Cāṇūra

Cāṇūra was one of the two champion wrestlers of Kaṃsa. The other was Mushṭika. They were placed in the wrestling arena at Mathurā to kill Kṛshṇa and Balarāma in the contest.

Cāṇūra was very strong and experienced. Kaṃsa was fully sure that neither brother could live through a fight with him. Kṛshṇa fought Cāṇūra and killed him. He struck him so hard that Cāṇūra was lifted off his feet, spun round and dashed to the ground, dead.

In his praise of Kṛshṇa at the Rājasūya, Bhīshma names the killing of Cāṇūra and Mushṭika among the key moments in the life of Kṛshṇa.

The wrestling contest at Mathurā

Kaṃsa held a wrestling contest at Mathurā. He gave it out as a great festival. His hidden purpose was to have his champion wrestlers kill Kṛshṇa and Balarāma. Cāṇūra was named as the opponent of Kṛshṇa. Mushṭika was to face Balarāma.

Kuvalayāpīḍa had died at the gates of the arena. Kṛshṇa and Balarāma then went into the arena carrying the tusk of the elephant. Cāṇūra and Kṛshṇa faced each other.

Cāṇūra was huge and trained as a wrestler. Even so, Kṛshṇa overpowered him completely. He seized him, spun him and smashed him to the ground with such force that Cāṇūra died at once.

After the fight

The whole crowd at Mathurā saw the death of Cāṇūra, and so did all of Kaṃsa’s court. The deaths of Cāṇūra and Mushṭika left Kaṃsa with nothing between himself and Kṛshṇa. This led to the killing of Kaṃsa that followed.

Sources

• Mahābhārata, Sabhā Parva, dākshiṇātya prati (southern recension), Chapter 38