VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Chapter 67
Balarâma Slays the Ape Dvivida
This chapter describes how Lord Baladeva enjoyed the company of the young girls of Vraja on Raivataka Mountain and killed the ape Dvivida there.
Narakāsura, a demon whom Lord Kṛṣṇa killed, had a friend named Dvivida, an ape. Dvivida wanted to avenge the death of his friend, so he set fire to the homes of the cowherds, devastated Lord Kṛṣṇa's province of Ānarta and flooded coastal lands by churning the ocean's water with his mighty arms. The rascal then tore down the trees in the āśramas of great sages and even passed stool and urine on their sacrificial fires. He kidnapped men and women and imprisoned them in mountain caves, which he sealed off with boulders. After thus disrupting the entire land and polluting many young women of respectable families, Dvivida came upon Raivataka Mountain, where he found Lord Baladeva enjoying in the company of a bevy of attractive women. Ignoring Lord Baladeva, who was apparently intoxicated from drinking Vāruṇī liquor, Dvivida displayed his anus to the women right in front of the Lord and further insulted them by making crude gestures with his eyebrows and passing stool and urine.
Dvivida's outrageous behavior angered Lord Baladeva, and He threw a stone at the ape. But Dvivida managed to dodge it. He then ridiculed Lord Baladeva and tugged at the women's dresses. Seeing this audacity, Lord Baladeva decided to kill Dvivida. Thus He took up His club and His plow weapon. Powerful Dvivida then armed himself by pulling up a śāla tree from the ground, and with this tree he struck the Lord on the head. Lord Baladeva, however, remained unmoved and smashed the tree trunk to pieces. Dvivida uprooted another tree, and yet another and another, until the forest was denuded. But although he struck Baladeva on the head with one tree after another, the Lord simply broke all the trees to pieces. Then the foolish ape started throwing a barrage of stones. Lord Baladeva crushed them all to powder, after which Dvivida charged the Lord and hit Him on the chest with his fists, infuriating Him. Putting aside His club and plow weapons, Lord Balarāma then struck Dvivida's throat and shoulder, at which point the ape vomited blood and fell down dead.
Having killed Dvivida, Lord Baladeva set off for Dvārakā as demigods and sages showered flowers from the sky and offered Him praises, prayers and obeisances.
10.67.1
śrī-rājovāca
rāmasyādbhuta-karmaṇaḥ
anantasyāprameyasya
(1) The honorable king said: 'I wish to hear further of Râma the Unlimited and Immeasurable One whose activities are so amazing; what else did the Prabhu do?'
10.67.2
(2) S'rî S'uka said: 'There was a certain ape named Dvivida ['the two-faced one'], a friend of Naraka [or Bhaumâsura, see 10.59], who as the mighty brother of Mainda had been Sugrîva [the monkey-chief, see also 9.10: 32] his adviser [*].
some interesting facts about the ape Dvivida. Although Dvivida was an associate of Lord Rāmacandra's, he later became corrupted by bad association with the demon Naraka, as stated here: narakasya sakhā. This bad association was the reaction for an offense Dvivida had committed when, being proud of his strength, he disrespected Lord Rāmacandra's brother Lakṣmaṇa and others. Those who worship Lord Rāmacandra sometimes chant hymns addressed to Mainda and Dvivida, who are attendant deities of the Lord. According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the Mainda and Dvivida mentioned in this verse are empowered expansions of these deities, who are residents of Lord Rāmacandra's Vaikuṇṭha domain.
that Dvivida was ruined by bad association, which was a punishment for his having disrespected Śrīmān Lakṣmaṇa. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states, however, that the Mainda and Dvivida mentioned here are actually the eternally liberated devotees addressed as attendant deities during the worship of Lord Rāmacandra. The Lord arranged their degradation, he says, to show the evil of the bad association that results from offending great personalities. Thus Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī compares the fall of Dvivida and Mainda to that of Jaya and Vijaya.
10.67.3
(3) The ape to avenge his friend [who was killed by Krishna] wreaked havoc setting fire to the cities, villages, mines and cowherd communities of the kingdom.
Kṛṣṇa had killed Dvivida's friend Naraka, and to retaliate the ape intended to destroy Lord Kṛṣṇa's flourishing kingdom. In Kṛṣṇa Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "His first business was to set fires in villages, towns, and industrial and mining places, as well as the residential quarters of the mercantile men who were busy dairy farming and protecting cows."
10.67.4
tair deśān samacūrṇayat
(4) Some day he tore loose rocks and devastated with them all the lands of the province of Ânarta, especially at those places where the Killer of his friend, the Lord, dwelt [in Dvârakâ].
10.67.5
deśān nāgāyuta-prāṇo
(5) The other day stood he at the shore in the midst of the ocean to churn with a force of ten thousand elephants with his arms the ocean its water and flooded he the coastal regions.
10.67.6
adūṣayac chakṛn-mūtrair
(6) At the âs'ramas of the exalted seers he wickedly broke down the trees and fouled the sacrificial fires with urine and stool.
10.67.7
nikṣipya cāpyadhāc chailaiḥ
peśaṣkārīva kīṭakam
(7) Like a wasp hiding an insect, threw he brutally men and women in a mountain valley in caves which he sealed with large boulders.
10.67.8
(8) Thus ravaging the lands and [even] defiling women of standing went he, [some day] hearing the sweetest music, to the mountain named Raivataka.
10.67.9-10
sudarśanīya-sarvāńgaḿ
(9-10) There he saw Balarâma the Lord of the Yadus wearing a lotus garland, most attractive in all His limbs in the midst of a bevy of women while He with rolling eyes was singing, intoxicated of drinking vârunî [see also 10.65: 19]. His body had therewith a brilliant glow like that of an elephant in rut.
10.67.11
(11) The mischievous tree-dweller climbed on a branch and presented himself by shaking the tree and crying out frantically.
The word śākhā-mṛga indicates that the ape Dvivida, like ordinary apes, was naturally inclined to climb trees. Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "This gorilla by the name Dvivida could climb up on the trees and jump from one branch to another. Sometimes he would jerk the branches, creating a particular type of sound — kilakilā — so that Lord Balarāma was greatly distracted from the pleasing atmosphere."
10.67.12
tasya dhārṣṭyaḿ kaper vīkṣya
(12) Seeing his impudence laughed Baladeva's consorts out aloud; as women in for some fun they at first thought little of it.
10.67.13
bhrū-kṣepair sammukhādibhiḥ
(13) The ape ridiculed them with odd gestures of his eyebrows and such and showed right in front of them as Râma was watching, his arse to them.
"The gorilla was so rude that even in the presence of Balarāma he began to show the lower part of his body to the women, and sometimes he would come forward to show his teeth while moving his eyebrows." Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī states that Dvivida would come right up to the women and move about, urinate and so on.
10.67.14-15
vāsāḿsy āsphālayad balam
vipracakre madoddhataḥ
(14-15) Balarâma, the best of launchers, threw angry a rock at him, but the rascal ape made fun of Him dodging it and seizing the jar of liquor, and further aggravated Him by wickedly laughing breaking the jar and pulling the ladies' clothes; and thus was he, with all his power, full of false pride with his insults offending the Strong One.
10.67.16
(16) Faced with his rudeness and the ravage all around created by his terror, took He angry up His club and plow, decided to kill the enemy.
The word avinayam means "without humility." Dvivida, completely lacking in modesty and humility, shamelessly performed the most wicked activities. Lord Balarāma knew of the great disturbances Dvivida had caused to people in general, apart from the vulgar behavior the ape was exhibiting in the Lord's own presence. The offensive ape would now have to die.
10.67.17
(17) Dvivida also of great talents uprooted a s'âla tree with one hand and struck swiftly approaching Balarâma on the head with it.
10.67.18
(18) But Sankarshana like a mountain unshaken most strong took hold of it as it descended on His head and struck him back with Sunanda [His club].
10.67.19-21
mūṣalāhata-mastiṣko
prahāraḿ nānucintayan
tenāhanat su-sańkruddhas
(19-21) Hit by the club on his skull looked he with the resulting downpour of blood as nice as a mountain red of oxide. On his turn charged he next, ignoring the blow, uprooting and stripping another tree violently again, but Balarâma now enraged smashed it into a hundred pieces just as He did with another one that was taken up with great fury.
10.67.22
nirvṛkṣam akarod vanam
(22) By the Supreme Lord time and again being beaten and beaten, stripped he that way raging with his uprooting the forest of all its trees.
10.67.23
balasyopary amarṣitaḥ
līlayā muṣalāyudhaḥ
(23) When he, frustrated, next released a hail of stones over Baladeva, pulverized the Wielder of the Club them all with ease.
"When no more trees were available, Dvivida took help from the hills and threw large pieces of stone, like rainfall, upon the body of Balarāma. Lord Balarāma, in a great sporting mood, began to smash those big pieces of stone into mere pebbles." Even today there are many sports wherein people enjoy striking a ball or similar object with a stick or bat. This sporting propensity exists originally in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who playfully (līlayā) pulverized the deadly boulders hurled at Him by the powerful Dvivida.
10.67.24
(24) With the both his arms as big as palm trees clenching his fists, charged the champion of the apes now the Son of Rohinî and beated he Him on the chest.
10.67.25
jatrāv abhyardayat kruddhaḥ
(25) The Great Lord of the Yadus thereupon threw aside His club and plow and hammered with His hands him furiously on the collarbone so that Dvivida fell down vomiting blood.
This time Lord Balarāma became most angry. Since the gorilla was striking Him with his hands, He would not strike him back with His own weapons, the club or the plow. Simply with His fists He began to strike the collarbone of the gorilla. This striking proved to be fatal to Dvivida."
10.67.26
vāyunā naur ivāmbhasi
(26) Of the impact of him shook the mountain with all its cliffs and trees, o tiger among the Kurus, like it was a boat in the water tossed by the wind.
The word ṭańka here indicates not only the mountain cliffs but also the fissures and other spots where water had accumulated. All these mountainous areas shook and trembled when Dvivida fell.
10.67.27
(27) Sounding 'Jaya!', 'All glories!' and 'Excellent!', poured the enlightened, the perfected and the great sages residing in heaven down a shower of flowers.
10.67.28
jagad-vyatikarāvaham
saḿstūyamāno bhagavān
(28) Thus having finished Dvivida who wreaked havoc in the world, was the Supreme Lord upon entering the city by the people glorified with hymns.'
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Sixty-seventh Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Lord Balarāma Slays Dvivida Gorilla."
Canto 10
Chapter 68
The Marriage of Sâmba and the Kuru City Dragged Trembling of His Anger
This chapter describes how the Kauravas captured Sāmba and how Lord Baladeva dragged the city of Hastināpura to secure his release.
Sāmba, the darling son of Jāmbavatī, kidnapped Duryodhana's daughter Lakṣmaṇā from her svayaḿ-vara assembly. In response, the Kauravas joined forces to arrest him. After Sāmba held them off single-handedly for some time, six warriors of the Kaurava party deprived him of his chariot, broke his bow to pieces, seized him, tied him up and brought both him and Lakṣmaṇā back to Hastināpura.
When King Ugrasena heard of Sāmba's capture, he called upon the Yādavas to retaliate. Angered, they prepared to fight, but Lord Balarāma pacified them, hoping to avoid a quarrel between the Kuru and Yadu dynasties. The Lord set off for Hastināpura, together with several brāhmaṇas and Yādava elders.
The party of Yādavas set up camp in a garden outside the city, and Lord Balarāma sent Uddhava to ascertain King Dhṛtarāṣṭra's frame of mind. When Uddhava appeared in the Kaurava court and announced Lord Balarāma's arrival, the Kauravas worshiped Uddhava and went to see the Lord, taking auspicious items to offer Him. The Kauravas honored Balarāma with rituals and items of respect, but when He conveyed Ugrasena's demand that they release Sāmba, they became angry. "It is very amazing," they said, "that the Yādavas are trying to give orders to the Kauravas. This is like a shoe trying to climb atop one's head. It is from us alone that the Yādavas have obtained their royal thrones, and yet now they are presuming themselves our equals. No longer will we extend to them royal privileges."
Having said this, the Kaurava nobles went inside their city, and Lord Baladeva decided that the only way to deal with those who are maddened by false prestige is through brute punishment. Thus He took His plow weapon and, intending to rid the earth of all the Kurus, began dragging Hastināpura toward the Ganges. Seeing that their city was in imminent danger of falling into the river, the terrified Kauravas quickly brought Sāmba and Lakṣmaṇā before Lord Balarāma and began to glorify Him. Then they prayed, "O Lord, please forgive us, who were so ignorant of Your true identity."
Baladeva assured the Kauravas He would not harm them, and Duryodhana presented various wedding gifts to his daughter and new son-in-law. Then Duryodhana, extending his greetings to the Yādavas, requested Lord Baladeva to return to Dvārakā with Sāmba and Lakṣmaṇā.
10.68.1
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'O King, the daughter of Duryodhana named Lakshmanâ was by Sâmba ['with the mother'], the son of Jâmbavatî who was always victorious in battle, abducted from her svayamvara.
"Duryodhana, the son of Dhṛtarāṣṭra, had a marriageable daughter by the name of Lakṣmaṇā. She was a very highly qualified girl of the Kuru dynasty, and many princes wanted to marry her. In such cases the svayaḿ-vara ceremony is held so that the girl may select her husband according to her own choice. In Lakṣmaṇā's svayaḿ-vara assembly, when the girl was to select her husband, Sāmba appeared. He was the son of Kṛṣṇa by Jāmbavatī, one of the chief wives of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This son Sāmba is so named because, being a very bad child, he always lived close to his mother. The name Sāmba indicates that this son was very much his mother's pet. Ambā means "mother," and sa means "with." So this special name was given to him because he always remained with his mother. He was also known as Jāmbavatī-suta for the same reason. As previously explained, all the sons of Kṛṣṇa were as qualified as their great father, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Sāmba wanted the daughter of Duryodhana, Lakṣmaṇā, although she was not inclined to have him. Therefore Sāmba kidnapped Lakṣmaṇā by force from the svayaḿ-vara ceremony."
10.68.2
(2) The Kauravas said angered: 'How ill-behaved this boy insulting us is, in his by force taking the maiden against her will.
10.68.3
badhnītemaḿ durvinītaḿ
ye 'smat-prasādopacitāḿ
(3) Arrest him who is so undisciplined; what can the Vrishnis do against it? By our grace they acquired the land we gave them to enjoy!
10.68.4
yady eṣyantīha vṛṣṇayaḥ
(4) If the Vrishnis, learning that their son was captured, get over here, will we break their pride so that they will find peace the way the senses will when they're properly brought under control.'
10.68.5
kuru-vṛddhānumoditāḥ
(5) Having said this set Karna, S'ala, Bhûri, Yajñaketu [or Bhuris'ravâ] and Duryodhana, with the permission of the Kuru-eldest [Bhîshma], out to fight Sâmba.
that the elder of the Kurus mentioned here is Bhīṣma, who gave permission to the younger men as follows: "Since this maiden has now been touched by Sāmba, she cannot take any other husband. He must become her husband. Nonetheless, you should arrest him and tie him up to make a statement about his impropriety and our own prowess. But in no case should he be killed." The ācārya also adds that Bhīṣma accompanied the five warriors mentioned in this verse.
10.68.6
dṛṣṭvānudhāvataḥ sāmbo
(6) As soon as the great warrior Sâmba saw the followers of Dhritarâshthra rushing toward him, took he up his splendid bow and stood he singlehanded his ground like a lion.
10.68.7
taḿ te jighṛkṣavaḥ kruddhās
tiṣṭha tiṣṭheti bhāṣiṇaḥ
karṇāgraṇyaḥ samākiran
(7) Determined to capture him said they who were headed by Karna full of anger: 'You stand, stand and fight', upon which the bowmen, getting before him, showered him with arrows.
10.68.8
nāmṛṣyat tad acintyārbhaḥ
(8) He the son of the Yadus, o best of the Kurus, unjustly by the Kurus [- by the lot of them -] attacked, could, as the child of the Inconceivable One [Krishna], not tolerate that anymore than a lion would tolerate such a thing of lower animals.
Commenting on the word acintyārbha, Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in Kṛṣṇa, "Sāmba, the glorious son of the Yadu dynasty, [was] endowed with inconceivable potencies as the son of Lord Kṛṣṇa."
10.68.9-10
caturbhiś caturo vāhān
rathinaś ca maheṣvāsāḿs
(9-10) Twanging his wonderful bow pierced the hero all by himself, in one move, six warriors of Karna using as many arrows for their chariots: four arrows were there for each team of four horses and one arrow for each its charioteer and warrior. For that feat of arms was he by the great bowmen then honored.
"While Sāmba was so diligently fighting alone with the six great warriors, they all appreciated the inconceivable potency of the boy. Even in the midst of fighting, they admitted frankly that this boy Sāmba was wonderful."
10.68.11
catvāraś caturo hayān
cicchedaṇyaḥ śarāsanam
(11) With four of them striking his horses, one his charioteer and one splitting his bow, drove they him out of his chariot.
10.68.12
kṛcchreṇa kuravo yudhi
(12) Once they in the fight had the young boy out of his chariot, tied the Kurus him up and turned they, with their girl, victoriously back to their city.
"The great sage Nārada immediately carried the news to the Yadu dynasty that Sāmba was arrested and told them the whole story. The members of the Yadu dynasty became very angry at Sāmba's being arrested, and improperly so by six warriors. Now with the permission of the head of the Yadu dynasty's King, Ugrasena, they prepared to attack the capital city of the Kuru dynasty."
10.68.13
tac chrutvā nāradoktena
(13) When they heard from Nârada Muni about this o King, got they [the Yadus] angry with the Kurus [see also 10.49: 27] and prepared they, on the command of Ugrasena, for war.
10.68.14-15
naicchat kurūṇāḿ vṛṣṇīnāḿ
rathenāditya-varcasā
brāhmaṇaiḥ kula-vṛddhaiś ca
(14-15) But Râma, He who purifies the Age of Quarrel [Kali-yuga], not wishing a quarrel between the Vrishnis and Kurus, calmed down the Vrishni heroes and went with His chariot, that shone like the sun, to Hastinâpura. Surrounded by the brahmins and the elders of the family looked He like the moon with the seven planets [then known, see also 5.22].
10.68.16
gatvā gajāhvayaḿ rāmo
bāhyopavanam āsthitaḥ
(16) Reaching Hastinâpura remained Râma outside in a park and sent He Uddhava ahead to find out what Dhritarâshthra had in mind.
"When Lord Balarāma reached the precincts of the city of Hastināpura, He did not enter but stationed Himself in a camp outside the city in a small garden house. Then He asked Uddhava to see the leaders of the Kuru dynasty and inquire from them whether they wanted to fight with the Yadu dynasty or to make a settlement."
10.68.17
so 'bhivandyāmbikā-putraḿ
(17) He, offering his respects to the son of Ambikâ [Dhritarâshthra], to Bhîshma and Drona, Bâhlika and Duryodhana, informed them that Râma had arrived.
that there is no reference here to Uddhava offering respect to Yudhiṣṭhira and his associates, since at that time the Pāṇḍavas were staying in Indraprastha.
10.68.18
tam arcayitvābhiyayuḥ
(18) They, extremely pleased to hear that He, Balarâma, their Dearest Friend had arrived, all, after duly paying him their respects, went forth to meet Him with auspicious offerings in their hands.
"The leaders of the Kuru dynasty, especially Dhṛtarāṣṭra and Duryodhana, were very joyful because they knew very well that Lord Balarāma was a great well-wisher of their family. There were no bounds to their joy on hearing the news, and so immediately they welcomed Uddhava. In order to properly receive Lord Balarāma, they all took in their hands auspicious paraphernalia for His reception and went to see Him outside the city door."
10.68.19
(19) Going up to Balarâma presented they, as was proper, cows and water to welcome Him and bowed they who knew of His power their heads down.
10.68.20
parasparam atho rāmo
(20) Inquiring with one another whether their relatives were hale and hearty spoke Râma next straight from His heart the words:
"They all exchanged words of reception by asking one another of their welfare. When such formality was finished, Lord Balarāma, in a great voice and very patiently, submitted before them the following words for their consideration."
10.68.21
ugrasenaḥ kṣiteśeśo
(21) 'With undivided attention having taken notice of what Ugrasena our master, the ruler of the rulers of the earth, has demanded of you, should you without delay act accordingly. [He has said:]
10.68.22
jitvādharmeṇa dhārmikam
(22) 'Your in defiance of the rules with the many of you defeating and tying up but a single man who did follow the codes [of war], do I, wishing to keep unity among relatives, tolerate... [but I do not wish to see that continued and thus want you to release Sâmba].'
10.68.23
kuravo baladevasya
niśamyocuḥ prakopitāḥ
(23) Hearing the words of Baladeva that befitting His own power were filled with potency, courage and strength answered the Kauravas enraged:
10.68.24
ārurukṣaty upānad vai
(24) 'Oh what a great wonder the inescapable movement of Time is; now is that what is a shoe trying to climb on top of the head that is ornamented with a crown!
By the words kāla-gatyā duratyayā, "the insurmountable movement of time," the intolerant Kurus allude to the degraded age of Kali, which was about to begin. Here the Kurus indicate that the fallen age of Kali had indeed already begun, since they claim that now "the shoe wants to climb on the head that bears the royal crown." In other words, they thought that the lowly Yadus now wanted to rise above the royal Kurus.
10.68.25
saha-śayyāsanāśanāḥ
asmad-datta-nṛpāsanāḥ
(25) With these Vrishnis who are connected to us by marriage ties, we share our beds, seats and meals. We treated them as equals and gave them their thrones.
10.68.26
(26) Because we looked the other way could they enjoy the pair of yak-tail fans, the conch shell, the white sunshade, the crown, the throne and the royal bed [compare: 10.60: 10-20].
the Kurus were thinking, "They [the Yadus] should not have used such royal paraphernalia in our presence, but we did not check them due to our family relationships." By using the words asmad-upekṣayā, the Kurus mean to say, "They were able to use these royal insignia because we did not take the matter seriously." As explained by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, the Kurus thought, "Showing concern about their use of these items would have been a sign of respect, but in fact we do not have such respect for them.... Since they are of inferior families, they are not to be respected, and so we pay no regard to them."
10.68.27
dātuḥ pratīpaiḥ phaṇinām ivāmṛtam
(27) Enough with us allowing the Yadus the symbols of the gods among men. Those symbols work as much to the disadvantage of the giver [that we are] as giving nectar to snakes. The Yadus, who could prosper by our grace, now assuming the command have lost all shame indeed.
10.68.28
katham indro 'pi kurubhir
bhīṣma-droṇārjunādibhiḥ
(28) How would even Indra dare to appropriate what is not given by Bhîshma, Drona, Arjuna or the other Kurus: it's like a sheep claiming a lions kill!'
10.68.29
madās te bharatarṣabha
(29) The son of Vyâsa said: 'They who in their arrogance over the birth, relations and the opulences that made them great, o best of the Bharatas, as rude men with harsh words made this clear to Râma, then returned to the city.
10.68.30
śrutvāvācyāni cācyutaḥ
(30) Faced with the bad character of the Kurus and hearing their unbecoming words said the Infallible Lord infuriated, repeatedly laughing and without presenting Himself nicely:
10.68.31
śāntiḿ necchanty asādhavaḥ
(31) 'Driven by their various passions having a big mouth are these dishonest people truly not desiring the peace. They evidently need to be pacified with physical punishment like animals one has to beat with a stick!
10.68.32-33
sāntvayitvāham eteṣāḿ
śamam icchann ihāgataḥ
kalahābhiratāḥ khalāḥ
durbhāṣān mānino 'bruvan
(32-33) Oh, looking for peace with these people I came here, tactfully having calmed the Yadus who boiled with anger as also Krishna who was mad; and those very same dull-headed people addicted to quarreling now full of conceit have the audacity to use, in their wickedness of not repecting Him - Me thus -, this kind of harsh words!
10.68.34
nograsenaḥ kila vibhur
bhoja-vṛṣṇy-andhakeśvaraḥ
yasyādeśānuvartinaḥ
(34) And Ugrasena wouldn't be fit to command the Bhojas, Vrishnis and Andhakas while S'akra ['the powerful one' or Indra] and other rulers follow his orders??
10.68.35
sudharmākramyate yena
pārijāto 'marāńghripaḥ
na kilādhyāsanārhaṇaḥ
(35) And He [Krishna], sitting in Sudharmâ [the heavenly council-hall], thanks to whom the pârijâta tree brought down from the immortals is enjoyed [see 10.59: 38-39], that same One wouldn't even be fit an elevated seat???
Here Lord Balarāma angrily states, "Never mind the Yadus — these rascal Kauravas even dare to insult Lord Kṛṣṇa!"
10.68.36
chrīr upāste 'khileśvarī
(36) He, the Ruler of the Complete, whose two feet the Goddess of Fortune herself worships; He, truly the Lord of S'rî, wouldn't deserve the paraphernalia of a human king?!?!
10.68.37
(37) He of whom all the exalted rulers of the world on their helmets hold the dust of His lotuslike feet; the place of worship of all holy places of whom Brahmâ, S'iva and I also next to the goddess, as portions of a portion, also constantly carry the dust with care; where would His royal throne be?????!
The Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī, the place of pilgrimage especially referred to here is the Ganges River. The Ganges water is inundating the whole world, and since it is emanating from Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, its banks have turned into great places of pilgrimage.
10.68.38
(38) The Vrishnis would enjoy but a small piece of land granted to them by the Kurus? And We to that would be the so-called shoes, while the Kurus would be the head then?!!!?
10.68.39
asambaddhā giṛo rukṣāḥ
kaḥ sahetānuśāsītā
(39) Ah those proud madmen intoxicated by their would-be power of rule, what man in command can tolerate their inconsistent, dismal drivel?
10.68.40
kariṣyāmīty amarṣitaḥ
(40) Today I'll rid the earth of the Kauravas!', and thus speaking took He enraged His plow and rose He up as if he would set fire to the three worlds.
10.68.41
lāńgalāgreṇa nagaram
prahariṣyann amarṣitaḥ
(41) With the tip of His plow He infuriated tore close the city of Hastinâpura and dragged her along with the intention to throw her into the Ganges.
"Lord Balarāma seemed so furious that He looked as if He could burn the whole cosmic creation to ashes. He stood up steadily and, taking His plow in His hand, began striking the earth with it. In this way the whole city of Hastināpura was separated from the earth. Lord Balarāma then began to drag the city toward the flowing water of the river Ganges. Because of this, there was a great tremor throughout Hastināpura, as if there had been an earthquake, and it seemed that the whole city would be dismantled." by the Lord's desire His plow had increased in size, and that as Balarāma began dragging Hastināpura toward the water, He ordered the Ganges, "Except for Sāmba, you should attack and kill everyone in the city with your water." Thus He would fulfill His promise to rid the earth of the Kauravas while making sure that nothing bad would happen to Sāmba.
10.68.42-43
sa-lakṣmaṇaḿ puras-kṛtya
(42-43) When the Kauravas saw how the city, about to fall in the Ganges, being dragged tumbled about like a raft, became they very agitated and went they, in order to save their lives, with their families to the Master for shelter. With Lakshmanâ and Sâmba put in front folded they their hands:
The city of Hastināpura began to roll about like a raft in a stormy sea. The frightened Kauravas, to quickly appease the Lord, immediately brought Sāmba and Lakṣmaṇā and placed them in front.
10.68.44
rāma rāmākhilādhāra
(44) 'Râma, o Râma, o Foundation of Everything [Akhilâdhâra], us the infatuated, who poor of understanding do not know Your Majesty, You should forgive the offense.
10.68.45
sthity-utpatty-apyayānāḿ tvam
eko hetur nirāśrayaḥ
(45) Of the generation, continuation and reuniting [of this universe] are You alone the unique cause; the worlds accordingly are, so one says, the playthings of Your playing, o Heavenly Lord.
10.68.46
(46) You alone, o Unlimited one, carry on Your head playfully the globe of the earth, o Thousand-headed One [see also 5.25] and when the creation ends are You the One who lies down to remain the One Without a Second who within His own body has withdrawn the universe [see also 6.16: 29-64].
10.68.47
kopas te 'khila-śikṣārthaḿ
(47) The anger of You meant for the instruction of everyone, o Bhagavân, Sustainer of the Mode of Goodness, is not there out of hatred or envy but is there for the purpose of sustaining and protecting the living being.
The Kurus admit that Lord Balarāma's anger was entirely appropriate and in fact was meant for their benefit. As Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī puts it, the Kurus meant to say, "Because You exhibited this anger, we have now become civilized, whereas previously we were wicked and could not see You, blinded as we were by pride."
10.68.48
(48) I offer You my obeisances, o Soul of All Beings, o Holder of [the symbols of] All Energies, o Inexhaustible One, Maker of the Universe; let there be the reverence for You whom we sought for shelter.'
The Kauravas clearly realized that their lives and destinies were in the hands of the Lord.
10.68.49
evaḿ prapannaiḥ saḿvignair
vepamānāyanair balaḥ
prasāditaḥ su-prasanno
(49) S'rî S'uka said: 'Lord Bala thus propitiated by the surrendered souls who were distressed because of the trembling of their place of residence, then relieved them very calm and graciously of their fear with the words: 'Do not fear'.
10.68.50-51
rathānāḿ ṣaṭ-sahasrāṇi
(50-51) As a dowry for his daughter gave Duryodhana as a loving father away twelve hundred sixty-year-old elephants and hundred and twenty thousand horses, sixty thousand golden chariots shining like the sun and a thousand maidservants with jeweled lockets around their necks.
10.68.52
bhagavān sātvatarṣabhaḥ
suhṛdbhir abhinanditaḥ
(52) The Supreme Lord, the chief of all the Sâtvatas, after accepting that gift then departed with His son and daughter-in-law, bid farewell by His well-wishers.
10.68.53
(53) After reaching His city and having met the relatives who carried Him, the Wielder of the Plow, in their hearts, related He in the midst of the assembly of leaders of the Yadus everything that had passed between Him and the Kurus.
10.68.54
samunnataḿ dakṣiṇato
(54) And truely, even today shows this city the signs of Râma's prowess, the way it can be seen down by the Ganges being prominently elevated to the south.'
"For the most part it was the practice of the kṣatriya kings to inaugurate some kind of fighting between the parties of the bride and bridegroom before the marriage. When Sāmba forcibly took away Lakṣmaṇa, the elderly members of the Kuru dynasty were pleased to see that he was actually the suitable match for her. In order to see his personal strength, however, they fought with him, and without any respect for the regulations of fighting, they all arrested him. When the Yadu dynasty decided to release Sāmba from the confinement of the Kurus, Lord Balarāma came personally to settle the matter, and as a powerful kṣatriya He ordered them to free Sāmba immediately. The Kauravas became superficially insulted by this order, so they challenged Lord Balarāma's power. They simply wanted to see Him exhibit His inconceivable strength. Thus with great pleasure they handed over their daughter to Sāmba, and the whole matter was settled. Duryodhana, being affectionate toward his daughter Lakṣmaṇā, had her married to Sāmba in great pomp.... Balarāma was very satisfied after His great reception from the side of the Kurus, and accompanied by the newly married couple, He started toward His capital city of Dvārakā.
"Lord Balarāma triumphantly reached Dvārakā, where He met with many citizens who were all His devotees and friends. When they all assembled, Lord Balarāma narrated the whole story of the marriage, and they were astonished to hear how Balarāma had made the city of Hastināpura tremble."
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Sixty-eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Marriage of Sāmba."
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