Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said,--O lord of the earth! having made
various speeches of this kind, and striking his arms in preparation
for the contest, Chanoor opposed himself to Krishnù, and Moostuk
encountered Bulram Jee, and both parties began to wrestle. They joined
head to head, arm to arm, eye to eye, and leapt about laying hold of
each other’s feet, and entwining themselves round each other’s bodies,
hugged and shook each other.
The spectators said to each other, “Brothers! great cruelty is being
perpetrated at this meeting; what comparison is there between these
beautiful children, and those strong wrestlers, (or what chance have
these beautiful children with those strong wrestlers?) If we prohibit
the wrestling, Kuns will be angry; and if we do not, our character for
justice will be forfeited. It is not proper for us to stay here as
spectators, since we have no power to act.”
O great king! whilst the spectators were carrying on this
conversation, Krishnù and Bulram were contending with the wrestlers.
At length the two brothers threw their adversaries and killed them. On
their death all the other wrestlers rushed upon them; but Krishnù
destroyed them also in a second. At this time the worshippers of Huri
were rejoiced, and playing upon musical instruments, raised shouts of
victory; and the gods, seated in their chariots in the firmament,
celebrated the praises of Krishnù, and rained flowers. Kuns being
greatly afflicted, restless and enraged, said to his attendants, “Why
are you playing on musical instruments? What! is the victory of
Krishnù agreeable to you?”
He afterwards added “These two children are very wanton, seize and
remove them from this assembly, and also lay hold of Dewukee and
Oogursen, and the treacherous Basoodeo, and bring them here. I will
first destroy them, and afterwards these two children?” When Kuns had
thus spoken, Krishnù, the friend of his worshippers, in an instant
put all the evil spirits to death, and leapt upon a lofty platform, on
which Kuns was sitting in great pride and pomp, wearing a coat of
mail, and with a helmet, shield and sword. On seeing Krishnù
approach, Kuns regarding him as death, stood erect, and was greatly
terrified, and began to tremble violently.
His secret wish was to fly, but through shame he could not; seizing
his sword and shield, he commenced an attack upon Krishnù, who
contrived to escape from all his attempts to wound him. And the gods,
men, sages and celestial musicians, who beheld this great encounter,
were alarmed, and exclaimed, “O lord! O lord! destroy this wicked
sinner quickly.” The fighting continued for some time on the platform.
At length, Krishnù, perceiving that all the spectators were
afflicted, seized Kuns by the hair, and dashed him down from the
platform, and leapt down himself.
Life departed from the body of Kuns, when all the assembled people
exclaimed, “Shree Krishnù Chund has destroyed Kuns.” All the gods,
men and sages were delighted at hearing this exclamation.
The gods being overjoyed then began to glorify Krishnù, and to shower
upon the earth heaps of flowers. In their delight they played upon the
large kettle-drum, raising shouts of victory, and eulogizing Nund. The
men and women of the city of Muttra were in the highest degree
pleased. And as the beautiful lotus of the forest expands into full
bloom on beholding the light of the moon, in like manner the
inhabitants of Muttra experienced the greatest joy on again beholding
Huri.
Having narrated thus much of the history, Shree Shookdeo Jee said to
the Raja Pureechit,--O incarnation of justice! on the death of Kuns,
his eight brothers, who were possessed of great strength, came to
fight with Krishnù, who destroyed them all. When Huri saw that not a
single evil spirit was left, he dragged away the body of Kuns, and
brought it to the banks of the Jumna, where the two brothers sat down
and rested; and from that day, the name of that place was “The ghaut
of rest.”
On hearing of Kuns’ death, his wives and brothers’ wives came in a
state of great agitation, and with lamentation and tears, to the banks
of the Jumna, where the brothers were sitting and had brought the
corpse. They began to look upon the face of their lord, and to call to
mind the happiness he had conferred upon them, and to celebrate his
many good qualities; and through excessive grief and affliction they
reeled about, and suffered all the agonies of death. In the mean while
Krishnù, the receptacle of compassion, taking pity on them,
approached and said, “Be not grieved, mothers! but perform the last
funeral offices of my uncle, Kuns. No one lives for ever; he speaks
falsely, who calls any relation his own. Mothers, fathers, sons,
brothers and other relations belong exclusively to none: the
revolutions of birth and death constantly succeed each other. So long
as a relation remains with us, we should derive pleasure from
associating with him.”
O great king! when Shree Krishnù Chund had given this explanation to
the wives of Kuns, they rose up; and being restored to tranquillity of
mind, came to the banks of the Jumna, and performed the last obsequies
to the corpse of their husband, and Krishnù himself assisted in the
funeral rites by lighting the pile.