105- Shree Krishna’s Pastimes in Mathura: Breaking the Bow, Deliverance of Kuvalayapeed, Chanur–Mushtik, and Kans

After showing His mercy to Kubja, Shree Krishna asked the residents of the city about the place of the bow sacrifice (Dhanush-yagya) and arrived at the arena. There He saw a wonderful bow, enormous and beautiful like a rainbow. A great amount of wealth had been spent on that bow; it was adorned with precious ornaments, worshipped according to proper rituals, and many soldiers were guarding it strictly.

Even though the guards tried to stop Him, Bhagwan Shree Krishna forcefully lifted the bow. In front of everyone, He picked it up with His left hand, placed the bowstring upon it, and in a single moment pulled it so strongly that it broke into two pieces. When the bow snapped, its terrible sound resounded through the sky, the earth, and all directions. Hearing that thunderous sound, Kans himself trembled with fear.

As soon as the bow broke, its demonic guards became extremely furious. Along with their companions, they rushed forward, surrounded Shree Krishna, and began shouting, “Catch Him! Bind Him! Do not let Him go!”

Understanding their wicked intention, Shree Krishna and Balramji also became slightly angry. They picked up the broken pieces of the bow and, with those very fragments, destroyed the guards. Then, using the same pieces of the bow, They defeated the army that Kans had sent to assist them.

After this, both brothers came out through the main gate of the sacrificial arena and happily began to wander through the city, admiring the splendour of Mathura. When the residents heard about the extraordinary feat of the two brothers and saw Their brilliance, courage, and incomparable beauty, they were astonished. In everyone’s mind arose the thought that these were not ordinary human beings; surely They must be some great devata.

In this way, Bhagwan Shree Krishna and Balramji began to roam freely throughout Mathura. When the sun set, both brothers, surrounded by the cowherd boys, returned outside the city to their camp, where the carts of the residents of Braj were stationed.

Even Lakshmiji, whom the devatas of the three worlds desire to obtain, has abandoned everyone else and made Bhagwan Shree Krishna her eternal abode. Now the residents of Mathura were beholding the wondrous beauty of that Supreme Bhagwan. How great was their fortune! When Shree Krishna was leaving Braj for Mathura, the gopis, overwhelmed with separation, had spoken of the good fortune of the people of Mathura. All those words now proved literally true. Indeed, the people of Mathura became immersed in supreme bliss simply by seeing Him.

After this, Shree Krishna and Balramji washed Their hands and feet and ate sweet preparations made from milk, such as kheer. Then, after learning about Kans’s further plans, They rested peacefully that night in the same camp.

Meanwhile, when Kans heard the news that Shree Krishna and Balram had broken the bow and had also killed its guards and the army sent to assist them, he became extremely frightened. That wicked man could not sleep even for a moment that night. Both in his waking state and in his dreams, he began to see many ominous signs indicating his approaching death.

While awake, it seemed to him that in water or in a mirror he could see the reflection of his body but not his head. Without any reason, the moon, the stars, and the light of a lamp appeared doubled to him. He saw holes in his own shadow, and even when he placed his fingers in his ears, he could not hear the sound of his own breath. Trees appeared to him as if they were made of gold, and in sand or mud, he could not see the marks of his own footprints.

In his dreams, he saw that he was embracing ghosts, riding on a donkey, and drinking poison. His body was smeared with oil, he was wearing a garland of hibiscus flowers, and he was moving about naked. Seeing many such dreadful dreams and omens, his heart trembled with fear, and he remained awake the entire night, tormented by anxiety.

In the morning, King Kans ordered preparations for the grand festival of wrestling. The royal officials beautifully decorated the arena. Trumpets, drums, and other instruments began to sound. The spectator platforms were adorned with flower garlands, flags, cloth decorations, and festoons.

Brahmins, kshatriyas, townspeople, and villagers all took their seats in their respective places. Many kings also arrived and occupied their assigned seats. King Kans himself sat upon a high royal throne among his ministers and provincial rulers, although fear still lingered in his mind because of the ominous signs.

Meanwhile, to the sound of musical instruments, the wrestlers began entering the arena. The principal wrestlers, Chanur, Mushtik, Koot, Shal, and Toshal, came well adorned along with their teachers and took their seats in the arena.

At that time, Bhojraj Kans also summoned Nandbaba and the other gopas. They came, offered him various kinds of gifts, and sat upon the platform assigned for them, waiting to witness the wrestling match that was about to begin.

Shukdevji narrates that Shree Krishna and Balram, after completing their morning bath and daily duties, heard the beating of the wrestling drums and proceeded towards the arena. At the entrance stood Kans’s huge elephant Kuvalayapeed along with its mahout. Shree Krishna warned the mahout to move aside and give way, but in anger, he instead provoked the elephant to attack Shree Krishna.

Kuvalayapeed tried to seize Shree Krishna, but Shree Krishna skillfully and powerfully avoided him. At times, He slipped out of the elephant’s trunk, at times He caught its tail and dragged it some distance, and playfully bewildered it with His movements. Finally, Shree Krishna threw the elephant to the ground, uprooted its tusks, and, with those very tusks, killed the elephant and the mahouts as well.

After this, Shree Krishna and Balram, holding the elephant’s tusks in Their hands and accompanied by the cowherd boys, entered the arena. At that moment, drops of blood and ichor were scattered on Their bodies, and sweat shone upon Their faces, revealing Their heroic and extraordinary splendour.

When Shree Krishna and Balram entered the arena, everyone saw Them according to their own feelings. To the wrestlers They appeared as warriors as hard as thunderbolts. To the women They appeared as the very embodiment of Kamdev. To the gopas They appeared as their beloved relatives. To the wicked kings They appeared as rulers who punish the sinful. To Kans They appeared as death itself. And to the devotees They appeared as their beloved Ishtadev.

When Kans heard that Shree Krishna had killed the elephant Kuvalayapeed, he felt inwardly afraid. Meanwhile, the spectators, seeing the beauty, heroism, and divine pastimes of Shree Krishna and Balram, began discussing Their wonderful deeds, such as the killing of the daityas Putana, Trinavart, and Keshi, the subduing of Kaliya nag, and the lifting of Govardhan.

Meanwhile, the wrestler Chanur challenged Shree Krishna and Balram to a wrestling match. Shree Krishna politely replied that They were only young boys, and it would be proper for Them to wrestle only with opponents of equal strength. However, Chanur argued that Shree Krishna and Balram, who had killed the mighty elephant Kuvalayapeed, could not be considered ordinary boys; therefore, They should fight with powerful wrestlers. Finally, it was decided that Shree Krishna would wrestle with Chanur and Balram would wrestle with Mushtik.

Shree Krishna and Balram then began their wrestling match with Chanur and Mushtik. Both sides used various wrestling techniques, grapples, holds, and strikes. Seeing this, the women present there became distressed with compassion. They began to say that it was unjust and against Dharma to make these tender youths fight such powerful wrestlers. They also started praising the good fortune of Braj and the gopis.

The land of Braj is extremely sacred and blessed, because there Bhagwan Shree Krishna lives in human form and, along with Balramji, grazes the cows, plays the flute, and performs many divine pastimes. The gopis are exceedingly fortunate, because they constantly behold the enchanting beauty of Shree Krishna. His beauty is incomparable, self-manifest, and appears ever fresh at every moment. Even while performing their daily duties, the gopis lovingly sing about the pastimes and virtues of Shree Krishna.

Devaki and Vasudev heard the fearful words of the women’s, and out of parental affection, they became overwhelmed with sorrow. Their hearts burned with anguish and pain because they did not know the true strength and power of their sons.

At that moment, Shree Krishna seized Chanur, whirled him around, and hurled him to the ground, causing his death. In the same way, Balram struck Mushtik with a powerful blow and killed him. After that, Balram defeated Koot, and Shree Krishna overpowered Shal and Toshal as well.

When all these wrestlers were killed, the remaining fighters fled in fear. After this, Shree Krishna and Balram joyfully began to dance and play in the arena along with Their cowherd friends, delightfully enjoying the wrestling festival.

When the wrestlers were killed, Kans became extremely furious. He ordered that Shree Krishna and Balram be expelled from the city, that Nandbaba be imprisoned, and that Vasudev be put to death. While Kans was speaking these harsh words, Shree Krishna became angry and leapt with great speed onto the high platform where Kans was seated.

When Kans saw Bhagwan Shree Krishna standing before him, terrible like death itself, he became frightened and immediately rose from his throne. Taking a shield and sword in his hands, he began to change his stance, looking for an opportunity to strike. Sometimes he moved to the right, sometimes to the left, circling around like a hawk flying in the sky and preparing to pounce upon its prey.

But the power of Bhagwan is extremely intense and unbearable. Just as Garud seizes a serpent, in the same way Bhagwan Shree Krishna swiftly rushed forward and seized Kans. At that very moment, Kans’s crown fell from his head. Bhagwan caught him by the hair and dragged him down from the high platform into the wrestling arena.

Then Shree Krishna, the supremely independent Bhagwan who is the refuge of the entire universe, jumped upon him. The moment He leapt upon him, Kans’s life left his body. In front of everyone, Shree Krishna began dragging his lifeless body across the arena, just as a lion drags an elephant.

At that moment, a great uproar arose throughout the entire assembly. From all directions, people cried out, “Alas! Alas!” In the wrestling arena of Mathura, everyone witnessed how Adharma meets its end and Dharma ultimately triumphs.

Kans was always thinking about Shree Krishna out of constant fear. While eating, drinking, sleeping, walking, speaking, and even breathing, he kept seeing Bhagwan Shree Krishna before him, holding the Sudarshan chakra. Because he constantly remembered Him in this way, even though it was out of hatred, he ultimately attained sarupya mukti (a liberation in which one obtains a form similar to Bhagwan), a state that even great yogis performing severe austerities attain only with difficulty.

Kans had eight younger brothers, including Kank and Nyagrodh. Filled with anger to avenge their elder brother’s death, they rushed towards Shree Krishna and Balram. When Balramji saw them approaching swiftly for battle, He lifted a heavy iron club (parigh) and killed them.

At that moment, celestial drums resounded in the sky. Brahmaji, Shivji, and the other devatas became joyful and began showering flowers while offering praises to Bhagwan. The apsaras began to dance.

Meanwhile, the wives of Kans and his brothers were overwhelmed with grief at the death of their husbands and relatives. Beating their heads and with tears in their eyes, they came there, embraced their husbands’ bodies, and began to lament loudly. They said that because their husbands had committed injustice against innocent beings, they had met this fate. Bhagwan Shree Krishna alone is the source of the creation and dissolution of all living beings in the world, and He alone is their protector. One who disrespects Him or opposes Him can never be happy.

Shree Krishna consoled the queens and gave them courage. Then, according to the customs of society, He arranged for all the funeral rites of the dead. After this, Bhagwan Shree Krishna and Balram went to the prison and freed Their parents from bondage. They bowed down and touched their parents’ feet with their heads.

However, even when their sons offered obeisance, Devaki and Vasudev did not immediately embrace them with parental affection, because they were seeing Them as Bhagwan. A feeling of reverence remained in their hearts, and they hesitated, thinking, “How can we regard the Supreme Bhagwan of the universe as our own sons?”

Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 06.03.2026