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BIRTH OF RAMA, KRṢŅA, AND ARISTANEMI
they have come of their own accord! Who, pray, here hinders them wishing to fight? Let him speak separately who has any injury from them!
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Hearing Kansa's speech, all the people became silent and Govinda, his lotus-eyes wide-open, said: "This man, Cāņūra, chief of pugilists, has been fed on royal food, always in training, with a very fine physique-now he may be seen killed by me, a herd-boy, living on milk, like an elephant by a young lion.
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Terrified by his confidence, Kansa ordered a second great pugilist, Mustika by name, to be ready to fight at the same time. Seeing Mustika get up, Satvata, skilled in fighting, descended from the platform and challenged him to fight. Then Kṛṣṇa and Cāṇūra and Rāma and Muştika began to fight with arms that resembled magic nooses. The earth trembled, as it were, from their heavy footsteps and the pavilion of the universe resounded, as it were, from the noise of their slaps. Mustika and Cāṇūra were thrown up in the air like bunches of grass by Rāma and Kṛṣṇa and the people, looking on, were delighted.
The people became gloomy when they saw the heroes being thrown up at all by Caṇūra and Muşțika. Kesava struck Cāṇūra with a hard fist, like an elephant striking a heap of rocks vigorously with the hammer of his tusk. Cāṇūra, destroying pride, thinking himself victorious, struck Ariṣṭasūdana 180 on the chest with his fist whose strength was equal to a ball of adamant. Injured by that blow, his eyes rolling as if from wine, Adhokṣaja fell to the ground, his eyes shut. Incited by a glance by Kansa skilled in trickery, Cāṇūra, wicked, ran again to kill Govinda while he was unconscious.
Bala, realizing that he intended to kill him, at once abandoned Mustika and struck him with his forearm which imitated a falling thunderbolt. Cāṇūra was hurled seven bows 181 by that blow and Kṛṣṇa, having recovered conscious
180 294. The destroyer of the bull Arista.
181 298. Forty-two feet.
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