इत्य् आलोच्य स दुष्टात्मा कंसो रामजनार्दनौ हन्तुं कृतमतिर् वीरम् अक्रूरं वाक्यम् अब्रवीत्
Having resolved thus, that evil-minded Kaṃsa made up his mind to kill Rāma and Janārdana, and spoke to Akrūra.
भो भो दानपते वाक्यं क्रियतां प्रीतये मम इतः स्यन्दनम् आरुह्य गम्यतां नन्दगोकुलम्
O generous lord, listen to my words for my pleasure: mount your chariot and go to Nanda’s cowherd village.
वसुदेवसुतौ तत्र विष्णोर् अंशसमुद्भवौ नाशाय किल संभूतौ मम दुष्टौ प्रवर्धतः
There, the sons of Vasudeva, born from a portion of Viṣṇu, have arisen for my destruction and are wicked, growing up.
धनुर्महमहायागश् चतुर्दश्यां भविष्यति आनेयौ भवता तौ तु मल्लयुद्धाय तत्र वै
The grand bow festival will take place on the fourteenth day; you must bring those two for wrestling there.
चाणूरमुष्टिकौ मल्लौ नियुद्धकुशलौ मम ताभ्यां सहानयोर् युद्धं सर्वलोको ऽत्र पश्यतु
Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika, my wrestlers skilled in combat, will fight with them; let the whole world witness their battle.
नागः कुवलयापीडो महामात्रप्रचोदितः स तौ निहंस्यते पापौ वसुदेवात्मजौ शिशू
The elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, driven by the chief mahout, will kill those wicked sons of Vasudeva, though they are children.
तौ हत्वा वसुदेवं च नन्दगोपं च दुर्मतिम् हनिष्ये पितरं चैव उग्रसेनं च दुर्मतिम्
After killing them, Vasudeva, Nandagopa, and that wicked one, I will also slay my father and Ugrasena, both evil-minded.
ततः समस्तगोपानां गोधनान्य् अखिलान्य् अहम् वित्तं चापहरिष्यामि दुष्टानां मद्वधैषिणाम्
Then, I will seize all the cattle and wealth of the cowherds, enemies who desire my death.
त्वाम् ऋते यादवाश् चेमे दुष्टा दानपते मम एतेषां च वधायाहं प्रयतिष्याम्य् अनुक्रमात्
Except for you, O generous lord, all these Yādavas are wicked; I will strive to destroy them, one by one.
ततो निष्कण्टकं सर्वं राज्यम् एतद् अयादवम् प्रसाधिष्ये त्वया तस्मान् मत्प्रीत्या वीर गम्यताम्
Afterwards, I will rule this entire kingdom, free of thorns and Yādavas; therefore, for my pleasure, O hero, go forth.
यथा च माहिषं सर्पिर् दधि चाप्य् उपहार्य वै गोपाः समानयन्त्य् आशु त्वया वाच्यास् तथा तथा
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.
इत्य् आज्ञप्तस् तदाक्रूरो महाभागवतो द्विजाः प्रीतिमान् अभवत् कृष्णं श्वो द्रक्ष्यामीति सत्वरः
Thus commanded, Akrura, the great devotee, became joyful, O twice-born, eager with the thought, 'Tomorrow I shall see Krishna.'
तथेत्य् उक्त्वा तु राजानं रथम् आरुह्य सत्वरः निश्चक्राम तदा पुर्या मथुराया मधुप्रियः
Saying 'So be it,' he quickly mounted the chariot, and then the beloved of Madhu departed from the city of Mathura.
केशी चापि बलोदग्रः कंसदूतः प्रचोदितः कृष्णस्य निधनाकाङ्क्षी वृन्दावनम् उपागमत्
Keśi, the powerful and mighty, urged on by Kamsa as his messenger and desiring Krishna's death, arrived at Vrindavan.
स खुरक्षतभूपृष्ठः सटाक्षेपधुताम्बुदः पुनर् विक्रान्तचन्द्रार्कमार्गो गोपान्तम् आगमत्
With the earth's surface torn by his hooves and clouds shaken by the lash of his mane, he again advanced along the path of the sun and moon, reaching the cowherds.
तस्य ह्रेषितशब्देन गोपाला दैत्यवाजिनः गोप्यश् च भयसंविग्ना गोविन्दं शरणं ययुः
At the sound of his neighing, the cowherds and the cowherd women, terrified by the demon horse, sought refuge in Govinda.
त्राहि त्राहीति गोविन्दस् तेषां श्रुत्वा तु तद्वचः सतोयजलदध्वानगम्भीरम् इदम् उक्तवान्
Hearing their cries of 'Save us! Save us!' Govinda, his voice deep as thunderclouds full of rain, spoke these words.
अलं त्रासेन गोपालाः केशिनः किं भयातुरैः भवद्भिर् गोपजातीयैर् वीरवीर्यं विलोप्यते
Enough of fear, cowherds! Why be so afraid of Keśi? Does the valor of your cowherd race vanish in the face of terror?
किम् अनेनाल्पसारेण ह्रेषितारोपकारिणा दैतेयबलवाह्येन वल्गता दुष्टवाजिना
What is this insignificant, neighing, demon-powered, wicked horse, prancing about, that you should be alarmed?
एह्य् एहि दुष्ट कृष्णो ऽहं पूष्णस् त्व् इव पिनाकधृक् पातयिष्यामि दशनान् वदनाद् अखिलांस् तव
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.
इत्य् उक्त्वा स तु गोविन्दः केशिनः संमुखं ययौ विवृतास्यश् च सो ऽप्य् एनं दैतेयश् च उपाद्रवत्
Having spoken thus, Govinda went to face Keśi, and the demon, mouth agape, rushed at him.
बाहुम् आभोगिनं कृत्वा मुखे तस्य जनार्दनः प्रवेशयाम् आस तदा केशिनो दुष्टवाजिनः
Janardana made his arm like a serpent and thrust it into the mouth of Keśi, the wicked horse.
केशिनो वदनं तेन विशता कृष्णबाहुना शातिता दशनास् तस्य सिताभ्रावयवा इव
As Krishna's arm entered Keśi's mouth, his teeth were shattered, white as clouds.
कृष्णस्य ववृधे बाहुः केशिदेहगतो द्विजाः विनाशाय यथा व्याधिर् आप्तभूतैर् उपेक्षितः
Krishna's arm, dwelling within Keśi's body, grew in size, O twice-born, for his destruction, just as a disease increases when neglected by those possessed by it.
विपाटितौष्ठो बहुलं सफेनं रुधिरं वमन् सृक्कणी विवृते चक्रे विश्लिष्टे मुक्तबन्धने
With lips torn apart, vomiting copious frothy blood, his jaws wide open and his bonds loosened, he became unbound.
जगाम धरणीं पादैः शकृन्मूत्रं समुत्सृजन् स्वेदार्द्रगात्रः श्रान्तश् च निर्यत्नः सो ऽभवत् ततः
He staggered on the ground, releasing excrement and urine, his body drenched in sweat, exhausted, and powerless.
व्यादितास्यो महारौद्रः सो ऽसुरः कृष्णबाहुना निपपात द्विधाभूतो वैद्युतेन यथा द्रुमः
That fierce demon, mouth agape, struck by Krishna's arm, fell split in two, like a tree struck by lightning.
द्विपादपृष्ठपुच्छार्धश्रवणैकाक्षनासिके केशिनस् ते द्विधा भूते शकले च विरेजतुः
With his two legs, back, tail, half an ear, one eye, and nose, Keśi, split in two, lay shining in pieces.
हत्वा तु केशिनं कृष्णो मुदितैर् गोपकैर् वृतः अनायस्ततनुः स्वस्थो हसंस् तत्रैव संस्थितः
Having slain Keśin, Kṛṣṇa, surrounded by joyful cowherds, stood there, his body unwearied, at ease, and smiling.
ततो गोपाश् च गोप्यश् च हते केशिनि विस्मिताः तुष्टुवुः पुण्डरीकाक्षम् अनुरागमनोरमम्
Then the cowherds and cowherd women, astonished at the slaying of Keśin, praised the lotus-eyed one, delightful in his affection.