Narayana Krishna

For long, Kamsa had been fearing that Krishna would suddenly pounce upon him unannounced. Every minute and every second had been spent in that fright which gave him sleepless nights and nightmares. He had spent years suspiciously looking at every person and every object fearing that it could be Krishna in disguise. His fears turned true when Krishna really pounced upon the royal dais. For years he had searched for this Krishna so as to get rid of him, but in vain. That person who was death personified, that person who had given him immense mental pain was suddenly before his eyes! Hastily he picked up his sword and shield, ready to attack this enemy.

Maharishi Śuka continued, “Flashing the sword and shield, Kamsa began to vigorously rotate right and left like a hawk ready to attack Krishna. However, Kamsa, who was flashing his sword right and left briskly, could not withstand the radiance of Krishna who was nearing him. Very forcefully he hit Krishna, the son of Vasudeva, as frenziedly and swiftly as eagle Garuda, the son of Kashyapa, would attack a snake.

Srikrishna, who is self-willed and who is the refuge for the entire creation, angrily grabbed Kamsa by his hair causing his weighty, golden crown to slip and fall. He forcibly dragged and threw Kamsa from the royal dais on to the wrestling ground below and pounced upon him. Even as he was falling from above, the life-force departed from Kamsa”.

Sri Krishna Parabrahmane namah. Victory to Krishna! Jay Srikrishna! Jai Jai Krishna!

The event for which we have been looking forward to since a long time has now materialized. Kamsa is dead. The spectators were initially spellbound and then cries of victory began to fill the air. ‘Well done, well done!’ Victory to Krishna!- they began to should in great exuberance. Even the small demons who were witnessing the combat felt relieved upon his death and hence began to cheer his death.

“Srikrishna then dragged the enormous body of the demon Kamsa around the ground as easily as the lion would drag the elephant. The dazzled citizens began to scream, ‘Alas! What has happened?’

Due to trepidation, Kamsa would eternally see the Lord armed with a discus in His hand as standing before him when he was talking, walking, sleeping, drinking, eating or breathing”.

It appears as if he was a true devotee. At every minute he thought of Krishna due to fear of death in His hands.

“Due to this relentless thinking, he could obtain merger into Srikrishna, which otherwise is impossible”.

Despite being wicked-minded, Kamsa had focused exclusively upon the Lord. He met his end at the hands of the Lord and merged into Him.

“Kanka, Nyagrodha and others, who were the eight siblings of Kamsa, began to burn with rage at the death of their elder brother. Seeking to avenge their brother’s death, they collectively pounced upon Balarama and Krishna. Just as the lion kills the cattle, Balarama, the son of Rohini, took a bludgeon and within minutes slaughtered them all”.

All of them were nasty demons filled to the core with cruelty. They could be compared to the merciless man-eaters. Deciding that such demons should not be allowed to live, Balarama mercilessly killed them all.

“The celestials who from heaven, witnessed the death of Kamsa and all his followers beat celestial drums in great joy. Lords Brahma, Indra, Shiva and others, who are partial aspects of the Supreme Lord, showered flowers upon Srikrishna and in great ecstasy they glorified Him. Apsaras danced in happiness.

The wives of Kamsa and his brothers grieved at the death of their husbands. Their eyes welled up with tears. Banging their heads they arrived at the stadium, embraced the bodies of their husbands who had laid down their lives on the battlefield and shed copious tears crying and shouting in grief. They cried, “O beloved! You were adept in the matters of righteousness. You were filled with compassion. You had abundant love for the down-trodden and helpless. With your death, we, your wives and children as good as dead. With your death, this city has been bereft of a king. We, your wives and the citizens of this land are orphaned with your death. Festivities and auspiciousness have abandoned us and this city as well. There can be no more celebration in this city in your absence.

You have grievously harmed innocent animals which have reduced you to this plight”.

Now, these wives were chastising their husband, who brought upon himself this sorrowful state due to harming other innocent creatures.

“O beloved! Those who torture other animals can never obtain happiness”.

Those who oppress others, kill other animals or torture living entities can never obtain happiness.

“sarveṣām iha bhūtānām eṣa hi prabhavāpyayaḥ

goptā ca tad-avadhyāyī na kvacit sukham edhate

This Krishna is none other than the Supreme Lord who creates, sustains and absorbs back into himself all the living entities in the creation”.

Narayana Krishna