Srimad Bhagavatam – day 630
Slaying of demon Baka
Krishna
“As soon as Krishna reached the first portion of the crane’s beak, He began to burn like fire”.
Krishna increased His size due to which the crane could not close its beak. More importantly, upon entering its mouth, He began to burn like fire.
“Demon Baka, who was in the form of the crane, could not withstand the fire which was burning it down. Immediately it vomited the boy out of its mouth. Seeing the boy who remained unharmed, demon Baka was angered. It now rushed towards Krishna in order to poke him using its beak. Krishna, the protector of all human beings, noticed the crane rushing towards Him. Very deftly using both His hands He caught its upper and lower beaks”.
As the crane was approaching Him, the Lord caught its upper beak with one hand and lower beak with another.
“The cowherd boys who had regained consciousness watched in amazement as Krishna tore apart the jaws of that mammoth demon”.
Krishna uses different techniques to kill different demons. You should make a note of how He destroyed each demon. Through these techniques He liberated them. He tore into two the jaws of this crane causing its death.
“With this deed, Krishna brought joy to all the Devatas. Bakāsura was not only an invincible demon, but more importantly was a friend of the dreaded demon Kamsa. For both these reasons, Devatas feared him. The Devatas, who were deeply pleased when Krishna killed Bakāsura, rained upon Him Mallika and other flowers that grow in Nandana and other celestial gardens. All the cowherd boys were thrilled when the flowers fell upon them”.
It was a wonderful sight! Colourful flowers from heaven were being showered upon Krishna! Such was their joy!
“In great elation, the celestials beat drums and kettle drums. They blew conches. They glorified the Lord with the chanting of auspicious hymns. The cowherd boys who witnessed this were simply stupefied”.
To them Krishna was just a friend. All of a sudden when he killed a mighty demon and when he was worshipped by the Devatas, the boys turned ecstatic.
“Little Krishna, who had safely returned from the demon’s mouth and who had easily vanquished it, returned back to friends and stood amidst them as if nothing had happened. Just as the senses get recharged when the life-force that has departed from the body returns back into it, Balarama and other cowherd boys felt as if their life was restored back to them when Krishna safely returned. All of them joyously embraced Krishna”.
Each cowherd boy came to Krishna and embraced him lovingly. Even the calves came to him expressing their happiness. The boys felt as if their life was restored to them. The children danced in joy at Krishna’s victory.
“At dusk all the boys, together with their calves, returned to Brindavana. After reaching home, they narrated the day’s happenings to all elders and praised Krishna. The elders were stupefied hearing this divine achievement of Krishna. Due to their overflowing love for Krishna, all of them honoured him with great joy. They looked eagerly at this boy who had returned safely from the jaws of death”.
Srikrishna