St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1888-12-13

warning voice determined on their de-
struction. He had two giant cham
pions in his service who he believed
could destroy the youth. Hence he
proclaimed a great tourney at arms
and invited the two young men with
many others. But he once more tried
the wiles of demon who as wild
horse rushed upon Krishna with open
mouth, but the youth thrust his arm
down the gaping throat and split the
horse quite in two from his ears down
his back to his tail. Then Bala Kan
and Krishna started for the tourney
They had no proper clothes, but meet
ing the kings washerman in the way
they killed him because he objected to
the theft and took such clothes as were
required. Arriving at the kings court,
Krishna took the great trial bow,
which only giants could bend, and
broke it in two. The guards hearing
the crack of the beam rushed out, but
all fell down dead at the touch of the
lad. The king had arranged that
savage elephant should trample these
young men to death before they could
reach the arena, but Krishna took the
enormous beast by the tail, swung him
round his head and dashed him to the
ground dead, then taking one tusk
himself and giving one to Bala Kan
they entered the arena where sat the
king in state. The giant champions
were soon slain and as the king order
ed his guards to seize the young men,
Krishna rushed upon him and slew him
also. Thus the work for which he be-
came incarnate was accomplished. A
long war of tribes ensued in which
Krishna and his friends defeated the
avengers of the tyrant seventeen times,
and then giving up the fight, he caused
the city of Dwaraka near the sea to
rise up in night and transferring his
friends there he reigned as king. Here
is where we first found him.
Such is the story of Krishna. AS be-
fore stated the old books give no ac
count of his dOings at Mattra and Bin
draban and only once mention his
sensuous life. This is strange as the
later account gives us the reason of his
birth, the destruction of this king. If
these modern stories are inventions no
doubt the statement in the ancient
book concerning the vOluptuous life is
also an addition as many believe it to
be. 1t seems strange that after all his
marvellous dOings to accomplish the
work for which he was created, he
should leave Mattra still in the hands
of tyrants and flee to Dwaraka. But
whoever wrote the modern account
must find a reason for his being king
there as the old books so represent
him.
When in these days these unworthy
acts of Krishna are denounced the
Pundits also denOunce them as modern
fabrications, but if these are only sto-
ries then Krishna becomes only a very
inferior king without any sign of di-
vinity. Hence other Pundits try to
find a spiritual meaning to all that he
did.
One lecturer in America is reported
as saying that the miracles of Krishna
are as worthy of belief as are the mir
acles of Jesus. OF this the reader must
judge. One thing however is evident.
In all this there is no offer of salvation,
no noble moral precepts, no pure
teaching. These stories of miraculous
sensuality, revenge and death will
never make any man or woman nobler
or purer. Can any man be honest and
say that Krishna is as worthy as re-
ligiOus leader as is Jesus
E. w. PARKER,
Moradabad, India, Sept. %, '55.