Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said,--Raja! listen with attention, and I
will relate to you, how Shree Krishnù Jee released a celestial
dancer, and destroyed Sunkhchoor. Nund Jee one day called all the
cowherds, and said to them, “Brothers! when Krishnù was born, I made
a vow to my family Dewee and Unbika, that I would go in musical
procession with all the city, and perform poojah on his twelfth
birth-day. As, through the mercy of Dewee, I have lived to see his
twelfth birth-day, which is to-day, we must go and perform the
poojah.”
All the cowherds arose, on hearing these words of Nund Jee, and
immediately brought forth from their houses all things necessary for
the poojah. Nund Rae did the same, and loaded carts and bhangees with
milk, curds and butter; and accompanied them with all his relations,
and arrived at the abode of Unbika. Having gone and bathed in the
river Suruswutee, Nund Jee sent for a family priest, and went,
accompanied by all his retinue, to the temple of Dewee, and performed
poojah. And having placed before her all the different articles they
had brought to offer, and having performed the act of going round to
the right by way of adoration, they exclaimed with joined hands and in
a supplicating manner, “O mother! through your beneficence, Krishnù
has attained the age of twelve years.”
Having thus spoken, and bowing their heads, they quitted the temple,
and fed a thousand Brahmins. In consequence of the delay which this
caused, Nund Jee remained there with all the inhabitants of Bruj, and
they fasted, as they would at a place of holy pilgrimage. As they were
sleeping at night, a boâ came and seized Nund Rae’s foot, and began
swallowing it. He was alarmed at seeing this, and called out,
“Krishnù! Krishnù! take thought of me quickly: otherwise the snake
will swallow me up.” On hearing his voice, all the inhabitants of
Bruj, both men and women, started from sleep, and came to where Nund
was. Having struck a light, they saw a boâ lying on the ground,
having hold of his foot. In the meantime, Shree Krishnù Chund Jee
having arrived, placed his foot upon its back in sight of them all. On
which the snake, immediately abandoning its former body, was
transformed into a handsome man; and having made an obeisance, stood
before them with joined hands. Then Shree Krishnù enquired, “Who art
thou, and explain for what crime thou wast transformed into a snake?”
He, bowing his head, said in a supplicating voice, “O thou who knowest
the secrets of the heart! all the circumstances of my origin are known
to thee. I am a celestial dancer, named Soodursun, and dwelt in the
region of the gods; and through pride thought myself superior to all
others in beauty and excellence of mind; I went forth one day, seated
in my chariot, to the place where Angira, the saint, was sitting,
engaged in religious devotion. And I went backwards and forwards a
hundred times over him. Once on seeing the shadow of my chariot, he
looked up, and being angry pronounced a curse upon me, saying, ‘O
presumptuous: be thou changed into a boâ.’ As he uttered these words,
I fell to the earth, in the form of a boâ.
“The saint told me at the time that my release would be accomplished
by Shree Krishnù Chund. For this reason, I came and seized the foot
of Nund Rae Jee, in order that you might come and grant me release. O
lord of compassion! you have come, and mercifully released me.” Thus
having spoken, the celestial dancer circled to the right by way of
adoration; and having obtained Krishnù’s permission to depart,
ascended his chariot, and went to the region of the gods.
On beholding this wonderful act, all the inhabitants of Bruj were
astonished. In the morning, having gone to see Dewee, they all
returned together to Brindabun.
Having recited thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo, the sage,
said,--O lord of the earth! Huldhur and Gobind one moonlight night
were singing in the forest with the cowherdesses, and enjoying
themselves, when a demi-god, attendant of Kooverù, named Sunkhchoor,
who had a jewel on his head, and was very powerful, came forth amongst
them. He saw the cowherdesses engaged in sports on one side, and in
another direction Shree Krishnù and Buldeo intoxicated, and singing
in a state of great delight. A thought having occurred to him, he
collected all the women of Bruj together, and drove them before him.
The women were frightened, and called out to Krishnù and Bulram to
protect them. The brothers having heard the cries of the women,
uprooted a tree, and seizing it in their hands, rushed forth as
drunken elephants rush upon lions, and told the cowherdesses not to be
at all alarmed, as they had arrived. The demi-god, looking upon them
as the agents of his destruction, was filled with fear; and ran off
for his life, leaving the cowherdesses. Nund Lal left Buldeo with
them, and went after Sunkhchoor himself, and seizing him by the hair
behind, brought him to the ground. After this, lowering his hand, he
cut off his head, and taking possession of his jewel, gave it to
Bulram.