Aghasura - The Serpent of Death

Dadi: "Beta Guddu, have you ever been so brave that you walked into a scary place to save your friends?"

Guddu: "I try to be brave, Dadi! But I don't know if I could do that."

Dadi: "Let me tell you about a time when Krishna walked straight into a demon's mouth - on purpose - to save every single one of his friends."

Guddu: "Into a demon's MOUTH? That's so scary!"

Dadi: "This demon was called Aghasura, and he was different from the others. His sister Putana and brother Bakasura had both been killed by Krishna. Aghasura wanted revenge - not just on Krishna, but on everyone Krishna loved."

Guddu: "What did he do?"

Dadi: "He transformed himself into a python so gigantic that your mind can barely picture it. Eight miles long, beta! His mouth alone was a mile wide. His tongue looked like a red carpet, and his throat disappeared into endless darkness."

Guddu: "*gulps* That's huge!"

Dadi: "Aghasura positioned himself on the path where Krishna and his friends took their cows to graze. And here's the clever part - to anyone walking by, he looked like a cave! A big, interesting cave with a strange rock formation that looked like lips and teeth."

Guddu: "A trap!"

Dadi: "Exactly. When the cowherd boys saw it that morning, they got excited. "Look! A new cave! Let's explore it! Race you to the entrance!" And they ran right in, one after another, with their calves following behind."

Guddu: "Didn't Krishna stop them?"

Dadi: "He tried! He called out, "Wait! Don't go in!" But you know how boys are with caves - they couldn't resist. They poured into Aghasura's mouth by the dozens, laughing and shouting, completely unaware that they were walking into a demon's stomach."

Guddu: "Oh no! What was Aghasura doing?"

Dadi: "Waiting. He wanted Krishna. The demon held perfectly still, planning to close his mouth the moment Krishna entered and digest them all. It was the perfect trap."

Guddu: "And Krishna? What did he do?"

Dadi: "*leans forward* Krishna watched his friends disappear into the darkness. He could hear them laughing inside, still thinking it was an adventure. The gentle calves had followed too - creatures who trusted him completely."

Guddu: "He had to save them!"

Dadi: "He did, beta. Krishna walked straight into the demon's mouth."

Guddu: "*gasps*"

Dadi: "The moment Krishna passed his teeth, Aghasura slammed his mouth shut! Inside, the boys suddenly realized their mistake. The cave was moving, closing around them. They were trapped in complete darkness, and the walls were beginning to squeeze."

Guddu: ""It's alive!" they must have screamed!"

Dadi: "They cried for their mothers. The calves bleated in terror. And somewhere in that terrible darkness, Aghasura laughed. "Finally! The one who was supposed to destroy me - trapped in my belly!""

Guddu: "But Krishna had a plan, right Dadi?"

Dadi: "Krishna began to grow. Remember how he became heavy to defeat the whirlwind demon? This time, he grew bigger and bigger! His body pressed against the demon's throat from inside, blocking every passage, cutting off every breath."

Guddu: "He was choking the demon from the inside!"

Dadi: "Aghasura couldn't breathe. Couldn't swallow. Couldn't throw up. The obstruction in his throat kept growing! The demon's massive body thrashed, creating earthquakes across the countryside. His death struggle lasted for minutes that felt like hours. And then, with one final shudder, Aghasura died."

Guddu: "And the boys? The calves?"

Dadi: "Krishna returned to normal size and led every single one of them out through the demon's mouth, which now hung open and lifeless. They emerged into sunlight, gasping, crying, hugging each other - but safe!"

Guddu: "Krishna saved everyone!"

Dadi: "But beta, here's the most beautiful part. As Aghasura's body lay there, a brilliant light rose from it - his soul, glowing and pure, ascending to heaven."

Guddu: "Wait - the demon went to HEAVEN? After all those bad things?"

Dadi: "Yes! Because in his final moments, Aghasura had touched the divine. Krishna was inside him when he died. That contact with God purified even a demon's soul."

Guddu: "So even the demon was saved?"

Dadi: "That's what kind of God Krishna is, beta. He doesn't just rescue his friends - he liberates even his enemies. The same hands that killed Aghasura also freed his soul. The gods watching from above were amazed. They wondered, "What kind of God saves even those who try to kill him?""

Guddu: "That's so kind of Krishna!"

Dadi: "The kind that plays with cowherd boys. The kind that tends calves. The kind that walks into demons' mouths not just to save friends, but to free souls. That's Krishna, beta. That's always Krishna."

Guddu: "I want to be brave like Krishna, Dadi. Maybe not walking into mouths, but brave enough to help my friends when they need me."

Dadi: "That's exactly the lesson, beta. Real courage isn't about not being scared - it's about doing what's right even when you are scared. Krishna saw danger, but he saw his friends inside, and that was all that mattered."

Guddu: "Friends first, fear second!"

Dadi: "Perfect, beta. Now, no walking into any caves without checking first, okay?"

Guddu: "*laughs* I promise, Dadi!"