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KB 1970-1-41 / The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena
41 / The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena
After leaving the florist's place, Krsna and Balarama saw a
hunchbacked young woman carrying a dish of sandalwood pulp
through the streets. Since Krsna is the reservoir of all
pleasure, He wanted to make all His companions joyous by
cutting a joke with the hunchbacked woman. Krsna addressed her,
"O tall young woman, who are you? Tell Me, for whom are you
carrying this sandalwood pulp in your hand? I think you should
offer this sandalwood to Me, and if you do so I am sure you
will be fortunate." Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and He knew everything about the hunchback. By His inquiry He
indicated that there was no use in serving a demon; one had
better serve Krsna and Balarama and get rid of the
result of sins.
The woman replied to Krsna, "My dear Syamasundara, dear
beautiful dark boy, You may know that I am engaged as
maidservant of Kamsa. I am supplying him pulp of sandalwood
daily. The King is very pleased with me for supplying this
nice thing, but now I see that there is no one who can better
be served by this pulp of sandalwood than You two brothers."
Being captivated by the beautiful features of Krsna and
Balarama, Their talking, Their smiling, Their glancing and
other activities, the hunchbacked woman began to smear
the pulp of sandalwood over Their bodies with great
satisfaction and devotion. The two transcendental beggars,
Krsna and Balarama, were naturally beautiful and had beautiful
complexions, and They were nicely dressed in colorful garments.
The upper portions of Their bodies were already very attractive,
and when the hunchbacked woman smeared Their bodies with
sandalwood pulp, They looked even more beautiful. Krsna was
very pleased by this service, and He began to consider how
to reward her. In other words, in order to draw the attention
of the Lord, the Krsna conscious devotee has to serve Him in
great love and devotion. Krsna cannot be pleased by any action
other than transcendental loving service unto Him. Thinking
like this, Lord Krsna pressed the feet of the hunchbacked woman
with His toes and, capturing her cheeks with His fingers, gave
her a jerk in order to make her straight. At once the
hunchbacked woman looked like a beautiful straight girl, with
broad hips, thin waist and very nice, well shaped breasts.
Since Krsna was pleased with the service of the hunchbacked
woman, and since she was touched by Krsna's hands, she became
the most beautiful girl among women. This incident shows that
by serving Krsna the devotee immediately becomes elevated to
the most exalted position. In all respects, devotional service
is so potent that anyone who takes to it becomes qualified with
all godly qualities. Krsna was attracted to the hunchbacked
woman not for her beauty but for her service; as soon as she
rendered service, she immediately became the most beautiful
woman. A Krsna conscious person does not have to be qualified
or beautiful; after becoming Krsna conscious and rendering
service unto Krsna, he becomes very qualified and
beautiful.
When the woman was turned by Krsna's favor into an exquisitely
beautiful young girl, she naturally felt very much obliged to
Krsna, and she was also attracted by His beauty. Without
hesitation, she caught the rear part of His cloth and began to
snatch it. She smiled flirtatiously and admitted that she was
agitated by lusty desires. She forgot that she was on the
street and before the elder brother of Krsna and His friends.
She frankly proposed to Krsna: "My dear hero, I cannot leave
You in this way. You must come to my place. I am already very
much attracted to Your beauty, so I must receive You well, for
You are the best among males. You must also be very kind
upon me." In plain words she proposed that Krsna come to her
home and satisfy her lusty desires. Krsna, of course, felt a
little bit embarrassed in front of His elder brother, Balarama,
but He knew that the girl was simple and attracted; therefore
He simply smiled at her words. Looking towards His cowherd
boy friends, He replied to the girl, "My dear beautiful
girl, I am very much pleased by your invitation, and I must
come to your home after finishing My other business here. Such
a beautiful girl like you is the only means of solace for
a person like Me, for I am away from home and not
married. Certainly, as a suitable girl friend, you can
give us relief from all kinds of mental agitation." Krsna
satisfied the girl in this way with sweet words. Leaving her
there, He began to proceed down the street of the
marketplace where the citizens were prepared to receive Him
with various kinds of presentations, especially betel nuts,
flowers and sandalwood.
The mercantile men in the market worshiped Krsna and Balarama
with great respect. When Krsna was passing through the street,
all the women in the surrounding houses came to see Him, and
some of the younger ones almost fainted, being captivated by
His beauty. Their hair and tight dresses loosened, and they
forgot where they were standing.
Krsna next inquired from the citizens as to the location of the
place of sacrifice. Kamsa had arranged for the sacrifice called
Dhanur-yajna, and to designate this particular sacrifice he had
placed a big bow near the sacrificial altar. The bow was very
big and wonderful and resembled the rainbow in the sky. Within
the sacrificial arena, this bow was protected by many
constables and watchmen engaged by King Kamsa. As Krsna and
Balarama approached the bow, they were warned not to go nearer,
but Krsna ignored this warning. He forcibly went up and
immediately took the big bow in His left hand. After stringing
the bow in the presence of the crowd, He drew it and broke it
at the middle into two parts, exactly as an elephant breaks
sugar cane in the field. Everyone present appreciated Krsna'
s power. The sound of the bow cracking filled both sky and land
and was heard by Kamsa. When Kamsa heard what had happened, he
began to fear for his life. The caretaker of the bow, who was
standing by watching, became very angry. He ordered his men
to take up weapons, and he began to rush towards
Krsna, shouting, "Arrest Him! Kill Him! Kill Him!"
Krsna and Balarama were surrounded. When They saw the
threatening motions of the guards, they became angry, and
taking up the two pieces of the broken bow, They began to beat
off all the caretaker's men. While this turmoil was
going on, Kamsa sent a small group of troops to assist the
caretakers, but both Krsna and Balarama fought with them and
also killed them.
After this, Krsna did not proceed further into the sacrificial
arena but went out the gate and proceeded towards Their resting
camp. Along the way, He visited various places in Mathura City
with great delight. Seeing the activities and wonderful prowess
of Krsna, all the citizens of Mathura began to consider the two
brothers to be demigods who had come down to Mathura, and they
all looked upon Them with great astonishment. The two brothers
strolled carefree in the street, not caring for the law and
order of Kamsa.
When evening came, Krsna and Balarama, with Their cowherd
boy friends, went to the outskirts of the city where
all their cars were assembled. Thus Krsna and Balarama gave
some preliminary hints of Their arrival to Kamsa, and he could
understand what severe type of danger was awaiting him the next
day in the sacrificial arena.
When Krsna and Balarama were going from Vrndavana to
Mathura, the inhabitants of Vrndavana had imagined the great
fortune of the citizens of Mathura in being able to see the
wonderful beauty of Krsna, who is worshiped by His pure
devotees as well as the goddess of fortune. The fantasies of
the residents of Vrndavana were actually realized, for the
citizens of Mathura became fully satisfied by seeing Krsna.
When Krsna returned to His camp, He was taken care of by
servants who washed His lotus feet, gave Him a nice seat and
offered Him milk and palatable dishes of foodstuffs. After
taking supper and thinking of the next day's program, He very
peacefully began to take rest. Thus He passed the night there.
On the other side, when Kamsa came to understand about the
breaking of his wonderful bow and the killing of the caretaker
and soldiers by Krsna, he could partially realize the power of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could realize that the
eighth son of Devaki had appeared and that now his death was
imminent. Thinking of his imminent death, he could not rest
the entire night. He began to have many inauspicious visions,
and he could understand that both Krsna and Balarama, who had
approached the precincts of the city, were his messengers of
death. Kamsa began to see various kinds of inauspicious signs,
both awake and dreaming. When he looked in the mirror he
could not see his head, although the head was actually present.
He could see the luminaries in the sky in double, although
there was only one set factually. He began to see holes in his
shadow, and he could hear a high buzzing sound within his ears.
All the trees before him appeared to be made of gold, and he
could not see his own footprints in dust or muddy clay. In
dream he saw various kinds of ghosts being carried in a
carriage drawn by donkeys. He also dreamed that someone gave
him poison, and he was drinking it. He dreamed also that he was
going naked with a garland of flowers and was smearing oil all
over his body. Thus, as Kamsa saw various signs of death
both awake and sleeping, he could understand that death was
certain, and thus in great anxiety he could not rest that night.
Just after the night expired, he busily arranged for the
wrestling match.
The wrestling arena was nicely cleansed and decorated with
flags, festoons and flowers, and the match was announced by the
beating of kettledrums. The platform appeared very beautiful
due to streamers and flags. Different types of galleries were
arranged for respectable persons -- kings, brahmanas and
ksatriyas. The various kings had reserved thrones, and others
had arranged seats also. Kamsa finally arrived, accompanied by
various ministers and secretaries, and he sat on the raised
platform especially meant for him. Unfortunately, although he
was sitting in the center of all governing executive heads,
his heart was palpitating in fear of death. Cruel death
evidently does not care even for a person as powerful as Kamsa.
When death comes, it does not care for anyone's exalted
position.
When everything was complete, the wrestlers, who were to
exhibit their skills before the assembly, walked into the arena.
They were decorated with bright ornaments and dress. Some of
the famous wrestlers were Canura, Mustika, Sala, Kuta and
Tosala. Being enlivened by the musical concert, they passed
through with great alacrity. All the respectable cowherd men
who came from Vrndavana, headed by Nanda, were also welcomed by
Kamsa. After presenting Kamsa with the milk products they had
brought with them, the cowherd men also took their respective
seats by the side of the King, on a platform especially meant
for them.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-first Chapter
of Krsna, "The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena."
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KB 42: The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena
CHAPTER FORTY–TWO
The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena
After leaving the florist's place, Krsna and Balarama saw a
hunchbacked young woman carrying a dish of sandalwood pulp
through the streets. Since Krsna is the reservoir of all
pleasure, He wanted to make all His companions joyous by
cutting a joke with the hunchbacked woman. Krsna addressed her,
"O tall young woman, who are you? Tell Me, for whom are you
carrying this sandalwood pulp in your hand? I think you should
offer this sandalwood to Me, and if you do so I am sure you
will be fortunate." Krsna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
and He knew everything about the hunchback. By His inquiry He
indicated that there was no use in serving a demon; she would
do better to serve Krsna and Balarama and get an immediate
result of the service.
The woman replied to Krsna, "My dear Syamasundara, dear
beautiful dark boy, You may know that I am engaged as a
maidservant of Kamsa. I am supplying him pulp of sandalwood
daily. The King is very much pleased with me for supplying this
nice thing, but now I see that there is no one who can better
be served by this pulp of sandalwood than You two brothers."
Being captivated by the beautiful features of Krsna and
Balarama, Their talking, Their smiling, Their glancing and
Their other activities, the hunchbacked woman began to smear
all the pulp of sandalwood over Their bodies with great
satisfaction and devotion. The two transcendental brothers,
Krsna and Balarama, were naturally beautiful and had beautiful
complexions, and They were nicely dressed in colorful garments.
The upper portions of Their bodies were already very attractive,
and when the hunchbacked woman smeared Their bodies with
sandalwood pulp, They looked even more beautiful. Krsna was
very much pleased by this service, and He began to consider how
to reward her. In other words, in order to draw the attention
of the Lord, the Krsna conscious devotee has to serve Him in
great love and devotion. Krsna cannot be pleased by any action
other than transcendental loving service unto Him. Thinking
like this, Lord Krsna pressed the feet of the hunchbacked woman
with His toes and, capturing her cheeks with His fingers, gave
her a jerk in order to make her straight. At once the
hunchbacked woman became a beautiful straight girl, with
broad hips, thin waist and very nice, well-shaped breasts.
Since Krsna was pleased with the service of the hunchbacked
woman, and since she was touched by Krsna's hands, she became
the most beautiful girl among women. This incident shows that
by serving Krsna the devotee immediately becomes elevated to
the most exalted position in all respects. Devotional service
is so potent that anyone who takes to it becomes qualified with
all godly qualities. Krsna was attracted to the hunchbacked
woman not for her beauty but for her service; as soon as she
rendered service, she immediately became the most beautiful
woman. A Krsna conscious person does not have to be qualified
or beautiful; after becoming Krsna conscious and rendering
service unto Krsna, he becomes very much qualified and
beautiful.
When the woman was turned by Krsna's favor into an exquisitely
beautiful young girl, she naturally felt very much obliged to
Krsna, and she was also attracted by His beauty. Without
hesitation, she caught the rear part of His cloth and began to
pull it. She smiled flirtatiously and admitted that she was
agitated by lusty desires. She forgot that she was on the
street and before the elder brother of Krsna and His friends.
She frankly proposed to Krsna, "My dear hero, I cannot leave
You in this way. You must come to my place. I am already very
much attracted to Your beauty, so I must receive You well, and
since You are the best among males, You must also be very kind
upon me." In plain words she proposed that Krsna come to her
home and satisfy her lusty desires. Krsna, of course, felt a
little bit embarrassed in front of His elder brother, Balarama,
but He knew that the girl was simple and attracted; therefore
He simply smiled at her words. Looking toward His cowherd
boyfriends, He replied to the girl, "My dear beautiful
girl, I am very much pleased by your invitation, and I must
come to your home after finishing My other business here. Such
a beautiful girl as you are the only means of solace for
persons like Us, who are away from home and not
married. Certainly, a suitable girlfriend like you can
give Us relief from all kinds of mental agitation." Krsna
satisfied the girl in this way with sweet words. Leaving her
there, He proceeded down the street of the
marketplace, where the citizens were prepared to receive Him
with various kinds of presentations, especially betel nuts,
flowers and sandalwood pulp.
The mercantile men in the market worshiped Krsna and Balarama
with great respect. When Krsna was passing through the street,
all the women in the surrounding houses came to see Him, and
some of the younger ones almost fainted, being captivated by
His beauty. Their hair and tight clothing loosened, and they
forgot where they were standing.
Krsna next inquired from the citizens as to the location of the
place of sacrifice. Kamsa had arranged for the sacrifice called
Dhanur-yajna, and to designate this particular sacrifice he had
placed a big bow near the sacrificial altar. The bow was very
big and wonderful and resembled a rainbow in the sky. Within
the sacrificial arena, this bow was protected by many
constables and watchmen engaged by King Kamsa. As Krsna and
Balarama approached the bow, They were warned not to go nearer,
but Krsna ignored this warning. He forcibly went up and
immediately took the big bow in His left hand. After stringing
the bow in the presence of the crowd, He drew it and broke it
at the middle into two parts, exactly as an elephant breaks
sugarcane in the field. Everyone present appreciated Krsna'
s power. The sound of the bow cracking filled both sky and land
and was heard by Kamsa. When Kamsa heard what had happened, he
began to fear for his life. The caretakers of the bow, who were
standing by watching, became very angry, and with
their respective weapons in hand they rushed toward
Krsna, shouting, "Arrest Him! Arrest Him! Kill Him! Kill Him!"
Krsna and Balarama were surrounded. When They understood the
sinister motives of the guards, They became angry, and
taking up the two pieces of the broken bow, They began to beat
down all of Kamsa's caretakers. While this turmoil was
going on, Kamsa sent a small group of troops to assist the
caretakers, but Krsna and Balarama fought with them
also and killed them.
After this, Krsna did not proceed further into the sacrificial
arena but went out the gate and proceeded toward Their resting
camp. Along the way, He visited various places in Mathura City
with great delight. Seeing the activities and wonderful prowess
of Krsna, all the citizens of Mathura began to consider the two
brothers to be demigods who had come down to Mathura, and they
all looked upon Them with great astonishment. The two brothers
strolled carefree in the street, not caring for the law and
order of Kamsa.
As sunset approached, Krsna, Balarama and Their cowherd
boyfriends went to the outskirts of the city, where
all their carts were assembled. Thus Krsna and Balarama gave
some preliminary hints of Their arrival to Kamsa, and he could
understand what severe type of danger was awaiting him the next
day in the sacrificial arena.
When Krsna and Balarama had been going from Vrndavana to
Mathura, the inhabitants of Vrndavana had imagined the great
fortune of the citizens of Mathura in being able to see the
wonderful beauty of Krsna, who is worshiped by His pure
devotees as well as the goddess of fortune. The fantasies of
the residents of Vrndavana were now actually realized, for the
citizens of Mathura became fully satisfied by seeing Krsna.
When Krsna returned to His camp, He was taken care of by
servants who washed His lotus feet, gave Him a nice seat and
offered Him milk and palatable dishes. After
taking supper and thinking of the next day's program, He very
peacefully took rest. Thus He passed the night there.
On the other side, when Kamsa came to understand about the
breaking of his wonderful bow and the killing of the caretakers
and soldiers by Krsna, he could partially realize the power of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He could realize that the
eighth son of Devaki had appeared and that now his death was
imminent. Thinking of his imminent death, he was restless
the entire night. He began to have many inauspicious visions,
and he could understand that Krsna and Balarama, who had
approached the precincts of the city, were his messengers of
death. Kamsa saw various kinds of inauspicious signs
while both awake and dreaming. When he looked in the mirror he
could not see his head, although the head was actually present.
He saw the luminaries in the sky in double, although
there was only one set factually. He began to see holes in his
shadow, and he heard a high buzzing sound within his ears.
All the trees before him appeared to be made of gold, and he
could not see his own footprints in dust or muddy clay. In
dreams he saw various kinds of ghosts being carried in a
carriage drawn by donkeys. He also dreamed that someone gave
him poison and he was drinking it. He dreamed also that he was
going naked with a garland of flowers and was smearing oil all
over his body. Thus, as Kamsa saw various signs of death while
both awake and sleeping, he could understand that death was
certain, and thus in great anxiety he could not rest that night.
Just after the night expired, he busily arranged for the
wrestling match.
The wrestling arena was nicely cleansed and decorated with
flags, festoons and flowers, and the match was announced by the
beating of kettledrums. The platform appeared very beautiful
due to streamers and flags. Different types of galleries were
arranged for respectable persons -- kings, brahmanas and
ksatriyas. The various kings had reserved thrones, and others
had arranged seats also. Kamsa finally arrived, accompanied by
various ministers and secretaries, and he sat on the raised
platform especially meant for him. Unfortunately, although he
was sitting in the center of all his governing executive heads,
his heart was palpitating in fear of death. Cruel death
evidently does not care even for a person as powerful as Kamsa.
When death comes, it does not care for anyone's exalted
position.
When everything was complete, the wrestlers who were to
exhibit their skills before the assembly walked into the arena.
They were decorated with nice ornaments and dress. Some of
the famous wrestlers were Canura, Mustika, Sala, Kuta and
Tosala. Being enlivened by the musical concert, they passed
through with great alacrity. All the respectable cowherd men
who came from Vrndavana, headed by Nanda, were also welcomed by
Kamsa. After presenting Kamsa with the milk products they had
brought with them, the cowherd men also took their respective
seats by the side of the King, on a platform especially meant
for them.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-second Chapter
of Krsna, "The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena."
|