Krishna's Secret Science: The Wrestling Text That Promises Mokṣa

एकस्मिन् कमलाकटाक्षविवरे सानन्दगाधायिते
क्षीराब्धेरपरत्र दीर्घधवलैः कल्लोललोलोत्करैः ।
व्यग्रस्यापि समर्थितप्रमथनव्यापारलब्धोदया-
श्चत्वारो वितरन्तु वाञ्छितफलं वन्द्या हरेर्बाहवः ॥ १ ॥

May the four adorable arms of Hari bestow the fruit you desire. They are the arms of one who was busy. In one place they joyfully waded into ("found a ford in") the opening of Kamalā's (Lakṣmī's) sidelong glance. In another place they were among the long white masses of tossing waves of the Milk Ocean. They won their glory by carrying out the work of churning it.

Variants for सानन्दगाधायिते, P reads माधुर्यते (sense unclear; "becomes sweet"). This does not change the overall meaning.

पुरा कंसे हते दैत्ये चाणूरे च निपातिते ।
संप्राप्ते मथुराराज्ये भोगान् भुक्त्वा बहूंस्तथा ॥ ६ ॥

Long ago, the demon (daitya) Kaṃsa was slain, Cāṇūra was struck down and the kingdom of Mathurā was won. After [Kṛṣṇa and Balabhadra] had enjoyed many pleasures as well, …

Variants B reads दैवे for दैत्ये ("by fate", a likely miscopy). B reads तदा ("then") in the second line. P reads यथोक्तं गदते at one point (marker unclear). None of these changes the sense materially.

कृष्णश्च बलभद्रश्च परमात्मदयान्वितौ ।
स्वीकर्तुं द्वारकां रम्यां चलितौ हर्षसंयुतौ ॥ ७ ॥

… Kṛṣṇa and Balabhadra, full of supreme compassion, joyfully set out to take possession of lovely Dvārakā.

सुखप्रयाणकैर्देशान् पश्यन्तौ विविधान् बहून् ।
प्राप्तौ मयूरवं बालं नाम्ना नगरमुत्तमम् ॥ ८ ॥

Travelling in easy stages and seeing many different regions, the two reached an excellent city named Mayūravambāla (printed as two words, मयूरवं बालं).

धर्मारण्यस्य मध्येऽभूत् शृणु नारद सादरम् ।
लोहासुरस्य पूर्वे च मोहेरस्य समीपतः ॥ २० ॥

Listen respectfully, Nārada. It lay in the middle of Dharmāraṇya, east of Lohāsura and near Mohera.

Variants P reads लेहासुर; P reads मोहेरस्य (मोरित). These are name spellings only.

Editors' note (front matter p. 8, fn 1; not part of the text) the editors identify Devālaya / Mayūravambāla with Delmāl in North Gujarat, about 10 miles west of Modherā. Their reasons are the step-wells, wells and ponds there, a small tank with an earthen dam on its east side, a broken Chaulukya-age temple on its west bank locally called Pālechī Mātā or Pālaṃmātā (compare Pālinī, I.32–34), many old temples, and the Jyeṣṭhīs who still lived there in 1964. They add that connecting the other age-names (Īśāna, Śrīmālaka, Mayūravambāla) with Delmāl "is difficult to explain".

मयेदं स्थापितं पूर्वं विद्यास्थाने महाद्भुतम् ।
युतं द्विजगणैः शुद्धं सर्वरत्नसमन्वितम् ॥ २१ ॥

I established this most wonderful [city] long ago as a seat of learning (vidyāsthāna). It was filled with throngs of the twice-born, pure, and rich in every kind of jewel.

स्वच्छोदकैः सुविस्तीर्णैः सरोभिरुपशोभितम् ।
आरामै रमणीयं च नानावृक्षसमाकुलैः ॥ २२ ॥

It was adorned with very broad lakes of clear water and made lovely by gardens crowded with many kinds of trees.

Variants B reads नानार्थ° ("of various kinds"). There is no change of sense.

अनुलिप्तै(सं) सुधाभिश्च संगतं सुरमन्दिरैः ।
संकीर्णं पुण्यलभ्यं च रम्यं स्वर्गमिवापरम् ॥ २३ ॥

It was filled with temples of the gods plastered with lime-wash (sudhā). It was thronged, reachable only through merit, and delightful, like a second heaven.

Variants B reads अनुलिप्तैः ("plastered", agreeing with the temples).

वातेरितपताकाभिः सेवितं च दिवानिशम् ।
युक्तमक्षय्यमानोर्थैर्ब्राह्मणैरुपशोभितम् ॥ २४ ॥

Day and night it was attended by banners stirred by the wind. It was graced by Brāhmaṇas whose wealth (artha) never fails (reading अक्षय्यमान-अर्थैः; the compound is slightly irregular).

यज्ञाग्निधूमपटलैर्यत्रान्तरितमण्डलम् ।
न पीडयति तीक्ष्णांशुर्ग्रीष्मेऽपि च तपस्विनः ॥ २५ ॥

There the sky-disc is veiled by clouds of smoke from sacrificial fires, so that even in summer the fierce-rayed sun does not trouble the ascetics.

Variants B reads यमान्तरित°; B reads तपस्विनः variant (marker 16, garbled). There is no change of sense.

कृते तु नाम्ना चेशानं त्रेतायां च श्रीमालकम् ।
द्वापरे मयूरवं बालं कलौ देवालयं स्मृतम् ॥ २७ ॥

In the Kṛta age it was called Īśāna, in the Tretā Śrīmālaka, in the Dvāpara Mayūravambāla, and in the Kali it is remembered as Devālaya.

Variants P gives different names for the first ages. Footnote 18 is partly illegible; it appears to read कृते सुनाम । रत्नाख्यं त्रेतायां कनकाख्यं [?] P, i.e., names like "Ratna" and "Kanaka". I am unsure of the exact P reading.

तत्पूर्वेऽस्ति वृद्धसरः पूर्णं पुण्यजलैः सदा ।
मयैव निर्मितं पूर्वं लोकपापापनुत्तये ॥ ३० ॥

To its east is the Vṛddhasaras ("Old/Ancient Lake"), always full of holy water. I myself made it long ago to wash away the sins of the world.

अस्मिन् सरोजले स्नात्वा देही पश्यति पालिनीम् ।
सर्वपापविनिर्मुक्तो लभते भोगमव्ययम् ॥ ३४ ॥

An embodied being who bathes in the water of this lake and sees Pālinī is freed from all sins and obtains imperishable enjoyment.

Variants P reads सरसि जले. The sense is the same.

दृढाङ्गो रोगमुक्तश्च सर्वविद्याविचक्षणः ।
धनधान्यसमायुक्तो रिपुजेता महाबली ॥ ३५ ॥

[He becomes] firm of limb (dṛḍhāṅga), free from disease, expert in all sciences, endowed with wealth and grain, a conqueror of enemies, and very strong.

एतन्नगरपार्श्वे तु परितश्च प्रदक्षिणे ।
बहुदेवालयाः सन्ति तेन देवालयं स्मृतम् ॥ ३८ ॥

Beside this city, all around it and along the circuit (pradakṣiṇa), there are many temples (devālaya). For this reason it is remembered as Devālaya.

Variants B reads देवालकं (name form). P reads बृहदेवाश्रया (marker 24; "having great temples").

प्रविशन्तौ पुरे तस्मिन् ब्राह्मणैरभिनन्दितौ ।
कृष्णोऽयमागतः पुण्यैर्विद्वद्भिरिति सादरम् ॥ ४१ ॥

As the two entered that city, they were greeted by the Brāhmaṇas; the meritorious, learned men [said] respectfully, "This is Kṛṣṇa who has come!"

Note (revised 2026-11-03) पुण्यैर्विद्वद्भिः is most naturally an instrumental phrase parallel to ब्राह्मणैः, "by the meritorious learned men". The earlier rendering "because of our merits" is possible but less likely, and it supplies "our". The idea of merit is stated outright in I.42.

अहो पुण्यं महद्भाग्यमस्माकं जन्म सार्थकम् ।
यो दुर्निरीक्ष्यो योगीन्द्रैः सोऽयं कृष्णः समागतः ॥ ४२ ॥

"Ah, what merit, what great fortune! Our birth has been fruitful. This Kṛṣṇa, whom even the lords of yogins can hardly see, has come!"

रम्यवृक्षदलैः पुष्पैस्तोरणैः प्रतिमन्दिरम् ।
गीतवाद्यप्रकाराद्यैरन्यैश्च विविधोत्सवैः ॥ ४३ ॥

In every house or temple there were lovely tree-leaves, flowers and festoon-arches (toraṇa), with kinds of song and instrumental music, and other festivities of many sorts, …

Variants B reads रम्यैश्च. The sense is unchanged.

ऋग्यजुःसाममन्त्रोक्तैराशीर्वादैरनेकशः ।
वर्धापितौ द्विजश्रेष्ठैः सानन्दमतिसेवितौ ॥ ४४ ॥

… the best of the twice-born ceremonially welcomed (vardhāpita) the two many times over, with blessings spoken in mantras of the Ṛg, Yajus and Sāma, and joyfully attended them.

Variants P reads सानन्दपरिसेवितौ. The sense is the same.

स्त्रीभिः संमानितौ तत्र दूराञ्जलिनिबन्धनैः ।
लाजाविकीर्णै(किरणै)श्चैव दूर्वाकुशसमन्वितैः ॥ ४५ ॥

There the women honoured them with hands joined in añjali from afar, and by scattering parched grain (lājā) mixed with dūrvā grass and kuśa.

देवासुरमनुष्यैश्च दुर्लभोऽयं श्रियः प्रियः ।
सौभाग्यसाधनः कृष्णो युवतीभिर्निरीक्षितः ॥ ४६ ॥

Kṛṣṇa is hard for gods, asuras and men to attain. He is the beloved of Śrī and the means of good fortune. The young women gazed at him.

ध्यानगम्यः प्रियः साक्षाद् बहुपुण्यैकसंचयात् ।
अतीव दृष्टो वृद्धाभिः प्रहृष्टाभिः कृतादरम् ॥ ४७ ॥

He can be reached only through meditation. Here he was the beloved in visible form, [seen] because of a single great store of merit. The old women, overjoyed, gazed at him intently and with reverence (वृद्धाभिः and प्रहृष्टाभिः are feminine).

बाला अप्युद्भूतानेककौतूहलविलोभिताः ।
धाविताः संभ्रमात् कृष्णमवलोकयि(कि)तुमुत्सुकाः ॥ ४८ ॥

Even the young ones (bālāḥ), lured by the many kinds of curiosity that arose in them, ran about excitedly, eager to see Kṛṣṇa.

Note (revised 2026-11-03) बाला … विलोभिताः धाविताः … उत्सुकाः can be masculine plural ("boys/children") or feminine plural ("young girls"). The verses around it are all about women (युवतीभिः I.46, वृद्धाभिः I.47, स्त्रियः I.49), so "young girls" is quite possible.

मार्गावसरमप्राप्य कृष्णदर्शनलालसाः ।
आरोहन्ति गृहाट्टालं तारामगभित[?] स्त्रियः ॥ ४९ ॥

Women who found no room in the street and longed to see Kṛṣṇa climbed onto the upper terraces (aṭṭāla) of the houses. The aksaras तारामगभित are unclear in print and I cannot construe them with confidence. The B/P footnotes (33–34) are only partly legible.

अहमहमतिगच्छन्नुपर्युपरि संपतन् ।
इतस्ततो भ्रमन् लोकः स्वं परं नावगच्छति ॥ ५० ॥

Each pushing ahead with "Me first, me first!", tumbling one on top of another and milling to and fro, the crowd could not tell one's own [person] from another's.

एवं प्रविष्टौ नगरे परमातिथ्यपूर्वकम् ।
स्थितौ दिनानि कतिचित् क्रीडाभिरदितोत्सवैः[?] ॥ १ ॥

Having entered the city in this way and received the highest hospitality, the two stayed there some days, with sports and festivities.

Variants P reads सहितोत्सवैः ("together with festivals"). This supports the sense.

तत्र सोमेश्वरो नाम ब्राह्मणो गर्गगोत्रज ।
वेदवेदाङ्गविद् धीमान् कलासु कुशलो युवा ॥ २ ॥

There lived a Brāhmaṇa named Someśvara, born in the Garga gotra. He knew the Vedas and Vedāṅgas, was wise, skilled in the arts (kalā), and young (yuvā).

Variants P reads वेदवेदाङ्गपारगः ("who had mastered the Vedas and Vedāṅgas").

अतीव भक्तिमान् कृष्णे तत्त्वज्ञानपरो वरः ।
कृष्णमाराधयत्येव बलभद्रं च सन्ततम् ॥ ३ ॥

He was exceedingly devoted to Kṛṣṇa, intent on knowledge of reality (tattva), and excellent. He worshipped Kṛṣṇa and Balabhadra without ceasing.

Variants P reads the second line as कृष्णश्चाराध्यते नित्यं बलभद्रेण संयुतः ("Kṛṣṇa together with Balabhadra is worshipped daily"). The sense is equivalent.

तं दृष्ट्वा भक्तिसंयुक्तं सुशरीरं कृतादरम् ।
संतुष्टो भगवान् कृष्णः प्रोवाच प्रीतिपूर्वकम् ॥ ४ ॥

Seeing him full of devotion, fine of body and reverent, Lord Kṛṣṇa was pleased and spoke to him affectionately.

कच्चिन् सङ्घाश्च[?] सुखिनो नगरे सर्वदा नृणाम् ।
ब्राह्मणानां च सर्वेषां याज्ञिकानां च ऋत्विजाम् ॥ ५ ॥

Are the communities of men in the city always happy, including all the Brāhmaṇas, the sacrificers (yājñika) and the officiating priests (ṛtvij)?

Variants P reads the first line as कच्चिद् अनामयं तेऽस्ति नगरेऽस्मिन् सर्वदा नृणाम्: "Is there always health for you, for the men in this city?"

तीर्थानि सन्ति पुण्यानि शुद्धोदकानि च सर्वशः ।
गावः कामदुधाश्चाग्निः पवनं[?] समिधः कुशाः ॥ ६ ॥

Are the holy tīrthas there, with pure water everywhere? Are there wish-yielding cows, the [sacred] fire, the cooking [of oblations], fuel-sticks (samidh) and kuśa grass?

Variants P reads पचनं ("cooking"). I follow it, since the base reading is unclear.

रामेण स्थापिताः पूर्वं पालनीयास्त्वयाधुना ।
इति श्रुत्वा वचस्तस्य भगवान् देवकीसुतः ॥ ८ ॥

"We were established by Rāma long ago; now we are to be protected by you." Hearing these words of his, the Lord, son of Devakī, …

कार्यद्वयं चिकीर्षुस्तु सोमेश्वरं जगाद ह ।
[श्रीकृष्ण उवाच ।] तुष्टोऽहं तव विप्रेन्द्र यतो भक्तोऽसि मे प्रियः ॥ ९ ॥

… wishing to accomplish two purposes (kāryadvaya), spoke to Someśvara. [Śrī Kṛṣṇa said (the speaker label is supplied by the editors in brackets):] "I am pleased with you, O chief of Brāhmaṇas, because you are my dear devotee."

तेन तुभ्यं प्रदास्यामि विद्यां शुद्धां मम प्रियाम् ।
कलौ युगे समायाते म्लेच्छप्रायाश्च भूभुजः ॥ १० ॥

"Therefore I shall give you my pure (śuddhā) and beloved science. When the Kali age comes, kings will be mostly mlecchas."

Variants P reads यदि (marker 7, at कलौ?). This does not change the sense materially.

वृत्तिलोपं करिष्यन्ति पीडयिष्यन्ति गोद्विजान् ।
ततस्त्वेकां मल्लविद्यां ददामि ते द्विजोत्तम ॥ ११ ॥

"They will take away livelihoods (vṛttilopa) and oppress cows and Brāhmaṇas. Therefore, O best of the twice-born, I give you this unique science of wrestling (mallavidyā)."

प्रधानं सर्वविद्यानां यया वृत्तिर्न जायते[?] ।
पच्यते सर्वधातुश्च मल्लविद्याविधारणात् ॥ १२ ॥

"It is the chief of all sciences. Through it, [loss of] livelihood does not occur. Literally the text says "livelihood does not arise", which is probably corrupt for "loss of livelihood does not arise". By upholding mallavidyā, all the bodily constituents (dhātu) are matured ('cooked')."

Note "seven" dhātus is not stated.

धारयन्ति बलात् शत्रून् तेन मल्लाः प्रकीर्तिताः ।
तेषां विद्या परं गोप्या परदर्पप्रभञ्जनी ॥ १३ ॥

"Because they hold down (dhārayanti) enemies by force, they are called mallas. Their science is to be kept supremely secret, and it shatters the pride of others."

Variants P reads मल्लविद्या[?] (marker 9). This does not change the sense.

ज्येष्ठार्था सर्वविद्यानां सर्वकालशरीरगा ।
अचौरार्थ्या च सर्वत्र सर्वकाल[ा?]विनाशिनी ॥ १४ ॥

"Among all sciences it holds the rank of eldest (jyeṣṭhārthā, which also puns on Jyeṣṭhī). It stays in the body at all times, and thieves can take it nowhere (acaurārthyā, 'not to be sought by thieves'). It is [im]perishable(?) at all times."

Note (revised 2026-11-03) enlarged, the print reads अचौरार्थ्या clearly (the earlier transcription had अचौराध्या[?]). In the last word there is a broken stroke between ल and वि that may be the ā-sign. Read as सर्वकालाविनाशिनी, it gives "imperishable at all times", which fits the context. Read as सर्वकालविनाशिनी, it gives "destroyer of all Kāla (time or death)". The reading is uncertain, so don't quote either version as settled.

सर्वकामप्रदा ह्येषा सर्वलोकाभिमोहिनी ।
अनया साध्यते धर्मः कामः सम्यगवाप्यते ॥ १५ ॥

"It grants every desire and enchants all the worlds. Through it dharma is accomplished, and kāma is properly obtained."

मोक्षोऽपि प्राप्यतेऽभ्यासात् मदभ्यस्ता पुरा यतैः ।
ममाङ्गसंस्थितां विद्यां धारयिष्यन्ति भूतले ॥ १६ ॥

"Even mokṣa is attained through its practice. Of old it was practised from me [or: as taught by me] by the self-controlled (mad-abhyastā purā yataiḥ). [Men] will uphold on earth this science that resides in my own limbs."

Note (revised 2026-11-03) यतैः, as printed and confirmed on the scan, is instrumental plural, so it is the agent of अभ्यस्ता ("practised by the self-controlled"). It cannot be the subject of धारयिष्यन्ति, which has an unexpressed subject. मद् in मदभ्यस्ता then means "from me / under me" (or possibly "by me" with yataiḥ in apposition, which is awkward). The earlier rendering, "I myself practised it long ago", works only if यतैः is emended to यतः ("since"). We don't make that emendation, so don't claim that Krishna says he practised it himself. "Resides in my own limbs" (ममाङ्गसंस्थितां) is secure.

Variants B reads सर्पा मने[?] (marker 8, at यतैः?). This is garbled.

विद्याविभूषिता लोके मत्परा मां लभन्ति ते ।
इमां गुह्यतमां विप्र न दत्तां कस्यचिन्मया ॥ १७ ॥

"Adorned with this science in the world and devoted to me, they attain me. O Brāhmaṇa, I have not given this most secret [science] to anyone."

Variants P reads मनोरथान् for मां, i.e., "they obtain their desires" instead of "they attain me". This is a meaningful difference.

तुभ्यं सम्यक् प्रदास्यामि यतो मद्भक्तिमान् भवान् ।
विद्येयं मम शक्तिश्च मद्भक्तेष्वेव स्थास्यति ॥ १८ ॥

"I shall give it to you fully, because you are devoted to me. This science and my power (śakti) will remain only among my devotees."

Variants footnote 10 says "Not found in P" (marker placement near this verse; scope unclear).

मद्विद्यालंकृतो लोके मान्यो भवति सर्वतः ।
अङ्गशुद्धिः सत्त्वशुद्धिर्बलवृद्धिस्तथोचरा[?] ॥ १९ ॥

"A man adorned with my science is honoured everywhere in the world. Purification of the body (aṅgaśuddhi), purity of being (sattvaśuddhi) and increase of strength (balavṛddhi) likewise [come from it]." The last word reads तद्गोचरा, "within its scope", or a variant.

Variants P reads लोकस्तथा … (marker 12, partly illegible).

मृगयाजयसंसिद्धिरनया शत्रुसंजयः ।
तस्मात् सोमेश्वरस्त्वं च तथान्येऽपि तव प्रियाः ।
धारयन्तूत्तमां विद्यां मयोक्तां सर्वलक्षणाम् ॥ २० ॥

"Through it come success and victory in hunting (mṛgayā) and conquest of enemies. Therefore you, Someśvara, and likewise others dear to you, should uphold this excellent science that I have taught, complete with all its characteristics (sarvalakṣaṇā)."

Variants footnote 13 says "Rest of the verses of this Adhyāya as well as first twelve verses and first half of the thirteenth verse of the 3rd Adhyāya are not found in P." The marker 13 sits at अङ्गशुद्धिः, the start of II.19b (scan p. 52), so from II.19b to III.13a the text rests on B alone.

हस्तेन प्रपदे गृह्य भ्रामितो लुण्ठितो भुवि ।
घातितो मुष्टिघातैश्च मारितो मल्लविद्यया ॥ ४४ ॥

[Kṛṣṇa narrating:] "Seized by the forefoot (prapada) with the hand, he was whirled around, rolled on the ground, battered with fist-blows (muṣṭighāta), and killed by mallavidyā."

संनिष्पिष्टसर्वाङ्गो भग्न(ग्नो)ष्ठो भग्नमानसः ।
गलत्केशोऽपतत् भूमौ चाणूरो गतचेतनः ॥ ४५ ॥

"With all his limbs crushed, his lips broken (bhagnoṣṭha, by the editors' correction), his spirit broken and his hair falling loose, Cāṇūra fell to the ground senseless."

बलेनैवं मुष्टिकोऽपि घातितो मल्लविद्यया ।
अन्येऽपि मल्लमुख्याश्च पातिताः सर्वतो भुवि ॥ ४६ ॥

"In the same way Muṣṭika too was struck down by strength (balena, possibly also 'by Bala', i.e., Balarāma) and by mallavidyā. The other chief wrestlers were also thrown to the ground on every side."

कंसोऽपि निहतः संख्ये पातितो ह्यवनीतले ।
हाहाकारोऽभवत् शब्दस्तदा कंसे निपातिते ॥ ४७ ॥

"Kaṃsa too was slain in battle and thrown down onto the surface of the earth. When Kaṃsa was overthrown, a cry of 'hā-hā' arose."

तस्माद् गृह्णात्वेनां त्वं मल्लविद्यां द्विजोत्तम ।
यया च भ्रामिताः सर्वे शत्रवो निधनं गताः ॥ ४९ ॥

"Therefore, O best of the twice-born, take this mallavidyā, through which all the enemies were whirled about (bhrāmita) and went to their death."

Note (revised 2026-11-03) the print reads गृह्णात्वेनां (gṛhṇātu enām, a 3rd-person imperative used with त्वं), not गृहाणेमां as earlier transcribed. The sense, "take it", is unchanged.

यः शृणोति नरो भक्त्या मल्लकंसादिघातनम् ।
क्रीडितं मम विप्रेन्द्र स याति परमं पदम् ॥ ५१ ॥

"O chief of Brāhmaṇas, the man who listens with devotion to my sport (krīḍita), the slaying of the wrestlers, Kaṃsa and the rest, reaches the supreme state."