The sound of the bow’s breaking filled the earth and sky in all directions. Upon hearing it, Kaṁsa was struck with terror.

TRANSLATION

[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O lady with beautiful eyebrows, as soon as I fulfill My purpose I will certainly visit your house, where men can relieve their anxiety. Indeed, you are the best refuge for Us homeless travelers.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa then spoke, conveying to Kubjā that He was accepting her, and conveying to Balarāma and others that He was evading a worldly woman. Kṛṣṇa said, “O beautiful woman, by visiting your house all men can get relief from their anxieties.” Kṛṣṇa spoke of all men to joke with her. “After doing My work of killing Kaṁsa, I will certainly come to your house.” In this way Kṛṣṇa indicated the time that He would come. “You are the supreme shelter of Us (naḥ) unmarried men.” Kṛṣṇa, though one person, used the plural (naḥ) to create respect for Himself as a prince in Kubjā’s mind.

 

By saying “We are travelers” (pānthānāṁ) Kṛṣṇa implies, “In My village of Vṛndāvana there are many affectionate Vraja-gopīs who have deep love for Me. But I don’t know any one in this Mathurā city. You are the only lady I have met who is attracted to Me.” Thus Kṛṣṇa hints that He is attracted to Kubjā. By describing Kubjā as “one who relieves men of distress” (ādhi-vikarśanam), and by using the plural form of travelers (pānthānām), Kṛṣṇa deludes Balarāma and gopas, so that they will think He is insulting and putting off this ignorant lady, and not actually accepting Kubjā’s advances.

 

|| 10.42.13 ||

visṛjya mādhvyā vāṇyā tām vrajan mārge vaṇik-pathaiḥ

nānopāyana-tāmbūla-srag-gandhaiḥ sāgrajo ’rcitaḥ

TRANSLATION

Leaving her with these sweet words, Lord Kṛṣṇa walked further down the road. The merchants along the way worshiped Him and His elder brother by presenting Them with various respectful offerings, including pān, garlands and fragrant substances.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa sent Kubjā away with sweet words (mādhvyā vāṇyā). The merchants along the road worshiped Kṛṣṇa with various articles.

 

|| 10.42.14 ||

tad-darśana-smara-kṣobhād ātmānaṁ nāvidan striyaḥ

visrasta-vāsaḥ-kavara valayā lekhya-mūrtayaḥ

TRANSLATION

The sight of Kṛṣṇa aroused Cupid in the hearts of the city women. Thus agitated, they forgot themselves. Their clothes, braids and bangles became disheveled, and they stood as still as figures in a painting.

COMMENTARY

The wives of the Mathurā merchants were the most advanced devotees in the city because they immediately experienced symptoms of conjugal attraction when they saw Kṛṣṇa, which usually develop after some time and association with the object of love. Theirs was “love at first sight.”

 

The ten effects of Cupid are described as follows: First comes attraction expressed through the eyes (cakṣū-rāgaḥ prathamaṁ), then intense attachment in the mind and heart (cittāsaṅgas tato), then determination (saṅkalpaḥ), loss of sleep (nidrā-cchedas), becoming emaciated (tanutā), disinterest in external things (viṣaya-nivṛttis), shamelessness (trapā-nasaḥ), madness (unmādo), becoming stunned (mūrcchā) and death (mṛtir). These are the ten stages of Cupid’s effects (smara-daśā daśaiva syuḥ).

 

Though these symptoms generally appear in stages, at this time they manifested all at once by seeing the gorgeous body of Kṛṣṇa. The phrase ātmānaṁ nāvidan striyaḥ means that the Mathurā ladies forgot who they were, where they were and what they were doing. Because of the impulse of Cupid they became thin, and thus the bangles and clothing slipped from their bodies. They were trembling, stretching their limbs, and finally rolling on the ground, which loosened their locks of hair. These are all signs of madness (unmāda), the eighth effect of Cupid. Standing like painted pictures indicates loss of consciousness, the ninth stage of Cupid’s effects. Because the tenth state of Cupid, death, is inauspicious in relation to Kṛṣṇa, it does not usually manifest in Kṛṣṇa’s premi-bhaktas. However, they do manifest the other nine symptoms, culminating in becoming stunned in ecstasy.

 

|| 10.42.15 ||

tataḥ paurān pṛcchamāno dhanuṣaḥ sthānam acyutaḥ

tasmin praviṣṭo dadṛśe dhanur aindram ivādbhutam

TRANSLATION

Lord Kṛṣṇa then asked the local people where the arena was in which the bow sacrifice would take place. When He went there He saw the amazing bow, which resembled Lord Indra’s.

 

|| 10.42.16 ||

puruṣair bahubhir guptam arcitaṁ paramarddhimat

vāryamāṇo nṛbhiḥ kṛṣṇaḥ prasahya dhanur ādade

TRANSLATION

That most opulent bow was guarded by a large company of men, who were respectfully worshiping it. Kṛṣṇa pushed His way forward and, despite the guards’ attempts to stop Him, picked it up.

COMMENTARY

Kṛṣṇa took the bow with great force (prasahya).

 

|| 10.42.17 ||

kareṇa vāmena sa-līlam uddhṛtaṁ sajyaṁ ca kṛtvā nimiṣeṇa paśyatām

nṛṇāṁ vikṛṣya prababhañja madhyato yathekṣu-daṇḍaṁ mada-kary urukramaḥ

TRANSLATION

Easily lifting the bow with His left hand, Lord Urukrama strung it in a fraction of a second as the King’s guards looked on. He then powerfully pulled the string and snapped the bow in half, just as an excited elephant might break a stalk of sugar cane.

 

COMMENTARY

In front of the onlookers Kṛṣṇa playfully broke the bow, as if calling out to them, “O people, your king was worshiping this famous bow. But just by the touch of My hand it has broken, as if eaten away by termites.”

 

|| 10.42.18 ||

dhanuṣo bhajyamānasya śabdaḥ khaṁ rodasī diśaḥ

pūrayām āsa yaṁ śrutvā kaṁsas trāsam upāgamat

TRANSLATION

 

|| 10.42.19 ||

tad-rakṣiṇaḥ sānucaraṁ kupitā ātatāyinaḥ

gṛhītu-kāmā āvavrur gṛhyatāṁ vadhyatām iti