depending; saumya — O gentle one; kārya — prescribed duties; gaurava — soberly; sādhanam — who executes; yathā — as similarly; indraḥ — Indra; viṣṇum — Lord Viṣṇu; āśritya — taking shelter of; sva-artham — his goals; adhyagamat — achieved; vibhuḥ — the powerful King of heaven.
TRANSLATION
Gentle Akrūra, you always carry out your duties soberly, and therefore I am depending on you, just as powerful Indra took shelter of Lord Viṣṇu to achieve his goals.
VERSE 10.36.30
gaccha nanda-vrajaṁ tatra
sutāv ānakadundubheḥ
āsāte tāv ihānena
rathenānaya mā ciram
SYNONYMS
gaccha — go; nanda-vrajam — to the cowherd village of Nanda; tatra — there; sutau — the two sons; ānakadundubheḥ — of Vasudeva; āsāte — are living; tau — Them; iha — here; anena — by this; rathena — chariot; ānaya — bring; mā ciram — without delay.
TRANSLATION
Please go to Nanda’s village, where the two sons of Ānakadundubhi are living, and without delay bring Them here on this chariot.
VERSE 10.36.31
nisṛṣṭaḥ kila me mṛtyur
devair vaikuṇṭha-saṁśrayaiḥ
tāv ānaya samaṁ gopair
nandādyaiḥ sābhyupāyanaiḥ
SYNONYMS
nisṛṣṭaḥ — sent; kila — indeed; me — my; mṛtyuḥ — death; devaiḥ — by the demigods; vaikuṇṭha — of Lord Viṣṇu; saṁśrayaiḥ — who take shelter; tau — the two of Them; ānaya — bring; samam — together with; gopaiḥ — the cowherd men; nanda-ādyaiḥ — headed by Nanda; sa — with; abhyupāyanaiḥ — gifts.
TRANSLATION
The demigods, who are under the protection of Viṣṇu, have sent these two boys as my death. Bring Them here, and also have Nanda and the other cowherd men come with gifts of tribute.
VERSE 10.36.32
ghātayiṣya ihānītau
kāla-kalpena hastinā
yadi muktau tato mallair
ghātaye vaidyutopamaiḥ
SYNONYMS
ghātayiṣye — I shall have Them killed; iha — here; ānītau — brought; kāla-kalpena — like death itself; hastinā — by the elephant; yadi — if; muktau — They go free; tataḥ — then; mallaiḥ — by wrestlers; ghātaye — I will have killed; vaidyuta — lightning; upamaiḥ — just like.
TRANSLATION
After you bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, I will have Them killed by my elephant, who is as powerful as death itself. And if by chance They escape from him, I will have Them killed by my wrestlers, who are as strong as lightning.
VERSE 10.36.33
tayor nihatayos taptān
vasudeva-purogamān
tad-bandhūn nihaniṣyāmi
vṛṣṇi-bhoja-daśārhakān
SYNONYMS
tayoḥ — the two of Them; nihatayoḥ — when They are killed; taptān — tormented; vasudeva-purogamān — led by Vasudeva; tad-bandhūn — Their relatives; nihaniṣyāmi — I will kill; vṛṣṇi-bhoja-daśārhakān — the Vṛṣṇis, Bhojas and Daśārhas.
TRANSLATION
When these two have been killed, I will kill Vasudeva and all Their lamenting relatives — the Vṛṣṇis, Bhojas and Daśārhas.
VERSE 10.36.34
ugrasenaṁ ca pitaraṁ
sthaviraṁ rājya-kāmukaṁ
tad-bhrātaraṁ devakaṁ ca
ye cānye vidviṣo mama
SYNONYMS
ugrasenam — King Ugrasena; ca — and; pitaram — my father; sthaviram — old; rājya — for the kingdom; kāmukam — greedy; tat-bhrātaram — his brother; devakam — Devaka; ca — also; ye — who; ca — and; anye — others; vidviṣaḥ — enemies; mama — my.
TRANSLATION
I will also kill my old father, Ugrasena, who is greedy for my kingdom, and I will kill his brother Devaka and all my other enemies as well.
VERSE 10.36.35
tataś caiṣā mahī mitra
bhavitrī naṣṭa-kaṇṭakā
SYNONYMS
tataḥ — then; ca — and; eṣā — this; mahī — earth; mitra — O friend; bhavitrī — will be; naṣṭa — destroyed; kaṇṭakā — her thorns.
TRANSLATION
Then, my friend, this earth will be free of thorns.
VERSE 10.36.36
jarāsandho mama gurur
dvivido dayitaḥ sakhā
śambaro narako bāṇo
mayy eva kṛta-sauhṛdāḥ
tair ahaṁ sura-pakṣīyān
hatvā bhokṣye mahīṁ nṛpān
SYNONYMS
jarāsandhaḥ — Jarāsandha; mama — my; guruḥ — elder (father-in-law); dvividaḥ — Dvivida; dayitaḥ — my dear; sakhā — friend; śambaraḥ — Śambara; narakaḥ — Naraka; bāṇaḥ — Bāṇa; mayi — for me; eva — indeed; kṛta-sauhṛdāḥ — who have strong friendship; taiḥ — with them; aham — 1; sura — of the demigods; pakṣīyān — those who are allies; hatvā — killing; bhokṣye — will enjoy; mahīm — the earth; nṛpān — the kings.
TRANSLATION
My elder relative Jarāsandha and my dear friend Dvivida are solid well-wishers of mine, as are Śambara, Naraka and Bāṇa. I will use them all to kill off those kings who are allied with the demigods, and then I will rule the earth.
VERSE 10.36.37
etaj jñātvānaya kṣipraṁ
rāma-kṛṣṇāv ihārbhakau
dhanur-makha-nirīkṣārthaṁ
draṣṭuṁ yadu-pura-śriyam
SYNONYMS
etat — this; jñātvā — knowing; ānaya — bring; kṣipram — quickly; rāma-kṛṣṇau — Rāma and Kṛṣṇa; iha — here; arbhakau — the young boys; dhanuḥ-makha — the bow sacrifice; nirīkṣā-artham — in order to witness; draṣṭum — to see; yadu-pura — of the capital city of the Yadu dynasty; śriyam — the opulence.
TRANSLATION
Now that you understand my intentions, please go at once and bring Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma to watch the bow sacrifice and see the opulence of the Yadus’ capital.
VERSE 10.36.38
śrī-akrūra uvāca
rājan manīṣitaṁ sadhryak
tava svāvadya-mārjanam
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samaṁ kuryād
daivaṁ hi phala-sādhanam
SYNONYMS
śrī-akrūraḥ uvāca — Śrī Akrūra said; rājan — O King; manīṣitam — the thinking; sadhryak — perfect; tava — your; sva — your own; avadya — misfortune; mārjanam — which will wash away; siddhi-asiddhyoḥ — in both success and failure; samam — equal; kuryāt — one should act; daivam — destiny; hi — after all; phala — the fruit, result; sādhanam — the cause of achieving.
TRANSLATION
Śrī Akrūra said: O King, you have expertly devised a process to free yourself of misfortune. Still, one should be equal in success and failure, since it is certainly destiny that produces the results of one’s work.
VERSE 10.36.39
manorathān karoty uccair
jano daiva-hatān api
yujyate harṣa-śokābhyāṁ
tathāpy ājñāṁ karomi te
SYNONYMS
manaḥ-rathān — his desires; karoti — carries out; uccaiḥ — fervently; janaḥ — the average person; daiva — by Providence; hatān — thwarted; api — even though; yujyate — he is confronted; harṣa-śokābhyām — by happiness and distress; tathā api — nonetheless; ājñām — order; karomi — I will do; te — your.
TRANSLATION
An ordinary person is determined to act on his desires even when fate prevents their fulfillment. Therefore he encounters both happiness and distress. Yet even though such is the case, I will execute your order.
VERSE 10.36.40
śrī-śuka uvāca
evam ādiśya cākrūraṁ
mantriṇaś ca viṣṛjya saḥ
praviveśa gṛhaṁ kaṁsas
tathākrūraḥ svam ālayam
SYNONYMS
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; evam — thus; ādiśya — instructing; ca — and; akrūram — Akrūra; mantriṇaḥ — his ministers; ca — and; visṛjya — dismissing; saḥ — he; praviveśa — entered; gṛham — his quarters; kaṁsaḥ — Kaṁsa; tathā — also; akrūraḥ — Akrūra; svam — his own; ālayam — residence.
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Having thus instructed Akrūra, King Kaṁsa dismissed his ministers and retired to his quarters, and Akrūra returned home.