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PRALAMBA.
SKANDHA X. CHAP. 18.
It was summer. But Vrindavana was cool with its shade, its
water-spouts and its river.
R^ma and Krishna were tending the cattle with their compa-
nions. An Asura named Pralamba disguised himself as a Gopa boy
and mixed with the other boys. The All-knowing Krishna found
him but he feigned friendship, with the object of killing the Asura.
Krishna proposed two parties for play. The defeated party had to
carry the members of the victorious party on their backs. Krishna
became the leader of one party and Rama that of the other. The
party of Krishna were routed near the Bhandiraka forest. Krishna
carried Sridamana on his back, Bhadrasena carried Vrishabha and
Pralamba carried Balarama. Pralamba ran with Balarama beyond
the mark. Balarama suspected something evil. Then composing
himself, he hit a blow on the head of the Asura and Pralamba lay
down dead.
THE FOREST CONFLAGRATION.
SKANDHA X. CHAP. 19.
The cattle strayed away from the Bhandiraka forest, when sud-
denly there was a fire. They ran bellowing into a forest of rushes.
The Gopa boys went in search of them and found them from a dis-
tance. Krishna called them out and they responded to the call. At
the time a general conflagration in the forest overtook the cows
and the Gopa boys and they helplessly turned to Krishna. Krishna
asked the boys to close their eyes. They did so, but when they look-
ed again they found themselves once more in the Bhandiraka forest.
Seeing this Yoga power in Sri Krishna, they knew him to be a God.
The older Gopas and Gopis, hearing all the wonderful deeds of R ??ma
and Krishna, knew them to be Devas.
THE RAINY SEASON.
SKANDHA X. CHAP. 20.
The rainy season followed summer. There was joy and plenty.
(For a graphic and highly poetical description of the rainy season
34
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