Slaying of Keshi and Vyomaasura
Keshi was a mighty demon, whose appearance was that of a wild horse. Like all demons, he can take any form, but the horse form was his natural one. When he went to battle, he took this form, and no one on earth had the power to even stand against such a mighty horse with powerful hoofs. Even the Devas would tremble, when Keshi whinnied his war cry. Kamsa knew what Keshi could do, but he also knew what Krishna could do to demons like Keshi. Yet, he was not averse to the idea of sending Keshi to Krishna. This wicked Asura, even though he had assumed the form of a Gandharva frightened all the worlds with his fierce voices. the way he stood on his hind legs and waved the hooves made everyone run hear and there in fear and tears.
.
Krishna saw the demon Keshi the Horse and went straight to a whinnying Keshi and took the fighting posture. With a terrifying war cry, Keshi came thundering down on Lord Krishna, in an intention to trample him. But, Lord Krishna decided to punish the horse,and jumped away and caught hold of Keshis hind legs. , and placed his strong club like arm into his mouth. At that time the arm increased in size and choked the horse to death. Even though the Asura was in the form of a horse, he attained oneness with Krishna.By killing that horse (the sacrificial animal in the Aswamedha Yajna), Krishna perform a new kind of Aswamedha (shorn of its rituals). The celestials, in their delight at Thy deed, praised Krishna by Thy new appellation, "Kesava" (slayer of Kesi.
Kamsa never grew tired of sending demons after demons in attempts to kill his nephew, Lord Krishna. But, none of the demons came back alive. They never came back at all. Every one of them was killed either by Krishna or Balarama.
One day, Kamsa sent a demon, by name Vyomasura. This demonic character had a special power. Normally he appeared as a harmless bat, but when he decided to create trouble, he would enlarge his body a million times. Then he would kill and wreck havoc. He even had the habit of drinking the blood of his victims.
Vyomasura went to Vrindavan and hid in the mountains. Krishna and his friends used to go daily on that way, as the cows found good pasture in that area. Once the cows were put to browse on the grass, Krishna and his friends would start to play. That day, while they were playing Lambs-Thieves-Guards, Vyomasura deceitfully kidnapped the unassuming friends of Krishna, one after another, and put them inside a cave. He then sealed the cave with rocks.
Lord Krishna sensed this and rushed to the cave. There, the bat demon was just lying on a rock at the entrance. Krishna took him and held him in his firm grip. Vyomasura initiated his gigantic form and tried to grow. But, Krishna held him more firmly and consequently Vyomasura was choked.
As Vyomasura gasped for breath, Krishna released him and then there was fierce battle between the two. At the end, Lord Krishna threw Vyomasura down on the ground and killed him. He then released all his friends from that cave.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 01
यत्नेषु सर्वेष्वपि नावकेशी केशी स भोजेशितुरिष्टबन्धु: ।
त्वां सिन्धुजावाप्य इतीव मत्वा सम्प्राप्तवान् सिन्धुजवाजिरूप: ॥१॥
yatneShu sarveShvapi naavakeshii keshii sa bhOjeshituriShTabandhuH |
tvaM sindhujaavaapya itiiva matvaa sampraaptavaan sindhujavaajiruupaH || 1
A close friend of the Bhoja king Kansa, Keshi was never unsuccessful in any of his attempts. He took the form of a horse from the land of Sindhu, thinking that Thou were easily accessible to those born off Sindhu (ocean) as Thou are to Laxmi Devi.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 02
गन्धर्वतामेष गतोऽपि रूक्षैर्नादै: समुद्वेजितसर्वलोक: ।
भवद्विलोकावधि गोपवाटीं प्रमर्द्य पाप: पुनरापतत्त्वाम् ॥२॥
gandharvataameSha gatO(a)pi ruukshairnaadaiH samudvejita sarvalOkaH |
bhavadvilOkaavadhi gOpavaaTiiM pramardya paapaH punaraapatattvaam || 2
This wicked Asura, even though he had assumed the form of a Gandharva frightened all the worlds with his fierce voices. Thee saw the demon Keshi the Horse and went straight to a whinnying Keshi and took the fighting posture. Until he set sight on Thee, the evil one distructed Gokula and then rushed to attack Thee.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 03
तार्क्ष्यार्पिताङ्घ्रेस्तव तार्क्ष्य एष चिक्षेप वक्षोभुवि नाम पादम् ।
भृगो: पदाघातकथां निशम्य स्वेनापि शक्यं तदितीव मोहात् ॥३॥
taarkshyaarpitaanghrestava taarkshya eSha chikshepa vakshObhuvi naamapaadam |
bhR^igOH padaaghaata kathaaM nishamya svenaapi shakyaM taditiiva mOhaat || 3
That demon in the guise of Tharkshya, (horse) kicked on the chest, Thee, whose feetwere placed on Tharkshya (Garuda), Thy vehicle. Perhaps having heard of the episodeof Sage Bhrigu kicking Thee on the chest, he thought he too could do so.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 04
प्रवञ्चयन्नस्य खुराञ्चलं द्रागमुञ्च चिक्षेपिथ दूरदूरम्
सम्मूर्च्छितोऽपि ह्यतिमूर्च्छितेन क्रोधोष्मणा खादितुमाद्रुतस्त्वाम् ॥४॥
prava~nchayannasya khuraa~nchalaM draak amuM cha chikshepitha duuraduuram |
sammuurchChitO(a)pi hyatimuurchChitena krOdhOShmaNaakhaaditumaadrutastvaam || 4
Evading his kick, Thou didst immediately hurl him to a great distance. Though renderedunconscious for a moment, he soon rushed at Thee with increased rage, to eat Thee.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 05
त्वं वाहदण्डे कृतधीश्च वाहादण्डं न्यधास्तस्य मुखे तदानीम् ।
तद् वृद्धिरुद्धश्वसनो गतासु: सप्तीभवन्नप्ययमैक्यमागात् ॥५॥
tvaM vaahadaNDe kR^itadhiishcha baahaa daNDaM nyadhaastasyamukhetadaaniim |
tadvR^iddhiruddha shvasanO gataasuH saptii bhavannapyayamaikyamaagaat || 5
Thou decided to punish the horse, and placed Thy strong club like arm into his mouth. At that time the arm increased in size and choked the horse to death. Even though the Asura was in the form of a horse, he attained oneness with Thee.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 06
आलम्भमात्रेण पशो: सुराणां प्रसादके नूत्न इवाश्वमेधे ।
कृते त्वया हर्षवशात् सुरेन्द्रास्त्वां तुष्टुवु: केशवनामधेयम् ॥६॥
aalambha maatreNa pashOH suraaNaaM prasaadake nuutna ivaashvamedhe |
kR^ite tvayaa harShavashaat surendraastvaaM tuShTuvuH keshava naamadheyam ||6
Merely by the killing of the animal the gods were full of joy. This was as if it were a new Ashvamedha sacrifice done by Thee. Delighted, the gods hailed Thee giving Thee the name Keshava, the killer of Keshi.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 07
कंसाय ते शौरिसुतत्वमुक्त्वा तं तद्वधोत्कं प्रतिरुध्य वाचा।
प्राप्तेन केशिक्षपणावसाने श्रीनारदेन त्वमभिष्टुतोऽभू: ॥७॥
kamsaaya te shaurisutatva muktvaa taM tadvadhOtkaM pratirudhya vaachaa |
praaptena keshikshapaNaavasaane shriinaaradena tvamabhiShTutO(a)bhuuH || 7
Sage Naarada had told Kansa that Thou were the son of Vasudeva. Kansa eagerly set out to kill Vasudeva but was verbally dissuaded by Shri Naarada to do so. At the end of Keshi's destruction Naarada came to Thee and sung Thy praises.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 08
कदापि गोपै: सह काननान्ते निलायनक्रीडनलोलुपं त्वाम् ।
मयात्मज: प्राप दुरन्तमायो व्योमाभिधो व्योमचरोपरोधी ॥८॥
kadaa(a)pi gOpaiH saha kaananaante nilaayana kriiDana lOlupaM tvaam |
mayaatmajaH praapa durantamaayO vyOmaabhidhO vyOmacharOparOdhii || 8
One day Thou were engaged in playing the game of hide and seek with the Gopa boys. Just then the son of Maya, an Asura named Vyoma who had immense magical powers and who was an enemy of the gods, approached Thee.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 09
स चोरपालायितवल्लवेषु चोरायितो गोपशिशून् पशूंश्च
गुहासु कृत्वा पिदधे शिलाभिस्त्वया च बुद्ध्वा परिमर्दितोऽभूत् ॥९॥
sa chOrapaalaayita vallaveShu chOraayitO gOpashishuun pashuumshcha |
guhaasu kR^itvaa pidadhe shilaabhiH tvayaa cha buddhvaaparimarditO(a)bhuut || 9
He, in the game, mingled among the boys who were playing as thief and policemen. Vyoma playing as thief put the Gopa boys and the cows in a cave and closed the mouth of the cave with a stone. As Thou understood the situation, Vyoma was killed by Thee.
Dasakam: 071 -- Slokam: 10
एवं विधैश्चाद्भुतकेलिभेदैरानन्दमूर्च्छामतुलां व्रजस्य ।
पदे पदे नूतनयन्नसीमां परात्मरूपिन् पवनेश पाया: ॥१०॥
evaM vidhaishchaadbhuta kelibhedaiH aanandamuurchChaamatulaaM vrajasya |
pade pade nuutanayannasiimaaM paraatmaruupin pavanesha paayaaH ||10
O Supreme Being! Thou made Vraja every now and then, enhance unlimited joy of the people and theincomparable and bliss with such strange and different kinds of sports . O Lord of Guruvaayur! protect me.
