Keshi Hurtles Into Vrindavan

Keshi looked terrifyingly formidable. His horse-form was humongous. His gallop raised so much dust that it was impossible to see for many yojanas. When he reared on his hind legs, the aggression in his eyes filled onlookers with unmitigated fear even as his forelegs seemed to touch the peak of Mount Govardhan. 

The Vrijvanas shrieked in fear and ran helter-skelter. Although Kanha has saved them from many demons in the past few months, the ferocious form of Keshi filled the hearts of many with uncertainty,

Maybe even Kanha’s strength might not be enough to kill this monstrous horse-demon. 

Kanha smiled inwardly, knowing he was among humans, the most doubtful of all species that was created in the cosmos. He wondered how much more proof they needed to see that the universe was bigger than anything they could imagine. A tremor of anger shook him just a wee bit before love for humankind quickly smothered it.

Kanha and Keshi

He walked out into the dust storm created by Keshi and roared at the hurtling horse, “Stop right now, you vile creature! What do you want?” Keshi skidded to a halt, just barely missing Kanha by a whisker, who, by the way, stood like a rock, hardly a wrinkle of fear or anxiety on his face. 

Their eyes met, and Keshi’s racing heart calmed down miraculously. Like a slab of ice absorbing the heat of hot water rapidly, Kanha absorbed the accumulated negative energies from Keshi’s heart. Keshi’s eyes turned warm with love, with delight, as if he was meeting his soulmate, and knowing it was his soulmate in front of him.

The dust of his galloping still formed a fog. Vrijvasis couldn’t hear the angry hoofs of the monster horse, but they couldn’t see what was happening through the dust. Inside the dust storm, Keshi bowed low. Kanha came close, gently massaged his mane, and in an instant caught his hind legs, and rotated him in the air before dashing him to the ground.

Keshi as Kumuda

Keshi’s soul escaped from the cursed horse body and, before flying upwards into the sky, turned to Kanha and said, “You know me, don’t you, my dear Lord?

Kanha smiled and replied, “I know everything, Kumuda.”

“Yes, Kumuda, Lord Indra’s servant in my previous birth, the one in which my desire to ride a horse, and that too one that was worshipped and anointed for the Ashwamedha Yagna, was so strong that I couldn’t see the falacious consequences of my desire.”

Kanha’s enchanting smile and face, radiating love like light from a thousand suns, encouraged Keshi to continue talking, relieving the burden. “I stole the sacrificial horse and went aground, hoping to ride it before returning it for the Yagna. Lord Indra was beside himself with anger.”

Keshi took a pause before continuing, “That he was performing the horse sacrifice for killing Vritrasura, a brahmana, added to his anger. He was livid that a lowly servant like me could steal the sacred animal. His men found me, thrashed me, and retrieved the horse, safe and sound. But Lord Indra’s rage didn’t abate. He had to release the anger against me before he could restart the Yagna. The only way so much of the accumulated rage could be released was through a curse. So he cursed me that since I loved horses so much, I would be born as a horse, and that too with demonic energy.”

“Like all foolish men who come to their senses late, I fell at Lord Indra’s feet. His anger somewhat abated, he said calmly, ‘My curse is final. But I promise you redemption at the hands of Lord Vishnu in the Dwapara Yuga.’”

“I have been roaming the earth waiting to meet you, Kanha. That prophecy that Kamsa heard rang sweet in my ears. I realised you are ready for your dharmic sojourn on earth. The news of the deaths of so many of my co-conspirators like Putana, Aristasura, and the like convinced me my release time from this horrendous curse was due.”

“Expectedly, Kamsa called me after Aristasura’s death and sent me here. I jumped at the opportunity, knowing I was destined to die at your hands. All I did was act ferocious and pretend to have come to kill you. How can I explain to Kamsa that killing you was not in the hands of the wretched like me? I’m meant for redemption by you. I’m eternally grateful for this, Kanha. Let me go, now”

“Yes, Keshi. Go on, your karmic pot has been emptying since the day you realised the truth behind Kamsa’s prophecy. You are free now. Go, rejoin with the One. You are not separate from me anymore.”

Even as Keshi lay struggling, as life ebbed out of him, he made one last request with folded hands, “Kanha, let the lessons I learnt from my life remain eternal on this earth. For that, please allow me to add another name to your many – Keshava – the one who destroyed Keshi.”

Kanha blessed him and said, “Tathastu!”

Author’s Note:

This story is the reason one of the most popular names of Krishna is Keshava or Keshav. The story of Keshi appears in the Bhagavata Purana, while his backstory as Kumuda, the servant of Indra, appears in Garga Samhita.

All images created using ChatGPT.