Shree Shookdeo Jee said,--O great king! one day Shree Krishnù and
Bulram, having given pasture to the cows, were returning home in the
evening from the jungle, when a demon, in the form of a huge bull,
came amongst the cows. His body reached to the sky; his hard back was
like a stone, his two sharp horns were standing erect: and blood-red
eyes filled with rage. Raising his tail, he wandered about bellowing,
sometimes he stopt, and then roamed about again, letting fall dung. He
made his shoulders writhe, and ears shake. All the gods left their
chariots, and ran off. With his hoof he dug up the bank of the river,
and upset a hill with his back, and cast it on the ground. All were in
consternation at that time; the supporters of the world, and the
guardian deities of the ten quarters trembled. The earth quaked: the
king of the serpent race, on whose head the world is supported,
trembled. Cows dropped their calves, and women miscarried. On seeing
the bull, the cows dispersed in every direction; and the inhabitants
of Bruj ran off to where Krishnù and Bulram were coming up behind
them. Making obeisance they said, “O great king! a little distance in
front, there is an immense bull, standing in the road: save us from
it.”
On hearing this, Shree Krishnù Chund, acquainted with the secrets of
the heart, said, “Do not be afraid of it. It has come upon the earth
in the form of a bull, because it desires its destruction from me.” On
saying these words, he went forward, and on seeing the bull, Krishnù
exclaimed, “Come to me; you, who have assumed a treacherous form? Why
do you frighten any one else, why not come near me? The so-called
lion’s enemy runs not after deer. Behold! I am Gobind, in the form of
death, and have utterly destroyed many like you.”
He again called out, striking the upper parts of his arms in
preparation for battle, “Come and fight with me.” On hearing these
words, the enraged demon rushed forth with such impetuous violence,
that it seemed as if a thunderbolt of Indrù’s were hurled upon the
earth. As often as Krishnù drove him back, he recovered himself, and
rushed on again. At one time, when Krishnù had dashed him upon the
earth, he rose up in great fury, and pinned Huri between his two
horns. Then Shree Krishnù Jee, escaping with activity, and placing
his foot on one of the legs of the bull, laid hold of his horn, and
twisted it in the same way, that a person would wring wet clothes. At
length, the bull fell down, and its life ebbed out.
At this time, the gods seated in their chariots, were so rejoiced,
that they began to rain down flowers; and the cowherdesses and
cowherds, to celebrate with songs the great renown of Krishnù. In the
mean while Shree Radhika Jee came and said to Huri, “O great king! you
have committed a crime in having killed any being in the form of a
bull. For this reason go and bathe in some place of holy pilgrimage,
then you may touch other persons.” Krishnù replied, “I will summon
all the places of pilgrimage to Bruj.” Having thus said, he went near
the hill Goberdhun, and caused two deep pits to be dug. And the places
of pilgrimage came there in bodily shape; and having mentioned their
names, and thrown water into the pits, departed. After this Shree
Krishnù, having bathed in the pits, on coming out, made an offering
of a great many cows, and having fed many Brahmins, was purified. And
from that day, the two pits became famous as the pit of Krishnù, and
the pit of Radhika.
Having finished narrating this incident, Shree Shookdeo, the sage,
said,--O great king! one day, Narud Jee, the sage, came to Kuns; and
when he had explained to him the secrets of the birth of Bulram and
Krishnù, and of the coming of the delusive power, and of the going
off of Krishnù, Kuns was angry, and said, “You speak truth. At first,
he brought his son and gave him to me, having by that means increased
the confidence of my mind: as a thug, who shows you something, and
afterwards runs off with all your property.”
On saying these words, having sent for Basoodeo, he had him bound
down, and putting his hand on his sword, said with great agitation of
mind, “I have discovered that you acted with great treachery towards
me. I looked upon you as a good and virtuous man. You sent Krishnù
off, and gave him to Nund; Dewee has come and shown me. Your words
corresponded not with your thoughts and designs; I will certainly put
you to death to-day on this spot. A friend, relation, attendant or
person professing great regard for another, who practices deceit, is
very sinful. Your words were sweet, but your mind filled with poison.
You were intent only on deceit. An evil spirit is better than one who
acts maliciously in affairs which concern himself.”
Speaking in this vain, foolish manner, Kuns said again to Narud Jee,
“O great king! I have not yet found out the secrets of his mind: a boy
was born, and he came and showed me a girl. The child, which he
mentioned as having died in consequence of the mother’s miscarriage,
was born at Gokool as Buldeo.” Thus having said, he gnashed his teeth
with rage: and as he raised his sword to kill Basoodeo, Narud, the
sage, having laid hold of his hand, said, “Raja! keep Basoodeo a
prisoner for the present, and arrange so that you may lay hold of
Krishnù and Buldeo, (or so that Krishnù and Buldeo may come here.)”
When Narud Jee had made this suggestion and departed Kuns shut up
Basoodeo and Dewukee in a room; and being distracted with fear, sent
for a devil, named Kesee, and said to him, “O possessed of great
strength! you are one of my retainers. I have great confidence in you.
Go at once to Bruj, and having killed Bulram and Krishnù, show their
bodies to me.”
Kesee, on hearing this speech, and receiving the order, bowing his
head, took leave, and went to Brindabun. And Kuns summoned Sal,
Toosal, Chanoor, Arisht, Byomasoor and all his other counsellors. On
their arrival, he explained to them and said, “My enemy has taken up
his abode near me; reflect and deliberate how you can draw out the
thorn which is pricking my mind.”
The counsellors said, “O great king! you are very powerful, whom do
you fear? What great difficulty will be in destroying Bulram and
Krishnù? Be not at all anxious. We will counsel you, how, by means of
stratagem and force, they will come here. First of all we will cause
to be built such a beautiful and elegant theatre, that on hearing of
its splendour people will crowd from towns and villages to see it.
After this, do you cause a sacrifice to be made to Muhadeo, and
procure goats and buffaloes for the burnt-offering. On hearing news of
this, all the inhabitants of Bruj will bring presents, and Bulram and
Krishnù will come with them. Then some wrestler will throw them down,
or some other very strong man will kill them at the gate.”
On hearing these suggestions, Kuns assenting to the advice, said,
“Counsellors! you have given good counsel.” He sent for a wrestler,
and having treated him with great respect gave him a beera of betel.
After this, holding a court, he began to say to his powerful devils,
“When my nephews, Bulram and Krishnù, come here, one of you destroy
them, that the apprehensions of my mind may be removed.” Having thus
explained to them, he sent for a mahout and said to him, “You have a
must elephant under you, take it to the gate and remain there. When
the two brothers come and attempt to enter, have them torn to pieces
by the elephant, and do not give them a chance of escape. If you will
destroy them both, I will give you whatever wealth you may ask for.”
Having thus explained to them all, and determined upon a sacrifice to
Shivù on the fourteenth of the dark part of the month Kartik, Kuns
sent for Akroor in the evening; and having given him a most civil
reception, took him inside his house; giving him a seat on a throne
near him, and laying hold of his hand, he said with the greatest
affection, “You are the greatest in the family of Judoo; intelligent,
religious and resolute; and, therefore, all know and respect you.
There is no one, who is not pleased at seeing you. For this reason, as
a dwarf, (the fifth incarnation of Vishnù,) accomplished, an
important business for Indrù, having by stratagem taken possession of
the whole government of Bali, the sovereign of the infernal regions,
and made it over to Indrù; so do you perform an important action for
me, and go at once to Brindabun, and bring the two sons of Dewukee
here; in whatever way the affair may be managed, whether by artifice
or force. It is said, that the great endure difficulties themselves in
accomplishing the objects of others; you have the same interest in all
my affairs as myself. What more shall I say; bring them here in any
way you can, and they will easily be destroyed. Either Chanoor will
throw them prostrate, or the elephant Koobliya will lay hold of and
tear them to pieces. If not, I, myself, will kill them, and accomplish
my object with my own hand. And after having destroyed them, I will
put Oogursen to death; because he is very deceitful and desires my
destruction. And after that, having first burnt Dewukee’s father,
Dewuk, I will drown him. Having thus put Basoodeo to death with him, I
will thus destroy by the very roots all the worshippers of Huri. Then,
if you will but bring Bulram and Krishnù, reigning without any
opposition, I will unite with my very powerful friend, Joorasindh,
from dread of whom, the nine divisions of the world tremble; and with
Nurkasoor, and Banasoor, and other great and mighty demons, who are
his attendants.”
Kuns continued to urge Akroor, saying, “Go to Brindabun to the house
of Nund, and tell him, that a sacrifice is about to be made to Shivù;
the bow has been placed upon it, and that there will be all kinds of
sports and pastimes; on hearing this Nund and Oopunud will come with
the cowherds, and bring goats and buffaloes to offer as presents, and
Krishnù and Buldeo will accompany them to see what goes on. This is
the plan I suggest to you for bringing them here. Hereafter, as you
are possessed of great knowledge, if it should be necessary to make up
any other story, do so, and act accordingly. What more need I say?
There is a saying, If the ambassador is a man of wonderful capacity,
who possesses understanding and power himself, and is bold in others’
affairs, place implicit confidence in him.”
On hearing these speeches, Akroor thought to himself, “If I were now
to speak honestly to him, and give him good advice, he would not
listen to it: wherefore, it is better that I should now say what may
be flattering and agreeable to him. There is also a saying, applied in
another sense, that we should make speeches, which will please.” With
these thoughts in his mind, Akroor joined his hands, and bowing his
head, said, “O great king! you have given good advice. I give my most
full consent and approbation to all you have said. We have no power
over the future. Man busies himself forming many projects: but those
alone, which are written in fate, are brought to completion. The event
does not always correspond with our thoughts; and no man has all his
wishes fulfilled. You have considered this business, predicting the
future: we know not what may happen. In compliance with what you have
said, I will go off to-morrow morning early, and bring Bulram and
Krishnù.” On saying this, Akroor having obtained the permission of
Kuns to depart, came to his own house.