Chapter 65 - Balarāma’s Visit to Gokula—The Course of the Yamunā diverted

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Śrī Śuka said:

1. (On one occasion) the glorious Lord Balarāma became eagerly desirous of seeing his friends and well-wishers (at Vraja). Mounting his chariot, he proceeded^[1] to Gokula ruled over by Nanda, O the most prominent Kuru.

2. Balarāma was warmly embraced by Gopa men and women (at Vraja) who were yearning (to see him) for a pretty long period. He bowed to his (foster) parents Nanda and Yaśodā who welcomed him with blessings (and said):

3. “O Balarāma (of the Dāśārha clan)! May you, the Lord of the universe along with your younger brother Kṛṣṇa, protect us for a long time (just as you do to Yādavas)”. With these words, they placed him on their lap, hugged him and bathed him with tears.

4. He paid respects to elderly Gopas with due formalities and was bowed down by his juniors in age. He met other Gopas (observing courteous exchanges) according to their age, friendly intimacy and according to their (respective) relations (with him).

5. He then approached the cowherds,^[2] cut jokes and laughed with them, held them by hands, (expressed other friendly gestures). When he had taken rest and was refreshed, they gathered and seated themselves round him as he was comfortably seated.

6. The Gopas who had renounced their worldly pleasures for Śrī Kṛṣṇa of lotus—(petal-like) eyes were enquired about their health and of their relatives in a voice choked with emotions (and in faltering accents). They also reciprocally enquired about the health of Yādavas as per their relations).

7. “Are all our friends and relatives (at Dvārakā) hail and hearty, O Balarāma? Now that you are a married person blessed with children, do you (occasionally) remember us?

8. Luckily the wicked Kaṃsa has been slain and it is fortunate that all our friends and well-wishers are liberated (from his atrocious rule). It is really a matter of good luck that after killing and vanquishing your enemies, you have taken your abode in an inaccessible place (Dvārakā)”.

9. Gopīs looked upon Balarāma’s visit as an honour and paid respect to him (In spite of their pangs of separation from Kṛṣna) they beamed with a smile and asked, “Is Kṛṣṇa, the darling of ladies in the city (as against us—rustic women), happy?

10. Does he occasionally remember his friends, (like the Gopa-Dāman and others), father (Nanda) and mother (Yaśoḍā) at Vraja? Will he come at least once to see his mother (Yaśoḍā)? Does that mighty-armed Lord ever remember our modest service (or constant devotion to him)?

11. It is for his sake, O Balarāma that we abandoned our parents, brothers, husbands, sons, sisters and relatives whom it was hard to forsake.

12. Instantly he cut asunder the bonds of friendship with us who were so beloved to him and he abandoned us forthwith. (The cause of our not preventing him from going was his fascinatingly sweet) words—what woman would hesitate to put forth faith in them?

13. (Some Gopīs asked): How would the wise and shrewd women of the town trust the words of that fickle-minded and ungrateful person? (Others replied:) When he provokes the passion of love in them by his fascinating words, his winning smiles and enticing looks, those women being overpowered with love, put faith in his wonderful speech.

14. (Some said): O Gopīs! What have we to do with the talk about him? Tell some other stories. (Drop all references to Kṛṣṇa). If his time can pass (happily) without us, our time (reciprocally) can do so without him (though in pangs of separation from him)”.

15. Recalling in this way the smiles, sweet words, winsome looks, gait, loving embraces of Kṛṣṇa, those Gopa women wept bitterly.

16. The worshipful Lord Balarāma, past-master in the various ways of consoling, comforted them by conveying to them massages of Śrī Kṛṣṇa which were most soothing to their heart.^[3]

17. The glorious Lord Balarāma spent there (in Gokula) two months (of the spring season)—Caitra and Vaiśākha and entertained the Gopīs at night.

18. Surrounded by a bevy of ladies (Gopīs), Balarāma sported with them in the gardens on the bank of the Yamunā brightly illumined by the rays of the full moon as the gentle breeze charged with the fragrance of night lotuses was blowing.

19. The heavenly beverage called Vāruṇī^[4], sent by god Varuṇa began to flow out from the hallow of a tree and filled with its fragrance the whole of the forest.

20. Inhaling the fragrance of that stream of honey (like beverage) wafted by the gentle wind, Balarāma went to that tree and drank it along with the women.

[Bhāgavata Candrikā’s Text adds:]

20(A). Glorified in songs and himself bursting out in singing in the circle of beautiful women, he sported himself like Airāvata (Indra’s elephant) in company of she-elephants.

20(B). Kettle-drums were sounded in the heavens, the heavenly beings showered flowers on them in delight. Gandharvas and sages glorified Balarāma’s exploits in great joy.

21. Balarāma (the plough-armed) whose exploits were glorified in songs by the Gopīs, roved in an inebriated condition in the forest, with his eyes swimming in intoxication.

22-23. Adorned with a wreath of flowers and the special garland of five-coloured flowers called Vaijayantī, wearing one ear-ring only, with a smiling lotus-face beautified with dewy drops of perspiration, in an inebriated condition he commanded the Yamunā to come near him to enable him to indulge in water-sports. Being intoxicated, he thought that the Yamunā insolently disobeyed his order. Balarāma got enraged and forcibly dragged her with the pointed plough-share, of his plough.

24. (He threatened her): “You sinful one! In total disregard for me you indifferently do not come despite my summons to you, but go your own way. By the tip of my plough I shall now divert you in a hundred ways”.

25. When threatened thus, the river-goddess Yamunā became afraid and fell at his feet. Trembling with fear she spoke to the delight of the Yadus.

26. “O Balarāma, the Delight of the world! O mighty-armed hero! I did not know your prowess. O Lord of the world, (I now know) that it is with your one aṃśa (part) only, viz. Śeṣa that you support the universe.

27. O Soul of the universe so kind to his votaries! I have come to seek asylum in you, O glorious Lord. It behoves you to set me free (to flow in my own bed) as I did not know your supreme greatness.”

28. Thus entreated, the mighty Balarāma then let go the Yamunā. And just like a king elephant entering water with his mates, he entered the waters (of the Yamunā) with the women (Gopīs).

29. After having sported to his hearts content (in the water), Balarāma emerged from her waters when Kānti^[5] (a form of goddess Lakṣmī) presented to him two clothes of nonwhite (blue) colour, highly precious ornaments and an auspicious (brilliant) garland.

30. Putting on those blue garments, wearing the gold necklace, he shone like Airāvata, Indra’s elephant, when painted and tastefully ornamented.

31. Even to this day, the Yamunā is seen to flow through the track (river bed) through which the Yamunā was dragged. It is an index of the great prowess of Balarāma of infinite prowess.

32. Balarāma’s mind was fascinated with the sweet qualities of the young women of Vraja, so he felt all nights passed in sports at Vraja as one continuous night.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Pra-yayau—went after wearing the dress of a Gopa (cowherd)—VT. It quotes HV. in its support and informs us that Balarāma went to convey the massage of Kṛṣṇa.

[2]:

VT. carefully collects evidence of the visits of Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa from Viṣṇu Purāṇa & HV. and points out that they used to visit at intervals when they happened to come to that side.

[3]:

sandeśaiḥ sāma-madhuraiḥ premagarbhairagarvitaiḥ /
rāmeṇāśvāsitā gopyaḥ kṛṣṇasyātimanoharaiḥ //
  —Viṣṇu Purāṇa 5,24.20.

[4]:

Subodhinī Vāruṇī, born while chṇrning the ocean for nectar, was given to demons. Whatever tree she occupies gives out alcoholic beverage. VT. on the authority of HV. says that Vāruṇī was Varuṇa’s daughter and hence not forbidden. Likewise she creates the beverage in the hollow of the Kadamba tree.

[5]:

Bhāvāratha Dīpikā quotes Viṣṇu Purāṇa 5.25.16 and states that Kānti is a synonym of Lakṣmī while VT. regards her as a form of Lakṣmī, the Spouse of the second Vyūha Saṅkarṣaṇa.