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Ranga Bhum

Krishna killed Kamsa here on the hill called Kamsa-tila. The wrestling match between Krishna and Balarama and the wrestlers took place here. Next to this place Krishna killed the wrestlers. Behind this hill is where Krishna crowned Ugrasena the king of Mathura. Rang means “arena or amusement area.”

How To Get Here Ranga Bhumi is located just opposite the Main Mathura Post Office. It is located about 50m (150 ft), several buildings down from the Rangesvara Mahadeva Temple. You have to go up some steps to reach Ranga Bhumi, which is located on a small hill. There is a good-sized tree right in front of the steps. Ranga Bhumi is about 100m down from the Keshava Gaudiya Math.

Killing of Kamsa and the Wrestlers
After coming to Mathura, Krishna and Balarama went to the wrestling arena. Krishna wrestled with the famous wrestler named Canura, and Balarama wrestled with Mustika. Kamsa and the residents of Mathura watched the wrestling match. They wrestled intensely for a while.

“Canura then took his last chance and attacked Krishna, just as one hawk swoops upon another. Folding his two hands, he began to strike the chest of Krishna, but Lord Krishna was not even slightly disturbed, no more than an elephant that is hit by a flower garland. Krishna quickly caught the two hands of Canura and began to wheel him around, and simply by this centrifugal action, Canura lost his life. Krishna then threw him to the ground. Canura fell just like the flag of Indra, and all his nicely decorated ornaments were scattered hither and thither.

“Mustika also struck Balarama, and Balarama returned the stroke with great force. Mustika began to tremble, and blood and vomit flowed from his mouth. Distressed, he gave up his vital force and fell down just as a tree falls down in a hurricane. After the two wrestlers were killed, a wrestler named Kuta came forward. Lord Balarama immediately caught him in His left hand and killed him nonchalantly. Another wrestler of the name Sala came forward, and Krishna immediately kicked him and cracked his head. Another wrestler named Tosala came forward and was killed in the same way. Thus all the great wrestlers were killed by Krishna and Balarama, and the remaining wrestlers began to flee from the assembly out of fear for their lives.

“All the people gathered there began to clap in great ecstasy, and no one could estimate the bounds of their pleasure. The brahmanas present began to praise Krishna and Balarama ecstatically. Only Kamsa was morose; he neither clapped nor offered benediction to Krishna. Kamsa resented the drums; being beaten for Krishna’s victory, and he was sorry that the wrestlers had been killed and had fled the assembly. He therefore immediately ordered the drum playing to stop and began to address his friends as follows: ‘I order that these two sons of Vasudeva be immediately driven out of Mathura. The cowherd boys who have come with Them should be plundered and all their riches taken away. Nanda Maharaja should immediately be arrested and killed for his cunning behavior, and the rascal Vasudeva should also be killed without delay. Also my father, Ugrasena, who has always supported my enemies against my will, should be killed.’

“When Kamsa spoke in this way, Lord Krishna became very angry with him, and within a second He jumped over the high guards of King Kamsa. Kamsa was prepared for Krishna’s attack, for he knew from the beginning that He was to be the cause of his death. He immediately unsheathed his sword and prepared to answer the challenge of Krishna with sword and shield. As Kamsa wielded his sword up and down, hither and thither, Lord Krishna, the supreme powerful Lord, caught hold of him with great force. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the shelter of the complete creation and from whose lotus navel the whole creation is manifested, immediately knocked the crown from the head of Kamsa and grabbed his long hair in His hand. He then dragged Kamsa from his seat to the wrestling dais and threw him down. Then Krishna at once straddled his chest and began to strike him over and over again. Simply from the strokes of His fist, Kamsa lost his vital force.” (Krishna Book, Chap 43).

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Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides