Śrīmad Bhāgavatam|Canto 10 Chapter 79

Lord Balarāma Goes on Pilgrimage

VERSE 10.79.1

śrī-śuka uvāca

tataḥ parvaṇy upāvṛtte
pracaṇḍaḥ pāṁśu-varṣaṇaḥ
bhīmo vāyur abhūd rājan
pūya-gandhas tu sarvaśaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; tataḥ — then; parvaṇi — the new-moon day; upāvṛtte — when it came; pracaṇḍaḥ — fierce; pāṁśu — dust; varṣaṇaḥ — raining; bhīmaḥ — frightening; vāyuḥ — a wind; abhūt — arose; rājan — O King (Parīkṣit); pūya — of pus; gandhaḥ — the smell; tu — and; sarvaśaḥ — all over.

TRANSLATION

Śukadeva Gosvāmī 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.

VERSE 10.79.2

tato ’medhya-mayaṁ varṣaṁ
balvalena vinirmitam
abhavad yajña-śālāyāṁ
so ’nvadṛśyata śūla-dhṛk

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; amedhya — abominable things; mayam — full of; varṣam — a rain; balvalena — by Balvala; vinirmitam — produced; abhavat — occurred; yajña — of the sacrifice; śālāyām — upon the arena; saḥ — he, Balvala; anvadṛśyata — appeared after this; śūla — a trident; dhṛk — 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.

VERSE 10.79.3-4

taṁ vilokya bṛhat-kāyaṁ
bhinnāñjana-cayopamam
tapta-tāmra-śikhā-śmaśruṁ
daṁṣṭrogra-bhru-kuṭī-mukham

sasmāra mūṣalaṁ rāmaḥ
para-sainya-vidāraṇam
halaṁ ca daitya-damanaṁ
te tūrṇam upatasthatuḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — him; vilokya — seeing; bṛhat — immense; kāyam — whose body; bhinna — broken; añjana — of black eye-makeup; caya — a pile; upamam — resembling; tapta — burning; tāmra — (colored like) copper; śikhā — whose topknot; śmaśrum — and beard; daṁṣṭrā — with its teeth; ugra — fearsome; bhru — of eyebrows; kuṭī — with furrows; mukham — whose face; sasmāra — remembered; mūṣalam — His club; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; para — opposing; sainya — armies; vidāraṇam — which tears asunder; halam — His plow; ca — and; daitya — demons; damanam — which subdues; te — they; tūrṇam — at once; upatasthatuḥ — 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 Balarāma 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.

VERSE 10.79.5

tam ākṛṣya halāgreṇa
balvalaṁ gagane-caram
mūṣalenāhanat kruddho
mūrdhni brahma-druhaṁ balaḥ

SYNONYMS

tam — him; ākṛṣya — pulling toward Him; hala — of His plow; agreṇa — with the front end; balvalam — Balvala; gagane — in the sky; caram — who was moving; mūṣalena — with His club; ahanat — struck; kruddhaḥ — angry; mūrdhni — on the head; brahma — of brāhmaṇas; druham — the harasser; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma.

TRANSLATION

With the tip of His plow Lord Balarāma caught hold of the demon Balvala as he flew through the sky, and with His club the Lord angrily struck that harasser of brāhmaṇas on the head.

VERSE 10.79.6

so ’patad bhuvi nirbhinna-
lalāṭo ’sṛk samutsṛjan
muñcann ārta-svaraṁ śailo
yathā vajra-hato ’ruṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — he, Balvala; apatat — fell; bhuvi — to the ground; nirbhinna — cracked open; lalāṭaḥ — his forehead; asṛk — blood; samutsṛjan — gushing; muñcan — releasing; ārta — of agony; svaram — a sound; śailaḥ — a mountain; yathā — like; vajra — by a lightning bolt; hataḥ — struck; aruṇaḥ — 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.

VERSE 10.79.7

saṁstutya munayo rāmaṁ
prayujyāvitathāśiṣaḥ
abhyaṣiñcan mahā-bhāgā
vṛtra-ghnaṁ vibudhā yathā

SYNONYMS

saṁstutya — sincerely praising; munayaḥ — the sages; rāmam — Lord Balarāma; prayujya — awarding; avitatha — infallible; āśiṣaḥ — benedictions; abhyaṣiñcan — ceremoniously bathed; mahā-bhāgāḥ — the great personalities; vṛtra — of Vṛtrāsura; ghnam — the killer (Lord Indra); vibudhāḥ — the demigods; yathā — as.

TRANSLATION

The exalted sages honored Lord Rāma 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 Vṛtra.

VERSE 10.79.8

vaijayantīṁ dadur mālāṁ
śrī-dhāmāmlāna-paṅkajāṁ
rāmāya vāsasī divye
divyāny ābharaṇāni ca

SYNONYMS

vaijayantīm — named Vaijayantī; daduḥ — they gave; mālām — the flower garland; śrī — of the goddess of fortune; dhāma — the abode; amlāna — unfading; paṅkajām — made of lotus flowers; rāmāya — to Lord Balarāma; vāsasī — a pair of (upper and lower) garments; divye — divine; divyāni — divine; ābharaṇāni — jewelry; ca — and.

TRANSLATION

They gave Lord Balarāma a Vaijayantī garland of unfading lotuses in which resided the goddess of fortune, and they also gave Him a set of divine garments and jewelry.

VERSE 10.79.9

atha tair abhyanujñātaḥ
kauśikīm etya brāhmaṇaiḥ
snātvā sarovaram agād
yataḥ sarayūr āsravat

SYNONYMS

atha — then; taiḥ — by them; abhyanujñātaḥ — given leave; kauśikīm — to the Kauśikī River; etya — coming; brāhmaṇaiḥ — with brāhmaṇas; snātvā — bathing; sarovaram — to the lake; agāt — went; yataḥ — from which; sarayūḥ — the Sarayū River; āsravat — flows out.

TRANSLATION

Then, given leave by the sages, the Lord went with a contingent of brāhmaṇas to the Kauśikī River, where He bathed. From there He went to the lake from which flows the river Sarayū.

VERSE 10.79.10

anu-srotena sarayūṁ
prayāgam upagamya saḥ
snātvā santarpya devādīn
jagāma pulahāśramam

SYNONYMS

anu — following; srotena — its current; sarayūm — along the Sarayū; prayāgam — to Prayāga; upagamya — coming; saḥ — He; snātvā — bathing; santarpya — propitiating; deva-ādīn — the demigods and so on; jagāma — He went; pulaha-āśramam — to the hermitage of Pulaha Ṛṣi.

TRANSLATION

The Lord followed the course of the Sarayū until He came to Prayāga, where He bathed and then performed rituals to propitiate the demigods and other living beings. Next He went to the āśrama of Pulaha Ṛṣi.

VERSE 10.79.11-15

gomatīṁ gaṇḍakīṁ snātvā
vipāśāṁ śoṇa āplutaḥ
gayāṁ gatvā pitṝn iṣṭvā
gaṅgā-sāgara-saṅgame

upaspṛśya mahendrādrau
rāmaṁ dṛṣṭvābhivādya ca
sapta-godāvarīṁ veṇāṁ
pampāṁ bhīmarathīṁ tataḥ

skandaṁ dṛṣṭvā yayau rāmaḥ
śrī-śailaṁ giriśālayam
draviḍeṣu mahā-puṇyaṁ
dṛṣṭvādriṁ veṅkaṭaṁ prabhuḥ

kāma-koṣṇīṁ purīṁ kāñcīṁ
kāverīṁ ca sarid-varām
śrī-rangākhyaṁ mahā-puṇyaṁ
yatra sannihito hariḥ

ṛṣabhādriṁ hareḥ kṣetraṁ
dakṣiṇāṁ mathurāṁ tathā
sāmudraṁ setum agamat
mahā-pātaka-nāśanam

SYNONYMS

gomatīm — at the Gomatī River; gaṇḍakīm — the Gaṇḍakī River; snātvā — bathing; vipāśām — at the Vipāśā River; śoṇe — in the Śoṇa River; āplutaḥ — having immersed Himself; gayām — to Gayā; gatvā — going; pitṝn — His forefathers; iṣṭvā — worshiping; gaṅgā — of the Ganges; sāgara — and the ocean; saṅgame — at the confluence; upaspṛśya — touching water (bathing); mahā-indra-adrau — at the Mahendra Mountain; rāmam — Lord Paraśurāma; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; abhivādya — honoring; ca — and; sapta-godāvarīm — (going) to the convergence of the seven Godāvarīs; veṇām — the Veṇā River; pampām — the Pampā River; bhīmarathīm — and the Bhīmarathī River; tataḥ — then; skandam — Lord Skanda (Kārttikeya); dṛṣṭvā — seeing; yayau — went; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; śrī-śailam — to Śrī-śaila; giri-śa — of Lord Śiva; ālayam — the residence; draviḍeṣu — in the southern provinces; mahā — most; puṇyam — pious; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; adrim — the hill; veṅkaṭam — known as Veṅkaṭa (the abode of Lord Bālajī); prabhuḥ — the Supreme Lord; kāma-koṣṇīm — to Kāmakoṣṇī; purīm kāñcīm — to Kāñcīpuram; kāverīm — to the Kāverī; ca — and; sarit — of rivers; varām — the greatest; śrī-raṅga-ākhyam — known as Śrī-raṅga; mahā-puṇyam — most pious place; yatra — where; sannihitaḥ — manifested; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa (in the form of Raṅganātha); ṛṣabha-adrim — the Ṛṣabha Mountain; hareḥ — of Lord Viṣṇu; kṣetram — the place; dakṣiṇām mathurām — the southern Mathurā (Madurai, the abode of Goddess Mīnākṣī); tathā — also; sāmudram — on the ocean; setum — to the bridge (Setubandha); agamat — He went; mahā — the greatest; pātaka — sins; nāśanam — which destroys.

TRANSLATION

Lord Balarāma bathed in the Gomatī, Gaṇḍakī and Vipāśā rivers, and also immersed Himself in the Śoṇa. He went to Gayā, where He worshiped His forefathers, and to the mouth of the Ganges, where He performed purifying ablutions. At Mount Mahendra He saw Lord Paraśurāma and offered Him prayers, and then He bathed in the seven branches of the Godāvarī River, and also in the rivers Veṇā, Pampā and Bhīmarathī. Then Lord Balarāma met Lord Skanda and visited Śrī-śaila, the abode of Lord Giriśa. In the southern provinces known as Draviḍa-deśa the Supreme Lord saw the sacred Veṅkaṭa Hill, as well as the cities of Kāmakoṣṇī and Kāñcī, the exalted Kāverī River and the most holy Śrī-raṅga, where Lord Kṛṣṇa has manifested Himself. From there He went to Ṛṣabha Mountain, where Lord Kṛṣṇa also lives, and to the southern Mathurā. Then He came to Setubandha, where the most grievous sins are destroyed.

VERSE 10.79.16-17

tatrāyutam adād dhenūr
brāhmaṇebhyo halāyudhaḥ
kṛtamālāṁ tāmraparṇīṁ
malayaṁ ca kulācalam

tatrāgastyaṁ samāsīnaṁ
namaskṛtyābhivādya ca
yojitas tena cāśīrbhir
anujñāto gato ’rṇavam
dakṣiṇaṁ tatra kanyākhyāṁ
durgāṁ devīṁ dadarśa saḥ

SYNONYMS

tatra — there (at Setubandha, known also as Rāmeśvaram); ayutam — ten thousand; adāt — He gave away; dhenūḥ — cows; brahmaṇebhyaḥ — to brāhmaṇas; hala-āyudhaḥ — Lord Balarāma, whose weapon is the plow; kṛtamālām — to the Kṛtamālā River; tāmraparṇīm — the Tāmraparṇī River; malayam — Malaya; ca — and; kula-acalam — the principal mountain range; tatra — there; agastyam — to Agastya Ṛṣi; samāsīnam — sitting (in meditation); namaskṛtya — bowing down; abhivādya — glorifying; ca — and; yojitaḥ — granted; tena — by him; ca — and; āśīrbhiḥ — blessings; anujñātaḥ — given permission to leave; gataḥ — He went; arṇavam — to the ocean; dakṣiṇam — southern; tatra — there; kanyā-ākhyām — known as Kanyā-kumārī; durgām devīm — Goddess Durgā; dadarśa — saw; saḥ — He.

TRANSLATION

There at Setubandha [Rāmeśvaram] Lord Halāyudha gave brāhmaṇas ten thousand cows in charity. He then visited the Kṛtamālā and Tāmraparṇī rivers and the great Malaya Mountains. In the Malaya range Lord Balarāma found Agastya Ṛṣi 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 Durgā in her form of Kanyā-kumārī.

VERSE 10.79.18

tataḥ phālgunam āsādya
pañcāpsarasam uttamam
viṣṇuḥ sannihito yatra
snātvāsparśad gavāyutam

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; phālgunam — Phālguna; āsādya — reaching; pañca-apsarasam — the lake of the five Apsarās; uttamam — exalted; viṣṇuḥ — the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu; sannihitaḥ — manifested; yatra — wherein; snātvā — bathing; asparśat — He touched (as part of the ritual in giving as charity); gava — cows; ayutam — ten thousand.

TRANSLATION

Next He went to Phālguna-tīrtha and bathed in the sacred Pañcāpsarā Lake, where Lord Viṣṇu had directly manifested Himself. At this place He gave away another ten thousand cows.

VERSE 10.79.19-21

tato ’bhivrajya bhagavān
keralāṁs tu trigartakān
gokarṇākhyaṁ śiva-kṣetraṁ
sānnidhyaṁ yatra dhūrjaṭeḥ

āryāṁ dvaipāyanīṁ dṛṣṭvā
śūrpārakam agād balaḥ
tāpīṁ payoṣṇīṁ nirvindhyām
upaspṛśyātha daṇḍakam

praviśya revām agamad
yatra māhiṣmatī purī
manu-tīrtham upaspṛśya
prabhāsaṁ punar āgamat

SYNONYMS

tataḥ — then; abhivrajya — traveling; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; keralān — through the kingdom of Kerala; tu — and; trigartakān — Trigarta; gokarṇa-ākhyam — named Gokarṇa (on the coast of the Arabian Sea in northern Karnataka); śiva-kṣetram — the place sacred to Lord Śiva; sānnidhyam — manifestation; yatra — where; dhūrjaṭeḥ — of Lord Śiva; āryām — the honored goddess (Pārvatī, wife of Lord Śiva); dvaipa — on an island (off the coast near Gokarṇa); ayanīm — who resides; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; śūrpārakam — to the holy district of Śūrpāraka; agāt — went; balaḥ — Lord Balarāma; tāpīm payoṣṇīm nirvindhyām — to the Tāpī, Payoṣṇī and Nirvindhyā rivers; upaspṛśya — touching water; atha — next; daṇḍakam — the Daṇḍaka forest; praviśya — entering; revām — to the Revā River; agamat — He went; yatra — where; māhiṣmatī purī — the city of Māhiṣmatī; manu-tīrtham — to Manu-tīrtha; upaspṛśya — touching water; prabhāsam — to Prabhāsa; punaḥ — again; āgamat — He came.

TRANSLATION

The Supreme Lord then traveled through the kingdoms of Kerala and Trigarta, visiting Lord Śiva’s sacred city of Gokarṇa, where Lord Dhūrjaṭi [Śiva] directly manifests himself. After also visiting Goddess Pārvatī, who dwells on an island, Lord Balarāma went to the holy district of Śūrpāraka and bathed in the Tāpī, Payoṣṇī and Nirvindhyā rivers. He next entered the Daṇḍaka forest and went to the river Revā, along which the city of Māhiṣmatī is found. Then He bathed at Manu-tīrtha and finally returned to Prabhāsa.

VERSE 10.79.22

śrutvā dvijaiḥ kathyamānaṁ
kuru-pāṇḍava-saṁyuge
sarva-rājanya-nidhanaṁ
bhāraṁ mene hṛtaṁ bhuvaḥ

SYNONYMS

śrutvā — hearing; dvijaiḥ — by brāhmaṇas; kathyamānam — being related; kuru-pāṇḍava — between the Kurus and the Pāṇḍavas; saṁyuge — in the battle; sarva — of all; rājanya — kings; nidhanam — the annihilation; bhāram — the burden; mene — He thought; hṛtam — removed; bhuvaḥ — of the earth.

TRANSLATION

The Lord heard from some brāhmaṇas how all the kings involved in the battle between the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas had been killed. From this He concluded that the earth was now relieved of her burden.

VERSE 10.79.23

sa bhīma-duryodhanayor
gadābhyāṁ yudhyator mṛdhe
vārayiṣyan vinaśanaṁ
jagāma yadu-nandanaḥ

SYNONYMS

saḥ — He, Lord Balarāma; bhīma-duryodhanayoḥ — Bhīma and Duryodhana; gadābhyām — with clubs; yudhyatoḥ — who were fighting; mṛdhe — on the battlefield; vārayiṣyan — intending to stop; vinaśanam — to the battlefield; jagāma — went; yadu — of the Yadus; nandanaḥ — the beloved son (Lord Balarāma).

TRANSLATION

Wanting to stop the club fight then raging between Bhīma and Duryodhana on the battlefield, Lord Balarāma went to Kurukṣetra.

VERSE 10.79.24

yudhiṣṭhiras tu taṁ dṛṣṭvā
yamau kṛṣṇārjunāv api
abhivādyābhavaṁs tuṣṇīṁ
kiṁ vivakṣur ihāgataḥ

SYNONYMS

yudhiṣṭhiraḥ — King Yudhiṣṭhira; tu — but; tam — Him, Lord Balarāma; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; yamau — the twin brothers, Nakula and Sahadeva; kṛṣṇa-arjunau — Lord Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna; api — also; abhivādya — offering obeisances; abhavan — they were; tuṣṇīm — silent; kim — what; vivakṣuḥ — intending to say; iha — here; āgataḥ — has come.

TRANSLATION

When Yudhiṣṭhira, Lord Kṛṣṇa, Arjuna and the twin brothers Nakula and Sahadeva saw Lord Balarāma, they offered Him respectful obeisances but said nothing, thinking “What has He come here to tell us?”

VERSE 10.79.25

gadā-pāṇī ubhau dṛṣṭvā
saṁrabdhau vijayaiṣiṇau
maṇḍalāni vicitrāṇi
carantāv idam abravīt

SYNONYMS

gadā — with clubs; pāṇī — in their hands; ubhau — both of them, Duryodhana and Bhīma; dṛṣṭvā — seeing; saṁrabdhau — furious; vijaya — victory; eṣiṇau — striving for; maṇḍalāni — circles; vicitrāṇi — artistic; carantau — moving in; idam — this; abravīt — He said.

TRANSLATION

Lord Balarāma found Duryodhana and Bhīma with clubs in their hands, each furiously striving for victory over the other as they circled about skillfully. The Lord addressed them as follows.

VERSE 10.79.26

yuvāṁ tulya-balau vīrau
he rājan he vṛkodara
ekaṁ prāṇādhikaṁ manye
utaikaṁ śikṣayādhikam

SYNONYMS

yuvām — you two; tulya — equal; balau — in prowess; vīrau — warriors; he rājan — O King (Duryodhana); he vṛkodara — O Bhīma; ekam — one; prāṇa — in terms of vital force; adhikam — greater; manye — I consider; uta — on the other hand; ekam — one; śikṣayā — in terms of training; adhikam — greater.

TRANSLATION

[Lord Balarāma said:] King Duryodhana! And Bhīma! 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.

VERSE 10.79.27

tasmād ekatarasyeha
yuvayoḥ sama-vīryayoḥ
na lakṣyate jayo ’nyo vā
viramatv aphalo raṇaḥ

SYNONYMS

tasmāt — therefore; ekatarasya — of either of the two; iha — here; yuvayoḥ — of you; sama — equal; vīryayoḥ — whose prowess; na lakṣyate — cannot be seen; jayaḥ — victory; anyaḥ — the opposite (defeat); — or; viramatu — it should stop; aphalaḥ — fruitless; raṇaḥ — 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.

VERSE 10.79.28

na tad-vākyaṁ jagṛhatur
baddha-vairau nṛpārthavat
anusmarantāv anyonyaṁ
duruktaṁ duṣkṛtāni ca

SYNONYMS

na — not; tat — His; vākyam — words; jagṛhatuḥ — the two of them accepted; baddha — fixed; vairau — whose enmity; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); artha-vat — sensible; anusmarantau — continuing to remember; anyonyam — about each other; duruktam — the harsh words; duṣkṛtāni — the misdeeds; ca — also.

TRANSLATION

[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] They did not accept Lord Balarāma’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.

VERSE 10.79.29

diṣṭaṁ tad anumanvāno
rāmo dvāravatīṁ yayau
ugrasenādibhiḥ prītair
jñātibhiḥ samupāgataḥ

SYNONYMS

diṣṭam — fate; tat — that; anumanvānaḥ — deciding; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma; dvāravatīm — to Dvārakā; yayau — went; ugrasena-ādibhiḥ — headed by Ugrasena; prītaiḥ — delighted; jñātibhiḥ — by His family members; samupāgataḥ — greeted.

TRANSLATION

Concluding that the battle was the arrangement of fate, Lord Balarāma went back to Dvārakā. There He was greeted by Ugrasena and His other relatives, who were all delighted to see Him.

VERSE 10.79.30

taṁ punar naimiṣaṁ prāptam
ṛṣayo ’yājayan mudā
kratv-aṅgaṁ kratubhiḥ sarvair
nivṛttākhila-vigraham

SYNONYMS

tam — Him, Lord Balarāma; punaḥ — again; naimiṣam — at Naimiṣāraṇya; prāptam — arrived; ṛṣayaḥ — the sages; ayājayan — engaged in performing Vedic sacrifices; mudā — with pleasure; kratu — of all sacrifices; aṅgam — the embodiment; kratubhiḥ — with ritualistic performances; sarvaiḥ — all varieties; nivṛtta — who had renounced; akhila — all; vigraham — warfare.

TRANSLATION

Later Lord Balarāma returned to Naimiṣāraṇya, where the sages joyfully engaged Him, the embodiment of all sacrifice, in performing various kinds of Vedic sacrifice. Lord Balarāma was now retired from warfare.

VERSE 10.79.31

tebhyo viśuddhaṁ vijñānaṁ
bhagavān vyatarad vibhuḥ
yenaivātmany ado viśvam
ātmānaṁ viśva-gaṁ viduḥ

SYNONYMS

tebhyaḥ — upon them; viśuddham — perfectly pure; vijñānam — divine knowledge; bhagavān — the Supreme Lord; vyatarat — bestowed; vibhuḥ — the Almighty; yena — by which; eva — indeed; ātmani — within Himself, the Supreme Lord; adaḥ — this; viśvam — universe; ātmānam — Himself; viśva-gam — pervading the universe; viduḥ — they could perceive.

TRANSLATION

The all-powerful Lord Balarāma bestowed upon the sages pure spiritual knowledge, by which they could see the whole universe within Him and also see Him pervading everything.

VERSE 10.79.32

sva-patyāvabhṛtha-snāto
jñāti-bandhu-suhṛd-vṛtaḥ
reje sva-jyotsnayevenduḥ
su-vāsāḥ suṣṭhv alaṅkṛtaḥ

SYNONYMS

sva — together with His; patyā — wife; avabhṛtha — with the avabhṛtha ritual, which marks the end of sacrificial initiation; snātaḥ — having bathed; jñāti — by His immediate family members; bandhu — other relatives; suhṛt — and friends; vṛtaḥ — surrounded; reje — He appeared splendid; sva-jyotsnayā — with its own rays; iva — as; induḥ — the moon; su — well; vāsāḥ — dressed; suṣṭhu — nicely; alaṅkṛtaḥ — adorned.

TRANSLATION

After executing with His wife the avabhṛtha ablutions, the beautifully dressed and ornamented Lord Balarāma, encircled by His immediate family and other relatives and friends, looked as splendid as the moon surrounded by its effulgent rays.

VERSE 10.79.33

īdṛg-vidhāny asaṅkhyāni
balasya bala-śālinaḥ
anantasyāprameyasya
māyā-martyasya santi hi

SYNONYMS

īdṛk-vidhāni — of this sort; asaṅkhyāni — uncountable; balasya — of Lord Balarāma; bala-śālinaḥ — mighty; anantasya — unlimited; aprameyasya — immeasurable; māyā — 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 Balarāma, the unlimited and immeasurable Supreme Lord, whose mystic Yoga-māyā power makes Him appear to be a human being.

VERSE 10.79.34

yo ’nusmareta rāmasya
karmāṇy adbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
sāyaṁ prātar anantasya
viṣṇoḥ sa dayito bhavet

SYNONYMS

yaḥ — whoever; anusmareta — regularly remembers; rāmasya — of Lord Balarāma; karmāṇi — the activities; adbhuta — amazing; karmaṇaḥ — all of whose activities; sāyam — at dusk; prātaḥ — at dawn; anantasya — who is unlimited; viṣṇoḥ — to the Supreme Lord, Viṣṇu; saḥ — he; dayitaḥ — dear; bhavet — becomes.

TRANSLATION

All the activities of the unlimited Lord Balarāma are amazing. Anyone who regularly remembers them at dawn and dusk will become very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Viṣṇu.