॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
॥ अष्टादशोऽध्यायः -१८ ॥
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Discourse XVIII
The Lord slays the demon Pralamba (Preamble)
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श्रीशुक उवाच ।
अथ कृष्णः परिवृतो ज्ञातिभिर्मुदितात्मभिः ।
अनुगीयमानो न्यविशद्व्रजं गोकुलमण्डितम् ॥ १॥
व्रजे विक्रीडतोरेवं गोपालच्छद्ममायया ।
ग्रीष्मो नामर्तुरभवन्नातिप्रेयाञ्छरीरिणाम् ॥ २॥
स च वृन्दावनगुणैर्वसन्त इव लक्षितः ।
यत्रास्ते भगवान् साक्षाद्रामेण सह केशवः ॥ ३॥
यत्र निर्झरनिर्ह्रादनिवृत्तस्वनझिल्लिकम् ।
शश्वत्तच्छीकरर्जीषद्रुममण्डलमण्डितम् ॥ ४॥
सरित्सरःप्रस्रवणोर्मिवायुना
कह्लारकञ्जोत्पलरेणुहारिणा ।
न विद्यते यत्र वनौकसां दवो
निदाघवह्न्यर्कभवोऽतिशाद्वले ॥ ५॥
अगाधतोयह्रदिनी तटोर्मिभि-
र्द्रवत्पुरीष्याः पुलिनैः समन्ततः ।
न यत्र चण्डांशुकरा विषोल्बणा
भुवो रसं शाद्वलितं च गृह्णते ॥ ६॥
वनं कुसुमितं श्रीमन्नदच्चित्रमृगद्विजम् ।
गायन्मयूरभ्रमरं कूजत्कोकिलसारसम् ॥ ७॥
क्रीडिष्यमाणस्तत्कृष्णो भगवान् बलसंयुतः ।
वेणुं विरणयन् गोपैर्गोधनैः संवृतोऽविशत् ॥ ८॥
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Śrī Śuka began again : Surrounded by His kinsfolk, who were (all) delighted at heart, and being glorified by them, Śrī Kṛṣṇa presently entered Vraja graced with herds of cows. (1)
While the two (divine) Brothers were thus sporting in diverse ways in Vraja in the guise of cowherds by recourse to Their Māyā, there set in the season going by the name of summer, which is not very agreeable to embodied beings. (2)
It was, however, regarded (by the people of Vraja) as though it were spring due to the peculiarities of Vṛndāvana, where stayed in person Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa (the Ruler even of Brahmā and Śiva) alongwith Balarāma. (3)
There adorned with clusters of trees ever wet with their spray. (4)
Due to a breeze (constantly) blowing over the ripples of streams, ponds and rills and conveying the pollen of Kahlāras, lotuses and water-lilies in that woodland abounding in green meadows, the heat radiating from the summer fires and the summer sun was not felt by the denizens of the forest. (5)
The sun's rays, fierce as poison, in that area did not suck up the moisture or the verdant character of the earth, whose mud alongwith the sandy banks was (ever) kept moist on all sides by the waves beating against the banks of rivers containing unfathomable water. (6)
That glorious woodland (of Vṛndāvana) was full of blossoms and teemed with various animals and birds giving forth cries (of diverse kinds), peacocks uttering sweet notes and humming bees as well as with warbling cuckoos and cackling cranes. (7)
Accompanied by Balarāma and surrounded by cowherds and the cattle wealth, and intending to sport (there), Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered that forest playing on His flute. (8) (1-8)
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प्रवालबर्हस्तबकस्रग्धातुकृतभूषणाः ।
रामकृष्णादयो गोपा ननृतुर्युयुधुर्जगुः ॥ ९॥
कृष्णस्य नृत्यतः केचिज्जगुः केचिदवादयन् ।
वेणुपाणितलैः शृङ्गैः प्रशशंसुरथापरे ॥ १०॥
गोपजातिप्रतिच्छन्ना देवा गोपालरूपिणौ ।
ईडिरे कृष्णरामौ च नटा इव नटं नृप ॥ ११॥
भ्रामणैर्लङ्घनैः क्षेपैरास्फोटनविकर्षणैः ।
चिक्रीडतुर्नियुद्धेन काकपक्षधरौ क्वचित् ॥ १२॥
क्वचिन्नृत्यत्सु चान्येषु गायकौ वादकौ स्वयम् ।
शशंसतुर्महाराज साधु साध्विति वादिनौ ॥ १३॥
क्वचिद्बिल्वैः क्वचित्कुम्भैः क्व चामलकमुष्टिभिः ।
अस्पृश्यनेत्रबन्धाद्यैः क्वचिन्मृगखगेहया ॥ १४॥
क्वचिच्च दर्दुरप्लावैर्विविधैरुपहासकैः ।
कदाचित्स्पन्दोलिकया कर्हिचिन्नृपचेष्टया ॥ १५॥
एवं तौ लोकसिद्धाभिः क्रीडाभिश्चेरतुर्वने ।
नद्यद्रिद्रोणिकुञ्जेषु काननेषु सरःसु च ॥ १६॥
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Adorned with tender leaves, plumes of peacocks, bunches and wreaths of flowers and minerals (of various kinds), the cowherds, of whom Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa were the foremost, danced, wrestled and sang. (9)
While Śrī Kṛṣṇa danced, some (of His friends) sang; whereas others produced sounds with their flutes, palms and horns, while still others shouted applause. (10)
The gods in the guise of cowherds extolled Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, who were (similarly) disguised as cowherd boys, even as dancers would praise their chief, O protector of men! (11)
Wearing side-locks (after the fashion of the day), the two Brothers now diverted Themselves by revolving (in pairs with Their hands clasped together), long jumps, putting the weight, slapping the arms, tug of war and wrestling. (12)
Sometimes, while others danced, the two Brothers Themselves sang or sounded the instruments or applauded the dancers, O great king, by exclaiming "Well done! Bravo!" (13)
They would now play with Bilva fruits, now with Kumbha fruits and now with handfuls of myrobalans, and now divert Themselves by not allowing others to touch one's person, now by shutting another's eyes and (allowing him to guess who has done it) and other (similar) sports and now by mimicking beasts and birds, now by leaping like frogs and cutting jokes of various kinds, now by swinging (with the help of boughs of trees) and now by playing the part of kings. (14-15)
In this way They rambled in the forest diverting Themselves with popular sports in streams, mountain valleys and bowers as well as in woods and ponds. (16) (9-16)
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पशूंश्चारयतोर्गोपैस्तद्वने रामकृष्णयोः ।
गोपरूपी प्रलम्बोऽगादसुरस्तज्जिहीर्षया ॥ १७॥
तं विद्वानपि दाशार्हो भगवान् सर्वदर्शनः ।
अन्वमोदत तत्सख्यं वधं तस्य विचिन्तयन् ॥ १८॥
तत्रोपाहूय गोपालान् कृष्णः प्राह विहारवित् ।
हे गोपा विहरिष्यामो द्वन्द्वीभूय यथायथम् ॥ १९॥
तत्र चक्रुः परिवृढौ गोपा रामजनार्दनौ ।
कृष्णसङ्घट्टिनः केचिदासन् रामस्य चापरे ॥ २०॥
आचेरुर्विविधाः क्रीडा वाह्यवाहकलक्षणाः ।
यत्रारोहन्ति जेतारो वहन्ति च पराजिताः ॥ २१॥
वहन्तो वाह्यमानाश्च चारयन्तश्च गोधनम् ।
भाण्डीरकं नाम वटं जग्मुः कृष्णपुरोगमाः ॥ २२॥
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(One day) while Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa were grazing the cattle in that forest in the company of (other) cowherds, a demon named Pralamba arrived there in the guise of a cowherd boy with intent to kidnap the two Brothers. (17)
Though knowing him (his real character), the all-perceiving Lord, who had appeared in the race of the Daśārhas, approved of his friendship, contemplating the means of killing him. (18)
Calling by his side to that spot (all) the cowherds, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who was well-versed in play, said, "O cowherd boys, let us play (this time) dividing ourselves suitably into two camps." (19)
In that game, the cowherd boys made Balarāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa (lit., He who is solicited by the people) their leader; some (of them) joined the group of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, while others took the side of Balarāma. (20)
They played various games which were characterized by the role of mounts (in the case of one party) and that of riders (in the case of the other party). In these games those who won rode, while the worsted ones carried the former. (21)
(Thus) carrying and being carried, and pasturing their cattle-wealth, they (all) with Śrī Kṛṣṇa going ahead reached a banyan tree, Bhāṇḍiraka by name. (22) (17-22)
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रामसङ्घट्टिनो यर्हि श्रीदामवृषभादयः ।
क्रीडायां जयिनस्तांस्तानूहुः कृष्णादयो नृप ॥ २३॥
उवाह कृष्णो भगवान् श्रीदामानं पराजितः ।
वृषभं भद्रसेनस्तु प्रलम्बो रोहिणीसुतम् ॥ २४॥
अविषह्यं मन्यमानः कृष्णं दानवपुङ्गवः ।
वहन्द्रुततरं प्रागादवरोहणतः परम् ॥ २५॥
तमुद्वहन् धरणिधरेन्द्रगौरवं
महासुरो विगतरयो निजं वपुः ।
स आस्थितः पुरटपरिच्छदो बभौ
तडिद्द्युमानुडुपतिवाडिवाम्बुदः ॥ २६॥
निरीक्ष्य तद्वपुरलमम्बरे चर-
त्प्रदीप्तदृग्भ्रुकुटितटोग्रदंष्ट्रकम् ।
ज्वलच्छिखं कटककिरीटकुण्डल-
त्विषाद्भुतं हलधर ईषदत्रसत् ॥ २७॥
अथागतस्मृतिरभयो रिपुं बलो
विहायसार्थमिव हरन्तमात्मनः ।
रुषाहनच्छिरसि दृढेन मुष्टिना
सुराधिपो गिरिमिव वज्ररंहसा ॥ २८॥
स आहतः सपदि विशीर्णमस्तको
मुखाद्वमन् रुधिरमपस्मृतोऽसुरः ।
महारवं व्यसुरपतत्समीरयन्
गिरिर्यथा मघवत आयुधाहतः ॥ २९॥
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When (on one occasion) Śrīdāmā, Vṛṣabha and others, who had taken the side of Balarāma, had the upper hand in the game, Śrī Kṛṣṇa and others, O protector of men, carried them. (23)
Having been worsted, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa bore Śrīdāmā; Bhadrasena, Vṛṣabha; and Pralamba, Balarāma (the son of Rohiṇī). (24)
Thinking Śrī Kṛṣṇa to be unbearable (for him, he chose to remain on His side) and acting as a mount for Balarāma, Pralamba (the foremost among the Dānavas) ran posthaste beyond the limit fixed for demounting the riders. (25)
Bearing on his back Balarāma, who had assumed the weight of Mount Meru (the chief of the mountains), the mighty demon found that his speed had altogether disappeared and, having resumed his own (demoniac) form and, adorned with gold ornaments, he shone like a cloud illumined with flashes of lightning and bearing the moon (the ruler of the stars) on its back. (26)
Balarāma (the wielder of a plough for a weapon) felt a bit afraid to perceive that body soaring in the skies at a great speed with burning eyes and hair glowing as flames and with its fearful tusks reaching the end of its contracted eye-brows and looking uncanny with the splendour of its bracelets, coronet and ear-rings. (27)
Balarāma, to whom self-consciousness (the knowledge of His divinity) had returned the very next moment and who had (consequently) been rid of (all) fear, hit the enemy—who was carrying him through the sky as though it were some treasure found by him—in (great) rage on his head with his strong fist, which descended with the vehemence of a thunderbolt, even as Indra (the ruler of the gods) would strike a mountain. (28)
With his head smashed forthwith and deprived of his consciousness when struck (by Balarāma), and vomiting blood, the said demon fell dead, uttering a loud cry, as a mountain struck with the weapon of Indra. (29) (23-29)
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दृष्ट्वा प्रलम्बं निहतं बलेन बलशालिना ।
गोपाः सुविस्मिता आसन् साधु साध्विति वादिनः ॥ ३०॥
आशिषोऽभिगृणन्तस्तं प्रशशंसुस्तदर्हणम् ।
प्रेत्यागतमिवालिङ्ग्य प्रेमविह्वलचेतसः ॥ ३१॥
पापे प्रलम्बे निहते देवाः परमनिर्वृताः ।
अभ्यवर्षन् बलं माल्यैः शशंसुः साधु साध्विति ॥ ३२॥
इति श्रीमद्भागवते महापुराणे पारमहंस्यां संहितायां
दशमस्कन्धे पुर्वार्धे प्रलम्बवधो नामाष्टादशोऽध्यायः ॥ १८॥
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Seeing Pralamba slain by the mighty Balarāma, the cowherds felt highly amazed and shouted, "Well done, Bravo !" (30)
Uttering benedictions on him and embracing him as though he had returned to life after death, they extolled him, deserving as he was of such praise, their mind overwhelmed with affection. (31)
Supremely gratified on the sinful Pralamba having been slain, the gods covered Bala with flowers and applauded him exclaiming, "Well done ! Bravo !" (32)
Thus ends the eighteenth discourse entitled "The Lord slays Pralamba," in the first half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhāgavata-Purāṇa, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Sarhhitā. (30-32)
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