Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
This place is also called Sapaulī, Aghavana and Sarpasthalī. Here, Śrī Kṛṣṇa killed and delivered Aghāsura, who had assumed the form of a python. Pasaulī lies two miles north-west of Parkhama.
Once, Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys came to this forest while grazing the cows. Aghāsura, the embodiment of sin (agha), came here intent on avenging his sister Pūtanā’s death. Taking the form of an enormous and fearsome python, he lay on the road, his lower jaw on the ground and his upper jaw touching the sky. His mouth looked like a cave and his tongue like the road entering it. The cowherd boys and the calves casually entered his mouth. But he did not close his mouth because he was specifically intent on swallowing Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa, however, remained behind. From a distance, He had signalled to the cowherd boys to not enter Agha’s mouth, but they had fearlessly entered nonetheless, having not the slightest doubt about Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s power to protect them. To rescue the sakhās, Śrī Kṛṣṇa now also entered Agha’s mouth, which thereupon closed. Śrī Kṛṣṇa became an obstacle in Agha’s throat by expanding His body so much that Agha’s breathing stopped and he choked. The demon thus suffocated. Within a short time, the opening at the top of his skull burst open and a light came out and ascended into the sky.
Śrī Kṛṣṇa then glanced over the cowherd boys and calves, bringing them back to life. They all emerged from Aghāsura’s mouth. Brahmā and other demigods saw the light enter Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet. After Kṛṣṇa delivered Aghāsura, He returned with the cowherd boys to Vṛndāvana.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “In Aghavana Krishna killed Aghasura, but people now call the place Sapauli.” The present name of this village is Pasauli which is derived from the ancient name of Sapauli, sometimes called Sarpa-sthali. The name ‘Sapauli’ means ‘the place of the snake’. The word ‘sarp’ means a ‘snake’ and because the giant snake-demon Aghasura was killed here, the village achieved its name. This place is also known as Aghavana, because in this forest (vana) the great enemy of the demigods named ‘Agha’ was killed by Krishna. In the Vraja-vilasa-stava it is stated, “May Sarpa-sthali be my protector, for it was here that the powerful Murari watched as His friends entered into the burning, poisonous stomach of the sinful Aghasura. He followed His friends, who are dearer to Him than His own life, and being angry at the demon, killed the giant snake in order to rescue them.”
The word ‘sarp’ can also mean ‘curse’ and this village is also known as the place of the curse, or Sarpa-sthali. In the Mahabharata it says that the two sons of Shantanu Maharaja by his second wife Satyavati, whose names were Chitravirya and Vichitravirya, both died of a curse that is believed to have been placed upon them at this place, hence the name Sarpa-sthali. Although they both ascended the throne of Hastinapura, due to the curse, both brothers died while still very young and without leaving heirs. Chitravirya, also known as Chitragada, was killed by a Gandharva of the same name, and Vichitravirya died of consumption. Just before entering the village from Parkham, one can see Manasa-kunda, where it is said Satyavati and her two sons formerly stayed. Locals say this kunda was created from Krishna’s mind (manasa) in order to provide drinking water for the cows. This kunda is surrounded by a thick pilu forest.
