Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 6:11-24

Book 10: sixth Chapter (First Half)

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 6: Verses 11-24 Being wrung in all her vital parts, she cried out saying. "Leave me, O leave me, enough of it!" Distending her eyes and tossing about her feet and arms again and again, she actually screamed, her limbs drenched with prespiration. As a result of her very deep and violent roar the earth with its mountains and heaven with its planets shook, the subterranean worlds as well as the (four) quarters echoed and people toppled down on the ground under the apprehension of a thunderbolt. Thus tormented at her breasts and reverting (in her helpless state) to her own (demoniac) form, she (sprang and) fell dead in (the outskirts of) Vraja, opening her mouth and flinging about her hair and stretching her legs and arms too (even) like the demon Vrtra knocked down by the thunderbolt (of Indra), 0 protector of men ! Even while falling down, her (colossal) body crushed, 0 ruler of kings, trees within (an area of) twelve miles. That was a great wonder. Its mouth was ranged with fearful teeth as long as a plough-tree; its nostrils resembled a pair of mountain caves; its breasts looked like a couple of huge rocks; its coppery hair hung loose; its eyes were deep like a well overgrown with plants etc.; it looked terrible with its hips resembling sand-banks; its arms, thighs and feet resembled dams; while its belly looked like a waterless pond. The cowherds and cowherdesses were really much frightened to see that fearful body, their heart, ears and head having already been split by her yell. And finding the boy fearlessly playing on her bosom, the cowherd women quickly went up to Him and picked Him up, alarmed as they were. Along with Yasoda and Rohini they fully ensured the safety of the boy (against evil spirits) on all sides by waving round him the tail of a cow (which has been declared in the scriptures to be the seat of Goddess Laksmi) and other occult rites. Having bathed the boy with the urine of a cow (which is held to be as sacred as the water of the holy Ganga) and again sprinkling him with the dust under the hoofs of cows (which is considered to be as good as sprinkling with the totality of all sacred waters), they (further) ensured his security by daubing him with cowdung (which is recognized as another seat of Goddess Laksmi) at twelve points while uttering (twelve different) names (of the Lord). Having sipped water and assigned (a number of ) seed-letters (representing the first letters of the following eleven names of the Lord, followed by a nasal sound----Anuswara) separately to the (diverse) limbs of their (own) body as well as to (the parts of) their hands, the cowherd women next assigned the same seed-letters to the limbs and (parts of) the hands of the baby. " This shows that the Gopis of Vraia were all Vaisnavas. (They said:-) "May Aja (the birthless Lord) protect your feet; Maniman (the Lord adorned with the Kaustubha gem), your knees and Yajna (the Deity presiding over sacrifices), your thighs; Acyuta (the immortal Lord), your loins; Hayagriva (the Lord endowed with the head of a horse), your abdomen; Kesava (the Ruler even of Brahma and Siva), your heart; Isa (the almighty Lord), your bosom and Ina (the Master), your throat; Visnu (the all-pervading Lord), your arms; Urukrama (the Lord with long strides), your mouth and Iswara (the Supreme Lord), your head. May the wielder of a discus stand (as your protector) before you and Sri Hari, endowed with a mace, behind you; the Slayer of Madhu and Aja (the birthless Lord), wielding (severally) a bow and a sword, stand on your two sides; Urugaya (sung by many), the wielder of a conch, at the (four) points intervening between the quarters; Lord Vamana (the younger Brother of indra), overhead; the Rider of Garuda, on the ground and the Supreme Person (Lord Sankarsana) wielding a plough, on all sides. May Hrsikesa protect your indriyas; Narayana, your vital airs; Vasudeva (the Lord of Swetadwipa), your intellect; Aniruddha (the Master of Yoga), your mind;