The End of Kansa in Mathura

People climbed onto rooftops to see the two brothers in Mathura's streets. On the way Krishna took garlands from a flower-seller and blessed him. Then a hunchbacked maid named Kubja lovingly applied sandal paste to them. Krishna lifted her chin, straightened her body, and she became beautiful.

Then they reached the hall of the sacrifice, where a giant bow was kept. Krishna lifted it playfully, and as He strung it, it snapped in two. The sound echoed through Mathura, and Kansa's heart trembled.

The next day, at the gate of the arena, stood a mad elephant named Kuvalayapida. Krishna brought it down and entered the arena carrying its tusk on His shoulder. Kansa's wrestlers Chanura and Mushtika were waiting. People wondered how these gentle boys could fight such mountainous men. But Krishna defeated Chanura and Balram defeated Mushtika.

Panicking, Kansa shouted: throw these cowherds out, tie up Vasudev and Nand! At that moment Krishna leapt onto the high platform, pulled Kansa down by his hair and ended his life. Shukdev says that because Kansa thought of Krishna constantly, even in fear, he too attained a form like the Lord's.

Krishna and Balram went to the prison, freed their mother Devaki and father Vasudev, and touched their feet. They made their grandfather Ugrasen king again. Then the two brothers went to study at the ashram of their guru Sandipani in Ujjain, and as guru dakshina they brought back his lost son from the realm of Yama.