ततस्तूत्प्लुत्य वेगेन रौहिणेयो महाबलः । जघान वामपादेन मस्तके हस्तिनं रुषा
Then, leaping swiftly, the mighty son of Rohiṇī struck the elephant’s head with his left foot in anger.
स पपात हतस्तेन बलभद्रे ण लीलया । सहस्राक्षेण वज्रेण ताडितः पर्वतो यथा
Struck thus by Balabhadra in sport, the elephant fell dead, as a mountain struck by Indra’s thunderbolt.
हत्वा कुवलयापीडं हस्त्यारोहप्रचोदितम् । मदासृगनुलिप्तांगौ हस्तिदंतवरायुधौ
Having slain Kuvalayāpīḍa, urged on by the elephant driver, their bodies smeared with blood and ichor, armed with the best of elephant tusks—
मृगमध्ये यथा सिंहौ गर्वलीलावलोकिनौ । प्रविष्टौ सुमहारंगं बलभद्र जनार्दनौ
Like two lions among deer, gazing about with playful pride, Balabhadra and Janārdana entered the great arena.
हाहाकारो महाञ्जज्ञे महारंगे त्वनंतरम् । कृष्णोऽयं बलभद्रो यमिति लोकस्य विस्मयः
A great outcry arose in the vast arena, as people marveled, saying, 'This is Krishna, and that is Balabhadra!'
सोऽयं येन हता घोरा पूतना बालघातिनी । क्षिप्तं तु शकटं येन भग्नौ तु यमलार्जुनौ
This is he by whom the dreadful, child-killing Putana was slain; by whom the cart was hurled, and the twin Arjuna trees were broken.
सोयं यः कालियं नागं ममर्दारुह्य वालकः । धृतो गोवर्द्धनो येन सप्तरात्रं महागिरिः
This is the boy who subdued the serpent Kaliya by climbing upon him; who held up the great mountain Govardhana for seven nights.
अरिष्टो धेनुकः केशी लीलयैव महात्मना । निहता येन दुर्वृत्ता दृश्यतामेष सोऽच्युतः
Arishta, Dhenuka, and Keshi—those wicked ones—were effortlessly slain by this high-souled one; behold, this is Achyuta.
अयं चास्य महाबाहुर्बलभद्रो ऽग्रतोऽग्रजः । प्रयाति लीलया योषिन्मनोनयननंदनः
And here is his mighty-armed elder brother, Balabhadra, proceeding ahead with playful ease, a delight to the eyes and hearts of women.
अयं स कथ्यते प्राज्ञैः पुराणार्थविशारदैः । गोपालो यादवं वंशं मग्नमभ्यद्धरिष्यति
This very one is proclaimed by the wise, skilled in the meaning of the Puranas, as the cowherd who will uplift the Yadava lineage, now sunk low.
अयं हि सर्वलोकस्य विष्णोरखिलजन्मनः । अवतीर्णो महीमंशो नूनं भारहरो भुवः
Indeed, he is a great portion of Vishnu, the source of all beings, descended to earth, surely to relieve the burden of the world.
इत्येवं वर्णिते पौरै रामे कृष्णे च तत्क्षणात् । उरस्तताप देवक्याः स्नेहस्नुतपयोधरम्
As the townspeople thus described Rama and Krishna, at that very moment Devaki's breast, moist with affection, throbbed with emotion.
महोत्सवमिवासाद्य पुत्राननविलोकनात् । युवेव वसुदेवोऽभूद्विहायाभ्यागतां जराम्
Having attained the great joy of seeing his sons' faces, Vasudeva became youthful again, as if old age had left him.
विस्तारिताक्षियुगलो राजांतःपुरयोषिताम् । नागरस्त्रीसमूहश्च द्र ष्टुं न विरराम तम्
The women of the royal inner chambers gazed with wide, unblinking eyes, and the city ladies' groups did not cease looking at him.
सख्यः पश्यत कृष्णस्य मुखमत्यरुणेक्षणम् । गजयुद्धकृतायासस्वेदांबुकणिकाचितम्
Friends, look at Krishna's face, with its deeply reddish eyes, adorned with drops of sweat from the exertion of the elephant fight.
विकासिशरदंभोजमपश्यामजलोक्षितम् । परिभूयं स्थितं जन्म सफलं क्रियतां दृशः
We see his face like a blooming autumn lotus, moistened with water, standing above all; let our eyes be fulfilled by this birth.
श्रीवत्सांकं महद्धाम बालस्यैतद्विलोक्यताम् । विपक्षक्षपणं वक्षो भुजयुग्मं च भामिनि
Behold, O beautiful one, the great splendor of the boy marked with the Srivatsa; his chest, the destroyer of foes, and his pair of arms.
किं न पश्यसि दुग्धेंदुमृणालधवलाकृतिम् । बलभद्र मिमं नीलपरिधानमुपागतम्
Why do you not see Balabhadra, whose form is white as milk, the moon, and lotus stalks, now arrived wearing blue garments?
वल्गतामुष्टिकेनैव चाणूरेण तथा सखि । क्रीडतो बलभद्र स्य हरेर्हास्यं विलोक्यताम्
See Balabhadra playing, O friend, with Mustika and Chanura, and behold the smile of Hari.
सख्यः पश्यत चाणूरं नियुद्धार्थमयं हरिः । समुपैति न संत्यत्र किं वृद्धा मुक्तकारिणः
Friends, look—Hari approaches Chanura for wrestling; there is no hesitation here—are the elders permitting this?
क्व यौवनोन्मुखीभूतसुकुमारतनुर्हरिः । क्व वज्रकठिनाभोगशरीरोऽयं महासुरः
How can Hari, whose tender body is just entering youth, be matched against this great demon, whose form is hard as thunder?
इमौ सुललितैरंगैर्वर्त्तेते नवयौवनौ । दैतेयमल्लाश्चाणूरप्रमुखास्त्वतिदारुणाः
These two, with their graceful limbs, are in the bloom of youth, while the demon wrestlers, led by Chanura, are exceedingly fierce.
नियुद्धप्राश्निकानां तु महानेष व्यतिक्रमः । यद्बालबलिनोर्युद्धं मध्यस्थैस्समुपेक्ष्यते
Indeed, this is a great transgression among those who judge wrestling matches: that a contest between a child and a strong man is witnessed in silence by the referees.
श्रीपराशर उवाच। इत्थं पुरस्त्रीलोकस्व वदतश्चालयन्भुवम् । ववल्ग बद्धकक्ष्यॐतर्जनस्य भगवान्हरिः
Śrī Parāśara said: Thus, as he spoke within the city, shaking the earth, the blessed Hari leapt, his belt fastened, amid the assembly of people.
बलभद्रो ऽपि चास्फोट्य ववल्गललितं तथा । पदेपदे तथा भूमिर्यन्न शीर्णा तदद्भुतम्
And Balabhadra too, striking the ground, leapt about gracefully; it was astonishing that the earth did not break at every step.
चाणूरेण ततः कृष्णो ययुधेऽमितविक्रमः । नियुद्धकुशलो दैत्यो बलभद्रे ण मुष्टिकः
Then Kṛṣṇa, of immeasurable prowess, fought with Cāṇūra, while the demon wrestler Muṣṭika, skilled in wrestling, engaged with Balabhadra.
सन्निपातावधूतैस्तु चाणूरेण समं हरिः । प्रक्षेपणैर्मुष्टिभिश्च कीलवज्रनिपातनैः
Hari contended with Cāṇūra, both hurling and striking with fists, blows like thunderbolts, and wrestling holds.
पादोद्धूतैः प्रमृष्टैश्च तयोर्युद्धमभून्महत्
Their great battle was fought with kicks, pushes, and grappling.
अशस्त्रमतिघोरं तत्तयोर्युद्धं सुदारुणम् । बलप्राणविनिष्पाद्यं समाजोत्सवसन्निधौ
That fight between the two, though weaponless, was exceedingly fierce and dreadful, displaying strength and vitality before the festival assembly.
यावद्यावच्च चाणूरो युयुधे हरिणा सह । प्राणहानिमवापाग्र्यां तावत्तावल्लवाल्लवम्
As long as Cāṇūra fought with Hari, so long did the cowherds and townspeople hold their breath, awaiting the outcome.