Gopalacampu 1.29

Now the thirty-first chapter,

wondrous with deeds varied by diverse musical melodies.

[1] Then Snigdhakaṇṭha commenced the morning narration: [2] "Thus at every moment, that friend of Gokula, through flourishing joy, spent his tenth year immersed in play marked by supreme love. [3] But the cruel Kaṃsa, as gradually all those who had flaunted their pride were wiped out, with his mind set upon clearing his enmity, summoned Ariṣṭa and Keśin, whom he had kept as the best of all, and spoke with haste and fear: 'Out of disregard, thinking him to be a boy, I sent those who were not very fit. But clearly he has become the tearer of them all! Therefore, tormented by delay, I question you two: what is fitting here?'

[4] The two said: 'Lord, anticipating just this, we have remained continuously steadfast. Now command what is suitable! Or rather, what is the need of commanding? Even without it, being fit servants, we are already dispatched.' When the two rose, bowed, and prepared to depart, Kaṃsa commanded: [5] 'Let Ariṣṭa set forth first. But should the desired outcome turn into calamity, Keśī shall dwell in his neighborhood.' Considering this, the two went to their dwelling and at once set to work for that purpose.

[6] Then once, when the disk of the sun's rays was reddening at evening, an ogre named Ariṣṭa, an ill omen to all the gods, striking everywhere in rapid haste and striking down all with sin, arrived at the magnificent entrance of the cowherd settlement.

[8] For at that time, his mind fluttering on the full moon day endowed with the star Citrā, the younger brother of Śrī Rāma had gone a little distance away out of a desire to gaze upon Govardhana, which increases his joy. And then—
Inferring that it was an earthquake from the shuddering of the mountains caused by his tread, a storm cloud from his roar, the foremost of night-roamers from his deformed shape, and indeed a mountain of that very form because a multitude of rain-clouds collided with his hump, the subjects of Vraja immediately took flight in every direction in panic. ||
From his slightly and continuously urinating rivers,
and from his dropping dung, rows of boulder-cliffs,
Ariṣṭa by name, the misfortune of the gods, who was creating [all this] before their very eyes,
was perceived to be the very embodiment of a mountain. ||
Because he, feigning to be a bull, uttered a lowing with violent fury,
its clear content was made plain
by that very causer of bovine miscarriages. ||
When that bull, showing his altered state,
began to dig up the ridge with his horns and hooves,
the entire Gokula and the circle of forests
were immediately blanketed with dust. ||
Wherever he set down his hoof,
there the very earth tore open;
and water, rising up from a cavern like an eye,
bore the semblance of weeping. ||
[9] There the words of the people were:

"Never indeed, O mother, does this mountain move around everywhere with such a form!
Yet the pair of suns resting on the base of his horns—
alas, it has astonished the folk of Gokula!" ||
[10] In this way, struck with distress by the cries raised by Ariṣṭa, who was striking the udders of the cows, destroying all objects, and paralyzing everyone, those eminent cows and men residing in the cowherd settlement repeatedly cried out to Kṛṣṇa.
[11] But he, from afar, upon grasping merely a trace of their weeping, stood directly facing him as if he had not gone anywhere at all. And having halted, he bestowed the indicated reassurance, saying, "Do not fear!" and filled with wrath, he challenged Ariṣṭa with a distinctive bellow that increased the bull's rage. And this was done to make known to him: "Now you are easy to crush."

[12] And then he spoke thus:
"O fool, O vile one! Why do you terrify animals and their keepers,
while I am here, the punisher of wicked, evil-minded wretches of your kind?" [BhP 10.36.7]
And further:
"O home-grown coward! Being far away, why do you assume cruelty?
Come flood me, like the ocean's surge flooding the jar-born Agastya!" ||
[13] And it is understood that he said this out of a desire to slay him who deemed himself a bull, and to dispel the people's delusion that he was an ox. Furthermore—
When he clapped his arms, and from that sound
an explosion pierced the ears of the demon,
that bull, wondering "Who made this [sound]?",
did not abandon his immense wrath like a one-year-old calf. ||
Placing his arm upon his friend's shoulder,
Kṛṣṇa stood there laughing aloud,
whereby he increased the demon's wrath
and raised doubts among his own dear companions. ||
That bull, scattering a hundred thousand clouds like dust
with the sweep of his sweeping tail,
and rending the earth with spades blazing like the thunderbolts of his hooves,
rushed toward Hari. ||
He was not merely like a thunderbolt in causing flight;
toward his foes, he was vowed to counter-bellowing.
Not only did Hari step forward here—alas!—
but also his friend, who had embraced his shoulder with his arm. ||
[14] And when, in that state, he was visibly not far away, the glorious Kṛṣṇa seized his two horns, as follows:
The horns which were brought forward by the bull-demon for victory,
created for his own binding,
fell under the control of Kṛṣṇa's two arms. ||

Though with sharp horns bound by the ropes of [Kṛṣṇa's] arms
he clearly charged straight ahead,
he was forcibly pushed back eighteen paces
by the enemy of Diti's children. ||
"This one is haughty, so here there is no heaviness,
and no pleasure comes from an amusing sport";
thus Mādhava, visibly casting Ariṣṭa up,
caused him to spin around with a contemptuous bending! ||
Cast down by Hari, the bull-demon did not merely roll upon the earth;
in heaven, the host of celestials was also cast into a state of laughter. ||
His tail fell to the earth with the force of his horns,
and his horns fell to the earth with the force of his tail;
and so did the hind legs of the bull-demon then—
and that was fitting for him who acted contrarily. ||
Shame born of that arose in him, and he
got up again and attacked once more;
but Kṛṣṇa, knocking him down, smashed his face
with the left horn torn from him. ||
[14] And while carrying out the uprooting of the horn, he said this:
"Though you are inauspicious, yet you run in the form of a bull [bhadrākṛti];
by shearing your horns, that bull-form alone is glorified!" ||
Then, just as a person wrings out moisture while squeezing wet cloth,
so Hari drew the life out of Ariṣṭa;
and when he discharged impurities—dung, urine, blood, and the like—
he attained supreme purity through liberation [kaivalya]. ||
Even though he attained supreme dissolution, that he went to the demon realm
is recalled by sages to be out of [Kṛṣṇa's] intense wrath;
and that the gods rained flowers with joy,
would that not be fitting even merely from the destruction of a foe, what to speak of such a one? ||

[15] And here, perceiving the intent of the life-breath of Śrī Gokula and echoing it, the denizens of heaven mocked:
"Recognizing a calf as a Daitya, small though he was,
I struck him down even when I was a child, O ox Daitya.
Now grown, how should I not know you, foremost in fearful size,
and how should I not strike you down?!"

[16] Entering right into the sentiment of the people of Gokula and of the life of Gokula, Śrī Śukadeva spoke this very verse:
"Having thus slain the horned beast,
lauded by His own kin,
He entered the settlement with Bala,
a festival for the eyes of the cowherdesses."

When Acyuta returned to Vraja, praised with congratulations on His victory over the enemy,
everyone went wild with joy and exchanged many kinds of talk.
Yet His two parents, gazing intently at His face,
suddenly cried out and wiped it, bathed in their tears, as if rendered mute.
[17] Now, the conclusion:
"This is that praiseworthy son of yours, O king of the cowherds,
by whom the gods were nourished and the enemies of the gods were plundered."

[18] Then, regarding the story of the night, Snigdha-kaṇṭha himself declared:
[19] "In this way, in accordance with the variety of charming sports near the Horikā, let the nocturnal deeds of the heroic cowherds' lotus-eyed women—whose love was unwaning and who enjoyed Kṛṣṇa's company—that transpired in manifold ways, be inferred by their female companions themselves."

[20] "And let this occasion of daytime be brought to mind from a general indication steeped in my words.
And as Śrī Parāśara said:
'Madhusūdana dallied thus with the cowherdesses
in such a way that without Him a mere moment became like a crore of years.'
And as Śrī Śuka said:
'When Kṛṣṇa went to the forest, the cowherdesses, their minds having run after Him,
spent the days in sorrow, singing aloud Kṛṣṇa's divine plays.'"

[22] For indeed, day after day as the day reaches its close, displaying instrumental music, song, and dance, when that Hari, the treasure of affection for the people of Vraja, enters His home together with the horned cows that accompany His companions, then the innumerable travellers in celestial chariots, all moving together higher and higher, crowding together in a flock and wishing to see Him clearly, suffer distress at losing sight of Him and come right up to the interior of His abode. But when He has entered the house, rooted in wonder and full of longing, remaining motionless like painted figures here and there, they would pass the night.

[23] Again, as soon as He emerges from another shelter, He who pursues those who have taken refuge in Him emerges. Thus, when He comes out, having come out He sounds His flute to lead the cows and cowherds out to pasture. Although His pastimes at that time surpassed the realm of physical sight, through the richness of the power of their love, making it as if present right before their eyes, the timid, beautiful cowherd women sang of it, thus:
"Consider, O friend, the conduct of your friend!
Alas, it makes the heart of separated lovers severed without mercy!
[This is the refrain for subsequent verses as well.]
His left cheek rests on His left arm, the radiance of His eyebrows arches high,
His brilliant flute-mouth is adorned by delicate fingers, and He wears a gentle smile;
pervaded by the art of song that agitates all earth-dwellers with artistic melodies,
He enchants the women travelling in the sky and has attracted all the Siddhas."
[24] And then, while He was repeatedly the sole object of their song, remaining between the forest and Vraja, wishing to bestow joy and longing, He played upon the flute. [25] And there they sang, thus:
"O wonder! This streak of Lakṣmī upon His chest, though fickle by nature, is not fickle;
behind that jewel, the sun, that streak of stars also shines, trembling!
He who possesses these, raining the nectar of the musical flute, gathers the cows,
having blades of grass between their teeth, holding up their ear-vessels, auspicious to those who desire them."
[26] And then, with magnificent peacock feathers, clusters of flowers, and the tints of mineral pigments, the secret lover of the cowherdesses assumed the attire of a wrestler.

[27] Going there, as that lord of the beauty of Vraja called the cows by names such as Gaṅgā and Yamunā towards the lake with its fully blooming lotuses so they might quickly drink their morning water, by His flute-song, the lake, as if aware of its own calling, its rushing current obstructed, took on restlessness and even longing waves. And as the multitude of rivers coursed far away, their song was again thus:
"Having assumed the superb attire of a wrestler made of peacock feathers, minerals, leaves, and flower clusters,
He summons the cows; there the row of rivers attains a special state.
Desiring to embrace Him with arms of broken waves, the dust of His feet, carried by the breeze,
they quickly yearn for as if with eyes through some good deed, knowing themselves to be untrained."
[28] Then, beginning with the majesty of bliss caused by that calling at that time, and perceiving that pastime, some women who had gone into the assembly of the queen of Vraja, though eager to praise Him thoroughly out of yearning, hid their own inner sentiment, assimilated it to common sentiment, and made this description, which was like a direct beholding of Him.
[29] There is another song there, thus:
"Like the primal person, full of majesty,
He whose exalted prowess is recounted by His followers—this Vanamālin rises! [Refrain]
Where He plays the soft music of His flute to summon the cows, the forest
experiences the fivefold sentiments born of the manifestation of the inner ruler of its form.
Followed by flowers as laughter, honey as tears, and fresh sprouts as horripilation,
trembling and even bowing down with ranks of branches, it indeed attains joy!"
[30] Thus, even to inanimate things as if they were animate, He continually imparted subtle gestures and movements of the body.

[31] Then, as midday approached quickly through joyous pastimes, having entered into the sport of bathing in a certain vast lake rich with the fragrant nectar of lotuses and thick water, he assumed a delightful style of attire consisting only of tilaka and a forest garland. Afterward, sitting upon a slab of stone shining at the foot of an immense tree glittering with fresh sprouts, in that marvelous, secluded, beautiful corner of the blooming forest at the edge of the great mountain, resplendent while his companions were far off watching over the grazing herd, he fixed his attention on the singing of a swarm of sweet bees drawn forth in haste by his own fragrance. Following in curiosity the very essence of the sound that caused their humming, he took delight in awakening the relish of the cranes and other birds with the music of his flute that mimicked their song.

[32] And this was as follows: / Splendid with charming tilaka and a forest garland made of fresh tulasī leaves, that playful piper sings in imitation of the bees enchanted by his own sweet scent. // Then a flock of ten thousand swans, together with cranes, came closely following in a circle and settled all around, entering into that sound which was sung here by Hari. // [33] And then, when the entire circle of his companions had gathered from here and there together with his elder brother, the narrative of his pastimes of pasturing the cows is to be proclaimed, his expansive joy augmented by his preeminent, enticing beauty manifested through various forest decorations of the time, such as peacock plumes and tail-feathers, and by his exquisite garlands.

[34] For instance: on a certain mountain, while the cows were grazing on auspicious grass growing on tree-less ground, he played the flute to dispel the scorching heat of the midday sun that blazed like fire upon their foreheads. There, clouds, drawn by the force of the Mallāra rāga that rivaled their own nature, appeared to bestow coolness upon them.

[35] And that flute-playing, echoing through the ravines of the mountain endowed with great and heavy majesty, and causing everything to resound in succession, drew even the people of the three worlds to witness that wonder.

[36] And so, having perceived all of that, it was described again by them in that very assembly: / Wearing a forest garland and ear-ornaments, radiant in an array of woodland attire, in the company of Bala, he delights in the pleasure of the flute used for herding cows along the mountain slope. // Enchanting the clouds, he bewilders the world, draws it, and showers joy upon it; in the dense shade, his body cool, he wanders about for the pleasure of his friends. // Showering flowers, showing friendship by diffusing its own luster, the cloud serves him; it clearly approaches him, yet remains above like a parasol. // [37] And then, in that exceedingly dense and thick shade, he unfolded his pastimes.

[38] And this was described by them as a common deliberation before the assembly of the queen of Vraja, as follows: / Behold your son, skilled in the arts of play, with the flute he himself began to play, who brings back the cows with various charming melodies of his own that enchant Brahmā and Śiva! // [39] And immediately after that, usually some goddesses of Vraja, having slipped away from Vraja during the day under some pretext or with clear intent, stood along the path of his return to follow him; seeing him, yet avoiding him from afar as if not seeing him, certain messengers teased them thus: / Blind with passion, does this peacock-feather shine before you, or does he who wears it? Is this flute-sound the breath of life of the universe, or is he the breath of life of the universe? // [40] And they cleverly hint to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, as follows: / By turns of phrase such as ‘she spreads gentle moonlight,’ ‘she holds a wondrous branch,’ and ‘she conquers everything,’ they indicate Candrāvalī, Lalitā, Viśākhikā, and Rādhā even in the assembly of friends. // [41] There, some, gathering rare flowers and the like under the pretext of worshiping the deity, arrive at the cause of a great quarrel.

[42] Some, however, bring fresh, auspicious milk-products and other things strictly for his sake, yet they do not offer them to him themselves. Therefore, blocking the pretext of an artificial toll-booth and obstructing the path, they reply deceitfully to him when he asks, in the manner of buyers and sellers: knowing this [cowherd butter] to be more celestial than the celestial, when the devoted wives of the sacrificers—acting in imitation of the wives of the yajña-performers—seek to become purchasers, they declare that everything must be sold only after evaluating the maturity of their speech as honest women and calculating the entire price.

[43] There, in the gathering of flowers, the dialogue with the beloved is as follows: / ‘Who are you?’ ‘The forest deities.’ ‘What are you doing?’ ‘We are gathering flowers.’ / ‘What will you make?’ ‘An offering to the deity.’ ‘Then how can you be deities?’ / ‘That is clearly our playful sport.’ ‘So our nature is identical with yours!’ / Sporting thus by force, may the captivating Hari protect you! // [44] And on another occasion: / ‘Who are you?’ ‘The deities of the forest.’ ‘What are you doing?’ ‘We are taking flowers.’ / ‘This kingdom was ceded to us by the gods; what goddesses of the forest are there here?’ / ‘Even if it was given by our kind, our status is still elevated!’ / Thus with dispute did the battle of love shine forth between Kṛṣṇa and them. // [45] And on another occasion, the dialogue between a certain messenger and Kṛṣṇa was as follows:

"Who is this woman?" "How can womanhood be [applied to me]? That word means 'slight'."
"Why do you utter this misplaced word? It is out of place."
"It did not arise from an alteration of voice; alas, what alteration of voice is here?"
Thus the female messenger's speech prevails before Hari on behalf of the doe-eyed girl. [46] Now, the playful dispute under the pretext of selling milk-products, as follows:
"Who are you?" "Sellers of milk-products, indeed!" "For you who have attained a station surpassing Lakṣmī,
nowhere is that a fitting place for these [activities]."
"Having surpassed her, its price is renowned; therefore there is no fault in it."
"Then, just like that, give this toll of mine too to the toll-collector!" [47] Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa's command to his friends:
"First take by peerless force the fruit of these women who obstruct the operation of the toll-station;
block their way on all sides and bring them to their senses!
If they do not understand clearly, I shall make them enter a forest-prison,
or else I myself, searching thoroughly, will strip their covered sashes!" [48] Thus, when he had spoken and rejoiced, performing various such deeds, [the gopīs], having somehow reached home by another path, announced it among their friends and sang this song as well:
"Listen to him, who performs good kinds of enchantment,
who causes the flag, thunderbolt, goad, chatter, mirror, and tree to sprout again! [Refrain]
With the gait of an elephant he sports, sings, dances, and plays his flute;
he blocks our path and also demands the portion due to the toll-station!" [49] Thus his pleasure-pastimes with a boat are also to be understood.

[50] Indeed, when somewhere these deer-eyed maidens, their eyes eager to behold the essence of his beauty, formed a gathering and approached him in the course of their stroll, and then out of jest turned their steps elsewhere, [51] then he, the bewilderor of the four-faced Brahmā, who brings about the great festival of confidence among his thousands of companions, as a companion brought down from all sides the manifold mountain streams into one so as to produce manifest delight; and in the midst of those adverse maidens, in order to bewilder them, he set in motion an excellent river that broke the joy of its banks, caused anxious thoughts, and was difficult to check. And having set it in motion, perceiving that it was as deep as two men, so that it was to be traversed by boat, that jewel of all beings, brought by his friends along the path with a great boat made of broad palāśa leaves and acting as a steersman, engaged in a quarrel filled with affection and manifold playful dalliance to produce a treasure of hidden ornaments with those maidens who were frightened by the expanse of the crossing-toll and the like. [52] That too has been sung, as follows:
"Quickly he makes a river and a boat in our path;
in it he makes us embark to take us across, and on that pretext he touches us!" [50] The [gopīs] themselves composed a verse here, as follows:

"Having prepared a couch of spread [creepers] for us to climb upon, and having arranged our words in support, O friend, when he reached the middle of the river,
demanding the crossing-fare difficult to pay and blocking the boat,
what manifold crooked arts did that hand-marked-with-the-discus not perform?" [53] Thus, having realized the multitude of his desires and set out for home as he wished, conversing about his deeds with his friends, and once again adorned with bathing and the like, right there on some riverbank, once near the Yamunā, gathering the herd of cows crowded together to drink water and manifesting them group by group through gradual counting, he sang, his purpose fulfilled by the contemplation of them.

[54] And that was recited after him by them, as follows:
"Blissful upon completing the counting of the herd of cows with his garland of jewels,
his arm resting upon the shoulder of his dearest friend, who with his elevated singing has captivated the female deer without end—
behold Kṛṣṇa, absorbed in the enchanting mantra, with the doe who is doe-eyed;
if not, then how do I see both distinct forms moving together as one?" Thus. [55] Then, as Mukunda was adorned on all sides by all his friends with garlands of kunda flowers dripping with abundant nectar that they had gathered and brought, and as he returned, and as he drew near, having assembled the cows in herds—so it has been described. But due to his delay, Śrī Vrajeśvarī, agitated with anxiety, concealed her true nature as she sat in the assembly. For thus [it is sung]:
"Behold Hari, as if arrived without delay!
Out of compassion for his friends, he held even the mountain for a long time. [Refrain]
His curious attire protected by garlands of kunda flowers, sporting with cows and cowherds;
gently fanned by mild breezes, stealing all minds at every moment!
Praised by the celestial bards, his dancing and music carefully performed by them;
extolled by the hymns of the host of sages, skilled in virtue, worthy of adoration by the whole world!
Then alongside the herd of cattle, together with his followers, his greatness extolled by them;
bringing joy even through the splendor of his fatigue, possessing the excellence of flute-playing!
His garland charming, covered with the dust of hooves, his eyes slightly rolling;
behold him, who bestows honor upon his own people, bringing home the desired milk-products!
His cheeks pale in splendor, bearing the beauty of earrings, sporting like the king of elephants;
rejoicing like the moon, risen just before the evening twilight!" Thus. [56] Now, following the Vaiṣṇava and Vārāha Purāṇas, we shall explain another course [of events].

[57] Thus, noting their failure to observe the time of meeting, the lotus-eyed one, feeling sorrow for them in his heart as they longed to dive into the narration of his qualities and had their eyes stretched to their ears, came and pleased everyone as appropriate with an unfailing stream of delightful happiness. Yet, feeling completely wounded by the sharp sidelong glances that remained scorched by the intense flames of separation, in order to dispel it he gathered them—who had no other refuge—between the cowpen and Mount Govardhana by the melody of his flute. Bringing them contentment and preparing the field of union and liberation for the springtime rāsa dance, while satisfying the desires of those yearning maidens, he heard a loud cry of distress arising from the terrible affliction caused by Ariṣṭa, who was bellowing fiercely from his own Vraja. The very moment he heard it, he returned swiftly to Vraja along with them, each along their own path. What took place after that has already been recounted. Regarding that, they proclaim this verse:

When he went to the rāsa sports and when he arrived at the bull-demon,
neither confusion nor, much less, fatigue in Kṛṣṇa was seen by the gods. ||1.31.43

[58] When that Ariṣṭa was indeed slain, Hari, his enemy, still did not withdraw his absorbed intensity. Not reaching the full measure of his prowess, which was abundantly dispersed, that son of Diti met his end.

[59] And when that [absorption] had not been withdrawn, he struck [the earth] with his heel, causing a cleft to appear as if he himself had incurred a fault from contact with the sins of that creature. That very cleft, confirming its status as a sacred tirtha, proved unfailing in bestowing all human goals.

[60] And where Śrī Hari himself, bathing with all his companions, propagated the conduct of virtuous men. Demonstrating that this great tirtha had arisen from the netherworld, diving in, surfacing, and distributing abundant [gifts], he, having delighted all the people of Vraja, returned to Vraja, his actions of conquering the enemy celebrated in song.

[61] Having returned and honorably greeted the king of Vraja and others with love and deference, he retired to his bedchamber on the pretext of resting. Then, by the sound of his flute summoning them, that ocean of supreme love gathered those beloved maidens, who are most auspicious in every way, upon the ground that lay between Vraja and its exterior, which had been arranged before; and, making himself accessible to each, he brought them once more to the rāsa. And on that occasion:

The sweetness of Mādhava's lower lip that had been tasted by Rādhā,
was experienced again in the artistic play of the flute. ||1.31.44

And right there:

In the abhisāra, the multitude of slender maidens of Vraja with fluttering garments shone brightly;
were they perhaps holding the victory-banners of the arrival of the bodiless god of love? ||1.31.45

[62] And on the path where Rādhā, who had come out first, who is supreme beauty itself, and who had accomplished all devotion, was alone with her beloved, his playful joking nourished immense joy.

[63] For when that beloved maiden, whose heart was weary from the anguish of anxiety, met her beloved in secret after he had escaped such danger, she discarded even the bounds of modesty, embraced him, and, manifesting the bodily transformations beginning with stupefaction, acted for a long time without any deliberate thought.

[64] And he responded to her in just the same way.

[65] Then, when the two lovers were somehow consoled by the female companions, the beloved [Kṛṣṇa], fashioning before their eyes his newly created pond, spoke playfully to his beloved:

[66] "Behold, behold! This lotus-pool of mine, like the ocean adjoining the king of mountains, shall bring about the birth of Brahmā; like the moon, though remaining in one quarter, it causes the forest of night-lotuses to bloom with its own splendors; like Indra, it is splendid with its weapon; like Brahmā, it shines brightly by the manifestation of the worlds; like Śiva, it calms the pride of the ocean; like glorious Viṣṇu, it is sought after by assemblies of paramahaṃsas; like Śrī Rāma, it brings joy to Rohiṇī; and why say more? Like the younger brother of Śrī Rāma, it dispels the sinful bull Ariṣṭa who brought distress to the virtuous! Therefore, by creating this pond in an instant, through which a multitude of good deeds has been accomplished, I have achieved fulfillment. But you have not performed such skillful merit—so how will you attain equality with the virtuous?"

[67] Then her companions joked in return:

[68] "We have not incurred any obstacle from being subject to the guilt of killing a bull, on account of which we should undertake expiation as people do for atonement!"

[69] Kṛṣṇa said with a smile: "He was certainly not a bull! Rather, he was an enemy of righteousness, an asura under the guise of a bull. Therefore, by taking his side, the killing of a bull falls upon you alone, and so it is you alone for whom an act of atonement is proper."

[70] "And there, according to the principle of political ethics that 'what is done by the subjects falls upon the king,' it should be undertaken by her alone, who acts as your queen; therefore, she alone is regarded as primary in this matter."

[71] The friends said: "Be that as it may, this fault has attached to us somehow only on account of your association; therefore, to remove it, what was done by you must simply be imitated."