Dhenuka was a evil demon, who looked almost like a donkey. He lived in the tala groves with his fellow daityas. He was evil and ferocious. One day, the cowherds requested Lord Krishna and Balarama to get fruit from the tala grove. “Be careful, Balarama. The evil demon, Dhenuka, kicks anyone who enters the tala grove,” warned the cowherds. Lord Krishna merely smiled at this, for He knew that the reason. He was entering the tala grove was that Dhenukasura was about to die.
Balarama and Lord Krishna entered the tala grove. Both of them picked fruits from the trees. Suddenly, one of the fruits fell to the ground with a loud thud. The sound alerted demon Dhenuka who guarded the grove. The two boys turned around to the sound of his thudding hooves as he came charging out. The ugly body of Dhenukasura was a hideous sight to behold. More terrifying was the angry hatred in his eyes as he charged towards Lord Krishna and Balarama. As Dhenukasura ran towards them, Lord Krishna merely smiled as He stood fearless. Dhenukasura reached Balarama first and tried to kick him. Balarama lifted him up in his hands. He then hurled the demon against the rocks and destroyed him.
As demon Dhenuka, who claimed the tala grove, remained motionless on the ground after Balarama had attacked him, the other daityas roared in anger. All the donkey-shaped demons charged towards the two boys. But none of the daityas survived as Lord Krishna and Balarama finished them off one by one.
Finally, the tala grove was safe, once again because of Lord Krishna and Balarama. The cowherds thanked Lord Krishna and Balarama profusely as both of them had come over there as their saviours.
