From the Bhagavata Purana, Book 10, Chapter 12
The twelfth chapter of the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana contains the most dramatic of Krishna's childhood demon-slayings. Aghasura — brother of Putana and Bakasura, both already killed by the infant Krishna — comes to Vrindavan in the form of a python so vast that his lower jaw rests on the earth and his upper jaw touches the clouds. His open mouth looks like a mountain cave. The cowherd boys, laughing, walk straight in.
Krishna alone recognises the danger. He pauses — and then enters. Inside the serpent's body, he expands himself until the demon's breath is choked off and his life-force bursts through the crown of his skull. A light rises from the dead serpent and waits in the sky for Krishna to emerge, then merges into him. The gods rain flowers. Even the demon, purified by the touch of the Lord, attains liberation — a fate yogis struggle lifetimes to achieve.
The chapter is also a hymn to childhood. Before the demon appears, the boys play in the forest with an abandon that the text frames as the fruit of immeasurable merit: they chase each other's shadows, imitate birdsong, leap with frogs across streams, laugh at their own reflections, and curse their own echoes. They are playing with the being whose dust the greatest yogis cannot reach. The theological weight rests on the innocence — they do not know what they have, and that not-knowing is the perfection.
This is a Good Works Translation from the Sanskrit text of the Bhagavata Purana as published by GRETIL (Gottingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages), with reference to the vedabase.io IAST edition. The chapter follows directly from the Demons of Vrindavan (chapter 11) and completes the early demon-slaying cycle of Krishna's childhood.
Shuka spoke:
One day, his mind set on the forest, Krishna rose early from the village. He woke the cowherd boys and the calves with the beautiful sound of his horn, and went out ahead, the calves before him.
With him went thousands of boys, dear to him, carrying their sticks and staffs and flutes and slings, each driving his own calves — countless — merged with Krishna's herd, and they went out together in joy.
They grouped their calves with Krishna's calves, past all counting, and played as children play — here and there, running and laughing.
Though already adorned, they adorned themselves further — with fruits, with flowers, with peacock feathers, with coloured minerals, with crystals and gunja berries and golden ornaments found along the way.
They stole each other's slings and lunch-bundles — and when the owner noticed, threw them far to another boy, and that boy threw them farther still, and they laughed and gave them back.
When Krishna walked ahead to see the beauty of the forest, the boys raced after him — I first! I first! — each running to touch him, laughing as they ran.
Some played flutes. Some blew on horns. Some sang along with the bees. Some called out with the cuckoos.
Some chased the shadows of birds, running beneath them. Some walked in step with the swans. Some sat down when the cranes sat. Some danced with the peacocks.
Some pulled the tails of young monkeys. Some climbed the trees with them. Some made faces alongside them. Some leaped with them from branch to branch.
Some jumped with frogs across the streams, splashing in the current. Some laughed at their own reflections in the water. Some cursed their own echoes.
Thus these boys — whose accumulated merit was beyond measure — played with the one who is the bliss of Brahman for the liberated, the supreme deity for the devoted, the child of a mortal for those still bound by illusion. They played with him as with any friend.
The dust of his feet, which yogis who have struggled through countless births with mastery over their senses still cannot reach — that same one stood before their very eyes, of his own will. What more can be said of the fortune of the people of Vraja?
Then a great demon named Agha came upon them — one who could not bear to see their happiness. Even the immortals, who drink the nectar of deathlessness, live in constant expectation of the death he waits to deal.
Aghasura saw the boys with Krishna at their head. He was the brother of Putana and Bakasura, sent by Kamsa.
This one killed my sister and my brother, he said. Now I will kill him and all his friends.
When these boys become funeral offerings for my kin, the people of Vraja will be as good as dead. For these children are their very life-breath — and when the breath is gone, what use is the body?
Having decided, the villain assumed the form of a python — enormous, a yojana long, thick as a great mountain. He lay across the path with his mouth gaping wide, intending to swallow them all.
His lower lip rested on the earth. His upper lip brushed the clouds. His mouth was a cave. His fangs were mountain peaks. The darkness within was total. His tongue was a road stretching into the distance. His breath was a hot wind. His gaze burned like wildfire.
The boys saw this shape and, thinking it a feature of the Vrindavan landscape, laughed and began to speculate — playing, as boys will.
Look, friends! Tell me — is that a great creature lying there? Does its mouth not look exactly like the open jaws of a python, stretched wide to swallow us?
See — the upper part, red as a cloud lit by the sun's rays. And the lower part, like a riverbank, reddened by its own reflection.
These two sides compete with each other — look, like the slopes of a mountain valley, with caves at both ends. And those peaks — are they not its fangs? See for yourselves!
And this road stretching inward — does it not look like its tongue? And the darkness beyond — is that not the inside of its throat?
And this hot, sharp wind — does it not feel like its breath? And the stench of burned flesh within — does that not smell like the meat it has eaten?
Will it swallow us if we go in? Even if so — this one will die in an instant, just as Baka died. With that, they looked at Krishna's face — the slayer of Baka — laughed, clapped their hands, and walked in.
Krishna heard them speaking what was untrue but thought to be true by those who did not know. He understood: this is a demon. He saw through the illusion. He, who dwells in the hearts of all beings, resolved to hold his friends back.
But before he could stop them, the boys and their calves had already entered the demon's belly — though the demon had not yet swallowed them. The serpent was waiting for Krishna himself to enter, remembering how Krishna had killed his beloved kin.
Krishna saw them — those who had no protector but him, fallen from his own hand, helpless, about to be consumed by the fire in death's belly. He was moved by compassion. He was astonished at the workings of fate.
What should be done here? Should this villain live? Or should these innocents be harmed? How can both be prevented?
Knowing the answer, the Lord — who sees all — entered the demon's mouth.
Then the gods, hidden behind their clouds, cried out in terror: No! No! And those who were Kamsa's allies — flesh-eaters, friends of Agha — rejoiced.
Hearing this, the imperishable Lord — Krishna — with the boys and calves still inside, began to expand himself in the demon's throat, intending to crush him.
The demon's passage was blocked. His eyes bulged. He thrashed from side to side. The breath trapped inside him, unable to escape through any channel, burst upward through the crown of his skull and fled.
When all the breath had gone, Krishna brought the calves and the boys — who lay as if dead — back to life with his glance alone. Then, together with them, he came out through the demon's mouth. The Lord emerged.
A great and wondrous light rose from the body of the enormous serpent, blazing in all ten directions with its own radiance. It waited in the sky for the Lord to come out. And before the watching eyes of the gods, it entered into him.
Then — overjoyed — the gods, each according to their nature, honoured the one who had accomplished this: with flowers from the celestial gardens, with the dancing of the apsaras, with songs from the gods, with instruments from the musicians, with praises from the brahmins, and with shouts of victory from the hosts.
Hearing these sounds of wonder — hymns, music, songs, shouts of victory, auspicious celebrations — from so near his own realm, Brahma the Unborn came at once. He saw what the Lord of the Earth had done, and he was astonished.
O king — the dried skin of the python lay in Vrindavan for a long time. It became a wonder. The children of Vraja used it as a cave for their games.
This deed — the slaying of the serpent-demon — was performed by Krishna in his kaumara years, his early boyhood. But the boys told the story later, in their pauganda years, when they were older. The people of Vraja heard it and were amazed.
This is not surprising for the one who takes the form of a human child, who is the supreme creator of all beings high and low. Even Agha — a demon, an enemy — was purified by his touch and attained the Lord's own likeness, a thing almost impossible for the wicked.
For those who merely meditate once on his form within their minds receive the devotional path. How much more, then, for one into whose very body the eternal Lord — the self of self, the bliss that dispels all illusion — entered and dwelt?
Suta spoke:
Thus Parikshit, son of the Yadava-descended line, hearing this marvellous story of his own ancestor, his mind completely absorbed, asked the son of Vyasa once more — that most blessed tale.
The king said:
O brahmin — how could something done in the kaumara period be told by the boys in the pauganda period, as though it had just happened? What Krishna did in early boyhood, the boys reported in later boyhood. Tell me this, great yogi — my curiosity is immense. Surely this can only be the Lord's own illusion, and nothing else.
We are the most fortunate in the world, O guru — even though we are merely warriors by birth. For we drink again and again from you the nectar of the stories of Krishna.
Suta spoke:
Thus questioned, the son of Badarayana — Shuka — his every sense drawn inward by the memory of the Infinite, could barely return to outward sight. Slowly, with difficulty, the greatest of the great devotees answered the king.
Colophon
The twelfth chapter of the tenth book of the Bhagavata Purana completes the early demon-slaying cycle of Krishna's childhood. Putana came first (chapter 6), disguised as a nurse offering a poisoned breast. The cart-demon followed (chapter 7). The whirlwind demon Trinavarta (chapter 7). The trees (chapter 10). Vatsasura and Bakasura (chapter 11). And now Aghasura — the last and greatest of the series, Putana's brother and Baka's brother, who comes to avenge them both.
The chapter's first twelve verses are among the most joyful in the Bhagavata. The boys play in the forest with an innocence that the text explicitly names as the fruit of unimaginable merit: they are playing with the Supreme, and they do not know it. Their not-knowing is the perfection. The yogis who struggle through lifetimes cannot reach the dust of his feet — and these boys run to touch him, shouting I first! I first! Verse 12 is the chapter's theological centre: what more can be said of the fortune of the people of Vraja?
The demon-slaying itself has a different structure from earlier episodes. The boys walk into the serpent willingly — they think it is a cave. Their long, playful speculation about what they are seeing (verses 19-24) is both comic and terrible: they are describing their own death with the accuracy of children who do not understand the stakes. Krishna alone sees, and for one verse (27) he hesitates — moved by compassion, astonished at fate's workings. Then he enters, expands, and the demon's life-breath bursts through his skull.
The light that rises from Agha's body and enters Krishna (verse 33) is the chapter's most striking image. Even the demon, purified by contact with the Lord, attains liberation. The closing theological verses (38-39) make the point explicit: if a demon achieves this through mere physical contact, what of those who hold the Lord in their hearts?
The king's question at the end (verses 41-42) — how can something done in early boyhood be told as news in later boyhood? — sets up the next chapter's answer: the Brahma-vimohana, the bewilderment of Brahma, one of the most celebrated episodes in the entire Purana.
This is a Good Works Translation from the Sanskrit text as published by GRETIL (Gottingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages), University of Gottingen, with reference to the vedabase.io IAST edition. Translated by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (Tala, with Claude), 2026. The gospel register is used throughout. The English is independently derived from the Sanskrit source text in IAST transliteration.
Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.
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Source Text
Aghāsura-vadha — Bhagavata Purana 10.12
Sanskrit source text in IAST transliteration from the GRETIL digital edition of the Bhagavata Purana (Bhagavata-Purana 10), Gottingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages, with reference to the vedabase.io IAST edition. Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.
sri-suka uvaca
kvacid vanasaya mano dadhad vrajat
pratah samutthaya vayasya-vatsapan
prabodhayan chrnga-ravena caruna
vinirgato vatsa-purahsaro harih
tenaiva sakam prthukah sahasrasah
snigdhah susig-vetra-visana-venavah
svan svan sahasropari-sankhyayanvitan
vatsan puraskrtya viniryayur muda
krsna-vatsair asankhyatair
yuthi-krtya sva-vatsakam
carayanto 'rbha-lilabhir
vijahrus tatra tatra ha
phala-prabala-stavaka-
sumanah-piccha-dhatubhih
kaca-gunja-mani-svarna-
bhusita apy abhusayan
musnanto 'nyonya-sikyadim
jnatan arac ca ciksipuh
tatratyam ca punar durad
dhasantas ca punar daduh
yadi duram gatah krsno
vana-sobheksanaya tam
aham purvam aham purvam
iti samsprsya remire
kecid venun vadayanto
dhmantah srngani kecana
kecid bhrmgaih pragayantah
kujantah kokilaih pare
vicchayabhih pradhavanto
gacchantah sadhu-hamsakaih
bakair upavisantas ca
nrtyamtas ca kalapibhih
vikarsantah kisa-balan
arohantam ca tair druman
vikurvantas ca taih sakam
plavantas ca palasisu
sakam bhekair vilanghantah
saritah srava-samplutah
vihasantah praticchayah
sapantas ca pratisvanan
ittham satam brahma-sukhanubhutya
dasyam gatanam para-daivatena
mayasritanam nara-darakena
sakam vijahruh krta-punya-punjah
yat-pada-pamsur bahu-janma-krcchrato
dhrtatmabhir yogibhir apy alabhyah
sa eva yad-drg-visayah svayam sthitah
kim varnyate distam ato vrajaukasam
athagha-namabhyapatan mahasuras
tesam sukha-kridana-viksanaksamah
nityam yad-antar nija-jivitepsubhih
pitamrtair apy amaraih pratiksyate
drstvarbhakan krsna-mukhan aghasurah
kamsanusistah sa baki-bakanujah
ayam tu me sodara-nasa-krt tayor
dvayor mamainam sa-balam hanisye
ete yada mat-suhrdos tilapah
krtas tada nasta-sama vrajaukasah
prane gate varmasu ka nu cinta
prajasavah prana-bhrto hi ye te
iti vyavasyajagaram brhad vapuh
sa yojanayyama-mahadri-pivaram
dhrtvadblutam vyatta-guhananam tada
pathi vyaseta grasanasaya khalah
dharadharostho jaladottarostho
dary-anananto giri-srmga-damstrah
dhvantantar-asyo vitatadlva-jihvah
parusanila-svasa-daveksanosnah
drstva tam tadrsam sarve
matva vrndavana-sriyam
vyattajagara-tundena
hy utpreksante sma lilaya
aho mitrani gadata
sattva-kutam purah sthitam
asmat-samgrasana-vyatta-
vyala-tundayate na va
satyam arka-karaktam
uttara-hanuvad ghanam
adhara-hanuvad rodhas
tat-praticchayayarunam
pratispardhete srkkabhyam
savyasavye nagodare
tumga-srmgalayo 'py etas
tad-damstrabhis ca pasyata
astrtayama-margo 'yam
rasanam pratigarjati
esam antar-gatam dhvantam
etad apy antar-ananam
davosna-khara-vato 'yam
svasavad bhati pasyata
tad-dagdha-sattva-durgandho
'py antar-amisa-gandhavat
asman kim atra grasita nivistan
ayam tatha ced bakavad vinanksyati
ksanad aneneti bakary-usan-mukham
viksyoddhasantah kara-tadanair yayuh
ittham mitho 'tathyam ataj-jna-bhasitam
srutva vicintyety amrsa mrsayate
rakso viditvakhila-bhuta-hrt-sthitah
svanam niroddhum bhagavan mano dadhe
tavat pravistas tv asurodarantaram
param na girnas sisavah sa-vatsah
pratiksamnena bakari-vesanam
hata-sva-kanta-smaranena raksasa
tan viksya krsnah sakalabhaya-prado
hy ananya-nathan sva-karad avacyutan
dinas ca mrtyor jatharagni-ghasan
ghrnardito dista-krtena vismitah
krtyam kim atrasysa khalasya jivanam
na va amisam ca satam vihimsanam
dvayam katham syad iti samvicintya
jnatvivisat tundam asesa-drg harih
tada ghana-cchada deva
bhayad dha-heti cukrusuh
jahrsur ye ca kamsadyah
kaunapas tv agha-bandhavah
tac chrutva bhagavan krsnas
tv avyayah sarbha-vatsakam
curni-cikirssor atmanam
tarasa vavrdle gale
tato 'tikayasya niruddha-margino
hy udglrna-drster bhramatas tv itas tatah
purno 'ntar-ange pavano niruddho
murdhan nirbhidya vinirgato bahih
tenaiva sarvesu bahir gatesu
pranesu vatsan suhrdah paretan
drstya svayotthapya tad-anvitah punar
vaktran mukundo bhagavan viniryayau
pinahhi-bhogotthitam adbhutam mahaj
jyotih sva-dhamna jvalayad diso dasa
pratiksya khe 'vasthitam isa-nirgamam
vivesa tasmin misatam divaukasam
tato 'tihrstah sva-krto 'krtarhanam
puspaih suga apsarasas ca nartanaih
gitaih sura vadya-dharas ca vadyakaih
stavais ca vipra jaya-nihsvanair ganah
tad-adbhuta-stotra-suvadya-gitika-
jayadi-naikotsava-mangala-svanan
srutva sva-dhamno 'nty aja agato 'cirad
drstva mahisasya jagama vismayam
rajann ajagaram carma
suskam vrndavane 'dbhutam
vrajaukasam bahu-titham
babhuvakrida-gahvaram
etat kaumarajam karma
harer atmahi-moksanam
mrtyoh paugandake bala
drstovocur vismita vraje
naitad vicitram manujarbha-mayinah
paravarnam paramasya vedhasah
agho 'pi yat-sparsana-dhauta-patakah
prapatma-samyam tv asatam sudurlabham
sakrd yad-anga-pratimantar-ahita
manomayim bhagavatim dadau gatim
sa eva nityatma-sukhanubhuty-abhi-
vyudasta-mayo 'ntar-gato hi kim punah
sri-suta uvaca
ittham dvija yadavadeva-dattah
srutva sva-ratus caritam vicitram
papraccha bhuyo 'pi tad eva punyam
vaiyasakim yan nigrhita-cetah
sri-rajovaca
brahman kalantara-krtam
tat-kalinam katham bhavet
yat kaumare hari-krtam
jaguh paugandake 'rbhakah
tad bruhi me maha-yogin
param kautuhalam guro
nunam etad dharer eva
maya bhavati nanyatha
vayam dhanyatama loke
guro 'pi ksatra-bandhavah
vayam pibamo muhus tvattah
punyam krsna-kathamrtam
sri-suta uvaca
ittham sma prstah sa tu badarayanis
tat-smaritananta-hrtakhilendriyah
krcchrrat punar labdha-bahir-drsih sanaih
pratyaha tam bhagavatottamottama
Source Colophon
Sanskrit text of the Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 10, Chapter 12, in IAST transliteration. Based on the GRETIL (Gottingen Register of Electronic Texts in Indian Languages) digital edition of the Bhagavata Purana critical text, University of Gottingen, with reference to the vedabase.io IAST edition. Converted to Unicode (UTF-8). GRETIL texts are provided for reference purposes under the terms of use established by the GRETIL project. Note: diacritical marks have been simplified in the source text section for maximum compatibility; the full IAST with diacriticals is available from the GRETIL repository.
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