Canto Ten - Chapter 78

Śrī Śuka said: The malicious Dantavakra now acted out of friendship for Śiśupāla, Śālva, Pauṇḍraka, and his other companions who had departed for the next world.

Enraged, he came alone and on foot, mace in hand. O great king, that mighty warrior seemed to make the earth tremble beneath his steps.

Seeing him approach in this way, Kṛṣṇa quickly took up His mace, leapt down from His chariot, and checked him as the shore checks the ocean.

Raising his mace, the arrogant king of Karūṣa addressed Mukunda: 'How fortunate, how fortunate that today you have come within my sight!

'Kṛṣṇa, you are our maternal cousin, yet you betray your friends and seek to kill me. Therefore, fool, I shall strike you dead with my thunderbolt-like mace.

'Faithful to my friends, I shall thereby discharge my debt to them, ignorant one, by killing the enemy who assumes the form of a relative, just as one removes a disease dwelling within the body.'

Goading Kṛṣṇa with these harsh words as one goads an elephant, Dantavakra struck Him on the head with his mace and roared like a lion.

Although struck by the mace in battle, the glory of the Yadus did not move. Kṛṣṇa then struck Dantavakra between the breasts with His heavy Kaumodakī mace.

His heart shattered by the mace, Dantavakra vomited blood from his mouth, stretched out his hair, arms, and legs, and fell lifeless upon the ground.

Then, before the eyes of every creature, an astonishing and exceedingly subtle light entered Kṛṣṇa, just as it had when the Cedi king was killed, O King.

Dantavakra's brother Vidūratha, overwhelmed with grief for him and breathing heavily with the desire to kill Kṛṣṇa, charged forward with sword and shield.

As he rushed upon Him, Kṛṣṇa severed his crowned and earring-adorned head with His razor-edged disc, O lord of kings.

Thus He killed Saubha and Śālva, and Dantavakra together with his younger brother, enemies whom no one else could withstand, and He was praised by gods and human beings,

by sages, Siddhas, Gandharvas, Vidyādharas, great serpents, Apsarās, hosts of ancestors, Yakṣas, Kinnaras, and Cāraṇas.

As they sang of His victory and showered Him with flowers, He entered His ornamented city surrounded by the foremost Vṛṣṇis.

Thus Kṛṣṇa, master of yoga, the Supreme Lord and ruler of the universe, appears to those with animal-like vision to be conquered at one moment and victorious at another.

Hearing that the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas were preparing for war, Rāma remained neutral and departed on the pretext of bathing at sacred places.

After bathing at Prabhāsa and satisfying the gods, sages, ancestors, and human beings, He traveled upstream along the Sarasvatī, surrounded by brāhmaṇas.

He visited Pṛthūdaka, Bindu-saras, Tritakūpa, Sudarśana, Viśāla, Brahma-tīrtha, Cakra-tīrtha, and the eastward-flowing Sarasvatī.

He also visited the sacred places along the Yamunā and the Gaṅgā, O descendant of Bharata, and then went to Naimiṣa, where sages were conducting a prolonged sacrificial session.

Seeing Him arrive, the sages engaged in that long sacrifice rose, bowed down, welcomed Him, and worshiped Him according to proper custom.

After He and His entourage had been honored and He had accepted a seat, He saw Romaharṣaṇa, a disciple of the great sage, still sitting.

When Mādhava saw that the sūta had neither risen to greet Him nor bowed with joined palms, but was seated above the brāhmaṇas, He became angry.

'Because this ill-minded man, born from a mixed union, sits above these brāhmaṇas, who protect dharma, and even above Us, he deserves death.

'Though he became the disciple of the divine sage and thoroughly studied many works, including the Itihāsas, Purāṇas, and Dharma-śāstras,

'these attainments bring no virtue to one who is uncontrolled, undisciplined, and vainly considers himself learned, just as an actor's assumed qualities do not bring self-mastery.

'Indeed, it is for this purpose that I have descended into this world. I must kill hypocrites who display the banner of religion, for they are the worst sinners.'

Having said this, the Lord, though He had withdrawn from killing the wicked, struck Romaharṣaṇa with the tip of a blade of kuśa held in His hand, for the event was destined to occur.

All the distressed sages cried, 'Alas! Alas!' and said to Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa, 'Master, You have committed an act contrary to dharma.

'O joy of the Yadus, we granted him the seat of Brahman, along with long life and freedom from fatigue for as long as this sacrificial session continues.

'Although You unknowingly acted as if committing the killing of a brāhmaṇa, no Vedic injunction can truly govern You, the master of yoga.

'Nevertheless, purifier of the worlds, if without being directed by anyone else You perform an atonement for this killing, it will instruct and protect the people.'

The Supreme Lord said: Desiring to bless the people, I shall perform the expiation for this killing. Prescribe for Me whatever rule is laid down in the original ordinance.

Also tell Me how I may fulfill through My Yoga-māyā all that you promised him: long life, strength, and unimpaired senses.

The sages said: O Rāma, please arrange matters so that the potency of Your weapon, his death, and our own words may all prove true.

The Supreme Lord said: The Vedas declare that the son is born as one's very self. Therefore his son shall become your speaker, endowed with long life, strong senses, and vigor.

Foremost sages, tell Me what else you desire and I shall do it. And because I acted unknowingly, learned ones, please determine the proper amends for Me.

The sages said: Ilvala's fierce son is a demon named Balvala. On every new-moon and full-moon day he comes and defiles our sacrificial session.

O descendant of Daśārha, kill that sinner, who rains pus, blood, excrement, urine, wine, and meat upon us. That will be the highest service You can render us.

Then travel attentively throughout Bhārata-varṣa for twelve months, bathing at its sacred places, and You will become purified.