A violent demon (supernatural creature) who comes in the appearance of a cow in Hindu mythology (dhenu).
Dhenuka is only one of the demons destroyed by the deity Krishna during his boyhood in the hamlet of Brindavan, this time in collaboration with his brother Balarama.
Krishna kills the most fearsome demons as if it were child's play in these scenes, which it is in some ways.
Krishna's presence in the earth and interactions with his followers (bhakta) are seen as a lila ("play"), and the ease with which he deals with these demons attests to this playful reveal of his divine essence.
See David R. Kinsley's 1975 book The Sword and the Flute for more on this subject.
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