The Breaking of the Bow in the Sacrificial Arena 269
worshiped by His pure devotees as well as the goddess of fortune. The
fantasies of the residents of Vrndavana were actually realized, for the
citizens of Mathura became fully satisfied by seeing Krsna.

When Krsna returned to His camp, He was taken care of by servants
who washed His lotus feet, gave Him a nice seat and offered Him milk and
palatable dishes of foodstuffs. After taking supper and thinking of the
next day’s program, He very peacefully began to take rest. Thus He passed
the night there.

On the other side, when Kamsa came to understand about the breaking
of his wonderful bow and the killing of the caretaker and soldiers by
Krsna, he could partially realize the power of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. He could realize that the eighth son of Devaki had appeared and
that now his death was imminent. Thinking of his imminent death, he
could not rest the entire night. He began to have many inauspicious
visions, and he could understand that both Krsna and Balarama, who had
approached the precincts of the city, were his messengers of death. Kamsa
began to see various kinds of inauspicious signs, both awake and dreaming.
When he looked in the mirror he could not see his head, although the head
was actually present. He could see the luminaries in the sky in double,
although there was only one set factually. He began to see holes in his
shadow, and he could hear high buzzing sound within his ears. All the trees
before him appeared to be made of gold, and he could not see his own
footprints in dust or muddy clay. In dream he saw various kinds of ghosts
being carried in a carriage drawn by donkeys. He also dreamed that some-
one gave him poison, and he was drinking it. He dreamed also that he was
going naked with a garland of flowers and was smearing oil all over his
body. Thus, as Karhsa saw various signs of death both awake and sleeping,
he could understand that death was certain, and thus in great anxiety he
could not rest that night. Just after the night expired, he busily arranged
for the wrestling match.

The wrestling arena was nicely cleansed and decorated with flags, fes-
toons and flowers, and the match was announced by the beating of kettle-
drums. The platform appeared very beautiful due to streamers and flags.
Different types of galleries were arranged for respectable persons—kings,
brahmanas and ksatriyas. The various kings had reserved thrones, and others
had arranged seats also. Kamsa finally arrived, accompanied by various
ministers and secretaries, and he sat on the raised platform especially meant
for him. Unfortunately, although he was sitting in the center of all gov-
erning executive heads, his heart was palpitating in fear of death. Cruel
death evidentally does not care even for a person as powerful as Karhsa.
