ORIENTAL SERIES.

162 KRISHNA.
His reputed father, Yasu-deva, was brother of Kunti, the wife of
P&ndu, and so Krishna was cousin of the three elder Paranava princes.
The Maha-bharata gives two summaries of his exploits, of
" While Krishna was
which the following are abridgments :
growing up as a high-souled boy in the tribe of cowherds, the
force of his arms was rendered famous by him in the three
worlds." He slew the king of the Hayas (horses), dwelling in the
woods of the Yamuna. He slew the direful Danava, who bore
the form of a bull He also slew Pralambha, ISTaraka, Jambha,
and Pltha, the great Asura, and Muru. He overthrew and
slew Kansa, who was supported by Jara-sandha. "With the help of
Bala-rama he defeated and destroyed Su-naman, brother of Kansa
and king of the $urasenas. He carried off the daughter of the
king of the Gandharas at a swayam-vara, and princes were yoked
to his car. He secured the death of Jara-sandha and slew Sisu-
pala. He overthrew Saubha, the self-supporting or flying city
of the Daityas, on the shore of the ocean. He conquered the
Angas and Bangas, and numerous other tribes. Entering the
ocean filled with marine monsters, he overcame Yaruna. In
Patala he slew Panchajana, and obtained the divine shell Panchajanya.
With Arjuna he propitiated Agni in the Khandava
forest, and obtained the fiery weapon the discus. Mounted on
Garudta, he alarmed Amaravatl, the city of away
Indra, and brought
the Parijata tree from thence,
In another passage, Arjuna rehearses some of Krishna's ex
ploits. He destroyed the Bhoja kings in battle, and carried
off Kukmini for his bride. He destroyed the Gandharas, van-
quished the sons of Nagnajit, and released King Su-darsana,
whom they had bound. He slew Pan^ya with the fragment of
a door, and crushed the Kalingas in Dantakura. Through him
the burnt city of Benares was restored. He killed Ekalavya,
king of the Nishadas, and the demon Jambha. With the aid of
Bala-rama he killed Su-naman, the wicked son of Ugrasena, and
restored the kingdom to the latter. He conquered the flying
city of Saubha and the king of the $alwas, and there he
obtained the fiery weapon $ata-ghni. Earaka, son of the earth,
had carried off the beautiful jewelled earrings of Aditi to
Prag-jyotisha, the impregnable castle of the Asuras. The gods,
headed by Indra, were unable to prevail against Naraka, so
they appointed Krishna to slay him. Accordingly he killed