Gopala and the cowherd boys reached a hill rich in pasture, by noon. The cows were driven into the shades, under the overhanging rocks, to be free from the scorching sun, and the boys too rested a while stretching themselves on the grass. It was afternoon soon and when evening came on, one boy rose and approached the herd, to collect the cows for the return to the village. He saw there a giant crane, picking up the animals and gulping them whole into its cavernous stomach. He cried out, ‘Krishna, Gopala,’ hearing his desperate cry for help, Gopala reached there in a trice.
He caught hold of the beak of that crane, (which he knew was an ogre, by name Bakasura come in that disguise) and pulling the upper and lower parts apart, he tore the crane in two. The cows inside the stomach were freed. Thus, Gopala destroyed the messengers dispatched by Kamsa, each day a new miracle, a novel wonder! The cowherd boys came to feel it as supreme sport. They were no longer amazed. They realised deep in their hearts that His skills and powers were superhuman and incomprehensible. So, they were ready at any time to accompany Him anywhere without any fear.
Hearing that Gopala had killed his brother who had planned to get near Him and swallow Him whole, the brother of Bakasura got so incensed that he swore revenge and came into the forests where the pastures lay, as a python. It lay across the jungle track, with wide open mouth scheming to swallow whole, the cows and the cowherd boys, as well as Balarama and Krishna. To all appearance, it looked like a long cave and, unaware of the fact that it was a trap, cows and cowherds walked into it. Gopala recognised it as another wicked ogre. He too entered the python’s body, only to hack it open and save the lives that had been entrapped. They lost all fear and moved on to their homes, secure under Gopala’s protection. (Bhag Vahini, pp. 309-310)