Part 6: Story of the drum

One day Śakra said in his council: “Kṛṣṇa causes a recital of virtues, avoiding faults, and does not fight with low fights.” A certain god, not believing his speech, went to Dvāravatī; at that time Hari started out in his chariot to amuse himself as he liked. The god created on the road a dead dog with a black body which afflicted all the people to a great distance by the evil smell. Seeing it, Kṛṣṇa said, “The white teeth in the mouth of the*dog with a black body are very beautiful.”

Then the god assumed the form of a horse-thief, stole Śārṅgin’s jewel of a horse, and beat Kṛṣṇa’s soldiers following the track. Kṛṣṇa himself ran near and said to him: “Why do you steal my jewel of a horse? Now turn him loose. Where arc you going, sir?” The god said, “After you have defeated me in a fight, take the horse, sir.” Kṛṣṇa said, “Get a chariot in that case, for I fight in a chariot.” The god said: “Enough of chariot, elephant, et cetera. But make a contest with my fights, arm-fights, et cetera.”

Govinda replied: “I am defeated. Take the horse. I certainly do not fight in a low fight even if I lose everything.” The god, satisfied, said to Janārdana, “Choose a boon, fortunate man,” and accompanied it with the telling of the Śakra-incident. Kṛṣṇa replied to the god: “Now the city Dvārikā is filled with calamities from disease. Give something to allay them.” The god gave Kṛṣṇa a drum and said: “You must beat this in your city at the end of every six months. From its sound being heard old calamities will perish and there will be no new ones for six months, Hari.”

With these words the god went away and Keśava beat the drum just so; and the disease in the city was allayed. A certain rich man from a foreign country, who was afflicted with a burning fever, heard the story of the drum, came and said to the drum’s guard, “Take this lac of money for a favor to me, good sir. Give me a piece of the drum, a mere sliver.^[1] Show compassion.” The drum’s guard, greedy for money, gave him the piece and the drum was filled out with a piece of sandal with a close joint. In the same way he, avaricious, gave to others so that the drum became patched with inserts of sandal throughout.

One day a calamity took place and Śārṅgin beat the drum and its sound, like the hum of a mosquito, did not reach the council even. Trustworthy men, questioned by Kṛṣṇa, told how the drum had been patched by the guard. Kṛṣṇa killed the guard and received another drum from the god by means of a three-day fast. What is difficult for the great to accomplish?

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pala: 1/100 of a tola, MW. It takes 2½ tolas to make an ounce.