Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 10.37 Summary

This chapter describes the killing of the horse demon, Kesi; Narada's glorification of Lord Krsna's future pastimes; and Krsna's killing of Vyomasura.

On Kamsa's order the Kesi demon assumed the form of a huge horse and went to Vraja. As he approached, his loud neighing terrified all the inhabitants, and they began looking for Sri Krsna. When He saw the demon, Krsna came forward and challenged him to come near. Kesi charged Krsna and tried to strike Him with his front legs, but the Lord seized them, whirled the demon around several times, and then threw him a distance of one hundred bow-lengths. Kesi remained unconscious for some time. When the demon regained consciousness, he furiously charged Krsna again, his mouth agape. The Lord then thrust His left arm into the horse demon's mouth, and as Kesi tried to bite the arm, it felt like a red-hot iron rod. Krsna's arm expanded more and more, finally choking the demon, and in extreme agony Kesi gave up his life. Lord Krsna then removed His arm. He stood calmly, showing no pride at having killed the demon, as the demigods showered down flowers from the sky and glorified the Lord with prayers.

Soon thereafter Narada Muni, the great sage among the demigods, approached Krsna and prayed to Him in various ways, glorifying the Lord's future pastimes. Then Narada paid his obeisances and departed.

One day, while tending the cows, Krsna, Balarama and the cowherd boys became engrossed in playing hide-and-go-seek. Some of the boys took the role of sheep, some the role of thieves, and others shepherds. The shepherds would search for the sheep when the thieves stole them. Taking advantage of this game, a demon named Vyoma, sent by Kamsa, dressed himself like a cowherd boy and joined the band of "thieves." He abducted a few cowherd boys at a time and threw them into a mountain cave, keeping them there by blocking the entrance with a boulder. Gradually Vyomasura abducted all but four or five cowherd boys. When Krsna saw what the demon was doing, He ran after him, grabbed him and killed him just as one would kill a sacrificial animal.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
His Holiness Hrdayananda dasa Goswami
Gopiparanadhana dasa Adhikari
Dravida dasa Brahmacari