The Brahma Purana

by G. P. Bhatt | 1955 | 243,464 words

This is the Brahma Purana in English (translation from Sanskrit), which is one of the eighteen Maha Puranas. The contents of this ancient Indian encyclopedic treatise include cosmology, genealogy (solar dynasty etc.), mythology, geology and Dharma (universal law of nature). The Brahma Purana is notable for its extenstive geological survey includin...

Chapter 89 - Balarāma returns to the cowherds’ colony

Vyāsa said:

1. Eulogised thus by that intelligent Mucukunda, the lord of all living beings, the lord who has no beginning or death spoke thus.

Śrīkṛṣṇa said:

2. O lord of men, go to divine worlds as desired by you. You will be strengthened by my grace and your prosperity and prowess will be unimpeded.

3. After enjoying the great divine pleasures, you will be born in a great family. By my favour you will be able to remember your previous births. Thereafter, you will attain salvation.

Vyāsa said:

4. Thus blessed by the lord the king bowed to Acyuta; the lord of the worlds came out of the cave. Then he saw short-statured men.

5. The king understood that the Kaliyuga had arrived. He went to the abode of Nara and Nārāyaṇa in order to perform penance (on the mountain) Gandhamādana.

6. Slaying the enemy by means of a stratagem, Kṛṣṇa captured his army shining with horses, elephants and chariots after arriving at Mathurā.

7. After bringing it to Dvāravatī he offered it to Ugrasena. (Thereby) the army of the Yadus had no fear of the onslaught of enemies.

8. O leading brahmins, having subdued all quarrels Baladeva became eager to see his kinsmen and so went to the cowherds’ colony of Nanda.

9. As before, the conqueror of enemies spoke to the cowherds and cowherd-lasses with affection and respect.

10. He was embraced by them. He embraced some of them. With some cowherds and cowherdesses he cracked jokes.

11. The cowherds spoke many pleasing words to Balarāma. Some cowherdesses spoke joyously in their love and others spoke with malice.

12. Other cowherdesses asked thus:—“Is Kṛṣṇa the lover of womenfolk of the city happy? Is he agitated by stirring emotions of love.

13. Does not Kṛṣṇa whose affection is momentary, deride our activities and increase the good fortune and pride of the ladies of Mathurā.

14. Does Kṛṣṇa ever remember our following him and singing along with him? Will he come here at least once to see his mother?

15. Or, of what avail is this talk regarding him? May other stories be mentioned, for without us his (life) is possible and without (him) our (life) is possible.

16. Father, mother, brother, husband and kinsmen—who is not abandoned by us for his sake. (But) he had been ungrateful.

17. Still, does Kṛṣṇa ever (mention) anything about his coming here? Nectar-like words must be uttered by you.

18. He appears to be devoid of Jove towards us because his mind is attached to the ladies of the city. It seems it will be difficult to see him.”

Vyāsa said:

19. He (Balarāma) was called (by the cowherd-lasses) by the words Kṛṣṇa, Dāmodara etc. The cowherd-lasses whose minds were attracted by Kṛṣṇa laughed in good tune.

20. The cowherd-lasses were consoled by Rāma through gentle and sweet messages of Kṛṣṇa couched in loving emotions and devoid of arrogance. The notes were as sweet as honey.

21. As before Balarāma continued funny stories and jokes with the cowherds whose minds were attracted by Kṛṣṇa, the cowherds who were the residents of Vraja.

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