A History of Indian Literature v1.c9.s8.22

v1.c9.s8.22

The fame of all the heroic deeds of Kṛṣṇa reaches the ears of Kaṃsa and causes him anxiety. In order to get him out of the way, he sends for the two youthful heroes to come to Mathurā, where, at a festival, they are to fight with his best wrestlers. But no sooner has he arrived in the town than Kṛṣṇa performs wonderful miracles and feats of strength. Thus he bends the king's great bow, which even the gods cannot bend, with such strength that, with a tremendous crash, it breaks in twain. Kṛṣṇa pulls out the tusk of an elephant which Kaṃsa lets loose upon the youths, and kills the elephant with it. The two powerful champion wrestlers with whom Kaṃsa confronts the youths are also killed by them. Filled with rage, the king now commands that the cowherd-youths and all cowherds shall be driven out of his kingdom. Then Kṛṣṇa springs like a lion upon Kaṃsa, drags him by his hair into the centre of the arena and kills him.