श्रीपराशर उवाच। इत्यालोच्य स दुष्टात्मा कंसो रामजनार्दनौ । हंतुं कृतमर्तिवीरावक्रूरं वाक्यमब्रवीत्
Śrī Parāśara said: Having thus considered, that wicked-hearted Kaṃsa spoke to Akrūra, the heroic Yadu, to have Rāma and Janārdana killed.
कंस उवाच। भो भो दानपते वाक्यं क्रियतां प्रीतये मम । इतः स्यंदनमारुह्य गम्यतां नंदगोकुलम्
Kaṃsa said: 'Ho, lord of gifts, do as I say to please me: mount the chariot and go to Nanda’s Gokula.'
वसुदेव सुतौ तत्र विषणोरंशसमुद्भवौ । नाशाय किल संभूतौ मम दुष्टौ प्रवर्द्धतः
There, the two sons of Vasudeva, born from a portion of Viṣṇu, have grown up, destined to destroy me, though they are wicked.
धनुर्महो ममाप्यत्र चतुर्दश्यां भविष्यति । आनेयौ भवता गत्वा मल्लयुद्धाय तत्र तौ
My great bow festival will take place here on the fourteenth day; go and bring them for a wrestling match.
चाणूरमुष्टिकौ मल्लौ नियुद्धकुशलौ मम । ताभ्यां सहानयोर्युद्धं सर्वलोकोऽत्र पश्यतु
Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika, my wrestlers skilled in combat, will fight with them, and let the whole world witness their contest.
गजः कुवलयापीडो महामात्रप्रचोदितः । स वा हनिष्यते पापौ वसुदेवात्मजौ शिशू
The elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa, urged on by my chief mahout, will kill those two sinful sons of Vasudeva, still children.
तौ हत्वा वसुदेवं च नंदगोपं च दुर्मतिम् । हनिष्ये पितरं चैनमुग्रसेनं सुदुर्मतिम्
After killing Vasudeva and the wicked Nanda Gopa, I will also slay his father, Ugrasena, who is most evil-minded.
ततस्समस्तगोपानां गोधनान्यखिलान्यहम् । वित्तं चापहरिष्यामि दुष्टानां मद्वधैषिणाम्
Then I will seize all the cattle and wealth of the cowherds who are hostile and seek my destruction.
त्वामृते यादवाश्चैते द्विषो दानपते मम । एतेषां च वधायाहं यतिष्येऽनुक्रमात्ततः
Except for you, O lord of gifts, all these Yadavas are my enemies; I will strive to destroy them one by one.
तदा निष्कंटकं सर्वं राज्यमेतदयादवम् । प्रसाधिष्ये त्वया तस्मान्मत्प्रीत्यै वीर गम्यताम्
At that time, I will establish the entire Yadava kingdom free from thorns; therefore, go forth, O hero, for my pleasure.
यथा च माहिषं सर्पिर्दधिचाप्युपहार्य वै । गोपास्समानयंत्वाशु तथा वाच्यास्त्वया च ते
Just as ghee and curds are brought for the buffalo, so too must you instruct your people to quickly bring the cowherds.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। इत्याज्ञप्तस्तदाऽक्रूरो महाभागवतो द्विज । प्रीतिमानभवत्कृष्णं श्वो द्रक्ष्यामीति सत्वरः
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus commanded, Akrūra, the great devotee and twice-born, became joyful, eager to see Krishna the next day.
तथेत्युक्त्वा च राजानं रथमारुह्य शोभनम् । निश्चक्राम ततः पुर्य्या मथुराया मधुप्रियः
Having said 'so be it' to the king, he mounted his splendid chariot and departed from the city of Mathura, beloved of Madhu.
श्रीपराशर उवाच । केशी चापि बलोदग्रः कंसदूतः प्रचोदितः । कृष्णस्य निधनाकांक्षी वृंदावनमुपागमत्
Śrī Parāśara said: Keśī, strong in might and sent as Kamsa's messenger, desiring Krishna's death, entered Vrindavan.
स खुरक्षतभूपृष्ठस्सटाक्षेपधुतांबुदः । द्रुतविक्रांतचंद्रार्कमार्गो गोपानुपाद्रवत्
He, with hooves that wounded the earth, clouds scattered by his tail's motion, and rushing along the paths of moon and sun, charged at the cowherds.
तस्य हेषितशब्देन गोपाला दैत्यवाजिनः । गोप्यश्च भयसंविग्ना गोविंदं शरणं ययुः
At the sound of his neighing, the cowherds and the demon-horse's grooms, as well as the frightened cowherd women, sought refuge in Govinda.
त्राहित्राहीति गोविंदः श्रुत्वा तेषां ततो वचः । सतोयजलदध्वानगंभीरमिदमुक्तवान्
Hearing their cries of 'Save us, save us!' Govinda, with a voice deep as thunderclouds, spoke these words.
अलं त्रासेन गोपालाः केशिनः किं भयातुरैः । भवद्भिर्गोपजातीयैर्वीरवीर्यं विलोप्यते
Enough of fear, cowherds! Why be so afraid of Keśī? Among you, born of cowherds, courage is lost through fear.
किमनेनाल्पसारेण हेषिताटोपकारिणा । दैतेयबलवाह्येन वल्गता दुष्टवाजिना
What is there in this lowly creature, whose neighing only causes alarm, this demon-powered, wicked horse leaping about?
एह्येहि दुष्ट कृष्णोऽहं पूष्णस्त्विव पिनाकधृत् । पातयिष्यामि दशनान्वदनादखिलांस्तव
Come, come, wicked one! I am Krishna, like Pinaka-wielder for Pūṣan; I will strike down all your teeth from your mouth.
इत्युक्त्वाऽस्फोट्य गोविंदः केशिनस्संमुखं ययौ । विवृतास्यश्च सोप्येनं दैतेयाश्व उपाद्रवत्
Having spoken thus and clapped his hands, Govinda advanced toward Keśī; with mouth wide open, the demon-horse rushed at him.
बाहुमाभोगिनं कृत्वा मुखे तस्य जनार्दनः । प्रवेशयामास तदा केशिनो दुष्टवाजिनः
Janardana, making his arm serpent-like, then inserted it into the mouth of Keśī, the wicked horse.
केशिनो वदनं तेन विशता कृष्णबाहुना । शातिता दशनाः पेतुः सिताब्भ्रावयवा इव
As Krishna's arm entered Keśī's mouth, his teeth were shattered and fell, like fragments of white clouds.
कृष्णस्य ववृधे बाहुः केशिदेहगतो द्विज । विनाशाय यथा व्याधिरासंभूतेरुपेक्षितः
Krishna's arm, dwelling within Keśī's body, grew in strength, just as a disease increases when neglected, O twice-born.
विपाटितोष्ठो बहुलं सफेनं रुधिरं वमन् । सोक्षिणी विवृते चक्रे विशिष्टे मुक्तबंधने
His lips split open, he vomited much blood mixed with foam; his eyes rolled, and his jaws, freed from restraint, gaped wide.
जघान धरणीं पादैश्शकृन्मूत्रं समुत्सृजन् । स्वेदार्द्र गात्रश्शांतश्च निर्यत्नस्सोऽभवत्तदा
Struck down, he released dung and urine upon the ground with his feet; his body drenched in sweat, subdued and exhausted, he became powerless.
व्यादितास्यमहारंध्रस्सोऽसुरः कृष्णबाहुना । निपातितो द्विधा भूमौ वैद्युतेन यथा द्रुमः
That demon, his mouth and great cavity agape, was struck down by Krishna's arm and fell split in two upon the earth, like a tree struck by lightning.
द्विपादे पृष्ठपुच्छार्द्धे श्रवणैकाक्षिनासिके । केशिनस्ते द्विधा भूते शकले द्वे विरेजतुः
Of the horse, with its two legs, half its back and tail, one ear, eye, and nostril, when split in two, the two halves shone forth.
हत्वा तु केशिनं कृष्णो गोपलैर्मुदितैर्वृतः । अनायस्ततनुस्स्वस्थो हसंस्तत्रैव तस्थिवान्
Having slain Keshi, Krishna, surrounded by joyful cowherds, stood there at ease, his body unwearied and his mind at peace, smiling.
ततो गोप्यश्च गोपाश्च हते केशिनि विस्मिताः । तुष्टुवुः पुंडरीकाक्षमनुरागमनोरमम्
Then the cowherd women and men, astonished at Keshi's death, praised the lotus-eyed one, delightful in his affection.