15. Anaconda

Krishna and Balarama travelled south in the bay. There was a chain of islands in the Caribbean sea in the eastern side. “What is beyond this ocean?”, asked Balarama.

“A country called Africa where we will go during our travels”, said Karingila.

In the west the north American continent continued towards its counterpart in the south. They landed in a peninsula called YUCATAN about which Narada had told them. The tropic of cancer which passes through the middle of Bharatha also passes through this region. A similar tropical climate prevailed in that region.

Karingila transformed as Karimukha and they travelled south east direction. The people were brown in colour and their life style was similar to that of the people of Gokula. They reared cows and bulls and their economy was pastoral. Their civilization was called Maya and also their language.

They reached a narrow land strip called Panama. In the east they could see the Atlantic ocean and in the west, the Pacific ocean.

Then they reached a town called Bogata. They stayed enjoying the hospitality of the people for some days. They felt very much at home, as this place was quite similar to their own Gokula, with its cows and cowherds. The girls were fun loving and enjoyed music and dancing. There was a beautiful river like Yamuna which they called ORINOCO.

Karimukha enjoyed the lush vegetation in the forests along the river bank and loved spraying the water all over his body. Krishna and Balarama swam and played water games in the river. Karimukha also participated in the games by spraying water jets on them.

Suddenly there was a commotion. People cried frantically. Krishna and Balarama hurriedly came out from the water to the shore. People shouted, “Anaconda! Anaconda! (a type of Phython in that region). It was about forty feet long and was swallowing a calf.

Balarama ran with lightning speed. He opened the snake’s mouth with his gadha and placed it in a vertical position, then he pulled the calf’s legs from the anaconda’s wide mouth. Anaconda became wild and attacked Balarama ferociously. Krishna came to the aid by trampling the rear portion of the python. This struggle continued for some time. Balarama took his short dagger and pierced its mouth in both sides. He tore its body lengthwise and threw it.

The cowherds slowy massaged the calf and brought it back to life. With awe and admiration the people of the Mayan “Ayarpadi” (cowherds colony) were watching this fight. They were overwhelmed with joy and lifted Balarama on their shoulders and came in a procession. Learning that the heroes also hail from a pastoral community, their joy knew no bounds. Sage Naradha also appeared. Krishna played his flute the cowherds started dancing around them. The cows and calves stood around them, nodding their heads.