After taking Their baths and finishing all other morning duties, Krsna and Balarama could hear the beating of the kettledrums in the wrestling camp. They immediately prepared Themselves to proceed to the spot to see the fun. When Krsna and Balaräma reached the gate of the wrestling camp, They saw a big elephant of the name Kuvalayapida being tended by a caretaker riding on its head. The caretaker was deliberately blocking Their entrance by keeping the elephant in front of the gateway. Krsna could understand the purpose of the caretaker, and He prepared Himself by tightening His clothes before combating the elephant. He addressed the caretaker in a very grave voice, as resounding as a cloud: "You miscreant caretaker, give way and let Me pass through the gate. If you block My way, I shall send you and your elephant to the house of death personified."

The caretaker, being thus insulted by Krsna, became very angry, and in order to challenge Krsna, as was previously planned, he provoked the elephant to attack. The elephant then moved before Krsna like inevitable death. It rushed towards Him and tried to catch Him with its trunk, but Krsna very dexterously moved behind the elephant. Being able to see only to the end of its trunk, the elephant could not see Krsna hiding behind its legs, but it tried to capture Him with its trunk.

Krsna again very quickly escaped capture, and He again ran behind the elephant and caught its tail. Holding the elephant by its tail, Krsna began to pull it, and with very great strength He dragged it for at least twenty-five yards, just as Garuòa drags an insignificant snake. Krsna pulled the elephant from this side to that, from right to left, just as He used to pull a calf by its tail in His childhood. After this, Krsna went in front of the elephant and gave it a strong slap. He then slipped away from the elephant’s view and ran to its back. Then, falling down on the ground, Krsna placed Himself in front of the elephant’s two legs and caused it to trip and fall.

Krsna immediately got up, but the elephant, thinking that He was still lying down, tried to push an ivory tusk through the body of Krsna by forcibly stabbing it into the ground. Although the elephant was harassed and angry, the caretaker riding on its head tried to provoke it further. The elephant then rushed madly towards Krsna. As soon as it came within reach, Krsna caught hold of the trunk and pulled the elephant down. When the elephant and caretaker fell, Krsna jumped up on the elephant, broke off one of its tusks, and with it killed the elephant and the caretaker also. After killing the elephant, Krsna took the ivory tusk on His shoulder. Decorated with drops of perspiration and sprinkled with the blood of the elephant, He looked very beautiful, and thus He proceeded towards the wrestling arena. Lord Balaräma took the other tusk of the elephant on His shoulder. Accompanied by Their cowherd boyfriends, They entered the arena.

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The Krsna Book
© A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada