६५

CHAPTER SIXTY-FIVE

This chapter relates how Lord Balarāma went to Gokula, enjoyed the company of the cowherd girls and dragged the Yamunā River.

One day Lord Balarāma went to Gokula to see His relatives and friends. When He arrived there, the elder gopīs and Lord Kṛṣṇa’s parents, Nanda and Yaśodā, who had all been in great anxiety for a long time, embraced Him and blessed Him. Lord Balarāma offered appropriate respects and greetings to each of His worshipable elders according to age, friendship and family relation. After Gokula’s residents and Lord Balarāma had inquired about each other’s welfare, the Lord rested from His journey.

In a short while the young gopīs came to Lord Balarāma and questioned Him about Kṛṣṇa’s well-being. They asked, “Does Kṛṣṇa still remember His parents and friends, and will He be coming to Gokula to visit them? For Kṛṣṇa’s sake we gave up everything — even our fathers, mothers and other relatives — but now He has abandoned us. How could we help but put our faith in Kṛṣṇa’s words after seeing His sweetly smiling face and thus being overwhelmed by the urges of Cupid? Still, if Kṛṣṇa can spend His days in separation from us, why can’t we tolerate separation from Him? So there is no reason to keep talking about Him.” In this manner the gopīs remembered Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s charming talks, enchanting glances, playful gestures and loving embraces, and as a result they began to cry. Lord Balarāma consoled them by conveying the attractive messages Kṛṣṇa had given Him for them.

Lord Balarāma stayed in Gokula for two months, sporting with the gopīs in the groves on the Yamunā’s shore. The demigods who witnessed these pastimes played kettledrums in the heavens and showered down flower petals, while the celestial sages recited Balarāma’s glories.

One day Lord Balarāma became intoxicated by drinking some vāruṇī liquor and began wandering about the forest in the company of the gopīs. He called out to the Yamunā, “Come near so I and the gopīs can enjoy sporting in your waters.” But the Yamunā ignored His command. Lord Balarāma then started to pull the Yamunā with the end of His plow, splitting her into hundreds of tributaries. Trembling out of fright, the goddess Yamunā appeared, fell down at Lord Balarāma’s feet and prayed for forgiveness. The Lord let her go and then entered her waters with His girlfriends to sport for some time. When they rose from the water, the goddess Kānti presented Lord Balarāma with beautiful ornaments, clothing and garlands. Even today the Yamunā River flows through the many channels cut by Lord Baladeva’s plow, the signs of His having subdued her.

While Lord Balarāma played, His mind became enchanted by the gopīs’ pastimes. Thus the many nights He spent in their company seemed to Him like a single night.

Text 1

Devanagari

श्रीशुक उवाच
बलभद्र- कुरुश्रेष्ठ भगवान् रथमास्थित- ।
सुहृद्दिद‍ृक्षुरुत्कण्ठ- प्रययौ नन्दगोकुलम् ॥ १ ॥

Verse text

śrī-śuka uvāca
balabhadraḥ kuru-śreṣṭha
bhagavān ratham āsthitaḥ
suhṛd-didṛkṣur utkaṇṭhaḥ
prayayau nanda-gokulam

Synonyms

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; balabhadraḥ — Lord Balarāma; kuru-śreṣṭha — O best of the Kurus (King Parīkṣit); bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; ratham — on His chariot; āsthitaḥ — mounted; suhṛt — His well-wishing friends; didṛkṣuḥ — wishing to see; utkaṇṭhaḥ — eager; prayayau — traveled; nanda-gokulam — to the cowherd village of Nanda Mahārāja.

Translation

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O best of the Kurus, once Lord Balarāma, eager to visit His well-wishing friends, mounted His chariot and traveled to Nanda Gokula.

Purport

As Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī points out, Lord Balarāma’s journey to Śrī Vṛndāvana is also described in the Hari-vaṁśa (Viṣṇu-parva 46.10):

kasyacid atha kālasya
smṛtvā gopeṣu sauhṛdam
jagāmaiko vrajaṁ rāmaḥ
kṛṣṇasyānumate sthitaḥ

“Remembering the deep friendship He once enjoyed with the cowherd folk, Lord Rāma went alone to Vraja, having taken Lord Kṛṣṇa’s permission.” The simple residents of Vṛndāvana were aggrieved that Lord Kṛṣṇa had gone to live elsewhere, so Lord Balarāma went there to console them.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura addresses the question of why Lord Kṛṣṇa, the great ocean of pure love, did not also go to Vraja. In explanation the ācārya provides the following two verses:

preyasīḥ prema-vikhyātāḥ
pitarāv ati-vatsalau
prema-vaśyaś ca kṛṣṇas tāṁs
tyaktvā naḥ katham eṣyati

iti matvaiva yādavaḥ
pratyabadhnan harer gatau
vraja-prema-pravardhi sva-
līlādhīnatvam īyuṣaḥ

“The Yadus thought, ‘The Lord’s beloved girlfriends are famous for their pure, ecstatic love, and His parents are extremely affectionate toward Him. Lord Kṛṣṇa is controlled by pure love, so if He goes to see them, how will He be able to leave them and come back to us?’ With this in mind, the Yadus prevented Lord Hari from going, knowing that He becomes subservient to the pastimes in which He reciprocates the ever-increasing love of the inhabitants of Vraja.”

Text 2

Devanagari

परिष्वक्तश्चिरोत्कण्ठैर्गोपैर्गोपीभिरेव च ।
रामोऽभिवाद्य पितरावाशीर्भिरभिनन्दित- ॥ २ ॥

Verse text

pariṣvaktaś cirotkaṇṭhair
gopair gopībhir eva ca
rāmo ’bhivādya pitarāv
āśīrbhir abhinanditaḥ

Synonyms

pariṣvaktaḥ — embraced; cira — for a long time; utkaṇṭhaiḥ — who had been in anxiety; gopaiḥ — by the cowherd men; gopībhiḥ — by the cowherd women; eva — indeed; ca — also; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; abhivādya — offering respects; pitarau — to His parents (Nanda and Yaśodā); āśīrbhiḥ — with prayers; abhinanditaḥ — joyfully greeted.

Translation

Having long suffered the anxiety of separation, the cowherd men and their wives embraced Lord Balarāma. The Lord then offered respects to His parents, and they joyfully greeted Him with prayers.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī gives the following verse regarding this situation:

nityānanda-svarūpo ’pi
prema-tapto vrajaukasām
yayau kṛṣṇam api tyaktvā
yas taṁ rāmaṁ muhuḥ stumaḥ

“Let us repeatedly glorify Lord Balarāma. Although He is the original personality of eternal bliss, Nityānanda, He felt pained by His love for the residents of Vraja, and thus He went to see them, even at the cost of leaving Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

Text 3

Devanagari

चिरं न- पाहि दाशार्ह सानुजो जगदीश्वर- ।
इत्यारोप्याङ्कमालिङ्‍ग्य नेत्रै- सिषिचतुर्जलै- ॥ ३ ॥

Verse text

ciraṁ naḥ pāhi dāśārha
sānujo jagad-īśvaraḥ
ity āropyāṅkam āliṅgya
netraiḥ siṣicatur jalaiḥ

Synonyms

ciram — for a long time; naḥ — us; pāhi — please protect; dāśārha — O descendant of Daśārha; sa — together with; anujaḥ — Your younger brother; jagat — of the universe; īśvaraḥ — the Lord; iti — thus saying; āropya — raising; aṅkam — onto their laps; āliṅgya — embracing; netraiḥ — from their eyes; siṣicatuḥ — they moistened; jalaiḥ — with the water.

Translation

[Nanda and Yaśodā prayed,] “O descendant of Daśārha, O Lord of the universe, may You and Your younger brother Kṛṣṇa ever protect us.” Saying this, they raised Śrī Balarāma onto their laps, embraced Him and moistened Him with tears from their eyes.

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī comments on this verse as follows: “Nanda and Yaśodā prayed to Śrī Balarāma, ‘May You, along with Your younger brother, protect us.’ Thus they expressed their respect for the fact that He is the elder brother, and they also showed how much they considered Him their own son.”

Texts 4-6

Devanagari

गोपवृद्धांश्च विधिवद् यविष्ठैरभिवन्दित- ।
यथावयो यथासख्यं यथासम्बन्धमात्मन- ॥ ४ ॥
समुपेत्याथ गोपालान् हास्यहस्तग्रहादिभि- ।
विश्रान्तं सुखमासीनं पप्रच्छु- पर्युपागता- ॥ ५ ॥
पृष्टाश्चानामयं स्वेषु प्रेमगद्गदया गिरा ।
कृष्णे कमलपत्राक्षे सन्न्यस्ताखिलराधस- ॥ ६ ॥

Verse text

gopa-vṛddhāṁś ca vidhi-vad
yaviṣṭhair abhivanditaḥ
yathā-vayo yathā-sakhyaṁ
yathā-sambandham ātmanaḥ

samupetyātha gopālān
hāsya-hasta-grahādibhiḥ
viśrāntam sukham āsīnaṁ
papracchuḥ paryupāgatāḥ

pṛṣṭāś cānāmayaṁ sveṣu
prema-gadgadayā girā
kṛṣṇe kamala-patrākṣe
sannyastākhila-rādhasaḥ

Synonyms

gopa — of the cowherds; vṛddhān — the elders; ca — and; vidhi-vat — in accordance with Vedic injunctions; yaviṣṭhaiḥ — by those who were younger; abhivanditaḥ — respectfully greeted; yathā-vayaḥ — according to age; yathā-sakhyam — according to friendship; yathā-sambandham — according to family relationship; ātmanaḥ — with Himself; samupetya — going up to; atha — then; gopālān — the cowherd men; hāsya — with smiles; hasta-graha — taking of their hands; ādibhiḥ — and on; viśrāntam — rested; sukham — comfortably; āsīnam — seated; papracchuḥ — they asked; paryupāgatāḥ — having gathered on all sides; pṛṣṭāḥ — questioned; ca — and; anāmayam — about health; sveṣu — in regard to their dear friends; prema — out of love; gadgadayā — faltering; girā — with voices; kṛṣṇe — for Kṛṣṇa; kamala — of a lotus; patra — (like) petals; akṣe — whose eyes; sannyasta — having dedicated; akhila — all; rādhasaḥ — material possessions.

Translation

Lord Balarāma then paid proper respects to the elder cowherd men, and the younger ones all greeted Him respectfully. He met them all with smiles, handshakes and so on, dealing personally with each one according to age, degree of friendship, and family relationship. Then, after resting, the Lord accepted a comfortable seat, and they all gathered around Him. With voices faltering out of love for Him, those cowherds, who had dedicated everything to lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa, asked about the health of their dear ones [in Dvārakā], and Balarāma in turn asked about the cowherds’ welfare.

Text 7

Devanagari

कच्चिन्नो बान्धवा राम सर्वे कुशलमासते ।
कच्चित् स्मरथ नो राम यूयं दारसुतान्विता- ॥ ७ ॥

Verse text

kaccin no bāndhavā rāma
sarve kuśalam āsate
kaccit smaratha no rāma
yūyaṁ dāra-sutānvitāḥ

Synonyms

kaccit — whether; naḥ — our; bāndhavāḥ — relatives; rāma — O Balarāma; sarve — all; kuśalam — well; āsate — are; kaccit — whether; smaratha — remember; naḥ — us; rāma — O Rāma; yūyam — all of you; dāra — with wives; suta — and children; anvitāḥ — together.

Translation

[The cowherds said:] O Rāma, are all our relatives doing well? And Rāma, do all of you, with your wives and children, still remember us?

Text 8

Devanagari

दिष्‍ट्या कंसो हत- पापो दिष्‍ट्या मुक्ता- सुहृज्जना- ।
निहत्य निर्जित्य रिपून् दिष्‍ट्या दुर्गं समाश्रिता- ॥ ८ ॥

Verse text

diṣṭyā kaṁso hataḥ pāpo
diṣṭyā muktāḥ suhṛj-janāḥ
nihatya nirjitya ripūn
diṣṭyā durgaṁ samāśrītāḥ

Synonyms

diṣṭyā — by good fortune; kaṁsaḥ — Kaṁsa; hataḥ — killed; pāpaḥ — sinful; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; muktāḥ — freed; suhṛt-janāḥ — dear relatives; nihatya — killing; nirjitya — conquering; ripūn — enemies; diṣṭyā — by good fortune; durgam — a fortress; samāśrītāḥ — taken shelter of.

Translation

It is our great fortune that sinful Kaṁsa has been killed and our dear relatives have been freed. And it is also our good fortune that our relatives have killed and defeated their enemies and found complete security in a great fortress.

Text 9

Devanagari

गोप्यो हसन्त्य- पप्रच्छू रामसन्दर्शनाद‍ृता- ।
कच्चिदास्ते सुखं कृष्ण- पुरस्‍त्रीजनवल्ल‍भ- ॥ ९ ॥

Verse text

gopyo hasantyaḥ papracchū
rāma-sandarśanādṛtāḥ
kaccid āste sukhaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ
pura-strī-jana-vallabhaḥ

Synonyms

gopyaḥ — the young cowherd girls; hasantyaḥ — smiling; papracchuḥ — asked; rāma — of Lord Balarāma; sandarśana — by the personal audience; ādṛtāḥ — honored; kaccit — whether; āste — is living; sukham — happily; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; pura — of the city; strī-jana — of the women; vallabhaḥ — the darling.

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Honored to have the personal audience of Lord Balarāma, the young gopīs smiled and asked Him, “Is Kṛṣṇa, the darling of the city women, living happily?

Purport

According to the ācāryas, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s beloved girlfriends were smiling with divine madness, since they were feeling extreme unhappiness in separation from their beloved Kṛṣṇa. Lord Rāma deeply respected their great love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, His younger brother, and thus the term rāma-sandarśanādṛtāḥ carries the meaning that Balarāma honored the gopīs, as well as the given meaning, that they honored Him.

Text 10

Devanagari

कच्चित् स्मरति वा बन्धून् पितरं मातरं च स- ।
अप्यसौ मातरं द्रष्टुं सकृदप्यागमिष्यति ।
अपि वा स्मरतेऽस्माकमनुसेवां महाभुज- ॥ १० ॥

Verse text

kaccit smarati vā bandhūn
pitaraṁ mātaraṁ ca saḥ
apy asau mātaraṁ draṣṭuṁ
sakṛd apy āgamiṣyati
api vā smarate ’smākam
anusevāṁ mahā-bhujaḥ

Synonyms

kaccit — whether; smarati — remembers; vā — or; bandhūn — His family members; pitaram — His father; mātaram — His mother; ca — and; saḥ — He; api — also; asau — Himself; mātaram — His mother; draṣṭum — to see; sakṛt — once; api — even; āgamiṣyati — will come; api — indeed; vā — or; smarate — He remembers; asmākam — our; anusevām — steady service; mahā — mighty; bhujaḥ — whose arms.

Translation

“Does He remember His family members, especially His father and mother? Do you think He will ever come back even once to see His mother? And does mighty-armed Kṛṣṇa remember the service we always did for Him?

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that the gopīs would render service to Lord Kṛṣṇa by stringing flower garlands, skillfully using perfumes, and constructing fans, beds and canopies out of flower petals. By these simple acts of love, the gopīs rendered the greatest service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Texts 11-12

Devanagari

मातरं पितरं भ्रातृन् पतीन् पुत्रान् स्वसृनपि ।
यदर्थे जहिम दाशार्ह दुस्त्यजान् स्वजनान् प्रभो ॥ ११ ॥
ता न- सद्य- परित्यज्य गत- सञ्छिन्नसौहृद- ।
कथं नु ताद‍ृशं स्‍त्रीभिर्न श्रद्धीयेत भाषितम् ॥ १२ ॥

Verse text

mātaraṁ pitaraṁ bhrātṝn
patīn putrān svasṝn api
yad-arthe jahima dāśārha
dustyajān sva-janān prabho

tā naḥ sadyaḥ parityajya
gataḥ sañchinna-sauhṛdaḥ
kathaṁ nu tādṛśaṁ strībhir
na śraddhīyeta bhāṣitam

Synonyms

mātaram — mother; pitaram — father; bhrātṝn — brothers; patīn — husbands; putrān — children; svasṝn — sisters; api — also; yat — of whom; arthe — for the sake; jahima — we abandoned; dāśārha — O descendant of Dāśārha; dustyajān — difficult to give up; sva-janān — own people; prabho — O Lord; tāḥ — these women; naḥ — ourselves; sadyaḥ — suddenly; parityajya — rejecting; gataḥ — gone away; sañchinna — having broken off; sauhṛdaḥ — friendship; katham — how; nu — indeed; tādṛśam — such; strībhiḥ — by women; na śraddhīyeta — would not be trusted; bhāṣītam — words spoken.

Translation

“For Kṛṣṇa’s sake, O descendant of Dāśārha, we abandoned our mothers, fathers, brothers, husbands, children and sisters, even though these family relations are difficult to give up. But now, O Lord, that same Kṛṣṇa has suddenly abandoned us and gone away, breaking off all affectionate ties with us. And yet how could any woman fail to trust His promises?

Text 13

Devanagari

कथं नु गृह्णन्त्यनवस्थितात्मनो
वच- कृतघ्नस्य बुधा- पुरस्‍त्रिय- ।
गृह्णन्ति वै चित्रकथस्य सुन्दर-
स्मितावलोकोच्छ्वसितस्मरातुरा- ॥ १३ ॥

Verse text

kathaṁ nu gṛhṇanty anavasthitātmano
vacaḥ kṛta-ghnasya budhāḥ pura-striyaḥ
gṛhṇanti vai citra-kathasya sundara-
smitāvalokocchvasita-smarāturāḥ

Synonyms

katham — how; nu — indeed; gṛhṇanti — do they accept; anavasthita — unsteady; ātmanaḥ — of Him whose heart; vacaḥ — the words; kṛta-ghnasya — who is ungrateful; budhāḥ — intelligent; pura — of the city; striyaḥ — women; gṛhṇanti — they accept; vai — indeed; citra — wonderful; kathasya — whose narrations; sundara — beautifully; smita — smiling; avaloka — by the glances; ucchvasita — brought to life; smara — by lust; āturāḥ — agitated.

Translation

“How can intelligent city women possibly trust the words of one whose heart is so unsteady and who is so ungrateful? They must believe Him because He speaks so wonderfully, and also because His beautiful smiling glances arouse their lust.

Purport

According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, some gopīs speak the first two lines of this verse, and others reply in the second two lines.

Text 14

Devanagari

किं नस्तत्कथया गोप्य- कथा- कथयतापरा- ।
यात्यस्माभिर्विना कालो यदि तस्य तथैव न- ॥ १४ ॥

Verse text

kiṁ nas tat-kathayā gopyaḥ
kathāḥ kathayatāparāḥ
yāty asmābhir vinā kālo
yadi tasya tathaiva naḥ

Synonyms

kim — what (use); naḥ — for us; tat — about Him; kathayā — with discussion; gopyaḥ — O gopīs; kathāḥ — topics; kathayata — please narrate; aparāḥ — other; yāti — it passes; asmābhiḥ — us; vinā — without; kālaḥ — time; yadi — if; tasya — His; tathā eva — in the very same way; naḥ — ours.

Translation

“Why bother talking about Him, dear gopī? Please talk of something else. If He passes His time without us, then we shall similarly pass ours [without Him].”

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī points out that the gopīs here subtly indicate that Lord Kṛṣṇa spends His time happily without them whereas they are most unhappy without their Lord. This is the difference between Him and them. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī adds the following commentary: “Considering themselves different from other women, the gopīs thought as follows: ‘If other women are together with their lovers, they live, and if they are separated, they die. But we neither live nor die. This is the fate Providence has written on our foreheads. What remedy can we find?’”

Text 15

Devanagari

इति प्रहसितं शौरेर्जल्पितं चारु वीक्षितम् ।
गतिं प्रेमपरिष्वङ्गं स्मरन्त्यो रुरुदु- स्‍त्रिय- ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

iti prahasitaṁ śaurer
jalpitaṁ cāru-vīkṣitam
gatiṁ prema-pariṣvaṅgaṁ
smarantyo ruruduḥ striyaḥ

Synonyms

iti — thus speaking; prahasitam — the laughter; śaureḥ — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; jalpitam — the pleasing conversations; cāru — attractive; vīkṣitam — the glances; gatim — the walking; prema — loving; pariṣvaṅgam — the embrace; smarantyaḥ — remembering; ruruduḥ — cried; striyaḥ — the women.

Translation

While speaking these words, the young cowherd women remembered Lord Śauri’s laughter, His pleasing conversations with them, His attractive glances, His style of walking and His loving embraces. Thus they began to cry.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments as follows: “The gopīs thought, ‘The Kṛṣṇa moon, after piercing our hearts with the darts of His nectarean laughter, went away. So how will the city women not die when He does the same to them?’ Overwhelmed with these thoughts, the young cowherd girls began to cry, even in the presence of Śrī Baladeva.”

Text 16

Devanagari

सङ्कर्षणस्ता- कृष्णस्य सन्देशैर्हृदयङ्गमै- ।
सान्‍त्‍वयामास भगवान् नानानुनयकोविद- ॥ १६ ॥

Verse text

saṅkarṣaṇas tāḥ kṛṣṇasya
sandeśair hṛdayaṁ-gamaiḥ
sāntvayām āsa bhagavān
nānānunaya-kovidaḥ

Synonyms

saṅkarṣaṇaḥ — Lord Balarāma, the supreme attractor; tāḥ — them; kṛṣṇasya — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; sandeśaiḥ — by the confidential messages; hṛdayam — the heart; gamaiḥ — touching; sāntvayām āsa — consoled; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; nānā — of various kinds; anunaya — in conciliation; kovidaḥ — expert.

Translation

The Supreme Lord Balarāma, the attractor of all, being expert at various kinds of conciliation, consoled the gopīs by relaying to them the confidential messages Lord Kṛṣṇa had sent with Him. These messages deeply touched the gopīs’ hearts.

Purport

Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī quotes the following verse from Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa (5.24.20), which describes the messages Lord Balarāma brought from Kṛṣṇa for the gopīs:

sandeśaiḥ sāma-madhuraiḥ
prema-garbhair agarvitaiḥ
rāmeṇāśvāsitā gopyaḥ
kṛṣṇasyāti-manoharaiḥ

“Lord Balarāma consoled the gopīs by giving them Lord Kṛṣṇa’s most charming messages, which expressed sweet conciliation, which were inspired by His pure love for them, and which were without a tinge of pride.” Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also comments that the use of the name Saṅkarṣaṇa here implies that Balarāma attracted Lord Kṛṣṇa to appear in His mind and in this way showed Śrī Kṛṣṇa to the gopīs. Thus Balarāma consoled Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s beloved girlfriends.

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī comments that Lord Kṛṣṇa sent various messages. Some instructed the gopīs in transcendental knowledge, others were conciliatory, and still others revealed the Lord’s power. Besides its given meaning, the word hṛdayaṁ-gamaiḥ also indicates that these messages were confidential.

Text 17

Devanagari

द्वौ मासौ तत्र चावात्सीन्मधुं माधवमेव च ।
राम- क्षपासु भगवान् गोपीनां रतिमावहन् ॥ १७ ॥

Verse text

dvau māsau tatra cāvātsīn
madhuṁ mādhavaṁ eva ca
rāmaḥ kṣapāsu bhagavān
gopīnāṁ ratim āvahan

Synonyms

dvau — two; māsau — months; tatra — there (in Gokula); ca — and; avātsīt — resided; madhum — Madhu (the first month of the Vedic calendar, at the time of the spring equinox); mādhavam — Mādhava (the second month); eva — indeed; ca — also; rāmaḥ — Balarāma; kṣapāsu — during the nights; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; gopīnām — to the gopīs; ratim — conjugal pleasure; āvahan — bringing.

Translation

Lord Balarāma, the Personality of Godhead, resided there for the two months of Madhu and Mādhava, and during the nights He gave His cowherd girlfriends conjugal pleasure.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī states that the gopīs who enjoyed conjugal affairs with Śrī Balarāma during His visit to Gokula had not taken part in Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance, being too young at the time. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī confirms this statement by quoting a phrase from the Bhāgavatam (10.15.8) — gopyo ’ntareṇa bhujayoḥ — which indicates that there are particular gopīs who act as Lord Balarāma’s girlfriends. Furthermore, Jīva Gosvāmī states that during the Holī festivities celebrated when Kṛṣṇa killed Śaṅkhacūḍa, the gopīs Lord Balarāma enjoyed with were different from the ones Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī agrees with this explanation.

Text 18

Devanagari

पूर्णचन्द्रकलामृष्टे कौमुदीगन्धवायुना ।
यमुनोपवने रेमे सेविते स्‍त्रीगणैर्वृत- ॥ १८ ॥

Verse text

pūrṇa-candra-kalā-mṛṣṭe
kaumudī-gandha-vāyunā
yamunopavane reme
sevite strī-gaṇair vṛtaḥ

Synonyms

pūrṇa — full; candra — of the moon; kalā — by the rays; mṛṣṭe — bathed; kaumudī — of lotus flowers that open in the moonlight; gandha — (bearing) the fragrance; vāyunā — by the wind; yamunā — of the Yamunā River; upavane — in a garden; reme — He enjoyed; sevite — served; strī — women; gaṇaiḥ — by many; vṛtaḥ — accompanied.

Translation

In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarāma enjoyed in a garden by the Yamunā River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses.

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that Lord Balarāma’s conjugal pastimes took place in a small forest alongside the Yamunā, a place known as Śrīrāma-ghaṭṭa, which is far from the site of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance.

Text 19

Devanagari

वरुणप्रेषिता देवी वारुणी वृक्षकोटरात् ।
पतन्ती तद् वनं सर्वं स्वगन्धेनाध्यवासयत् ॥ १९ ॥

Verse text

varuṇa-preṣitā devī
vāruṇī vṛkṣa-koṭarāt
patantī tad vanaṁ sarvaṁ
sva-gandhenādhyavāsayat

Synonyms

varuṇa — by Varuṇa, the demigod of the ocean; preṣitā — sent; devī — divine; vāruṇī — the vāruṇī liquor; vṛkṣa — of a tree; koṭarāt — from the hollow; patantī — flowing; tat — that; vanam — forest; sarvam — entire; sva — with its own; gandhena — aroma; adhyavāsayat — made even more fragrant.

Translation

Sent by the demigod Varuṇa, the divine vāruṇī liquor flowed from a tree hollow and made the entire forest even more fragrant with its sweet aroma.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī explains that vāruṇī is a liquor distilled from honey. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī adds that the goddess Vāruṇī, the daughter of Varuṇa, is the presiding deity of that particular divine liquor. The ācārya also quotes the following statement from Śrī Hari-vaṁśa: samīpaṁ preṣitā pitrā varuṇena tavānagha. Here the goddess Vāruṇī says to Lord Balarāma: “My father, Varuṇa, has sent me to You, O sinless one.”

Text 20

Devanagari

तं गन्धं मधुधाराया वायुनोपहृतं बल- ।
आघ्रायोपगतस्तत्र ललनाभि- समं पपौ ॥ २० ॥

Verse text

taṁ gandhaṁ madhu-dhārāyā
vāyunopahṛtaṁ balaḥ
āghrāyopagatas tatra
lalanābhiḥ samaṁ papau

Synonyms

tam — that; gandham — fragrance; madhu — of honey; dhārāyāḥ — of the flood; vāyunā — by the breeze; upahṛtam — brought near; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma; āghrāya — smelling; upagataḥ — having approached; tatra — there; lalanābhiḥ — with the young women; samam — together; papau — drank.

Translation

The wind carried to Balarāma the fragrance of that flood of sweet liquor, and when He smelled it He went [to the tree]. There He and His female companions drank.

Text 21

Devanagari

उपगीयमानो गन्धर्वैर्वनिताशोभिमण्डले ।
रेमे करेणुयूथेशो माहेन्द्र इव वारण- ॥ २१ ॥

Verse text

upagīyamāno gandharvair
vanitā-śobhi-maṇḍale
reme kareṇu-yūtheśo
māhendra iva vāraṇaḥ

Synonyms

upagīyamānaḥ — being praised in song; gandharvaiḥ — by Gandharvas; vanitā — by young women; śobhi — beautified; maṇḍale — in the circle; reme — He enjoyed; kareṇu — of she-elephants; yūtha — of a herd; īśaḥ — the master; māhā-indraḥ — of Lord Indra; iva — just like; vāraṇaḥ — the elephant (named Airāvata).

Translation

As the Gandharvas sang His glories, Lord Balarāma enjoyed within the brilliant circle of young women. He appeared just like Indra’s elephant, the lordly Airāvata, enjoying in the company of she-elephants.

Text 22

Devanagari

नेदुर्दुन्दुभयो व्योम्नि ववृषु- कुसुमैर्मुदा ।
गन्धर्वा मुनयो रामं तद्वीर्यैरीडिरे तदा ॥ २२ ॥

Verse text

nedur dundubhayo vyomni
vavṛṣuḥ kusumair mudā
gandharvā munayo rāmaṁ
tad-vīryair īḍire tadā

Synonyms

neduḥ — resounded; dundubhayaḥ — kettledrums; vyomni — in the sky; vavṛṣuḥ — rained down; kusumaiḥ — with flowers; mudā — with joy; gandharvāḥ — the Gandharvas; munayaḥ — the great sages; rāmam — Lord Balarāma; tat-vīryaiḥ — with His heroic deeds; īḍire — praised; tadā — then.

Translation

At that time kettledrums resounded in the sky, the Gandharvas joyfully rained down flowers, and the great sages praised Lord Balarāma’s heroic deeds.

Text 23

Devanagari

उपगीयमानचरितो वनिताभिर्हलायुध- ।
वनेषु व्यचरत् क्षीवो मदविह्वललोचन- ॥ २३ ॥

Verse text

upagīyamāna-carito
vanitābhir halāyudha
vaneṣu vyacarat kṣīvo
mada-vihvala-locanaḥ

Synonyms

upagīyamāna — being sung; caritaḥ — His pastimes; vanitābhiḥ — with the women; halāyudhaḥ — Lord Balarāma; vaneṣu — among the forests; vyacarat — wandered; kṣīvaḥ — inebriated; mada — by the intoxication; vihvala — overcome; locanaḥ — His eyes.

Translation

As His deeds were sung, Lord Halāyudha wandered as if inebriated among the various forests with His girlfriends. His eyes rolled from the effects of the liquor.

Texts 24-25

Devanagari

स्रग्व्येककुण्डलो मत्तो वैजयन्त्या च मालया ।
बिभ्रत् स्मितमुखाम्भोजं स्वेदप्रालेयभूषितम् ।
स आजुहाव यमुनां जलक्रीडार्थमीश्वर- ॥ २४ ॥
निजं वाक्यमनाद‍ृत्य मत्त इत्यापगां बल- ।
अनागतां हलाग्रेण कुपितो विचकर्ष ह ॥ २५ ॥

Verse text

sragvy eka-kuṇḍalo matto
vaijayantyā ca mālayā
bibhrat smita-mukhāmbhojaṁ
sveda-prāleya-bhūṣitam

sa ājuhāva yamunāṁ
jala-krīḍārtham īśvaraḥ
nijaṁ vākyam anādṛtya
matta ity āpagāṁ balaḥ
anāgatāṁ halāgreṇa
kupito vicakarṣa ha

Synonyms

srak-vī — having a garland; eka — with one; kuṇḍalaḥ — earring; mattaḥ — intoxicated with joy; vaijayantyā — named Vaijayantī; ca — and; mālayā — with the garland; bibhrat — displaying; smita — smiling; mukha — His face; ambhojam — lotuslike; sveda — of perspiration; prāleya — with the snow; bhūṣitam — decorated; saḥ — He; ājuhāva — called for; yamunām — the Yamunā River; jala — in the water; kṛīḍā — of playing; artham — for the purpose; īśvaraḥ — the Supreme Lord; nijam — His; vākyam — words; anādṛtya — disregarding; mattaḥ — intoxicated; iti — thus (thinking); āpa-gām — the river; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma; anāgatām — who did not come; hala — of His plow weapon; agreṇa — with the tip; kupitaḥ — angry; vicakarṣa ha — He dragged.

Translation

Intoxicated with joy, Lord Balarāma sported flower garlands, including the famous Vaijayantī. He wore a single earring, and beads of perspiration decorated His smiling lotus face like snowflakes. The Lord then summoned the Yamunā River so that He could play in her waters, but she disregarded His command, thinking He was drunk. This angered Balarāma, and He began dragging the river with the tip of His plow.

Text 26

Devanagari

पापे त्वं मामवज्ञाय यन्नायासि मयाहुता ।
नेष्ये त्वां लाङ्गलाग्रेण शतधा कामचारिणीम् ॥ २६ ॥

Verse text

pāpe tvaṁ mām avajñāya
yan nāyāsi mayāhutā
neṣye tvāṁ lāṅgalāgreṇa
śatadhā kāma-cāriṇīm

Synonyms

pāpe — O sinful one; tvam — you; mām — Me; avajñāya — disrespecting; yat — because; na āyāsi — you do not come; mayā — by Me; āhutā — called; neṣye — I will bring; tvām — you; lāṅgala — of My plow; agreṇa — with the tip; śatadhā — in a hundred parts; kāma — by whim; cāriṇīm — who moves.

Translation

[Lord Balarāma said:] O sinful one disrespecting Me, you do not come when I call you but rather move only by your own whim. Therefore with the tip of My plow I shall bring you here in a hundred streams!

Text 27

Devanagari

एवं निर्भर्त्सिता भीता यमुना यदुनन्दनम् ।
उवाच चकिता वाचं पतिता पादयोर्नृप ॥ २७ ॥

Verse text

evaṁ nirbhartsitā bhītā
yamunā yadu-nandanam
uvāca cakitā vācaṁ
patitā pādayor nṛpa

Synonyms

evam — thus; nirbhartsitā — scolded; bhītā — afraid; yamunā — the presiding goddess of the river Yamunā; yadu-nandanam — to the beloved descendant of Yadu, Lord Balarāma; uvāca — spoke; cakitā — trembling; vācam — words; patitā — fallen; pādayoḥ — at His feet; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit).

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus scolded by the Lord, O King, the frightened river-goddess Yamunā came and fell at the feet of Śrī Balarāma, the beloved descendant of Yadu. Trembling, she spoke to Him the following words.

Purport

According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the goddess who appeared before Lord Balarāma is an expansion of Śrīmatī Kālindī, one of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s queens in Dvārakā. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī calls her a “shadow” of Kālindī, and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī confirms that she is an expansion of Kālindī, not Kālindī herself. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also gives evidence from Śrī Hari-vaṁśa — in the statement pratyuvācārṇava-vadhūm — that Goddess Yamunā is the wife of the ocean. The Hari-vaṁśa therefore also refers to her as sāgarāṅganā.

Text 28

Devanagari

राम राम महाबाहो न जाने तव विक्रमम् ।
यस्यैकांशेन विधृता जगती जगत- पते ॥ २८ ॥

Verse text

rāma rāma mahā-bāho
na jāne tava vikramam
yasyaikāṁśena vidhṛtā
jagatī jagataḥ pate

Synonyms

rāma rāma — O Rāma, Rāma; mahā-bāho — O mighty-armed one; na jāne — I do not appreciate; tava — Your; vikramam — prowess; yasya — whose; eka — one; aṁśena — by a portion; vidhṛtā — is sustained; jagatī — the earth; jagataḥ — of the universe; pate — O master.

Translation

[Goddess Yamunā said:] Rāma, Rāma, O mighty-armed one! I know nothing of Your prowess. With a single portion of Yourself You hold up the earth, O Lord of the universe.

Purport

The phrase ekāṁśena (“with a single portion”) refers to the Lord’s expansion as Śeṣa. This is confirmed by the ācāryas.

Text 29

Devanagari

परं भावं भगवतो भगवन् मामजानतीम् ।
मोक्तुमर्हसि विश्‍वात्मन् प्रपन्नां भक्तवत्सल ॥ २९ ॥

Verse text

paraṁ bhāvaṁ bhagavato
bhagavan mām ajānatīm
moktum arhasi viśvātman
prapannāṁ bhakta-vatsala

Synonyms

param — supreme; bhāvam — the status; bhagavataḥ — of the Personality of Godhead; bhagavan — O Supreme Lord; mām — me; ajānatīm — not knowing; moktum arhasi — please release; viśva — of the universe; ātman — O soul; prapannām — surrendered; bhakta — to Your devotees; vatsala — O You who are compassionate.

Translation

My Lord, please release me. O soul of the universe, I didn’t understand Your position as the Supreme Godhead, but now I have surrendered unto You, and You are always kind to Your devotees.

Text 30

Devanagari

ततो व्यमुञ्चद् यमुनां याचितो भगवान् बल- ।
विजगाह जलं स्‍त्रीभि- करेणुभिरिवेभराट् ॥ ३० ॥

Verse text

tato vyamuñcad yamunāṁ
yācito bhagavān balaḥ
vijagāha jalaṁ strībhiḥ
kareṇubhir ivebha-rāṭ

Synonyms

tataḥ — then; vyamuñcat — released; yamunām — the Yamunā; yācitaḥ — begged; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; balaḥ — Balarāma; vijagāha — He submerged Himself; jalam — in the water; strībhiḥ — with the women; kareṇubhiḥ — with his she-elephants; iva — as; ibha — of elephants; rāṭ — the king.

Translation

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thereupon Lord Balarāma released the Yamunā and, like the king of the elephants with his entourage of she-elephants, entered the river’s water with His female companions.

Text 31

Devanagari

कामं विहृत्य सलिलादुत्तीर्णायासीताम्बरे ।
भूषणानि महार्हाणि ददौ कान्ति- शुभां स्रजम् ॥ ३१ ॥

Verse text

kāmaṁ vihṛtya salilād
uttīrṇāyāsītāmbare
bhūṣaṇāni mahārhāṇi
dadau kāntiḥ śubhāṁ srajam

Synonyms

kāmam — as pleased Him; vihṛtya — having played; salilāt — from the water; uttīrṇāya — to Him who had risen; asita — blue; ambare — a pair of garments (upper and lower); bhūṣaṇāni — ornaments; mahā — greatly; arhāṇi — valuable; dadau — gave; kāntiḥ — Goddess Kānti; śubhām — splendidly beautiful; srajam — a necklace.

Translation

The Lord played in the water to His full satisfaction, and when He came out Goddess Kānti presented Him with blue garments, precious ornaments and a brilliant necklace.

Purport

Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī quotes from the Viṣṇu Purāṇa to show that the goddess Kānti mentioned here is actually Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune:

varuṇa-prahitā cāsmai
mālām amlāna-paṅkajām
samudrābhe tathā vastre
nīle lakṣmīr ayacchata

“Sent by Varuna, Goddess Lakṣmī then presented Him with a garland of unfading lotuses and a pair of garments colored blue like the ocean.”

The great Bhāgavatam commentator Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī also quotes the following statement from Śrī Hari-vaṁśa, spoken by Goddess Lakṣmī to Lord Balarāma:

jātarūpa-mayaṁ caikaṁ
kuṇḍalaṁ vajra-bhūṣaṇam
ādi-padmaṁ ca padmākhyaṁ
divyaṁ śravaṇa-bhūṣaṇam
devemāṁ pratigṛhṇīṣva
paurāṇīṁ bhūṣaṇa-kriyām

“O Lord, please accept as divine ornaments for Your ears this single gold earring studded with diamonds and this primeval lotus called Padma. Kindly accept them, for this act of adornment is traditional.”

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī further points out that Goddess Lakṣmī is the consort of the Lord’s plenary expansion Saṅkarṣaṇa who belongs to the second vyūha.

Text 32

Devanagari

वसित्वा वाससी नीले मालामामुच्य काञ्चनीम् ।
रेये स्वलङ्कृतो लिप्तो माहेन्द्र इव वारण- ॥ ३२ ॥

Verse text

vasitvā vāsasī nīle
mālāṁ āmucya kāñcanīm
reye sv-alaṅkṛto lipto
māhendra iva vāraṇaḥ

Synonyms

vasitvā — dressing Himself; vāsasī — in the two garments; nīle — blue; mālām — the necklace; āmucya — putting on; kāñcanīm — golden; reje — He appeared resplendent; su — excellently; alaṅkṛtaḥ — ornamented; liptaḥ — anointed; māhā-indraḥ — of Mahendra, the King of heaven; iva — like; vāraṇaḥ — the elephant.

Translation

Lord Balarāma dressed Himself in the blue garments and put on the gold necklace. Anointed with fragrances and beautifully adorned, He appeared as resplendent as Indra’s royal elephant.

Purport

Anointed with sandalwood paste and other pure, fragrant substances, Balarāma resembled Airāvata, the great elephant of Lord Indra.

Text 33

Devanagari

अद्यापि द‍ृश्यते राजन् यमुनाकृष्टवर्त्मना ।
बलस्यानन्तवीर्यस्य वीर्यं सूचयतीव हि ॥ ३३ ॥

Verse text

adyāpi dṛśyate rājan
yamunākṛṣṭa-vartmanā
balasyānanta-vīryasya
vīryaṁ sūcayatīva hi

Synonyms

adya — today; api — even; dṛśyate — is seen; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); yamunā — the Yamunā River; ākṛṣṭa — pulled; vartmanā — whose currents; balasya — of Lord Balarāma; ananta — unlimited; vīryasya — whose potency; vīryam — the prowess; sūcayatī — indicating; iva — as; hi — indeed.

Translation

Even today, O King, one can see how the Yamunā flows through the many channels created when it was dragged by the unlimitedly powerful Lord Balarāma. Thus she demonstrates His prowess.

Text 34

Devanagari

एवं सर्वा निशा याता एकेव रमतो व्रजे ।
रामस्याक्षिप्तचित्तस्य माधुर्यैर्व्रजयोषिताम् ॥ ३४ ॥

Verse text

evaṁ sarvā niśā yātā
ekeva ramato vraje
rāmasyākṣipta-cittasya
mādhuryair vraja-yoṣitām

Synonyms

evam — in this manner; sarvā — all; niśāḥ — the nights; yātāḥ — passed; ekā — one; iva — as if; ramataḥ — who was enjoying; vraje — in Vraja; rāmasya — for Lord Balarāma; ākṣipta — enchanted; cittasya — whose mind; mādhuryaiḥ — by the exquisite charm and beauty; vraja-yoṣitām — of the women of Vraja.

Translation

Thus for Lord Balarāma all the nights passed like a single night as He enjoyed in Vraja, His mind enchanted by the exquisite charm and beauty of Vraja’s young ladies.

Purport

Lord Balarāma was enchanted by the charming pastimes of the beautiful young ladies of Vraja. Thus each night was a completely new experience, and all the nights passed as if they were a single night.

Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Sixty-fifth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “Lord Balarāma Visits Vṛndāvana.”