20211001 Kaṁsa-vadha, Part 1

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 1st, 2021 in Śrī Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Continuation of the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book, the chapter entitled is:

Kaṁsa-vadha, Part 1 
Under the Section: Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s Visit to Śrī Vṛndāvana

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.354

krūra yatana kare nijaghara nite
balila tāhāre—yāba leuṭi āsite

Jayapatākā Swami: Akrūra tried to take Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma to his house. They said, “We will go while returning back.”

Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma had their plan and Kaṁsā had his plan so They wanted to execute Their plan.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.355

kṛṣṇera vilambe gopa mathurā-nikaṭe
sarasvatī-tīre tathā rākhila śakaṭe

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing Kṛṣṇa’s delay in the city, the cowherd men waited for Him in their bullock carts just outside of Mathurā on the banks of the Sarasvatī.

The cowherd men came in order to accompany Kṛṣṇa and see that He is safe, but since He went ahead of them, they were waiting on the banks of the Sarasvatī river

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.356

nanda-ādi gopa yata rākhi’ eikhāne
āgete jānāya kaṁse akrūra āpane

Jayapatākā Swami: Keeping Nanda and other cowherds here, Akrūra went ahead and told Kaṁsa about Their arrival.

Kṛṣṇa dāsa is explaining to Lord Caitanya each place what happened, where Nanda Mahārāja and cowherd men waited, he showed that to Lord Caitanya. He told how Akrūra gave a report to King Kaṁsā.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.357

bujhi’ eikhāne sthiti haiba kathokṣaṇa
mathurā dekhite duibhāira gamana

Jayapatākā Swami: Knowing that they will have to stay here for sometime, the two brothers went to see the Mathurā city.

So, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma, went to Mathurā city to see what was there, since They had unlimited power, They were not afraid of anything.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.358

dekhila rajaka eka durmukha tāra nāma
dekhiyā kāpaḍa māge kṛṣṇa-balarāma

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma saw a washer man named Durmukha and seeing the clothes, They asked some clothing from him.

This washerman was washing the clothes of King Kaṁsā so Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma asked him for some royal cloth.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.359

durmukha pāpiṣṭha sei bole durakṣara
karāgre kāṭiyā tāra phelila kandhara

Jayapatākā Swami: That sinful Durmukha spoke vile words and Kṛṣṇa reciprocated with Durmukha by beheading the demon with His fingertips.

Lord Kṛṣṇa slapped Durmukha and His slap separated the demon’s head, by doing this He gave mercy to the demon. If He had just tolerated the wild words, the demon would have suffered in hell. But by His slapping and beheading his head, the demon was given impersonal liberation.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.360

sei divya vastra pari’ sukhe haraṣite
sudāmā-mālira ghara bhela upanīte

Jayapatākā Swami: Taking those opulent clothes, the boys joyfully dressed Themselves and went to the house of Sudāmā Māli [flower garland-maker].

They were dressed as simple cowherd boys but taking King Kaṁsā's royal clothes They could approach appropriately to King Kaṁsā.

Caitanya Mangala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.361

sudama uṭhiyā kaila caraṇa-vandana
divya mālā gale diyā karaye stavana

Jayapatākā Swami: Getting up, Sudāma worshiped Their lotus feet. After offering a divya garland on the neck, Sudama offered prayers.

So, Sudāma the mālī, he offered a beautiful garland to Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma and he worshipped Their lotus feet. Here we see the difference between the Durumukha, the washerman and Sudāma, the garland-maker, one was a demon and other was a devotee.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.362

tāra pūjā laiyā calilā dui bhāi
tribaṅkā kubujī eka dekhila tathāi

Jayapatākā Swami: Having accepted his worship, the two brothers went and They saw a hunchback woman named Kubjā.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.363

tribaṅkā dekhiyā mane hāsya upajila
upahāsa kari’ tāre ‘āisa āisa’ baila

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing the hunchback,they were amused within and by teasing, He said, “Come, come!”

So, the hunchback lady was carrying sandalwood pulp for King Kaṁsā, but Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma told her to come.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.364

ādare doṅhāre kubjī nijaghara nila
divya gandha aguru śrīaṅge lepila

Jayapatākā Swami: Kubjā respectfully took Them to her house and smeared aromatic aguru paste on Their bodies.

So, Kubjā offered the scented sandalwood paste and aguru on the bodies of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.365

baḍa tuṣṭa hañā kubjī sosara karila
śrī-hastaparaśe kubjī divya-mūrti haila

Jayapatākā Swami: Being ‘satisfied with her service, Lord Kṛṣṇa made her straight; by His divine touch, Kubjī obtained a divine form.

Kubjā became very beautiful and was cured from her hunchback condition by the touch of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa has said that He reciprocates with the devotion of His devotees appropriately.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.366

kāme acetana kubjī cāhe kānu-pāne
lajjā parihari’ kahe bekata-vadane

Jayapatākā Swami: Infatuated with lust, Kubjā looked at Kṛṣṇa. Casting aside her shyness, she expressed her desire to enjoy with Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.367

āśvāsa-vacane tāre tuṣṭa kaila hari
calilā ta’ dui bhāi naṭaveśa dhari

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Hari pacified Kubjā with consoling words and then the two brothers left dressed as dancers.

So, Kṛṣṇa was somewhat embarrassed when Kubjā expressed these lusty things in front of His older brother Lord Balarāma, but He pacified her and told her that He would come back.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.368

tabe dhanur-yajña-sthāne dhanuka bhāṅgilā
kaṁsa-anucara saba mārite dhāilā

Jayapatākā Swami: In the place Dhanur-yajña, Kṛṣṇa broke the sacrificial bow, and all the associates of Kaṁsa came to kill Lord Kṛṣṇa.

So, this bow was so difficult that people could not string the bow, but Lord Krsna could broke it, He was so strong. Then the demon assistants of King Kaṁsā came to kill Lord Kṛṣṇa.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.369

bhagna-dhanu hāte kari’ kaṁsa-cara māri”
sandhyāya calilā yata nanda ādi kari’

Jayapatākā Swami: Taking the sacrificial bow in the hand, Lord Kṛṣṇa killed the associates of Kaṁsa. In the evening Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma, Nanda Mahārāja and the cowherd men went to Kaṁsa’s palace.

So, the Sanoḍiyā brāhmaṇa Kṛṣṇa dāsa is explaining all these pastime place to Lord Caitanya, How Lord Kṛṣṇa took the broken bow and using it as a weapon He killed all the people that attacked Him and then How He, Nanda Maharaha and others went to see King Kaṁsā.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 4.12.1

Translation: Kṛṣṇa Dāsa continued, “Hear of the activities of Kamsa. Now the deeds performed by that wicked man shall be described somewhat.”

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 4.12.2

Translation: “That night, the miscreant Kamsa saw the messenger of death appear in many ways. The next day he hastily prepared the dais and other arrangements for the wrestling contest.”

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.370

sei ta’ rajanī kaṁsa kusvapna dekhila
ati uccatara kari’ e mañca bāṅdhila

Jayapatākā Swami: That night Kaṁsa had a nightmare and so he built this very raised platform.

King Kaṁsā thought that if he built a raised platform he would be protected. This was his foolishness.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.371

ihāra dakṣiṇe hera dui mañca āra
vasudeva-devakīra tare basivāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Towards the south of this, see two more platforms for Vasudeva and Devakī to sit.

So, Kṛṣṇa dāsa was showing all these places to Lord Caitanya.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 4.12.3

Translation: “He sat upon the dais and summoned his friends and relatives. Then having assembled them together, Kaṁsa seated them also upon the dais and spoke while swollen with pride:

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 4.12.4

Translation: “‘Bring Nanda and the host of cowherds, and respectfully offer them seats on the dais. And where are those two boys? I relish a good fight, and now I shall take pleasure in witnessing Their very fierce combat.’”

So, actually Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma are young boys and these were professional fighters,it doesn’t seem like a fair fight and ofcourse we know that Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma had unlimited power but for the local people it didn’t seem fair.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.372

kāli ethā rāma-kṛṣṇa māriba āsiyā
putra-mṛtyu dekhe yena ekhāne basiyā

Jayapatākā Swami: Tomorrow, I will kill Lord Balarāma and Lord Kṛṣṇa. Let Vasudeva and Devakī see the death of their sons sitting from here.

How wicked is this King Kaṁsā, he would like to kill Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma and have their parents witness the death of their sons

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.373

caudige pātra-mitra sabhe kaila mañca
avikala malla-yuddha dekhite susañca

Jayapatākā Swami: Many other raised seats were built around the wrestling arena for Kaṁsa’s courtiers so that they can all see the beautiful wrestling fight.

So, in this way King Kaṁsā constructed an arena with viewing facilities on all sides. He thought that these professional wrestlers would kill Lord Kṛṣṇa, and Lord Balarāma and he wanted everyone to see this.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.374

paścime khanila kūpa sei ta pāmare
dui-bhāi māri’ tāthe phelibāra tare

Jayapatākā Swami: In the west, that sinful King Kaṁsa also dug a well in order to dispose of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma after killing Them.

So, like the story of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, "gācher kāthal gopher thel” jackfruit in the tree and mustard oil on the mustache. Kaṁsā had made all the arrangements what he considered as the certain death of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma. Actually according to the Vedic tradition, after dying one should be cremated, but He was planning to throw Them into the well. He was so wicked.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.375

prabhāte uṭhiyā mañce baise kaṁsarāja
ānaha goyālā saba-deuka rāja-kāja

Jayapatākā Swami: Getting up in the morning, sitting on his royal dias, Kaṁsa ordered his servants, “Bring all the cowherd men into the wrestling arena.”

So, King Kaṁsā wanted to kill Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma so he is inviting the cowherd men to see the death of the two brothers. He is so evil minded.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.376

tāra dui putra āna-kṛṣṇa balarāma
bhāla śuniñāchi tāra dekhiba saṁgrāma

Jayapatākā Swami: “Also bring their two sons, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma. I have heard much about them and I will see their fight.

So, Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma are just sixteen-year-old boys from an external view. And these are professional wrestlers, heavy weight champions, he is assuming that these wrestlers will easily be able to kill Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.377

dhāila se dhāoyā saba rājāra ājñāya
saṁgrāmera śabda śuni’ rāma-kṛṣṇa dhāya

Jayapatākā Swami: They all ran in pursuit of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma following the order of King Kaṁsā, when Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma heard about the fight, They hurried to the arena.

Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma were not afraid to fight, They were running, rushing to the arena.

Murāri Gupta Kaḍaca, 4.12.5

Translation: “Thereafter the two Lords, Lord Balarāma and Lord Janārdana, slew the king of elephants named Kuvalayāpīḍa, who had been strategically placed at the gate, and bearing its tusks They advanced towards the magnificent wrestling arena.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma killed the king of elephants Kuvalayāpīḍa and carrying his tusks from his dead body, they came with the tusks on Their shoulders to the arena.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.378

satvare caliyā gelāgaḍera duyāra
gaḍadvāre gaja āche parvata-ākāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma quickly went to the main gate of the fort wherein stayed an elephant, as big as a mountain (waited to kill the boys).

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.379

rāma-kṛṣṇa dekhi’ ruṣi āise māribāra
ruṣiyā rahilā kṛṣṇa sammukhe tāhāra

Jayapatākā Swami: Seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma, the elephant came in anger to kill Them. Kṛṣṇa stood before him in anger.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.380

śuṇḍe dhari’ ṭhelāṭheli caḍhe tāra kāndhe
māhuta māriyā ṭāna dila dui dante

Jayapatākā Swami: Grabbing its trunk and shoving, Lord Kṛṣṇa climbed upon its back. Killing the elephant keeper, he pulled out the two tusk.

Lord Kṛṣṇa, as explained before, He killed the elephant and the elephant keeper and He took the two tusks - one was carried by Lord Kṛṣṇa and one was carried by Lord Balarāma.

Caitanya Maṅgala, Śeṣa-khaṇḍa 2.381

danta upāḍiyā puccha dhariyā ghurāya
ākāśe tuliyā cāri-yojana phelāya

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Kṛṣṇa snapped off the elephant’s tusks, whirled him around by his tail, and flung him thirty-two miles away.

Although the elephant was as big as a mountain, Lord Kṛṣṇa could easily swing his dead body and throw him away 32 miles.

Thus ends the chapter entitled, Part 1 Kaṁsa-vadha