A Story of Dwapar Yuga in Prose: ( part-14)

A Story of Dwapar Yuga in Prose: ( part-14)

By Lokanath Mishra:

A lot happened between Kansa Vadha and Mahabharata war.
When Krishna and Balarama came to Mathura, Kansa was afraid that his end was near. He knew that Krishna, the eighth son of Devaki, was predestined to kill him. Kansa became scared on learning that Krishna and Balarama had effortlessly shattered the sacrificial bow and killed all the soldiers he had sent to arrest them. Krishna and Balarama first entered the wrestling arena, to experience the great festivities. The two brothers were attacked by an elephant named Kuvalayapida, at the behest of their keeper. After teasing the elephant for some time, Lord Krishna finally yanked out one of the elephant’s tusks and killed the elephant along with its keeper.

Thereafter, Charun and Mustika, the strongest of Kansa’s wrestlers, challenged Krishna and Balarama respectively to a fight. The audience was not happy though, as they felt that the fighters were unevenly matched. Charuna and Mustika were immensely powerful while Krishna and Balarama were mere boys. The fighters locked themselves hand to hand, leg to leg, and began pressing against each other. They smashed and dragged each other. The intensity of the fight increased with every moment. Krishna then chose to put an end to the fight. He struck Charuna thrice with His fists and catching hold of his two hands wheeled him around. Charuna immediately lost his life and while falling down his fashioned ornaments were dispersed all over the place. When Mustika struck Balarama, He returned the favor by striking the powerful wrestler. The powerful Mustika trembled and vomited blood. He collapsed just like a tree in a hurricane.

Witnessing Charuna and Mustika dead, a wrestler named Kuta challenged Krishna and Balarama. Lord Balarama immediately caught hold of him and killed him effortlessly. Thereafter, Sala, Tosala, and other wrestlers came forward, but the two brothers killed all of them without wasting any time. The rest of the fighters fled the arena out of fear. The cowherd boys who came from Virandavan congratulated Krishna and Balarama and blew upon their trumpets. This further angered Kansa who could not accept the victory of Krishna and Balarama. He immediately ordered the band to stop playing and asked his soldiers to drive Krishna and Balarama away from Mathura. He ordered Nanda Maharaja to be killed. Kansa also ordered for the cowherd boys accompanying Krishna to be plundered and their riches taken away. He also ordered Vasudeva, Krishna’s father, and Ugrasena, Kansa’s father, to be killed without delay. In this way, Kansa tried to bring the situation under his control but it ended up angering Krishna even further.

Krishna jumped onto the high dais and tried to strike Kansa. Kansa, who was prepared for Krishna’s attack, defended himself with a sword and a shield. As Kansa swayed his sword, Krishna caught hold of him and knocked off his crown. He dragged Kansa by his hair and threw him down to the wrestling arena. The Lord Krishna struck Kansa’s chest with His fists again and again. In this way, Lord Krishna killed Kansa, his maternal uncle. Thereafter Krishna and Balarama immediately freed Vasudeva and Devaki who had been imprisoned by Kansa for so long. Although Krishna touched their feet and offered prayers, Devaki and Vasudeva, being aware of Krishna’s supreme position, did not embrace Him but exhibited their reverence towards Him.

After killing Kansa, Krishna not only freed his parents, but also reinstated his grandfather, Ugrasena, to the throne of Mathura .

‘Vishrama Ghat’ where Lord Krishna took rest after killing Kansa, His tyrannical maternal uncle. The word ‘Vishram’ literally translates to ‘rest’ and the word ‘Ghat’ refers to a river bank. Thus the name ‘Vishram Ghat’ came into existence after Lord Krishna rested at this place. Vishram Ghat is also the holy place where Lord Varahadeva rested after slaying the demon Hiranyaksha. Situated on the bank of Yamuna, Vishrama Ghat is a revered place of worship for devotees. The circumambulation of all the holy sites of Mathura starts and ends at Vishram Ghat. Vishram Ghat is lined with elegant temples, and some of the most important temples of Mathura including Mukut Temple, Radha-Damodar, Murli Manohar, Neelkantheshwar, Yamuna-Krishna, Langali Hanuman, and Narasimha deva temples are situated in its close vicinity.
Devotees take a holy dip in the river and offer lamps at Vishram Ghat every day in the morning and evening. People traveling from across the world light oil lamps and set them floating in the river at this sacred place. The sparkling reflection of the illuminated lamps drifting on the serene Yamuna presents a mesmerizing view. Various rituals including offering oblations to ancestors are performed at this holy site.
( to be continued)

Integrity Then and Now : From Namak ka Daroga to a Modern-Day CGST Superintendent