Vishnupurana 5.20.p4

5.20.p4

In the morning the citizens assembled on the platforms set apart for them, and the princes with the ministers and courtiers occupied the royal seats. Kansa made all those sit in front who were judges of the games whilst he himself sat apart, close by, upon a lofty throne. Separate platforms were also set up for the ladies of the palace and they sat there. Nanda and cow-herds had places set apart for them at the end of which sat Akrura and Vasudeva. Amongst the wives of the citizens was Devaki, mourning for her son, whose lovely countenance she desired to see even in the hour of destruction. Thereafter the bugles were sounded and Chānura sprang forth and Mushtika clapped his arms defiantly and people cried aloud "Alas". Covered with the temporal juice and blood of the elephant, whom they had killed when driven against them by the driver, Balabhadra and Janarddana confidently entered the arena, like two lions amidst a herd of deer, with proud looks towards all. There arose exclamations of pity and expressions of surprise from all the arena and people said "This is Krishna! This is Balabhadra!! This is that Krishna by whom the she-demon Putanā was killed. This is that Krishna by whom the wagon was upset. This is that Krishna who uprooted the two trees. This is that Krishna—the boy who danced upon the hooded fangs of the serpent Kāliya and who for seven days upheld the mountain Govardhana. Behold, this is that Krishna, who easily destroyed the demons Aristha, Dhenuka and Kesin. This is that Achyuta. There is his elder brother Balabhadra, before him, having long arms. He is young, sportively affording delight to the minds and eyes of the damsels. It has been foretold by the wise, skilled in the sense of Purānas that he shall, as a cow-herd, exalt the depressed Yadu race. This is a portion of the all-existing, all-generating Vishnu descended upon earth, who will assuredly lighten her load". The citizens having thus described Rāma and Krishna, Devaki's heart was filled with compassion and milk oozed out of her breast out of affection. And on beholding the faces of his son, Vasudeva forgot his infirmities and felt himself young again. The women of the palace, and the females of the city beheld Krishna with eyes wide open. "Look friends" said they to their companions "Look at the face of Krishna; his eyes are reddened by his conflict with the elephant and the drops of perspiration stand upon his cheek outweighing a full-blown lotus in autumn studded with glittering dew. Make your birth blessed and the faculty of vision fruitful, by beholding the breast of the boy, the seat of splendour and marked with the mystic sign Sribatsa; and see his arms menacing destruction to the enemies. Do you not see Balabhadra coming with him, clad in a blue raiment, having his countenance fair as the jasmine, as the moon and as the fibres of the lotus stem? See, how he gently smiles at the gestures of Mushtika and Chānura as they spring up. And see Hari is advancing to meet Chānura. Is there no elder present here who will judge rightly? How can the delicate form of Hari, just in his youth, match the huge and adamantine form of the great demon Chānura? Two youths of delicate and beautiful forms are on the one side and the athletic fiends headed by Chānura on the other. Is this fair? This is a great sin in the umpires to allow a contest between boys and strong men".