Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
In the southern part of Mathurā, Śrī Rāṅgeśvara is the protector of the dhāma. Conspiring to kill Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, Mahārāja Kaṁsa, the destroyer of his own Bhoja dynasty, had a wrestling arena (raṅgaśālā) built here. Through cunning means, Kaṁsa arranged for Akrūra to bring Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva from Nanda– Gokula. On the pretext of sight–seeing, Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva reached this wrestling arena with the cowherd boys after asking various people for directions. The wrestling arena was beautifully decorated. Flowers bedecked splendid, arched gateways and the enormous bow of Śaṅkara was placed at the front of the arena. The mad elephant, Kuvalyāpīḍa, who had been trained to kill the two brothers, blocked the main entrance, waiting to receive a signal to kill Them. The deity of Raṅgeśvara Mahādeva had been beautifully decorated in various ways, and his splendour was astonishing.
When He entered the arena, Śrī Kṛṣṇa effortlessly picked up the bow with His left hand. In front of everyone, He strung the bow within a moment and pulled the string in such a way that the bow broke into pieces, making a thunderous sound. Both brothers easily killed all the soldiers who were protecting the bow. They then continued Their tour of the city and at sunset returned to Their camp.
At dawn the next day the wrestling festival began. Many gigantic and fierce wrestlers, such as Cāṇūra, Muṣṭika, Śala and Tośala, were ready for the wrestling match inside the arena. Mahārāja Kaṁsa, together with his friends and prominent citizens, were seated on an elevated platform. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma returned to the arena, and after slaying Kuvalyāpīḍa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa pulled out the elephant’s two tusks and used them to kill the elephant–keeper and other wicked people. Some soldiers ran to Mahārāja Kaṁsa to tell him about the incident. Grinding his teeth in anger, Kaṁsa signalled to Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika to quickly kill the two boys. Just then, Kṛṣṇa and Baladeva, smiling like two lion–cubs, reached the wrestling arena carrying the huge elephant–tusks on Their shoulders, Their bodies sprinkled with blood. Cāṇūra and Muṣṭika challenged the two brothers to wrestle by making gestures, like flexing their muscles, to display their power and strength. Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the propagator of decent conduct, suggested that He and Balarāma fight with wrestlers Their own age; but to entertain Mahārāja Kaṁsa, Cāṇūra arrogantly challenged Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and Muṣṭika challenged Balarāma. This is what Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in fact wanted. And so the fight began.
Considering this wrestling match to be immoral and improper, the women of the city stood up and prepared to leave. Beholding the sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form, they said, “Aah, in truth, only the land of Vraja is supremely sacred and blessed. The most exalted Supreme Person resides there, disguised as an ordinary human being. That Lord, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the god of gods, Mahādeva Śaṅkara, and by Lakṣmī, wanders about there in great bliss, wearing a garland of many–coloured flowers. He plays His flute and performs various pastimes with Balarāma and His sakhās while tending the cows. This sweetness of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form is easily available only to the residents of Vṛndāvana, especially the gopīs. The peacocks, male and female parrots, cows, calves and rivers of Vraja are all blessed. They are satisfied by freely relishing Kṛṣṇa’s variegated sweetness.”
As the women of Mathurā were discussing this, Śrī Kṛṣṇa defeated and killed Cāṇūra and Balarāma defeated and killed Muṣṭika. Then the two brothers also killed Kūṭa, Śala, Tośala and the other wrestlers. Kaṁsa became furious and ordered that Kṛṣṇa, Baladeva, Nanda and Vasudeva be taken prisoners. However, in a moment and with great speed, Śrī Kṛṣṇa leapt onto the platform where Kaṁsa was sitting. Grabbing him by the hair, Kṛṣṇa threw him to the ground. Kṛṣṇa then straddled Kaṁsa’s chest, and striking him with His fists, He caused Kaṁsa’s life–air to leave him like a bird in flight. Śrī Kṛṣṇa effortlessly and wonderfully slew Kaṁsa and his associates in the wrestling arena. Seeing this spectacle (raṅga), Śaṅkara, whom Kaṁsa had worshipped, became overjoyed. Hence, his name became Śrī Raṅgeśvara. To this day, Raṅga–bhūmi glorifies this colourful pastime of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Kaṁsa was killed on the day of Śiva–rātri (Caturdaśī). Since Kaṁsa had called Akrūra to his home for advice on the night of Ekādaśī, Akrūra had reached Nanda–bhavana on Dvādaśī, and on Trayodaśī, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma had travelled from Nandagaon to Mathurā in Akrūra’s chariot. That evening, They wandered around the city of Mathurā and the bow sacrifice was performed. The next day, on Śiva–caturdaśī, the two brothers killed Kuvalayāpīḍa, Cāṇura, Muṣṭika and Kaṁsa.
Every year in the month of Kārtika on Śuklā–daśamī, one day before Devotthāna–ekādaśī, the Caube community organises a festival to celebrate the killing of Kaṁsa. During this festival a twenty–five to thirty foot tall statue of Kaṁsa is built to be killed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
