After reaching Vrndavana, where everyone lives eternally, very peacefully and happily, they encircled Vrndavana and kept the carts all together. After seeing the beautiful appearance of Govardhana on the bank of the river Yamuna, they began to construct their places of residence. While those of the same age were walking together and children were talking with their parents, the inhabitants of Vrndavana felt very happy.
At this time Krishna and Balarama were given charge of the calves. The first responsibility of the cowherd boys was to take care of the little calves. The boys are trained in this from the very beginning of their childhood. So along with other little cowherd boys, Krishna and Balarama went into the pasturing ground and took charge of the calves and played with Their playmates. While taking charge of the calves, sometimes the two brothers played on Their flutes. And sometimes They played with amalaki fruits and bael fruits, just like small children play with balls. Sometimes They danced and made tinkling sounds with Their ankle bells. Sometimes They made Themselves into bulls and cows by covering Themselves with blankets. Thus Krishna and Balarama played. The two brothers also used to imitate the sounds of bulls and cows and play at bullfighting. Sometimes They used to imitate the sounds of various animals and birds. In this way, They enjoyed Their childhood pastimes apparently like ordinary, mundane children.
Once, when Krishna and Balarama were playing on the bank of the Yamuna, with other cowherd boys and tending the calves on the bank of the Yamuna. a demon of the name Vatsasura assumed the shape of a calf and came there intending to kill the brothers. An Asura assumed the form of a calf and got mixed among the herd. He had the evil intention of killing Krishna and Balarama.
Krishna discovered the Asura in the form of a calf in the midst of his calves and pointed him out to Balarama. Then He silently approached the demon. He caught him by the hind legs and tail and whirled him round and round his head and struck him against a tree. The Asura died. The cowherd boys praised Sri Krishna and shouted, "Well done, well done." The Devas showered flowers on Sri Krishna.
Krishna was playing with his friends as usual under the trees. Some of them felt thirsty and went to the river to drink water. Asura in the form of a Baka (crane), who was a friend of Kamsa. They saw the huge bird sitting there and told Krishna about it. Krishna at once became suspicious. He knew that an ordinary bird cannot be that big. They all then went to see the giant bird. It was really a huge bird they had ever seen. It was as tall as a tree and its long and sharp beak was a few meters long. It looked that it was sleeping on its one leg.
Krishna asked his friends to hide behind the trees and then before the others could stop him, then ran towards the bird. The bird did not moved towards it. Suddenly it opened its one eye and grabbed Krishna on its beak. But Krishna made his body so hot that the bird was forced to drop him. The bird then attacked Krishna with its razor like beak. All the cowherds were shouting "Krishna, Krishna!". Some of them even fainted out of fear.
Krishna then caught hold of the giant bird by its beak. The bird tried to flap its wings and break free. But Krishna held him like an iron grip. Bakasura had met his match. Krishna then forcibly opened and pulled apart Bakasura’s beak. He placed his one foot on the lower beak and then tore him apart by the other beak. The atmosphere filled with the scream as Bakasura fell on earth. All the gods who were watching this fight from the heavens were very happy at Bakasura’s death and they showered flowers on Krishna. From the sky, The gods then assembling in the skies showered heaps of flowers on Thy head, Accompanying the showers of flowers was a vibration of bugles, drums and conchshells.
The cowherd children asked Krishna as to from where the extremely fragrant heap of flowers were falling on the top of Thy head. Lord Krishna jokingly told them that when the Asura was thrown , the flowers blooming on the clusters of the trees rose up and indeed those flowers were coming down slowly now.In the meanwhile, BalaRam had received the cowherds and they all surrounded Krishna. By now others too rushed to see what had happened. They were too surprised by the loud scream. They could not believe to what they saw and were all praises for Krishna. They talked about his courage and strength. Repeatedly all of them described Krishna’s feat to the others in the Village.
तरलमधुकृत् वृन्दे वृन्दावनेऽथ मनोहरे
पशुपशिशुभि: साकं वत्सानुपालनलोलुप: ।
हलधरसखो देव श्रीमन् विचेरिथ धारयन्
गवलमुरलीवेत्रं नेत्राभिरामतनुद्युति: ॥१॥
पशुपशिशुभि: साकं वत्सानुपालनलोलुप: ।
हलधरसखो देव श्रीमन् विचेरिथ धारयन्
गवलमुरलीवेत्रं नेत्राभिरामतनुद्युति: ॥१॥
madhukR^id bR^inde bR^indaavane(a)tha μανοηαρε
pashupa shishubhiH saakaM vatsaanupaalana lOlupaH |
haladharasakhO deva shriiman vicheritha δηααραυαν
gavala muralii vetraM netraabhiraama tanu dyutiH || 1
Oh Gracious Lord ! Along with Balarama and other friends started walking in VrindavanaWhich was very pretty and full of hoards of honey bees,And being interested in grazing the darling calves,You wandering aboutwith Balarama, and other cowherd children, ardently tending thecalves, along with horn , flute and a stick made of cane was a sight most pleasing to the eyes.
विहितजगतीरक्षं लक्ष्मीकराम्बुजलालितं
ददति चरणद्वन्द्वं वृन्दावने त्वयि पावने ।
किमिव न बभौ सम्पत्सम्पूरितं तरुवल्लरी-
सलिलधरणीगोत्रक्षेत्रादिकं कमलापते ॥२॥
ददति चरणद्वन्द्वं वृन्दावने त्वयि पावने ।
किमिव न बभौ सम्पत्सम्पूरितं तरुवल्लरी-
सलिलधरणीगोत्रक्षेत्रादिकं कमलापते ॥२॥
vihita jagatii rakshaM lakshmiikaraambuja λααλιταμ
dadati charaNadvandvaM bR^indaavane tvayi paavane |
kimiva na babhau sampatsampuuritaM ταρυβαλλαριη
salila dharaNii gOtra kshetraadikaM kamalaapate || 2
Oh Lord of Lakshmi ! When Thy two feet, which protect the entire universe and whichare fondled lovingly by the lotus-like hands of Lakshmi, touched the sacredBrindaavana, the entire surroundings, including the trees, creepers, water, earth,mountains, soil, fields and all else, became most fertile and productive, teeming withwealth and prosperity.
विलसदुलपे कान्तारान्ते समीरणशीतले
विपुलयमुनातीरे गोवर्धनाचलमूर्धसु ।
ललितमुरलीनाद: सञ्चारयन् खलु वात्सकं
क्वचन दिवसे दैत्यं वत्साकृतिं त्वमुदैक्षथा: ॥३॥
vilasadulape kaantaaraante samiiraNa σηιιταλε
vipula yamunaatiire gOvardhanaachala muurdhasu |
lalitamuraliinaadaH sanchaarayan khalu βαατσακαμ
kvachana divase daityaM vatsaakR^itiM tvamudaikshathaaH || 3
In the lavish grass meadows at the end of the forests, the cool breeze was blowing on the vast banks of the Yamunaa river, on the peaks of the Govardhana mountain, Thou were playing the flute softly as Thou lead the calves to graze. One day, Thou saw an Asura in the form of a calf. 3
रभसविलसत्पुच्छं विच्छायतोऽस्य विलोकयन्
किमपि वलितस्कन्धं रन्ध्रप्रतीक्षमुदीक्षितम् ।
तमथ चरणे बिभ्रद्विभ्रामयन् मुहुरुच्चकै:
कुहचन महावृक्षे चिक्षेपिथ क्षतजीवितम् ॥४॥
rabhasa vilasatpuchChanvichChaayatO(a)sya βιλοκαυαν
kimapi valitaskandhaM randhrapratiiksha mudiikshitam |
tamatha charaNe vibhradvibhraamayan μυηυρυχχακαιη
kuhachana mahaavR^ikshe chikshepitha kshatajiivitam ||4
As he was waiting for the opportunity to attack Thee, with his tail wagging fast and hisneck slightly turned, and a sly look on his face, Thou, grabbed his feet and lifting him by his two legs and swirling him very fast again and again, threw him on a big tree just as he lost his life
निपतनजवक्षुण्णक्षोणीरुहक्षतकानने ।
दिवि परिमिलत् वृन्दा वृन्दारका: कुसुमोत्करै:
शिरसि भवतो हर्षाद्वर्षन्ति नाम तदा हरे ॥५॥
nipatati mahaadaitye jaatyaa duraatmani τατξηαναμ
nipatanajavakshuNNa kshONiiruha kshata kaanane |
divi parimilad bR^indaa bR^indaarakaaH κυσυμοτκαραιη
shirasi bhavatO harShaadvarShanti naama tadaa hare || 5
सुरभिलतमा मूर्धन्यूर्ध्वं कुत: कुसुमावली
निपतति तवेत्युक्तो बालै: सहेलमुदैरय: ।
झटिति दनुजक्षेपेणोर्ध्वं गतस्तरुमण्डलात्
कुसुमनिकर: सोऽयं नूनं समेति शनैरिति ॥६॥
surabhilatamaa muurdhanyuurdhvaM kutaH κυσυμααβαλιη
nipatati tavetyuktO baalaiH sahela mudairayaH |
jhaTiti danujakshepeNOrdhvaM γατασταρυμανδαλαατ
kusumanikaraH sO(a)yaM nuunaM sameti shanairiti || 6
तपनतनयापाथ: पातुं गता भवदादय: ।
चलितगरुतं प्रेक्षामासुर्बकं खलु विस्म्रृतं
क्षितिधरगरुच्छेदे कैलासशैलमिवापरम् ॥७
kvachana divase bhuuyO bhuuyastare παρυσηααταπε
tapanatanayaapaathaH paatuM gataa bhavadaadayaH |
chalitagarutaM prekshaamaasurbakaM khalu vismR^ιταμ
kshitidhara garuchChede kailaasa shailamivaaparam || 7
स किल निगिलन्नग्निप्रख्यं पुनर्द्रुतमुद्वमन् ।
दलयितुमगात्त्रोट्या: कोट्या तदाऽऽशु भवान् विभो
खलजनभिदाचुञ्चुश्चञ्चू प्रगृह्य ददार तम् ॥८॥
pibati salilaM gOpavraate βηαβανταμαβηιδρυταη
sa kila nigilannagni prakhyaM punardrutamudvaman |
dalayitumagaattrOTyaaH kOTyaa tadaa(a)(a)shubhavaan βιβχο
khalajana bhidaa chunchushchanchuu pragR^ihya dadaara tam || 8
मनुजमघमप्यग्रे गत्वा प्रतीक्षितुमेव वा ।
शमननिलयं याते तस्मिन् बके सुमनोगणेकिरति सुमनोवृन्दं वृन्दावनात् गृहमैयथा: ॥९॥
sapadi sahajaaM sandraShTuM vaa mR^itaaM khalu πυυταναα
manujamaghamapyagre gatvaa pratiikshitumeva vaa |
shamana nilayaM yaate tasmin bake sumanO γάνε
kirati sumanObR^indaM bR^indaavanaad gR^ihamaiyathaaH || 9
Thus, that demon Baka, went to Yamaloka or the abode of death, as if eager to meethis dead sister Poothana, already there, or as if to look forward to welcoming hisyounger brother, Agha, (who would soon follow him in like manner). Then, while thegods were showering flowers on Thee from the sky, Thou returned home fromBrindaavana.
स्त्वरितमुपगम्यारादारूढमोदमुदीक्षित: ।
जनितजननीनन्दानन्द: समीरणमन्दिर-
प्रथितवसते शौरे दूरीकुरुष्व ममामयान् ॥१०॥
lalita muraliinaadaM δυυρααννισηαμυ vadhuujanaiH
tvaritamupagamyaaraadaaruuDhamOdamudiikshitaH |
janitajananiinandaanandaH samiiraNamandiraprathitavasate
shaure duuriikuruShva mamaamayaan ||10
The Gopikaas heard the sweet sound of Thy flute and rushed with great joy to have a glimpse of Thee. Thy parents Yashoda and Nanda were also very delighted to see Thee. O Thou Shauri! (Vaasudeva) Who are well known to be residing in the famous temple of Guruvaayur, be pleased to expell my ailments.
