A History of Indian Literature v1.c9.s8.39

v1.c9.s8.39

The following section³ reverts to Kṛṣṇa and relates another story of the killing of the Asura Nikumbha. The Yādavas, with Kṛṣṇa and Rāma at their head, undertake a pilgrimage to the sea to a sacred bathing-place in order to celebrate a great joyous festival there. Kṛṣṇa with his sixteen thousand wives, Rāma with his only wife Revatī, and youths of the Yādavas with thousands of courtesans give themselves up to playing and singing, feasting and drinking, and all kinds of enjoyments in the water and on the sea-shore.⁴ During these festivities the demon Nikumbha kidnaps *Bhānumatī*, a daughter of the Yādava Bhānu. Kṛṣṇa’s son Pradyumna pursues the Asura and brings the stolen one back, while Kṛṣṇa himself kills Nikumbha.