With resolute might, Krishna pressed the neck of the demon Ariṣṭa as if wringing out a wet garment, tore off one of his horns, and struck him fiercely with it. Overcome by Krishna’s power, the great demon Ariṣṭa perished, vomiting blood from his mouth. The cowherds rejoiced at this victory, praising Janardana just as the gods once praised Indra when the demon Jambha was slain. In those days, Kakudmin had been vanquished, Ariṣṭa destroyed, Dhenuka struck down, Pralamba killed, and Govardhana Hill held aloft. Kāliya the serpent had been subdued, the two tall trees broken, Pūtanā slain, and the cart overturned. The sage Nārada went to Kaṃsa and recounted, in sequence and without omission, all these wondrous events, beginning from the exchange of Yaśodā and Devakī’s wombs. Hearing all this from Nārada, who had just returned from seeing the gods, Kaṃsa, wicked-minded, was seized with rage against Vasudeva. In his fury, Kaṃsa reproached Vasudeva in the assembly of all the Yādavas, reviled the Yādava clan, and pondered what action he should take. He resolved, “Before Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa, still young boys, gain strength, I must slay them; once they reach maturity, they will be impossible to defeat.” Kaṃsa devised his plan: “Cāṇūra, renowned for his prowess, and Muṣṭika, of immense strength—by these two, I will have those arrogant boys killed in a wrestling match. Under the pretext of the grand bow festival, I will bring them from Vraja, and in this way, ensure their destruction.” With his mind made up, Kaṃsa summoned Akrūra and spoke to him. “O generous lord, listen to my words for my pleasure: mount your chariot and go to Nanda’s cowherd village. There, the sons of Vasudeva, born from a portion of Viṣṇu, have arisen for my destruction and are wicked, growing up. The grand bow festival will take place on the fourteenth day; you must bring those two for wrestling there. Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika, my wrestlers skilled in combat, will fight with them; let the whole world witness their battle. The elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, driven by the chief mahout, will kill those wicked sons of Vasudeva, though they are children. After killing them, Vasudeva, Nandagopa, and that wicked one, I will also slay my father and Ugrasena, both evil-minded. Then, I will seize all the cattle and wealth of the cowherds, enemies who desire my death. Except for you, O generous lord, all these Yādavas are wicked; I will strive to destroy them, one by one. Afterwards, I will rule this entire kingdom, free of thorns and Yādavas; therefore, for my pleasure, O hero, go forth. Just as cowherds swiftly bring offerings of clarified butter and curds to a buffalo, so too must you speak to them in the same way.” Thus commanded, Akrūra, the great devotee, became joyful, eager with the thought, “Tomorrow I shall see Krishna.” Saying, “So be it,” he quickly mounted his chariot and departed from the city of Mathura. Meanwhile, Keśi, the powerful and mighty demon horse, urged on by Kaṃsa as his messenger and desiring Krishna’s death, arrived at Vrindavan. With the earth’s surface torn by his hooves and clouds shaken by the lash of his mane, he advanced along the path of the sun and moon, reaching the cowherds. At the sound of his neighing, the cowherds and cowherd women, terrified by the demon horse, sought refuge in Govinda. Hearing their cries of “Save us! Save us!” Govinda, his voice deep as thunderclouds full of rain, spoke to them: “Enough of fear, cowherds! Why be so afraid of Keśi? Does the valor of your cowherd race vanish in the face of terror? What is this insignificant, neighing, demon-powered, wicked horse, prancing about, that you should be alarmed? Come, come, you wicked one! I am Krishna, the wielder of the bow like Pūṣan; I shall knock out all your teeth from your mouth.” Having spoken thus, Govinda went to face Keśi, and the demon, mouth agape, rushed at him. Janardana made his arm like a serpent and thrust it into the mouth of Keśi, the wicked horse. As Krishna’s arm entered Keśi’s mouth, his teeth were shattered, white as clouds. Krishna’s arm, dwelling within Keśi’s body, grew in size for the demon’s destruction, just as a disease increases when neglected. With lips torn apart, vomiting copious frothy blood, his jaws wide open and his bonds loosened, Keśi became unbound. He staggered on the ground, releasing excrement and urine, his body drenched in sweat, exhausted and powerless. That fierce demon, mouth agape, struck by Krishna’s arm, fell split in two, like a tree struck by lightning. With his two legs, back, tail, half an ear, one eye, and nose, Keśi, split in two, lay shining in pieces. Having slain Keśin, Krishna, surrounded by joyful cowherds, stood there, his body unwearied, at ease, and smiling. The cowherds and cowherd women, astonished at the slaying of Keśin, praised the lotus-eyed one, delighted by his affection.