Dhanur-yāga
Dhanur-yāga · dhanus-yāga, “the bow festival”
The Dhanur-yāga, “the bow yāga”, also called the Dhanur-utsava, “the bow festival”, is the great festival that Kaṃsa held at Mathurā on a caturdaśī, with a great bow set in the bow-hall and wrestling in the arena. The Brahma Purāṇa tells that Kaṃsa used it as a pretext to summon Balarāma and Śrī Kṛshṇa from Vraja and have them killed by his wrestlers. Śrī Kṛshṇa came, strung the great bow of the festival and broke it, and the festival became the day of Kaṃsa’s end.
Kaṃsa’s plan
When Arishṭa, Dhenuka and the others had been slain and Govardhana had been lifted, Nārada went to Kaṃsa and told him of the exchange of Yaśodā’s child. Kaṃsa resolved to kill Balarāma and Śrī Kṛshṇa before they reached youth: “On the pretext of the Dhanur-yāga I will summon them from Vraja and do whatever must be done so that they are finished.” He ordered Akrūra to go to Gokula and bring the sons of Vasudeva: “On this caturdaśī the great yāga called the Dhanur-utsava will take place, and on that account arrangements for combat will be made.” His wrestlers Cāṇūra and Mushṭika would fight the two boys before the whole world, and the elephant Kuvalayāpīḍa would be ready to end them. Akrūra was to persuade the cowherds to come with him, bringing buffalo ghee and curd as gifts.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 190
The bow of the festival
When Śrī Kṛshṇa and Balarāma had entered Mathurā, they went to the bow-hall. Śrī Kṛshṇa asked the guards where the great bow appointed for the Dhanur-yāga was kept, took it and strung it, and it broke at once; the sound filled Mathurā to its four corners. Hearing of it, Kaṃsa told Cāṇūra and Mushṭika to kill the two boys in the wrestling match by any means, and had Kuvalayāpīḍa stationed at the gate of the arena. The next morning the citizens took their seats on the platforms and the kings sat on the platforms fit for kings, for the contest of the festival.
Source: Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 193
Sources
- Brahma Purāṇa, Chapters 190, 193