Chapter 21 - Death of Aristha

1. Vaishampayana said:—One day in the first part of the night while Krishna was sporting, the dark-hued Danava, Aristha by name, assuming the form of an infuriated bull and resembling Death himself, was seen there terrifying all the inmates of the cow-sheds.

2. His body was like extinguished ember and cloud, his horns were sharpened, his eyes were effulgent like the sun, his feet were endued with sharpened hoops and his hump was extremely hard.

3. He was repeatedly licking his lips with his tongue and moving his tail with pride. And for breaking down many palaces with his hump it became exceedingly hardened.

4-5. Incapable of being repulsed on account of his own huge body, with his body covered with excreta and urine, that Danava, of huge waist, fleshy mouth, hard knees and long abdomen, terrified all the cows with his skin hanging from his neck and horns.

6-7. That Daitya Aristha, of huge body, the slayer of inimical bulls and the injurer of the cows, assuming the form of a bull, was running about in the cow-sheds and pasture grounds. His face was marked with strokes against the trees and his horns were adorned as if for a fight.

8. He used to approach the kine, when big with their young ones and cause abortion and used to know them immediately after their delivery.

9. Without fighting with the bulls and cows that irrepressible, and dreadful Daitya, always intent on striking them with his horns, could not derive pleasure in pasture grounds.

10. Accidentally on that day, the proud bull, under the influence of Vaivasvan (the regent of the departed), came before Keshava.

11. Divesting the cow-sheds of bulls, calves and young bulls that one, elated with proud, used to assail the kine.

12-15. At that time, that one of wicked soul, under influence of Vaivasvan, terrified the cows that were near Krishna roaring like a cloud accompanied by Indra’s thunderbolt. Thereat striking his palms and setting up a leonine shout Govinda ran after him, increasing the anger of the demon in the shape of a bull. Beholding Krishna and enraged with the sound of the strokes of his palms against his arms, moving his tail and expanding his eyes in delight that bull issued out a shout expressing his desire for fight. Beholding that wicked demon of the form of a bull approach Krishna did not move out from where he stood and rather remain there firm like a mountain.

16. With a view to slay Krishna, that bull too, raising up his face and aiming at his belly, came there quickly.

17. Vasudeva, resembling a bull, confronted that irrepressible and collyruim-like bull before him.

18. As a bull faces a huge bull so Arishtha met Krishna and from his nostril came out foams with a sound.

19. Thereupon Krishna and the bull confronting each other they appeared like two clouds, touching each other in the rains.

20. Placing his feet on the space between the horns Krishna humiliated his pride and struck him at the neck resembling the sky.

21. Then uprooting his left horn resembling the rod of Yama he struck him on the face with it; thereat that foremost of bulls breathed his last.

22. With his horns, head and shoulders shattered that demon fell down vomiting blood like a cloud sending down showers.

23. Thereupon beholding the proud Danava in the shape of a bull slain by Govinda all the people began to eulogise him exclaiming "Well done! Well done!".

24. Slaying that bull demon in that moon light the lotus-eyed Upendra again engaged in sport. Like the immortals adoring their king in the celestial region the Gopas began to worship delightedly the lotus-eyed Krishna.