Canto Ten - Chapter 34

Śrī Śuka said: Once, eager to take part in a festival for a deity, the cowherd men yoked oxen to their carts and set out for Ambikā Forest.

O King, after bathing there in the Sarasvatī, they devoutly worshiped the mighty Lord Paśupati and the goddess Ambikā with suitable offerings.

With reverence they all gave cows, gold, garments, honey, and food prepared with honey to the brāhmaṇas, praying, 'May the Lord be pleased with us.'

The greatly blessed Nanda, Sunanda, and the others observed their vows and spent that night on the bank of the Sarasvatī, taking only water.

A great serpent, extremely hungry, happened to enter that forest and began swallowing Nanda as he slept.

Caught by the serpent, Nanda cried out, 'Kṛṣṇa! Kṛṣṇa! My dear son, this huge snake is swallowing me! I have taken refuge in You, so please rescue me!'

Hearing his cries, the cowherd men leapt up. Distraught at seeing him in the serpent's grasp, they struck the snake with blazing firebrands.

Though scorched by the burning brands, the serpent would not release Nanda. Then Bhagavān, the Lord of the Sātvatas, came forward and touched it with His foot.

The touch of Bhagavān's glorious foot destroyed all the serpent's misfortune. Casting off its snake body, it assumed a beautiful form worthy of worship among the Vidyādharas.

The golden-garlanded man stood before Hṛṣīkeśa, bowed down, and radiant in form. The Lord questioned him.

'Who are you, whose extraordinary appearance shines with such exalted splendor? How were you helplessly brought to this loathsome condition?'

The serpent replied: I am a certain Vidyādhara known as Sudarśana. Blessed with beauty and excellence of form, I used to travel through all directions in my celestial aircraft.

Proud of my beauty, I laughed at some misshapen sages of the lineage of Aṅgirā. Offended by me, they sent me into this form of life through the consequences of my own sin.

Yet those compassionate sages pronounced their curse only to bestow grace upon me, for through it the teacher of the worlds has touched me with His foot and destroyed my misfortune.

O destroyer of affliction, freed from the curse by the touch of Your foot, I now ask leave of You, who remove the fear of those frightened by material existence when they surrender to You.

Great yogin, Supreme Person, Lord of the saintly, I have surrendered to You. O divine Lord of the lords of every world, please grant me permission to depart.

Acyuta, merely by seeing You I have at once been freed from the brāhmaṇas' punishment. Anyone who utters Your name immediately purifies himself and everyone who hears it. How much more, then, must one be purified by the touch of Your foot!

Having thus received permission from Dāśārha, Sudarśana circumambulated Him, bowed in reverence, and departed for heaven. Nanda, meanwhile, was delivered from his peril.

O King, beholding this manifestation of Kṛṣṇa's personal glory, the people of Vraja were filled with wonder. After completing their observance at that holy place, they returned to Vraja, reverently recounting what had occurred.

On another occasion, Govinda and Rāma, whose prowess is wondrous, sported at night in the forest, standing amid the women of Vraja.

The affectionate women sang gracefully of the two brothers, whose bodies were beautifully adorned and anointed, who wore garlands and spotless garments.

They honored the beginning of the night, when the moon and stars had risen, when bees intoxicated by the fragrance of jasmine filled the air, and when the breeze carried the scent of night-blooming lilies.

Together the two brothers sang in a scale rising through the full range of notes, and Their song brought auspiciousness to the minds and ears of every living being.

O King, hearing Their song, the gopīs fell into such ecstasy that they did not notice their fine garments slipping, nor their hair and garlands coming loose.

While the brothers thus sported freely and sang as if intoxicated, a servant of the wealth-god named Śaṅkhacūḍa arrived.

O King, as the two brothers watched, he brazenly drove northward the women whose protectors They were, while the women cried out.

Seeing Their own companions being carried away and crying, 'Kṛṣṇa! Rāma!' the brothers ran after them as two cowherds would pursue a thief who had seized their cows.

The mighty brothers called out, 'Do not be afraid!' Carrying śāla trees in Their hands, They swiftly overtook that lowest of the Guhyakas.

Seeing the two brothers bearing down upon him like Time and Death, the fool became terrified. Abandoning the women, he fled for his life.

Govinda pursued him wherever he ran, intending to take the jewel from his head, while Balarāma remained behind to protect the women.

O dear one, the almighty Lord soon caught that wicked being and struck off his head with His fist, together with the crest jewel.

Having thus killed Śaṅkhacūḍa, Kṛṣṇa took the brilliant jewel and lovingly gave it to His elder brother as the women looked on.