Aghasura

Agasura (अघासुर), is a demon (rakshasa) in the Bhagavata Purana. He was one of Mathura's King Kamsa's generals,[1][2] elder brother of the demoness Putana and Bakasura. A study of the Bhagavata Purana; or, Esoteric Hinduism by Purnendu Narayana Sinha, p. 247, mentions Agha as one of the tribes in alliance with Kamsa.[3] The Bhagavata Purana states that Aghasura assumed the form of an enormous serpent.[4] Krishna's companions, the cowherd boys, entered its mouth (mistaking it for a mountain cavern), making Krishna arrive to their rescue and killing Aghasura.[5] The killing of Aghasura by Lord Krishna is narrated by Sage Sukadeva to the king Parikshit in Srimad Bhagavatam.[6]

Krishna Subdues the Serpent Aghasura

Aghasura, 18th-century Rajasthani painting

Story

King Kamsa made many attempts on the life of Krishna, all of them failing.[7] Then he sent Aghasura to kill Krishna, who did so willingly knowing that his younger siblings Putana and Bakasura were killed by Krishna.[8] He assumed the form of the 8-mile-long serpent, disguising his open mouth against a mountain.[9] All the cowherd boys entered the mouth of the demon mistaking it to be a cavern.[10] When the serpent closes his mouth, the people will not be able to breath and eventually, they die.[11]

Krishna entered the serpent upon his arrival and then increased the size of his own body.[12] In response, the demon too extended his own body's size but started suffocating as Krishna was expanding more faster than him, causing his eyes to pop out.[13] The demon's life force, however, could not pass through any outlet, and therefore burst out through a hole in the top of Agasura's head, meeting his end in Krishna's hand.[14]

See also

References
  1. A Dictionary of Hindu Mythology & Religion by John Dowson, ISBN 978-81-246-0108-2
  2. Dowson's Classical Dictionary of Hindu Mythology
  3. A study of the Bhagavata Purana; or, Esoteric Hinduism by Purnendu Narayana Sinha, p. 247
  4. Srimad Bhagavatam(10:12:1-44)
  5. vaishnavi9 (27 February 2019). "Aghasura". Swadharma. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  6. "King Parikshit's Question to Suka Maharishi - The Glory of God: A Summary of the Srimad Bhagavata Mahapurana - Discourse 1". www.swami-krishnananda.org. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  7. "The Hare Krsnas - Krsna's Later Pastimes with Demons - The Demon Kamsa". www.harekrsna.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  8. "The Hare Krsnas - Krsna's Vrindaban Pastimes - Aghasura Demon". www.harekrsna.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  9. "Krishna Kills the Great Python Aghasura". Back to Godhead. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  10. "Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead". krsnabook.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  11. "Krishna Kills the Snake Demon Aghasura". Kids Portal For Parents. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  12. "PrabhupadaBooks.com Srila Prabhupada's Original Books". prabhupadabooks.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  13. "Mythological Story : Krishna kills Aghasura". www.kidsgen.com. Retrieved 17 October 2021.
  14. "Krishna Kills the Snake Demon Aghasura". Kids Portal For Parents. 26 August 2021. Retrieved 17 October 2021.


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