Bhagavata Purana

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.

चाणूरमुष्टिकादीनां मल्लानां निधनं कंसस्य वधश्च - श्रीशुक उवाच - ( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं चर्चितसङ्‌कल्पो भगवान् मधुसूदनः । आससादाथ चणूरं मुष्टिकं रोहिणीसुतः

Śuka said: Thus, with his resolve honored, the Lord Madhusudana, along with the son of Rohini, approached Chanura and Mushtika.

हस्ताभ्यां हस्तयोर्बद्ध्वा पद्‍भ्यामेव च पादयोः । विचकर्षतुरन्योन्यं प्रसह्य विजिगीषया

Locking hands with hands and feet with feet, they forcefully dragged each other, each eager for victory.

अरत्‍नी द्वे अरत्‍निभ्यां जानुभ्यां चैव जानुनी । शिरः शीर्ष्णोरसोरस्तौ अन्योन्यं अभिजघ्नतुः

They struck each other with their fists, knees, and heads, and with their chests and shoulders as well.

परिभ्रामणविक्षेप परिरम्भावपातनैः । उत्सर्पणापसर्पणैः चान्योन्यं प्रत्यरुन्धताम्

With circling, feints, embraces, throws, advances, and retreats, they continually countered each other.

उत्थापनैरुन्नयनैः चालनैः स्थापनैरपि । परस्परं जिगीषन्तौ अपचक्रतुरात्मनः

By lifting, raising, shaking, and holding, each sought to overpower the other, exerting their full strength.

तद्‍बलाबलवद् युद्धं समेताः सर्वयोषितः । ऊचुः परस्परं राजन् सानुकम्पा वरूथशः

Observing this contest of strength and weakness, all the women assembled there, O King, spoke to one another with compassion, in groups.

महानयं बताधर्म एषां राजसभासदाम् । ये बलाबलवद् युद्धं राज्ञोऽन्विच्छन्ति पश्यतः

Alas, what great injustice is this among the king's assembly, that they desire such a contest of strength and weakness before the king, as he looks on!

क्व वज्रसारसर्वाङ्‌गौ मल्लौ शैलेन्द्रसन्निभौ । क्व चातिसुकुमाराङ्‌गौ किशोरौ नाप्तयौवनौ

How can these wrestlers, with bodies hard as thunderbolts and resembling mountain peaks, be matched against these two youths, so delicate and not yet come to full manhood?

धर्मव्यतिक्रमो ह्यस्य समाजस्य ध्रुवं भवेत् । यत्राधर्मः समुत्तिष्ठेत् न स्थेयं तत्र कर्हिचित्

Surely, this assembly will incur a breach of righteousness, for where unrighteousness arises, one should never remain.

न सभां प्रविशेत् प्राज्ञः सभ्यदोषान् अनुस्मरन् । अब्रुवन् विब्रुवन्नज्ञो नरः किल्बिषमश्नुते

A wise person should not enter an assembly, remembering the faults of its members; whether he speaks or remains silent, an ignorant man incurs sin.

वल्गतः शत्रुमभितः कृष्णस्य वदनाम्बुजम् । वीक्ष्यतां श्रमवार्युप्तं पद्मकोशमिवाम्बुभिः

See Krishna's lotus-like face, covered with sweat from exertion as he faces his enemy, like a lotus bud moistened with water.

किं न पश्यत रामस्य मुखमाताम्रलोचनम् । मुष्टिकं प्रति सामर्षं हाससंरम्भशोभितम्

Why do you not see Rāma’s face, with copper-red eyes, adorned with a smile and the flush of anger, shining as he confronts Muṣṭika?

( वसंततिलका ) पुण्या बत व्रजभुवो यदयं नृलिङ्‌ग गूढः पुराणपुरुषो वनचित्रमाल्यः । गाः पालयन्सहबलः क्वणयंश्च वेणुं विक्रीदयाञ्चति गिरित्ररमार्चिताङ्‌घ्रिः

Blessed indeed are the lands of Vraja, where this ancient Person, concealed in human form and adorned with garlands of forest flowers, tends the cows with Balarāma, playing his flute, his feet worshipped by the beloved of the mountain lord, and delights in various pastimes.

गोप्यस्तपः किमचरन् यदमुष्य रूपं लावण्यसारमसमोर्ध्वमनन्यसिद्धम् । दृग्भिः पिबन्त्यनुसवाभिनवं दुरापम् एकान्तधाम यशसः श्रीय ऐश्वरस्य

What austerities did the cowherd women perform, that they could see his form—the very essence of beauty, peerless and unique, ever fresh at every moment, difficult to attain, the sole abode of fame, fortune, and majesty—drinking it in with their eyes?

या दोहनेऽवहनने मथनोपलेप प्रेङ्‌खेङ्‌खनार्भरुदितो-क्षणमार्जनादौ । गायन्ति चैनमनुरक्तधियोऽश्रुकण्ठ्यो धन्या व्रजस्त्रिय उरुक्रमचित्तयानाः

Fortunate are the women of Vraja, whose minds are devoted to the mighty Lord, who, with voices choked by tears, sing of him while milking cows, gathering dung, churning, smearing floors, swinging their children, or sweeping—whatever their work.

प्रातर्व्रजाद् व्रजत आविशतश्च सायं गोभिः समं क्वणयतोऽस्य निशम्य वेणुम् । निर्गम्य तूर्णमबलाः पथि भूरिपुण्याः पश्यन्ति सस्मितमुखं सदयावलोकम्

Morning and evening, as he leaves for the pastures or returns with the cows, playing his flute, the blessed young women quickly come out onto the path to see his smiling face and compassionate glances.

( अनुष्टुप् ) एवं प्रभाषमाणासु स्त्रीषु योगेश्वरो हरिः । शत्रुं हन्तुं मनश्चक्रे भगवान् भरतर्षभ

As the women thus spoke, O best of the Bhāratas, the Lord, master of yoga, Hari, resolved in his mind to slay his enemy.

सभयाः स्त्रीगिरः श्रुत्वा पुत्रस्नेहशुचाऽऽतुरौ । पितरौ अन्वतप्येतां पुत्रयोरबुधौ बलम्

Hearing the fearful words of the women, the parents, distressed by affection and grief for their sons, suffered greatly for the sake of their two sons, unaware of their strength.

तैस्तैर्नियुद्धविधिभिः विविधैरच्युतेतरौ । युयुधाते यथान्योन्यं तथैव बलमुष्टिकौ

With all the various techniques of wrestling, Acyuta and his opponent fought each other, just as Bala and Muṣṭika did.

भगवद्‍गात्रनिष्पातैः वज्रनीष्पेषनिष्ठुरैः । चाणूरो भज्यमानाङ्‌गो मुहुर्ग्लानिमवाप ह

Struck by the blows of the Lord’s limbs, harsh as the grinding of thunderbolts, Cāṇūra’s body was repeatedly battered and he became exhausted.

स श्येनवेग उत्पत्य मुष्टीकृत्य करावुभौ । भगवन्तं वासुदेवं क्रुद्धो वक्षस्यबाधत

With the speed of a hawk, Cāṇūra leapt up, clenched both his fists, and angrily struck Vāsudeva, the Lord, on the chest.

नाचलत् तत्प्रहारेण मालाहत इव द्विपः । बाह्वोर्निगृह्य चाणूरं बहुशो भ्रामयन् हरिः

He did not move at that blow, like an elephant struck by a garland; seizing Cāṇūra by the arms, Hari spun him around many times.

भूपृष्ठे पोथयामास तरसा क्षीण जीवितम् । विस्रस्ताकल्पकेशस्रग् इन्द्रध्वज इवापतत्

He dashed him violently to the ground, his life nearly gone; his hair and garland scattered, he fell like a banner of Indra collapsing.