Part 16: Childhood of Tripṛṣṭha

Because he had seen three backbones in his son’s back,^[1] the king gave him the name Tripṛṣṭha at a great festival. Cherished by the nurses and playing with Acala, the Vāsudeva Tripṛṣṭha gradually grew up. As a child, wearing an anklet of tinkling small balls, he played with Balabhadra going in front, like an elephant with its driver. He, very intelligent, grasped all the arts with ease, like a mirror a reflection, his teachers being present as witnesses. In course of time he became of military age, strong-chested, long-armed, as if he were the same age as Balabhadra, though a younger brother. The two brothers, playing together constantly without interruptions, looked like the bright and dark fortnights embodied. Wearing dark blue and yellow garments, with palm tree- and garuḍa-banners, they looked like living Svarṇaśaila and Añjana mountains.^[2] When Acala and Kṛṣṇa moved in play, the earth shook from their steps which were like claps of thunder. Strong elephants could not endure the sport of slaps on their bosses by the men-elephants mounted on them. The peaks of large mountains were like ant-hills, torn down by them, strong-armed, in play. Not afraid of demons, et cetera, to say nothing of others, the princes became the protection of those seeking protection. Tripṛṣṭha was never without Acala nor Acala without Tripṛṣṭha. They acted together like one mind with two bodies.