Bhagavatam - Tenth Skandha , Chapter 12

Death of Aghasura !

"Once to enjoy the outing in the forest , getting up early in the morning and blowing the cowherds horn thus waking up all his friends , he moved to the forest with calves herded in the front".

 

Killing of Demon Aghasura

Suka Deva continued .

Once to enjoy the outing in the forest Krishna and all other boys moved further away from Vraja into the Vrindavan forest. All the cowherd boys were in playful mood. Some were playing flute. Some were blowing the horn bugles. Some were singing and imitating Cuckoos . Some were running after birds . Some were running with shadows. Some were dancing with peacocks. Some were climbing trees imitating monkeys. Some were jumping in the water like frogs. All the time all of them were enjoying the company of Krishna , a fortune for which yogis perform austerities for ages !

In that forest a powerful demon by name Aghasura appeared on the spot. He is the brother of Putana and Bakasura both of whom were killed by Krishna . After seeing the cowherd boys led by Krishna enter the deep forest, the demon Aghasura thought he will please his sister by killing Krishna. Accordingly, Aghasura assumed the form of a huge python with a very large body, a few kilometers long. Assuming this form he placed his mouth like a big cave opening on to the road with his lower lip on the ground and upper lip touching the skies . Aghasura thus expected to swallow Krishna and the cowherd boys as they enter his mouth. The opening of the mouth was like a mountain cave, and the tongue was a like broad high way , and the breath was like a warm wind. Seeing Aghasura in this posture the Cowherds first thought it must be a beautiful statue in the form of a Pythons mouth. The boys said , “oh friends , let us see if the cave looking like a python in front of us is a dead python, or a real one ready to devour us“. The boys decided that if it is real they thought it will also be killed by Krishna like Bakasura. Loudly laughing they entered the mouth of Python. Realizing that it is indeed Aghasura, the demon, Krishna wanted to forbid them. But In the mean time all the cowherd boys entered the mouth along with their calves . Aghasura too did not swallow them and was instead waiting for Krishna the killer of his sister Putana to enter the same. Seeing that cowherd boys entered the mouth of Aghasura unaware of the dangers Krishna knew that they had none to protect them other than himself. Immediately Krishna decided to protect them. Having thought of a plan of action to kill Aghasura and save the boys Krishna too entered the mouth of Aghasura looking like a cave.

As soon as Krishna entered the mouth of Aghasaura, the friends of Aghasura were delighted anticipating death of Krishna and a slow wail started among the disbelieving Devas at the prospect of dangers awaiting Krishna.

Aware of the consternation among Devas, Krishna having entered the mouth immediately expanded himself to block the throat of Aghasura thus fully suffocating him . With the suffocation , eyes of Aghasura popped , and life went out . There after Krishna came out of the mouth of Aghasura and by his glance revived the calves and the cowherd boys . Even as Krishna came out a big spark of life that went out of Aghasura merged into Krishna himself. The enemy who was despising Krishna, having been conquered by Supreme one, was also set free from the cycles of life and death by the Lord.

Seeing this wonderful event , even the Devas were pleased and celebrated . The Kinneras were singing in joy. The apsaras were dancing. The Brahmans were praising the Lord reciting the hymns of Lord's glory . Lord Brahma who came to know of the event and the joy it caused was very much surprised at the glorification of Krishna.

The incident of Aghasura happened when Krishna was five year old , but was actually related to the people of Vraja exactly one year later as though it happened that day one year later!

Maharaj Parikshit asked Suka Mahamuni , ‘ O Brahman how can past be related as present and what actually happened during that one year. Please tell me as I am always thirsty of the stories of Krishna who also saved my life. Indeed I am a lucky one in that I have you to tell me the complete glories of the Supreme Lord “

Suta , who was relating the story to the Saunaka and others , told the assemblage of Rishis consisting of Saunaka and others that Suka Deva went into a samadhi for a few seconds to recollect the events and then continued his teachings to Maharaj Paraikshit relating the events of that one year.

__________________

"Oh Brahman ! how things done in the past ( kaumare) at a different time get described as done in the pauganda age after one year by all the boys "