Bhagavata Purana

तमापतन्तमासाद्य भगवान् मधुसूदनः । निगृह्य पाणिना हस्तं पातयामास भूतले

As it rushed upon him, the Lord Madhusūdana seized its trunk with his hand and threw it down to the ground.

पतितस्य पदाऽऽक्रम्य मृगेन्द्र इव लीलया । दन्तमुत्पाट्य तेनेभं हस्तिपांश्चाहनद्धरिः

Stepping upon the fallen elephant, as a lion would in sport, he tore out its tusk and with it struck the elephant keeper.

मृतकं द्विपमुत्सृज्य दन्तपाणिः समाविशत् । अंसन्यस्तविषाणोऽसृङ्‌ मदबिन्दुभिरङ्‌कितः । विरूढस्वेदकणिका वदनाम्बुरुहो बभौ

Leaving the dead elephant behind, holding its tusk, he entered, with the tusk resting on his shoulder, marked by drops of blood and ichor, his lotus face radiant with beads of sweat.

वृतौ गोपैः कतिपयैः बलदेवजनार्दनौ । रङ्‌गं विविशतू राजन् गजदन्तवरायुधौ

Accompanied by a few cowherds, Baladeva and Janārdana entered the arena, O King, wielding the elephant's tusks as their weapons.

( शार्दूलविक्रीडित ) मल्लानामशनिर्नृणां नरवरः स्त्रीणां स्मरो मूर्तिमान् । गोपानां स्वजनोऽसतां क्षितिभुजां शास्ता स्वपित्रोः शिशुः । मृत्युर्भोजपतेर्विराडविदुषां तत्त्वं परं योगिनां । वृष्णीनां परदेवतेति विदितो रङ्‌गं गतः साग्रजः

To the wrestlers, he was a thunderbolt; among men, the foremost man; to women, embodied Cupid; to the cowherds, a kinsman; to the wicked rulers, a chastiser; to his parents, a child; to King Bhoja, death; to the wise, the cosmic form; to the yogis, the Supreme Truth; to the Vṛṣṇis, the Supreme Deity—thus known, he entered the arena with his elder brother.

( अनुष्टुप् ) हतं कुवलयापीडं दृष्ट्वा तावपि दुर्जयौ । कंसो मनस्व्यपि तदा भृशमुद्विविजे नृप

O King, seeing Kuvalayāpīḍa slain, those two unconquerable ones, even the resolute Kaṃsa became greatly disturbed in mind.

( मिश्र ) तौ रेजतू रङ्‌गगतौ महाभुजौ विचित्रवेषाभरणस्रगम्बरौ । यथा नटावुत्तमवेषधारिणौ मनः क्षिपन्तौ प्रभया निरीक्षताम्

Those two, possessing mighty arms, shone as they entered the arena, adorned with varied garments, ornaments, garlands, and cloth, like expert actors assuming supreme roles, captivating the minds of all who beheld them with their radiance.

निरीक्ष्य तावुत्तमपूरुषौ जना मञ्चस्थिता नागरराष्ट्रका नृप । प्रहर्षवेगोत्कलितेक्षणाननाः पपुर्न तृप्ता नयनैस्तदाननम्

O King, seeing those two supreme persons, the citizens and country folk seated on platforms gazed with eyes and faces stirred by the surge of delight, and with their eyes they could not be satisfied by beholding those faces.

( अनुष्टुप् ) पिबन्त इव चक्षुर्भ्यां लिहन्त इव जिह्वया । जिघ्रन्त इव नासाभ्यां श्लिष्यन्त इव बाहुभिः

It was as if they drank with their eyes, licked with their tongues, smelled with their noses, and embraced with their arms.

ऊचुः परस्परं ते वै यथादृष्टं यथाश्रुतम् । तद् रूपगुणमाधुर्य प्रागल्भ्यस्मारिता इव

They spoke among themselves, recalling as they had seen and heard, the beauty, virtues, sweetness, and boldness, as if reminded anew.

एतौ भगवतः साक्षात् हरेर्नारायणस्य हि । अवतीर्णाविहांशेन वसुदेवस्य वेश्मनि

These two are indeed direct incarnations of the Lord, Hari, Nārāyaṇa himself, who have descended in part into the house of Vasudeva.

एष वै किल देवक्यां जातो नीतश्च गोकुलम् । कालमेतं वसन् गूढो ववृधे नन्दवेश्मनि

He was truly born of Devakī, then brought to Gokula, and, dwelling there in secret for this time, grew up in the house of Nanda.

पूतनानेन नीतान्तं चक्रवातश्च दानवः । अर्जुनौ गुह्यकः केशी धेनुकोऽन्ये च तद्विधाः

By him, Pūtanā was brought to her end, the demon Cakravat was slain, Arjuna the Guhyaka, Keśī, Dhenuka, and others of that kind were also destroyed.

गावः सपाला एतेन दावाग्नेः परिमोचिताः । कालियो दमितः सर्प इन्द्रश्च विमदः कृतः

By him, the cows and their herders were rescued from the forest fire; Kāliya the serpent was subdued, and Indra was humbled of his pride.

सप्ताहमेकहस्तेन धृतोऽद्रिप्रवरोऽमुना । वर्षवाताशनिभ्यश्च परित्रातं च गोकुलम्

For seven days, with one hand, he held up the great mountain, and thus protected Gokula from rain, wind, and thunderbolts.

गोप्योऽस्य नित्यमुदित हसितप्रेक्षणं मुखम् । पश्यन्त्यो विविधांस्तापान् तरन्ति स्माश्रमं मुदा

The cowherd women, always seeing his smiling, glancing face, crossed over all kinds of hardships and fatigue with joy.

वदन्त्यनेन वंशोऽयं यदोः सुबहुविश्रुतः । श्रियं यशो महत्वं च लप्स्यते परिरक्षितः

They say that by him, this illustrious Yadu dynasty, already widely renowned, will attain prosperity, fame, and greatness, being protected.

अयं चास्याग्रजः श्रीमान् रामः कमललोचनः । प्रलम्बो निहतो येन वत्सको ये बकादयः

And this is his elder brother, the glorious Rāma, lotus-eyed, by whom Pralamba was slain, as well as Vatsaka and Baka and others.

जनेष्वेवं ब्रुवाणेषु तूर्येषु निनदत्सु च । कृष्णरामौ समाभाष्य चाणूरो वाक्यमब्रवीत्

While people thus spoke among themselves and the instruments resounded, Cāṇūra addressed Kṛṣṇa and Rāma with these words.

हे नन्दसूनो हे राम भवन्तौ वीरसंमतौ । नियुद्धकुशलौ श्रुत्वा राज्ञाऽऽहूतौ दिदृक्षुणा

"O sons of Nanda, O Rāma, you two are esteemed as heroes, skilled in wrestling, and have been summoned by the king, eager to see you."

प्रियं राज्ञः प्रकुर्वत्यः श्रेयो विन्दन्ति वै प्रजाः । मनसा कर्मणा वाचा विपरीत मतोऽन्यथा

"When the king's wishes are fulfilled, the people surely attain welfare—by thought, deed, and word; the opposite is considered otherwise."

नित्यं प्रमुदिता गोपा वत्सपाला यथा स्फुटम् । वनेषु मल्लयुद्धेन क्रीडन्तश्चारयन्ति गाः

The cowherds and herders, always joyful, would openly play at wrestling in the forests while tending the cows.

तस्माद् राज्ञः प्रियं यूयं वयं च करवाम हे । भूतानि नः प्रसीदन्ति सर्वभूतमयो नृपः

Therefore, O friends, let us do what pleases the king, for when the king, who embodies all beings, is satisfied, all creatures are pleased with us.

तन्निशम्याब्रवीत् कृष्णो देशकालोचितं वचः । नियुद्धमात्मनोऽभीष्टं मन्यमानोऽभिनन्द्य च

Hearing this, Krishna spoke words appropriate to the time and place, welcoming the challenge of wrestling, which he himself desired.

प्रजा भोजपतेरस्य वयं चापि वनेचराः । करवाम प्रियं नित्यं तन्नः परमनुग्रहः

We, the subjects of King Bhoja, and we forest-dwellers as well, will always do what pleases him; that is our greatest favor.

बाला वयं तुल्यबलैः क्रीडिष्यामो यथोचितम् । भवेन्नियुद्धं माधर्मः स्पृशेन्मल्ल सभासदः

We are boys, and will play with those of equal strength as is proper; let the wrestling match be fair, so that the assembly of wrestlers may not find fault with us.

चाणूर उवाच - न बालो न किशोरस्त्वं बलश्च बलिनां वरः । लीलयेभो हतो येन सहस्रद्विपसत्त्वभृत्

Chanura said: You are neither a child nor a youth; you are the foremost among the strong, for by your play the mighty elephant, who bore the strength of a thousand, was slain.

तस्माद् भवद्‍भ्यां बलिभिः योद्धव्यं नानयोऽत्र वै । मयि विक्रम वार्ष्णेय बलेन सह मुष्टिकः

Therefore, you two must wrestle with the strong; there is no evasion here. Let Mushtika contend with Balarama, and let me, O descendant of Vrishni, match my strength with yours.

इति श्रीमद्‍भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां दशमस्कन्धे पूर्वार्धे कुवलयापीडवधो नाम त्रिचत्वारिंशोऽध्यायः

Thus ends the forty-third chapter, entitled 'The Slaying of Kuvalayapida,' in the first half of the tenth book of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the great Purāṇa, the scripture for the paramahamsas.