Krishna in Mathurā

After his many failures, Kaṃsa sent his chief minister Akrūra to Vrindāvana to invite Krishna and Balarāma to Mathurā, ostensibly to take part in a Danur-Yajña and a wrestling competition, but in truth intending to have them killed there. Akrūra conveyed the king's invitation to Nanda and Yashodā, and though Yashodā was firmly against sending Krishna, He was resolved to go, and accepted. They set out the next morning, and by evening halted to rest by the banks of the Yamunā.

As Akrūra took his ritual dip, a vision unfolded before him: he beheld Lord Vishṇu in Vaikuṇṭham with Goddess Lakshmī at His side, and then saw the Lord's form become Krishna and Balarāma. In that moment Akrūra understood the divine purpose behind the journey.

Reaching Mathurā, Krishna and Balarāma dismounted at the city gates, wishing to see the city before the competition, and sent Akrūra ahead to announce their arrival. As they walked the streets, Krishna performed His first miracle in the city. A deformed woman named Trivakra, bent with a severe hunchback, fell at His feet; Krishna placed the sole of His foot upon hers, and as He gently lifted her, her deformities vanished and her spine straightened, transforming her into a beautiful maiden.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, she offered to guide them through Mathurā, and led them to the arena where the Danur-Yajña was taking place. There Krishna walked to the great bow at the center of the hall, lifted it single-handedly, strung it, and snapped it in two, the crack echoing across the stadium and leaving the crowd stunned.

Seeing his plan to intimidate Krishna fail, Kaṃsa devised another. That night he ordered the keeper of his mightiest elephant, Koliyapeed, to intoxicate the beast and loose it upon Krishna and Balarāma the next morning. As the drunken elephant charged through the streets, Balarāma seized it by the tail, spun it about, and hurled it high into the air, so that it came crashing down into the arena, dead upon impact. Krishna and Balarāma then entered the wrestling contest and defeated Kaṃsa's mightiest wrestlers, the brothers Chanura and Mushtika.

At last, seeing his champions fallen, Kaṃsa was forced to face Krishna himself, but he proved no match; Krishna swiftly overpowered and slew him, ending his reign of tyranny. With Kaṃsa dead, the people of Mathurā rejoiced, and Krishna freed His parents, Vasudeva and Devakī, along with His grandfather King Ugrasena, who had long languished in prison. Righteousness restored, a new era began for the kingdom.