Narayana Krishna

“Balarama, who with his huge physique was as mighty as a tiny baby elephant, entered the palm grove and violently shook the palm trees with his shoulders causing their fruits to fall to the ground. The demon who was in the guise of a donkey heard the sound of the falling fruits and madly came dashing in the direction of the sound. As the mighty donkey rushed towards them, the earth together with all mountains and trees experienced tremors”.

When the demon, who was in the guise of a donkey, was rushing towards them, due to his weight the entire area experienced tremors as if it had been hit by an earthquake.

“The demon rushed violently towards Balarama and then, using both his hind legs, struck Balarama powerfully on his chest while braying horrendously. Thereafter, the demon ran all around the trees screaming in frenzy. Then, once again he neared Balarama and standing with his back facing the boy, raised his hind legs in order to kick him violently. The moment the donkey-demon lifted his hind legs, Balarama caught them both with one hand, swirled the demon round and round in the air before flinging him towards the huge tall palm tree”.

Why would Balarama remain quiet when the demon returned to attack him? Effortlessly with one hand he caught both the hind legs of the donkey, swirled him round and round as easily as he had swirled the palm trees and then flung him forcefully towards a palm tree in the forest. Such was Balarama’s might!

“Even as Balarama was swirling him in the air, the demon’s life-force merged into the external air. Due to the force with which Balarama flung the donkey’s corpse, the palm tree on which it fell shook violently before crashing on to the adjoining tree, which in turn crashed on the tree next to it. In this way, one after another a few huge palm trees came crashing down.”

In normal course, these trees were so huge and strong that no human could break them. The demon however was so mighty that his body weight caused a few trees to come crashing down.

“When Balarama flung the corpse of the demon upon the palm tree, all the palm trees in the forest shook violently as if they were struck by a hurricane. Balarama is none other than Ananta, the 1000 headed serpent-lord who supports this entire universe. What can be astonishing in this sport exhibited by him? He is the ruler for this universe which is His creation and is like a web spun within Him.

Witnessing the death of their relative Dhenuka, all the other demons in the forest, who were also in the guise of donkeys were agitated, annoyed and in unabated fury, collectively rushed towards Balarama and Krishna, braying horrendously”.

They were not like the ordinary donkeys often seen. In might and in size they were unimaginably huge.

“Balarama and Krishna playfully caught the hind legs of each donkey as it approached them and dashed it against a palm tree in the forest. With this, the entire forest was filled with loads and loads of palm fruits which were scattered everywhere”.

Balarama and Krishna were flinging the donkeys towards the palm trees. Due to the might of the demon and the force with which they had hit the tree, the fruits on the tree fell on the ground. In this way the forest was filled with corpses and fruits.

“The heads of the donkeys broke due to the force with which they banged against the trees. As the corpses came crashing down, they brought along with them the tops of the palm trees. The entire forest which was filled with fruit and the tops of the palm trees shone like the skies that were overcast with rainy clouds.

Impressed with this feat exhibited by Krishna and Balarama, the celestials rained flowers upon them”.

The death of this demon was a great relief to the Devatas. Krishna and Balarama had freed the place from hundreds of demons in one go.

“Some palm trees had crashed completely. Some were broken in half. Some were bent. Some lost their tops. The fruits from all the trees were now on the ground”.

There is one noteworthy point here. In this particular incident, the demons were in the guise of donkeys. In general, using their magical powers these demons wander only in air. They do not walk on earth. It was Krishna who influenced Balarama. Even before they reached the palm grove he had been praising his brother. By praising him extensively he had entrusted this task of killing the demon to Balarama. In this we should not forget that Balarama himself was the Lord of the universe. His might was unsurpassed. Initially even Balarama was puzzled as to why Krishna was praising him profusely. We, the audience, realized that Krishna had something up his sleeve. He triggered Balarama and ensured that the demon met his end in Balarama’s hands.

“The celestials beat kettle-drums and other auspicious instruments. Maharishis sang in praise of the two boys. With the elimination of man-eater demon Dhenuka, human beings could wander through the forest fearlessly. The boys who had accompanied Krishna and Balarama feasted on the palm fruits to their satisfaction. The cattle grazed happily in that forest. The boys thus fulfilled their desire.

By listening to or singing the glories of Srikrishna, the lotus-eyes Lord, the human being is purified. Such Śrikrishna, together with brother Balarama, returned back to the hamlet even as his friends were profusely glorifying and singing His praises. Krishna’s curly locks were filled with the dust that had been raised by the hooves of the cows. Despite this extra-ordinary feat, Krishna and Balarama were not exhausted”.

Krishna Krishna