S'rîmad Bhâgavatam - Canto 10
Sanskrit, word-for-word and original translation of Swami Prabhupâda
(for the purports one will have to consult the books under the copyright of the BBT)
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Canto 10: 'Summum Bonum'
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Chapter Seventy-nine: Lord Balarâma Goes on Pilgrimage
TEXT 1
s'rî-s'uka uvâca
tatah parvany upâvritte
pracandah pâms'u-varshanah
bhîmo vâyur abhûd râjan
pûya-gandhas tu sarvas'ah
s'rî-s'ukah uvâca - S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said; tatah - then; parvani - the new-moon day; upâvritte - when it came; pracandah - fierce; pâms'u - dust; varshanah - raining; bhîmah - frightening; vâyuh - a wind; abhût - arose; râjan - O King (Parîkchit); pûya - of pus; gandhah - the smell; tu - and; sarvas'ah - all over.
TRANSLATION
S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: Then, on the new-moon day, O King, a fierce and frightening wind arose, scattering dust all about and spreading the smell of pus everywhere.
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TEXT 2
tato 'medhya-mayam varsham
balvalena vinirmitam
abhavad yajña-s'âlâyâm
so 'nvadris'yata s'ûla-dhrik
tatah - then; amedhya - abominable things; mayam - full of; varsham - a rain; balvalena - by Balvala; vinirmitam - produced; abhavat - occurred; yajña - of the sacrifice; s'âlâyâm - upon the arena; sah - he, Balvala; anvadris'yata - appeared after this; s'ûla - a trident; dhrik - carrying.
TRANSLATION
Next, onto the sacrificial arena came a downpour of abominable things sent by Balvala, after which the demon himself appeared, trident in hand.
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TEXTS 3 - 4
tam vilokya brihat-kâyam
bhinnâñjana-cayopamam
tapta-tâmra-s'ikhâ-s'mas'rum
damshthrogra-bhru-kuthî-mukham
sasmâra mûshalam râmah
para-sainya-vidâranam
halam ca daitya-damanam
te tûrnam upatasthatuh
tam - him; vilokya - seeing; brihat - immense; kâyam - whose body; bhinna - broken; añjana - of black eye-makeup; caya - a pile; upamam - resembling; tapta - burning; tâmra - (colored like) copper; s'ikhâ - whose topknot; s'mas'rum - and beard; damshthrâ - with its teeth; ugra - fearsome; bhru - of eyebrows; kuthî - with furrows; mukham - whose face;
sasmâra - remembered; mûshalam - His club; râmah - Lord Balarâma; para - opposing; sainya - armies; vidâranam - which tears asunder; halam - His plow; ca - and; daitya - demons; damanam - which subdues; te - they; tûrnam - at once; upatasthatuh - presented themselves.
TRANSLATION
The immense demon resembled a mass of black carbon. His topknot and beard were like molten copper, and his face had horrible fangs and furrowed eyebrows. Upon seeing him, Lord Balarâma thought of His club, which tears to pieces His enemies' armies, and His plow weapon, which punishes the demons. Thus summoned, His two weapons appeared before Him at once.
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TEXT 5
tam âkrishya halâgrena
balvalam gagane-caram
mûshalenâhanat kruddho
mûrdhni brahma-druham balah
tam - him; âkrishya - pulling toward Him; hala - of His plow; agrena - with the front end; balvalam - Balvala; gagane - in the sky; caram - who was moving; mûshalena - with His club; ahanat - struck; kruddhah - angry; mûrdhni - on the head; brahma - of brâhmanas; druham - the harasser; balah - Lord Balarâma.
TRANSLATION
With the tip of His plow Lord Balarâma caught hold of the demon Balvala as he flew through the sky, and with His club the Lord angrily struck that harasser of brâhmanas on the head.
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TEXT 6
so 'patad bhuvi nirbhinna-
lalâtho 'srik samutsrijan
muñcann ârta-svaram s'ailo
yathâ vajra-hato 'runah
sah - he, Balvala; apatat - fell; bhuvi - to the ground; nirbhinna - cracked open; lalâthah - his forehead; asrik - blood; samutsrijan - gushing; muñcan - releasing; ârta - of agony; svaram - a sound; s'ailah - a mountain; yathâ - like; vajra - by a lightning bolt; hatah - struck; arunah - reddish.
TRANSLATION
Balvala cried out in agony and fell to the ground, his forehead cracked open and gushing blood. He resembled a red mountain struck by a lightning bolt.
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TEXT 7
samstutya munayo râmam
prayujyâvitathâs'ishah
abhyashiñcan mahâ-bhâgâ
vritra-ghnam vibudhâ yathâ
samstutya - sincerely praising; munayah - the sages; râmam - Lord Balarâma; prayujya - awarding; avitatha - infallible; âs'ishah - benedictions; abhyashiñcan - ceremoniously bathed; mahâ-bhâgâh - the great personalities; vritra - of Vritrâsura; ghnam - the killer (Lord Indra); vibudhâh - the demigods; yathâ - as.
TRANSLATION
The exalted sages honored Lord Râma with sincere prayers and awarded Him infallible blessings. Then they performed His ritual bath, just as the demigods had formally bathed Indra when he killed Vritra.
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TEXT 8
vaijayantîm dadur mâlâm
s'rî-dhâmâmlâna-pankajâm
râmâya vâsasî divye
divyâny âbharanâni ca
vaijayantîm - named Vaijayantî; daduh - they gave; mâlâm - the flower garland; s'rî - of the goddess of fortune; dhâma - the abode; amlâna - unfading; pankajâm - made of lotus flowers; râmâya - to Lord Balarâma; vâsasî - a pair of (upper and lower) garments; divye - divine; divyâni - divine; âbharanâni - jewelry; ca - and.
TRANSLATION
They gave Lord Balarâma a Vaijayantî garland of unfading lotuses in which resided the goddess of fortune, and they also gave Him a set of divine garments and jewelry.
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TEXT 9
atha tair abhyanujñâtah
kaus'ikîm etya brâhmanaih
snâtvâ sarovaram agâd
yatah sarayûr âsravat
atha - then; taih - by them; abhyanujñâtah - given leave; kaus'ikîm - to the Kaus'ikî River; etya - coming; brâhmanaih - with brâhmanas; snâtvâ - bathing; sarovaram - to the lake; agât - went; yatah - from which; sarayûh - the Sarayû River; âsravat - flows out.
TRANSLATION
Then, given leave by the sages, the Lord went with a contingent of brâhmanas to the Kaus'ikî River, where He bathed. From there He went to the lake from which flows the river Sarayû.
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TEXT 10
anu-srotena sarayûm
prayâgam upagamya sah
snâtvâ santarpya devâdîn
jagâma pulahâs'ramam
anu - following; srotena - its current; sarayûm - along the Sarayû; prayâgam - to Prayâga; upagamya - coming; sah - He; snâtvâ - bathing; santarpya - propitiating; deva-âdîn - the demigods and so on; jagâma - He went; pulaha-âs'ramam - to the hermitage of Pulaha Rishi.
TRANSLATION
The Lord followed the course of the Sarayû until He came to Prayâga, where He bathed and then performed rituals to propitiate the demigods and other living beings. Next He went to the âs'rama of Pulaha Rishi.
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TEXTS 11 - 15
gomatîm gandakîm snâtvâ
vipâs'âm s'ona âplutah
gayâm gatvâ pitrn ishthvâ
gangâ-sâgara-sangame
upaspris'ya mahendrâdrau
râmam drishthvâbhivâdya ca
sapta-godâvarîm venâm
pampâm bhîmarathîm tatah
skandam drishthvâ yayau râmah
s'rî-s'ailam giris'âlayam
dravideshu mahâ-punyam
drishthvâdrim venkatham prabhuh
kâma-koshnîm purîm kâñcîm
kâverîm ca sarid-varâm
s'rî-rangâkhyam mahâ-punyam
yatra sannihito harih
rishabhâdrim hareh kshetram
dakshinâm mathurâm tathâ
sâmudram setum agamat
mahâ-pâtaka-nâs'anam
gomatîm - at the Gomatî River; gandakîm - the Gandakî River; snâtvâ - bathing; vipâs'âm - at the Vipâs'â River; s'one - in the S'ona River; âplutah - having immersed Himself; gayâm - to Gayâ; gatvâ - going; pitrn - His forefathers; ishthvâ - worshiping; gangâ - of the Ganges; sâgara - and the ocean; sangame - at the confluence;
upaspris'ya - touching water (bathing); mahâ-indra-adrau - at the Mahendra Mountain; râmam - Lord Paras'urâma; drishthvâ - seeing; abhivâdya - honoring; ca - and; sapta-godâvarîm - (going) to the convergence of the seven Godâvarîs; venâm - the Venâ River; pampâm - the Pampâ River; bhîmarathîm - and the Bhîmarathî River; tatah - then;
skandam - Lord Skanda (Kârttikeya); drishthvâ - seeing; yayau - went; râmah - Lord Balarâma; s'rî-s'ailam - to S'rî-s'aila; giri-s'a - of Lord S'iva; âlayam - the residence; dravideshu - in the southern provinces; mahâ - most; punyam - pious; drishthvâ - seeing; adrim - the hill; venkatham - known as Venkatha (the abode of Lord Bâlajî); prabhuh - the Supreme Lord;
kâma-koshnîm - to Kâmakoshnî; purîm kâñcîm - to Kâñcîpuram; kâverîm - to the Kâverî; ca - and; sarit - of rivers; varâm - the greatest; s'rî-ranga-âkhyam - known as S'rî-ranga; mahâ-punyam - most pious place; yatra - where; sannihitah - manifested; harih - Lord Krishna (in the form of Ranganâtha);
rishabha- adrim - the Rishabha Mountain; hareh - of Lord Vishnu; kshetram - the place; dakshinâm mathurâm - the southern Mathurâ (Madurai, the abode of Goddess Mînâkshî); tathâ - also; sâmudram - on the ocean; setum - to the bridge (Setubandha); agamat - He went; mahâ - the greatest; pâtaka - sins; nâs'anam - which destroys.
TRANSLATION
Lord Balarâma bathed in the Gomatî, Gandakî and Vipâs'â rivers, and also immersed Himself in the S'ona. He went to Gayâ, where He worshiped His forefathers, and to the mouth of the Ganges, where He performed purifying ablutions. At Mount Mahendra He saw Lord Paras'urâma and offered Him prayers, and then He bathed in the seven branches of the Godâvarî River, and also in the rivers Venâ, Pampâ and Bhîmarathî. Then Lord Balarâma met Lord Skanda and visited S'rî-s'aila, the abode of Lord Giris'a. In the southern provinces known as Dravida-des'a the Supreme Lord saw the sacred Venkatha Hill, as well as the cities of Kâmakoshnî and Kâñcî, the exalted Kâverî River and the most holy S'rî-ranga, where Lord Krishna has manifested Himself. From there He went to Rishabha Mountain, where Lord Krishna also lives, and to the southern Mathurâ. Then He came to Setubandha, where the most grievous sins are destroyed.
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TEXTS 16 - 17
tatrâyutam adâd dhenûr
brâhmanebhyo halâyudhah
kritamâlâm tâmraparnîm
malayam ca kulâcalam
tatrâgastyam samâsînam
namaskrityâbhivâdya ca
yojitas tena câs'îrbhir
anujñâto gato 'rnavam
dakshinam tatra kanyâkhyâm
durgâm devîm dadars'a sah
tatra - there (at Setubandha, known also as Râmes'varam); ayutam - ten thousand; adât - He gave away; dhenûh - cows; brahmanebhyah - to brâhmanas; hala- âyudhah - Lord Balarâma, whose weapon is the plow; kritamâlâm - to the Kritamâlâ River; tâmraparnîm - the Tâmraparnî River; malayam - Malaya; ca - and; kula- acalam - the principal mountain range;
tatra - there; agastyam - to Agastya Rishi; samâsînam - sitting (in meditation); namaskritya - bowing down; abhivâdya - glorifying; ca - and; yojitah - granted; tena - by him; ca - and; âs'îrbhih - blessings; anujñâtah - given permission to leave; gatah - He went; arnavam - to the ocean; dakshinam - southern; tatra - there; kanyâ-âkhyâm - known as Kanyâ-kumârî; durgâm devîm - Goddess Durgâ; dadars'a - saw; sah - He.
TRANSLATION
There at Setubandha [Râmes'varam] Lord Halâyudha gave brâhmanas ten thousand cows in charity. He then visited the Kritamâlâ and Tâmraparnî rivers and the great Malaya Mountains. In the Malaya range Lord Balarâma found Agastya Rishi sitting in meditation. After bowing down to the sage, the Lord offered him prayers and then received blessings from him. Taking leave from Agastya, He proceeded to the shore of the southern ocean, where He saw Goddess Durgâ in her form of Kanyâ-kumârî.
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TEXT 18
tatah phâlgunam âsâdya
pañcâpsarasam uttamam
vishnuh sannihito yatra
snâtvâspars'ad gavâyutam
tatah - then; phâlgunam - Phâlguna; âsâdya - reaching; pañca-apsarasam - the lake of the five Apsarâs; uttamam - exalted; vishnuh - the Supreme Lord, Vishnu; sannihitah - manifested; yatra - wherein; snâtvâ - bathing; aspars'at - He touched (as part of the ritual in giving as charity); gava - cows; ayutam - ten thousand.
TRANSLATION
Next He went to Phâlguna-tîrtha and bathed in the sacred Pañcâpsarâ Lake, where Lord Vishnu had directly manifested Himself. At this place He gave away another ten thousand cows.
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TEXTS 19 - 21
tato 'bhivrajya bhagavân
keralâms tu trigartakân
gokarnâkhyam s'iva-kshetram
sânnidhyam yatra dhûrjatheh
âryâm dvaipâyanîm drishthvâ
s'ûrpârakam agâd balah
tâpîm payoshnîm nirvindhyâm
upaspris'yâtha dandakam
pravis'ya revâm agamad
yatra mâhishmatî purî
manu-tîrtham upaspris'ya
prabhâsam punar âgamat
tatah - then; abhivrajya - traveling; bhagavân - the Supreme Lord; keralân - through the kingdom of Kerala; tu - and; trigartakân - Trigarta; gokarna-âkhyam - named Gokarna (on the coast of the Arabian Sea in northern Karnataka); s'iva-kshetram - the place sacred to Lord S'iva; sânnidhyam - manifestation; yatra - where; dhûrjatheh - of Lord S'iva;
âryâm - the honored goddess (Pârvatî, wife of Lord S'iva); dvaipa - on an island (off the coast near Gokarna); ayanîm - who resides; drishthvâ - seeing; s'ûrpârakam - to the holy district of S'ûrpâraka; agât - went; balah - Lord Balarâma; tâpîm payoshnîm nirvindhyâm - to the Tâpî, Payoshnî and Nirvindhyâ rivers; upaspris'ya - touching water; atha - next; dandakam - the Dandaka forest;
pravis'ya - entering; revâm - to the Revâ River; agamat - He went; yatra - where; mâhishmatî purî - the city of Mâhishmatî; manu-tîrtham - to Manu-tîrtha; upaspris'ya - touching water; prabhâsam - to Prabhâsa; punah - again; âgamat - He came.
TRANSLATION
The Supreme Lord then traveled through the kingdoms of Kerala and Trigarta, visiting Lord S'iva's sacred city of Gokarna, where Lord Dhûrjathi [S'iva] directly manifests himself. After also visiting Goddess Pârvatî, who dwells on an island, Lord Balarâma went to the holy district of S'ûrpâraka and bathed in the Tâpî, Payoshnî and Nirvindhyâ rivers. He next entered the Dandaka forest and went to the river Revâ, along which the city of Mâhishmatî is found. Then He bathed at Manu-tîrtha and finally returned to Prabhâsa.
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TEXT 22
s'rutvâ dvijaih kathyamânam
kuru-pândava-samyuge
sarva-râjanya-nidhanam
bhâram mene hritam bhuvah
s'rutvâ - hearing; dvijaih - by brâhmanas; kathyamânam - being related; kuru- pândava - between the Kurus and the Pândavas; samyuge - in the battle; sarva - of all; râjanya - kings; nidhanam - the annihilation; bhâram - the burden; mene - He thought; hritam - removed; bhuvah - of the earth.
TRANSLATION
The Lord heard from some brâhmanas how all the kings involved in the battle between the Kurus and Pândavas had been killed. From this He concluded that the earth was now relieved of her burden.
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TEXT 23
sa bhîma-duryodhanayor
gadâbhyâm yudhyator mridhe
vârayishyan vinas'anam
jagâma yadu-nandanah
sah - He, Lord Balarâma; bhîma-duryodhanayoh - Bhîma and Duryodhana; gadâbhyâm - with clubs; yudhyatoh - who were fighting; mridhe - on the battlefield; vârayishyan - intending to stop; vinas'anam - to the battlefield; jagâma - went; yadu - of the Yadus; nandanah - the beloved son (Lord Balarâma).
TRANSLATION
Wanting to stop the club fight then raging between Bhîma and Duryodhana on the battlefield, Lord Balarâma went to Kurukshetra.
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TEXT 24
yudhishthhiras tu tam drishthvâ
yamau krishnârjunâv api
abhivâdyâbhavams tushnîm
kim vivakshur ihâgatah
yudhishthhirah - King Yudhishthhira; tu - but; tam - Him, Lord Balarâma; drishthvâ - seeing; yamau - the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva; krishna- arjunau - Lord Krishna and Arjuna; api - also; abhivâdya - offering obeisances; abhavan - they were; tushnîm - silent; kim - what; vivakshuh - intending to say; iha - here; âgatah - has come.
TRANSLATION
When Yudhishthhira, Lord Krishna, Arjuna and the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva saw Lord Balarâma, they offered Him respectful obeisances but said nothing, thinking "What has He come here to tell us?"
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TEXT 25
gadâ-pânî ubhau drishthvâ
samrabdhau vijayaishinau
mandalâni vicitrâni
carantâv idam abravît
gadâ - with clubs; pânî - in their hands; ubhau - both of them, Duryodhana and Bhîma; drishthvâ - seeing; samrabdhau - furious; vijaya - victory; eshinau - striving for; mandalâni - circles; vicitrâni - artistic; carantau - moving in; idam - this; abravît - He said.
TRANSLATION
Lord Balarâma found Duryodhana and Bhîma with clubs in their hands, each furiously striving for victory over the other as they circled about skillfully. The Lord addressed them as follows.
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TEXT 26
yuvâm tulya-balau vîrau
he râjan he vrikodara
ekam prânâdhikam manye
utaikam s'ikshayâdhikam
yuvâm - you two; tulya - equal; balau - in prowess; vîrau - warriors; he râjan - O King (Duryodhana); he vrikodara - O Bhîma; ekam - one; prâna - in terms of vital force; adhikam - greater; manye - I consider; uta - on the other hand; ekam - one; s'ikshayâ - in terms of training; adhikam - greater.
TRANSLATION
[Lord Balarâma said:] King Duryodhana! And Bhîma! Listen! You two warriors are equal in fighting prowess. I know that one of you has greater physical power, while the other is better trained in technique.
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TEXT 27
tasmâd ekatarasyeha
yuvayoh sama-vîryayoh
na lakshyate jayo 'nyo vâ
viramatv aphalo ranah
tasmât - therefore; ekatarasya - of either of the two; iha - here; yuvayoh - of you; sama - equal; vîryayoh - whose prowess; na lakshyate - cannot be seen; jayah - victory; anyah - the opposite (defeat); vâ - or; viramatu - it should stop; aphalah - fruitless; ranah - the battle.
TRANSLATION
Since you are so evenly matched in fighting prowess, I do not see how either of you can win or lose this duel. Therefore please stop this useless battle.
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TEXT 28
na tad-vâkyam jagrihatur
baddha-vairau nripârthavat
anusmarantâv anyonyam
duruktam dushkritâni ca
na - not; tat - His; vâkyam - words; jagrihatuh - the two of them accepted; baddha - fixed; vairau - whose enmity; nripa - O King (Parîkchit); artha- vat - sensible; anusmarantau - continuing to remember; anyonyam - about each other; duruktam - the harsh words; dushkritâni - the misdeeds; ca - also.
TRANSLATION
[S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued:] They did not accept Lord Balarâma's request, O King, although it was logical, for their mutual enmity was irrevocable. Each of them constantly remembered the insults and injuries he had suffered from the other.
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TEXT 29
dishtham tad anumanvâno
râmo dvâravatîm yayau
ugrasenâdibhih prîtair
jñâtibhih samupâgatah
dishtham - fate; tat - that; anumanvânah - deciding; râmah - Lord Balarâma; dvâravatîm - to Dvârakâ; yayau - went; ugrasena-âdibhih - headed by Ugrasena; prîtaih - delighted; jñâtibhih - by His family members; samupâgatah - greeted.
TRANSLATION
Concluding that the battle was the arrangement of fate, Lord Balarâma went back to Dvârakâ. There He was greeted by Ugrasena and His other relatives, who were all delighted to see Him.
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TEXT 30
tam punar naimisham prâptam
rishayo 'yâjayan mudâ
kratv-angam kratubhih sarvair
nivrittâkhila-vigraham
tam - Him, Lord Balarâma; punah - again; naimisham - at Naimishâranya; prâptam - arrived; rishayah - the sages; ayâjayan - engaged in performing Vedic sacrifices; mudâ - with pleasure; kratu - of all sacrifices; angam - the embodiment; kratubhih - with ritualistic performances; sarvaih - all varieties; nivritta - who had renounced; akhila - all; vigraham - warfare.
TRANSLATION
Later Lord Balarâma returned to Naimishâranya, where the sages joyfully engaged Him, the embodiment of all sacrifice, in performing various kinds of Vedic sacrifice. Lord Balarâma was now retired from warfare.
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TEXT 31
tebhyo vis'uddham vijñânam
bhagavân vyatarad vibhuh
yenaivâtmany ado vis'vam
âtmânam vis'va-gam viduh
tebhyah - upon them; vis'uddham - perfectly pure; vijñânam - divine knowledge; bhagavân - the Supreme Lord; vyatarat - bestowed; vibhuh - the Almighty; yena - by which; eva - indeed; âtmani - within Himself, the Supreme Lord; adah - this; vis'vam - universe; âtmânam - Himself; vis'va-gam - pervading the universe; viduh - they could perceive.
TRANSLATION
The all-powerful Lord Balarâma bestowed upon the sages pure spiritual knowledge, by which they could see the whole universe within Him and also see Him pervading everything.
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TEXT 32
sva-patyâvabhritha-snâto
jñâti-bandhu-suhrid-vritah
reje sva-jyotsnayevenduh
su-vâsâh sushthhv alankritah
sva - together with His; patyâ - wife; avabhritha - with the avabhritha ritual, which marks the end of sacrificial initiation; snâtah - having bathed; jñâti - by His immediate family members; bandhu - other relatives; suhrit - and friends; vritah - surrounded; reje - He appeared splendid; sva-jyotsnayâ - with its own rays; iva - as; induh - the moon; su - well; vâsâh - dressed; sushthhu - nicely; alankritah - adorned.
TRANSLATION
After executing with His wife the avabhritha ablutions, the beautifully dressed and ornamented Lord Balarâma, encircled by His immediate family and other relatives and friends, looked as splendid as the moon surrounded by its effulgent rays.
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TEXT 33
îdrig-vidhâny asankhyâni
balasya bala-s'âlinah
anantasyâprameyasya
mâyâ-martyasya santi hi
îdrik-vidhâni - of this sort; asankhyâni - uncountable; balasya - of Lord Balarâma; bala-s'âlinah - mighty; anantasya - unlimited; aprameyasya - immeasurable; mâyâ - by His illusory energy; martyasya - who appears as if a mortal; santi - there are; hi - indeed.
TRANSLATION
Countless other such pastimes were performed by mighty Balarâma, the unlimited and immeasurable Supreme Lord, whose mystic Yogamâyâ power makes Him appear to be a human being.
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TEXT 34
yo 'nusmareta râmasya
karmâny adbhuta-karmanah
sâyam prâtar anantasya
vishnoh sa dayito bhavet
yah - whoever; anusmareta - regularly remembers; râmasya - of Lord Balarâma; karmâni - the activities; adbhuta - amazing; karmanah - all of whose activities; sâyam - at dusk; prâtah - at dawn; anantasya - who is unlimited; vishnoh - to the Supreme Lord, Vishnu; sah - he; dayitah - dear; bhavet - becomes.
TRANSLATION
All the activities of the unlimited Lord Balarâma are amazing. Anyone who regularly remembers them at dawn and dusk will become very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, S'rî Vishnu.
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