43 / The Killing of Kamsa

After ‘Kamsa’s wrestlers expressed their determination, the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, the killer of Madhu, confronted Canira, and Lord
Balarama, the son of Rohini, confronted Mustika. Krsna and Canira and
then Balarama and Mustika locked themselves hand to hand, leg to leg, and
each began to press against the other with a view to come out victorious.
They joined palm to palm, calf to calf, head to head, chest to chest and
began to strike each other. The fighting increased as they pushed one an-
other from one place to another. One captured another and threw him
down on the ground, and another rushed from the back to the front of
another and tried to overcome him with a hold. The fighting increased step
by step. There was picking up, the dragging and pushing, and then the legs
and hands were locked together. All the arts of wrestling were perfectly
exhibited by the parties, as each tried his best to defeat his opponent.

But the audience in the wrestling arena was not very satisfied because
the combatants did not appear to be equally matched. They considered
Krsna and Balarama to be mere boys before the wrestlers Canura and
Mustika, who were huge men as solid as stone. Being compassionate and
favoring Krsna and Balarama, many members of the audience began to
talk as follows. “Dear friends, there is danger here.” Another said, “Even
in front of the king this wrestling is going on between incompatable sides.”
The audience had lost their sense of enjoyment. They could not encourage
the fighting between the strong and the weak. “‘Mustika and Caniira are
just like thunderbolts, as strong as great mountains, and Krsna and
Balarama are two delicate boys of very tender age. The principle of justice
has already left this assembly. Persons who are aware of the civilized
principles of justice will not remain to watch this unfair match. Those
taking part in this wrestling match are not very much enlightened; therefore
whether they speak or remain silent, they are being subjected to the reac-

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