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SHREE SHOOKDEO JEE said,--O great king! one day Shree Krishnù and Bulram, having given pasture to the cows, were returning home in the evening from the jungle, when a demon, in the form of a huge bull, came amongst the cows. His body reached to the sky; his hard back was like a stone, his two sharp horns were standing erect: and blood-red eyes filled with rage. Raising his tail, he wandered about bellowing, sometimes he stopt, and then roamed about again, letting fall dung. He made his shoulders writhe, and ears shake. All the gods left their chariots, and ran off. With his hoof he dug up the bank of the river, and upset a hill with his back, and cast it on the ground. All were in consternation at that time; the supporters of the world, and the guardian deities of the ten quarters trembled. The earth quaked: the king of the serpent race, on whose head the world is supported, trembled. Cows dropped their calves, and women miscarried. On seeing the bull, the cows dispersed in every direction; and the inhabitants of Bruj ran off to where Krishnù and Bulram were coming up behind them. Making obeisance they said, "O great king! a little distance in front, there is an immense bull, standing in the road: save us from it."
On hearing this, Shree Krishnù Chund, acquainted with the secrets of the heart, said, "Do not be afraid of it. It has come upon the earth in the form of a bull, because it desires its destruction from me." On saying these words, he went forward, and on seeing the bull, Krishnù exclaimed, "Come to me; you, who have assumed a treacherous form? Why do you frighten any one else, why not come near me? The so-called lion's enemy runs not after deer. Behold! I am Gobind, in the form of death, and have utterly destroyed many like you."
He again called out, striking the upper parts of his arms in preparation for battle, "Come and fight with me." On hearing these words, the enraged demon rushed forth with such impetuous violence, that it seemed as if a thunderbolt of Indrù's were hurled upon the earth. As often as Krishnù drove him back, he recovered himself, and rushed on again. At one time, when Krishnù had dashed him upon the earth, he rose up in great fury, and pinned Huri between his two horns. Then Shree Krishnù Jee, escaping with activity, and placing his foot on one of the legs of the bull, laid hold of his horn, and twisted it in the same way, that a person would wring wet clothes. At length, the bull fell down, and its life ebbed out.
At this time, the gods seated in their chariots, were so rejoiced, that they began to rain down flowers; and the cowherdesses and cowherds, to celebrate with songs the great renown of Krishnù. In the mean while Shree Radhika Jee came and said to Huri, "O great king! you have committed a crime in having killed any being in the form of a bull. For this reason go and bathe in some place of holy pilgrimage, then you may touch other persons." Krishnù replied, "I will summon all the places of pilgrimage to Bruj." Having thus said, he went near the hill Goberdhun, and caused two deep pits to be dug. And the places of pilgrimage came there in bodily shape; and having mentioned their names, and thrown water into the pits, departed. After this Shree Krishnù,
having bathed in the pits, on coming out, made an offering of a great many cows, and having fed many Brahmins, was purified. And from that day, the two pits became famous as the pit of Krishnù, and the pit of Radhika.
Having finished narrating this incident, Shree Shookdeo, the sage, said,--O great king! one day, Narud Jee, the sage, came to Kuns; and when he had explained to him the secrets of the birth of Bulram and Krishnù, and of the coming of the delusive power, and of the going off of Krishnù, Kuns was angry, and said, "You speak truth. At first, he brought his son and gave him to me, having by that means increased the confidence of my mind: as a thug, who shows you something, and afterwards runs off with all your property."
On saying these words, having sent for Basoodeo, he had him bound down, and putting his hand on his sword, said with great agitation of mind, "I have discovered that you acted with great treachery towards me. I looked upon you as a good and virtuous man. You sent Krishnù off, and gave him to Nund; Dewee has come and shown me. Your words corresponded not with your thoughts and designs; I will certainly put you to death to-day on this spot. A friend, relation, attendant or person professing great regard for another, who practices deceit, is very sinful. Your words were sweet, but your mind filled with poison. You were intent only on deceit. An evil spirit is better than one who acts maliciously in affairs which concern himself."
Speaking in this vain, foolish manner, Kuns said again to Narud Jee, "O great king! I have not yet found out the secrets of his mind: a boy was born, and he came and showed me a girl. The child, which he mentioned as having died in consequence of the mother's miscarriage, was born at Gokool as Buldeo." Thus having said, he gnashed his teeth with rage: and as he raised his sword to kill Basoodeo, Narud, the sage, having laid hold of his hand, said, "Raja! keep Basoodeo a prisoner for the present, and arrange so that you may lay
hold of Krishnù and Buldeo, (or so that Krishnù and Buldeo may come here.)"
When Narud Jee had made this suggestion and departed Kuns shut up Basoodeo and Dewukee in a room; and being distracted with fear, sent for a devil, named Kesee, and said to him, "O possessed of great strength! you are one of my retainers. I have great confidence in you. Go at once to Bruj, and having killed Bulram and Krishnù, show their bodies to me."
Kesee, on hearing this speech, and receiving the order, bowing his head, took leave, and went to Brindabun. And Kuns summoned Sal, Toosal, Chanoor, Arisht, Byomasoor and all his other counsellors. On their arrival, he explained to them and said, "My enemy has taken up his abode near me; reflect and deliberate how you can draw out the thorn which is pricking my mind."
The counsellors said, "O great king! you are very powerful, whom do you fear? What great difficulty will be in destroying Bulram and Krishnù? Be not at all anxious. We will counsel you, how, by means of stratagem and force, they will come here. First of all we will cause to be built such a beautiful and elegant theatre, that on hearing of its splendour people will crowd from towns and villages to see it. After this, do you cause a sacrifice to be made to Muhadeo, and procure goats and buffaloes for the burnt-offering. On hearing news of this, all the inhabitants of Bruj will bring presents, and Bulram and Krishnù will come with them. Then some wrestler will throw them down, or some other very strong man will kill them at the gate."
On hearing these suggestions, Kuns assenting to the advice, said, "Counsellors! you have given good counsel." He sent for a wrestler, and having treated him with great respect gave him a beera of betel.
After this, holding a court, he began to say to his powerful devils, "When my nephews, Bulram and Krishnù, come here,
one of you destroy them, that the apprehensions of my mind may be removed." Having thus explained to them, he sent for a mahout and said to him, "You have a must elephant under you, take it to the gate and remain there. When the two brothers come and attempt to enter, have them torn to pieces by the elephant, and do not give them a chance of escape. If you will destroy them both, I will give you whatever wealth you may ask for."
Having thus explained to them all, and determined upon a sacrifice to Shivù on the fourteenth of the dark part of the month Kartik, Kuns sent for Akroor in the evening; and having given him a most civil reception, took him inside his house; giving him a seat on a throne near him, and laying hold of his hand, he said with the greatest affection, "You are the greatest in the family of Judoo; intelligent, religious and resolute; and, therefore, all know and respect you. There is no one, who is not pleased at seeing you. For this reason, as a dwarf, (the fifth incarnation of Vishnù,) accomplished, an important business for Indrù, having by stratagem taken possession of the whole government of Bali, the sovereign of the infernal regions, and made it over to Indrù; so do you perform an important action for me, and go at once to Brindabun, and bring the two sons of Dewukee here; in whatever way the affair may be managed, whether by artifice or force. It is said, that the great endure difficulties themselves in accomplishing the objects of others; you have the same interest in all my affairs as myself. What more shall I say; bring them here in any way you can, and they will easily be destroyed. Either Chanoor will throw them prostrate, or the elephant Koobliya will lay hold of and tear them to pieces. If not, I, myself, will kill them, and accomplish my object with my own hand. And after having destroyed them, I will put Oogursen to death; because he is very deceitful and desires my destruction. And after that, having first burnt Dewukee's father, Dewuk, I will drown him. Having
thus put Basoodeo to death with him, I will thus destroy by the very roots all the worshippers of Huri. Then, if you will but bring Bulram and Krishnù, reigning without any opposition, I will unite with my very powerful friend, Joorasindh, from dread of whom, the nine divisions of the world tremble; and with Nurkasoor, and Banasoor, and other great and mighty demons, who are his attendants."
Kuns continued to urge Akroor, saying, "Go to Brindabun to the house of Nund, and tell him, that a sacrifice is about to be made to Shivù; the bow has been placed upon it, and that there will be all kinds of sports and pastimes; on hearing this Nund and Oopunud will come with the cowherds, and bring goats and buffaloes to offer as presents, and Krishnù and Buldeo will accompany them to see what goes on. This is the plan I suggest to you for bringing them here. Hereafter, as you are possessed of great knowledge, if it should be necessary to slake up any other story, do so, and act accordingly. What more need I say? There is a saying, If the ambassador is a man of wonderful capacity, who possesses understanding and power himself, and is bold in others' affairs, place implicit confidence in him."
On hearing these speeches, Akroor thought to himself, "If I were now to speak honestly to him, and give him good advice, he would not listen to it: wherefore, it is better that I should now say what may be flattering and agreeable to him. There is also a saying, applied in another sense, that we should make speeches, which will please." With these thoughts in his mind, Akroor joined his hands, and bowing his head, said, "O great king! you have given good advice. I give my most full consent and approbation to all you have said. We have no power over the future. Man busies himself forming many projects: but those alone, which are written in fate, are brought to completion. The event does not always correspond with our thoughts; and no man has all his wishes fulfilled. You have considered this business,
predicting the future: we know not what may happen. In compliance with what you have said, I will go off to-morrow morning early, and bring Bulram and Krishnù." On saying this, Akroor having obtained the permission of Kuns to depart, came to his own house.