VedaVyasa
Praneetha
The Mad Bhagavatam
Canto 10: The Summum Bonum
Chapter 17: The History of Kāliya
This chapter describes how Kāliya left the island of the snakes and how the sleeping residents of Vṛndāvana were saved from a forest fire.
When King Parīkṣit inquired about Kāliya's leaving Ramaṇaka Island, the abode of the serpents, and about why Garuḍa acted inimically toward him, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī replied as follows: All the serpents on the island were afraid of being devoured by Garuḍa. To placate him, every month they would leave various offerings for him at the foot of a banyan tree. But Kāliya, puffed-up as he was with false pride, would eat these offerings himself. Hearing of this, Garuḍa became furious and went to kill Kāliya, whereupon the snake began biting the great bird. Garuḍa fiercely beat him with his wing, sending Kāliya fleeing for his life to a lake adjoining the Yamunā River.
Prior to the above incident, Garuḍa had once come to the Yamunā and started eating some fish. Saubhari Ṛṣi had tried to stop him, but Garuḍa, agitated by hunger, had refused to heed the sage's prohibitions, and in response the sage had cursed Garuḍa that if he ever came there again he would immediately die. Kāliya had heard of this, and thus he lived there without fear. In the end, however, he was driven out by Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
When Lord Balarāma and all the residents of Vṛndāvana saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa rise up out of the lake, beautifully decorated with many different gems and ornaments, they embraced Him in great pleasure. The spiritual masters, priests and learned brāhmaṇas then told Nanda Mahārāja, the king of the cowherds, that although his son had been caught in the grips of Kāliya, it was by the king's good fortune that He was now free again.
Because the people of Vṛndāvana were quite worn out by hunger, thirst and fatigue, they spent that night on the banks of the Yamunā. In the middle of the night, a fire happened to blaze up within the forest, which had become dry during the hot season. As the fire surrounded the sleeping inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, they suddenly awoke and rushed to Śrī Kṛṣṇa for protection. Then the unlimitedly powerful Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, seeing His dear relatives and friends so distressed, immediately swallowed up the terrible forest fire.
10.17.1
śrī-rājovāca
nāgālayaḿ ramaṇakaḿ
tenaikenāsamañjasam
SB 10.17.1: [Having thus heard how Lord Kṛṣṇa chastised Kāliya,] King Parīkṣit inquired: Why did Kāliya leave Ramaṇaka Island, the abode of the serpents, and why did Garuḍa become so antagonistic toward him alone?
10.17.2-3
upahāryaiḥ sarpa-janair
nāgānāḿ prāń-nirūpitaḥ
gopīthāyātmanaḥ sarve
suparṇāya mahātmane
SB 10.17.2-3: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: To avoid being eaten by Garuḍa, the serpents had previously made an arrangement with him whereby they would each make a monthly offering of tribute at the base of a tree. Thus every month on schedule, O mighty-armed King Parīkṣit, each serpent would duly make his offering to that powerful carrier of Viṣṇu as a purchase of protection.
10.17.4
SB 10.17.4: Although all the other serpents were dutifully making offerings to Garuḍa, one serpent — the arrogant Kāliya, son of Kadru — would eat all these offerings before Garuḍa could claim them. Thus Kāliya directly defied the carrier of Lord Viṣṇu.
10.17.5
tac chrutvā kupito rājan
kāliyaḿ samapādravat
SB 10.17.5: O King, the greatly powerful Garuḍa, who is very dear to the Supreme Lord, became angry when he heard of this. Desiring to kill Kāliya, he rushed toward the serpent with tremendous speed.
10.17.6
tam āpatantaḿ tarasā viṣāyudhaḥ
dadbhiḥ suparṇaḿ vyadaśad dad-āyudhaḥ
SB 10.17.6: As Garuḍa swiftly fell upon him, Kāliya, who had the weapon of poison, raised his numerous heads to counterattack. Showing his ferocious tongues and expanding his horrible eyes, Kāliya then bit Garuḍa with the weapons of his fangs.
10.17.7
pracaṇḍa-vego madhusūdanāsanaḥ
SB 10.17.7: The angry son of Tārkṣya moved with overwhelming speed in repelling Kāliya's attack. That terribly powerful carrier of Lord Madhusūdana struck the son of Kadru with his left wing, which shone like gold.
10.17.8
suparṇa-pakṣābhihataḥ
kāliyo 'tīva vihvalaḥ
SB 10.17.8: Beaten by Garuḍa's wing, Kāliya was extremely distraught, and thus he took shelter of a lake adjoining the river Yamunā. Garuḍa could not enter this lake. Indeed, he could not even approach it.
10.17.9
prasahya kṣudhito 'harat
SB 10.17.9: In that very lake Garuḍa had once desired to eat a fish — fish being, after all, his normal food. Although forbidden by the sage Saubhari, who was meditating there within the water, Garuḍa took courage and, feeling hungry, seized the fish.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī is now explaining why Garuḍa could not approach the lake in the Yamunā River. It is the nature of birds to eat fish, and thus, by the arrangement of the Lord, the great bird Garuḍa does not commit any offense by nourishing himself with fish. On the other hand, Saubhari Muni's forbidding a much greater personality to eat his normal food did constitute an offense. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, Saubhari committed two offenses: first, he dared to give an order to a supremely exalted soul like Garuḍa, and second, he obstructed Garuḍa from satisfying his desire.
10.17.10
SB 10.17.10: Seeing how the unfortunate fish in that lake had become most unhappy at the death of their leader, Saubhari uttered the following curse under the impression that he was mercifully acting for the benefit of the lake's residents.
10.17.11
SB 10.17.11: If Garuḍa ever again enters this lake and eats the fish here, he will immediately lose his life. What I am saying is the truth.
The ācāryas explain in this regard that because of Saubhari Muni's material attachment and affection for a fish, he failed to see the situation from the spiritual viewpoint. The Ninth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam describes his falldown for this offense. Because of false pride, Saubhari Muni lost his power of austerity, and with it his spiritual beauty and happiness. When Garuḍa came to the Yamunā, Saubhari Muni thought, "Although he may be a personal associate of the Supreme Lord, I will still curse him and even kill him if he disobeys my order." Such an offensive attitude against an exalted Vaiṣṇava will certainly destroy one's auspicious position in life.
As the Ninth Canto describes, Saubhari Muni married many beautiful women, and suffered greatly in their association. But because he had once become glorious by taking shelter of the Yamunā River in Śrī Vṛndāvana, he was ultimately delivered.
10.17.12
avātsīd garuḍād bhītaḥ
SB 10.17.12: Of all the serpents, only Kāliya came to know of this affair, and in fear of Garuḍa he took up residence in that Yamunā lake. Later Lord Kṛṣṇa drove him out.
10.17.13-14
kṛṣṇaḿ hradād viniṣkrāntaḿ
upalabhyotthitāḥ sarve
pramoda-nibhṛtātmāno
gopāḥ prītyābhirebhire
SB 10.17.13-14: [Resuming his description of Kṛṣṇa's chastisement of Kāliya, Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Kṛṣṇa rose up out of the lake wearing divine garlands, fragrances and garments, covered with many fine jewels, and decorated with gold. When the cowherds saw Him they all stood up immediately, just like an unconscious person's senses coming back to life. Filled with great joy, they affectionately embraced Him.
10.17.15
kṛṣṇaḿ sametya labdhehā
SB 10.17.15: Having regained their vital functions, Yaśodā, Rohiṇī, Nanda and all the other cowherd women and men went up to Kṛṣṇa. O descendant of Kuru, even the dried-up trees came back to life.
10.17.16
rāmaś cācyutam ālińgya
jahāsāsyānubhāva-vit
gāvo vṛṣā vatsataryo
SB 10.17.16: Lord Balarāma embraced His infallible brother and laughed, knowing well the extent of Kṛṣṇa's potency. Out of great feelings of love, Balarāma lifted Kṛṣṇa up on His lap and repeatedly looked at Him. The cows, bulls and young female calves also achieved the highest pleasure.
10.17.17
diṣṭyā muktas tavātmajaḥ
SB 10.17.17: All the respectable brāhmaṇas, together with their wives, came forward to greet Nanda Mahārāja. They said to him, "Your son was in the grips of Kāliya, but by the grace of Providence He is now free."
10.17.18
gāḥ suvarṇaḿ tadādiśat
SB 10.17.18: The brāhmaṇas then advised Nanda Mahārāja, "To assure that your son Kṛṣṇa will always be free from danger, you should give charity to the brāhmaṇas." With a satisfied mind, O King, Nanda Mahārāja then very gladly gave them gifts of cows and gold.
10.17.19
pariṣvajyāńkam āropya
SB 10.17.19: The greatly fortunate mother Yaśodā, having lost her son and then regained Him, placed Him on her lap. That chaste lady cried constant torrents of tears as she repeatedly embraced Him.
10.17.20
ūṣur vrayaukaso gāvaḥ
kālindyā upakūlataḥ
SB 10.17.20: O best of kings [Parīkṣit], because the residents of Vṛndāvana w-ere feeling very weak from hunger, thirst and fatigue, they and the cows spent the night where they were, lying down near the bank of the Kālindī.
that although the people were weak from hunger and thirst, they did not drink the milk from the cows present there because they feared it had been contaminated by the serpent's poison. The residents of Vṛndāvana were so overjoyed to get back their beloved Kṛṣṇa that they did not want to go back to their houses. They wanted to stay with Kṛṣṇa on the bank of the Yamunā so that they could continuously see Him. Thus they decided to take rest near the riverbank.
10.17.21
dāvāgniḥ sarvato vrajam
SB 10.17.21: During the night, while all the people of Vṛndāvana were asleep, a great fire blazed up within the dry summer forest. The fire surrounded the inhabitants of Vraja on all sides and began to scorch them.
10.17.22
dahyamānā vrajaukasaḥ
kṛṣṇaḿ yayus te śaraṇaḿ
SB 10.17.22: Then the residents of Vṛndāvana woke up, extremely disturbed by the great fire threatening to burn them. Thus they took shelter of Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord, who by His spiritual potency appeared like an ordinary human being.
The śruti, or Vedic mantras, state, svarūpa-bhūtayā nitya-śaktyā māyākhyayā: "The Lord's eternal potency named māyā is innate in His original form." Thus within the eternal spiritual body of the Supreme Lord there is infinite potency, which effortlessly manipulates all existence according to the omniscient desire of the Absolute Truth. The residents of Vṛndāvana took shelter of Kṛṣṇa, thinking, "This blessed boy will certainly be empowered by God to save us." They remembered the words of the sage Garga Muni, spoken at the birth ceremony of Lord Kṛṣṇa: anena sarva-durgāṇi yūyam añjas tariṣyatha. "By His power you will easily be able to cross over all obstacles." (Bhāg. 10.8.16) Therefore the residents of Vṛndāvana, who had full faith in Kṛṣṇa, took shelter of the Lord in hopes of being saved from the impending disaster threatened by the forest fire.
10.17.23
he rāmāmita-vikrama
eṣa ghoratamo vahnis
SB 10.17.23: [Vṛndāvana's residents said:] Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O Lord of all opulence! O Rāma, possessor of unlimited power! This most terrible fire is about to devour us, Your devotees!
10.17.24
SB 10.17.24: O Lord, we are Your true friends and devotees. Please protect us from this insurmountable fire of death. We can never give up Your lotus feet, which drive away all fear.
10.17.25
SB 10.17.25: Seeing His devotees so disturbed, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the infinite Lord of the universe and possessor of infinite power, then swallowed the terrible forest fire.
TRANSLATION
Seeing His devotees so disturbed, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the infinite Lord of the universe and possessor of infinite power, then swallowed the terrible forest fire.
Thus end of the Tenth Canto, Seventeenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The History of Kāliya."
Chapter 18
Lord Balarâma Slays the Demon Pralamba
The killing of Pralambāsura is described in this chapter. While playing happily in Vṛndāvana, Lord Baladeva climbed up on the shoulders of the demon Pralamba and struck his head with His fist, destroying him.
Śrī Vṛndāvana, where Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma enacted Their pastimes, was even during the summer decorated with all the qualities of spring. At that time Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa would become absorbed in various sports, surrounded by Balarāma and all the cowherd boys. One day they were intently dancing, singing and playing when a demon named Pralamba entered their midst, disguised as a cowherd boy. The omniscient Lord Kṛṣṇa saw through the disguise, but even as He thought of how to kill the demon, He treated him as a friend.
Kṛṣṇa then suggested to His young friends and Baladeva that they play a game involving contending parties. Taking the role of leaders, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma divided the boys into two groups and determined that the losers would have to carry the winners on their shoulders. Thus when Śrīdāmā and Vṛṣabha, members of Balarāma's party, were victorious, Kṛṣṇa and another boy in His party carried them on their shoulders. Pralambāsura thought that the unconquerable Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa would be too great an opponent to contend with, so the demon fought with Balarāma instead and was defeated. Taking Lord Balarāma on his back, Pralambāsura began to walk away very swiftly. But Balarāma became as heavy as Mount Sumeru, and the demon, unable to carry Him, had to reveal his true, demoniac form. When Balarāma saw this terrible form, He struck the demon a ferocious blow on the head with His fist. This blow shattered Pralambāsura's head just as lightning bolts hurled by the king of the demigods shatter mountains. The demon repeatedly vomited blood and then fell upon the ground. When the cowherd boys saw Lord Balarāma return, they joyfully embraced and congratulated Him as the demigods showered garlands of flowers from the heavens and glorified Him.
10.18.1
atha kṛṣṇaḥ parivṛto
jñātibhir muditātmabhiḥ
anugīyamāno nyaviśad
(1) S'rî S'uka said: 'Surrounded by His happy-natured folk singing His glories entered Krishna thereafter [after the forest fire] Vraja that was so beautiful with its herds of cows.
10.18.2
grīṣmo nāmartur abhavan
(2) Sporting this way in Vraja in the disguise of a cowherd, approached the summer season that is not so pleasing to the living beings.
10.18.3
sa ca vṛndāvana-guṇair
yatrāste bhagavān sākṣād
(3) Notwithstanding this was Vrindâvana, in which the Supreme Lord Kes'ava together with Râma personally were staying, manifesting the qualities as if it was the time of spring.
10.18.4
śaśvat tac-chīkararjīṣa-
(4) The constant noise of the waterfalls covered there the sound of the crickets while the groups of trees embellishing the area were moistened by their spray.
10.18.5
(5) From the waves and currents, the rivers and the lakes transported cool breezes the pollen of the kahlâra, kañja and utpala lotuses so that there, for the people living in the forest, was not the tormenting heat of the sun or the forest fires to the summer season, but the growth of an abundance of grass instead.
10.18.6
bhuvo rasaḿ śādvalitaḿ ca gṛhṇate
(6) The water of the very deep rivers drenched the shores, giving muddy banks on all sides, over which the fierce sun radiating its venomous rays could not take away the juice and greenness of the earth.
10.18.7
(7) The forest full of flowers most beautiful resounded with all sorts of animals and birds singing, peacocks and bees and the cooing of cuckoos and cranes.
10.18.8
krīḍiṣyamāṇas tat krṣṇo
veṇuḿ viraṇayan gopair
(8) Intend on playing was the forest area entered by Krishna, the Supreme Lord sounding His flute in the company of Balarâma, the gopas and the cows.
10.18.9
srag-dhātu-kṛta-bhūṣaṇāḥ
nanṛtur yuyudhur jaguḥ
(9) With fresh leaves, peacock feathers, bunches of small flowers, garlands and colorful minerals for ornaments were Krishna, Râma and the gopas singing, dancing and romping about.
10.18.10
kṛṣṇasya nṛtyataḥ kecij
praśaśaḿsur athāpare
(10) With Krishna dancing, sang some of them, played some on flutes, cymbals and horns while others offered praise.
10.18.11
(11) Disguised as cowherd folk worshiped the demigods [see 10.1: 22] Krishna and Râma in their form of cow-protectors the same way professional dancers encourage another dancer, o King.
10.18.12
bhramaṇair lańghanaiḥ kṣepair
cikrīḍatur niyuddhena
(12) Whirling, jumping, throwing, slapping and dragging they played and sometimes, as they wrestled, held they each other by the locks of their hair.
The ācāryas have explained this verse as follows: The word bhramaṇaiḥ indicates that the boys, pretending they were machines, would sometimes
whirl about until they became dizzy. They would also sometimes jump about (lańghanaiḥ). The word kṣepaiḥ indicates that sometimes they would hurl objects like balls or stones and that sometimes they would grab each other by the arms and throw one another about. Āsphoṭana means that sometimes they would slap one another's shoulders or backs, and vikarṣaṇaiḥ indicates they would drag one another about in the midst of their play. By the word niyuddhena arm wrestling and other types of friendly fighting are indicated, and the word kāka-pakṣa-dharau means that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would sometimes grab the hair on the other boys' heads in a playful manner.
10.18.13
kvacin nṛtyatsu cānyeṣu
(13) At times when the others danced were They the singers and played They the instruments, themselves being of praise, o King, saying: 'How good, how good this is!'
10.18.14
kvacāmalaka-muṣṭibhiḥ
kvacin mṛga-khagehayā
(14) Now and then played they with bilva fruits and then with kumbha fruits or with palmfuls of âmalaka [myrobalan] fruits; they played tag [aspris'ya] or blindman's buff [netra-bandha] and such games and sometimes mimicked the animals and birds.
that the boys would play with fruits by throwing a few in the air and then throwing others to try to hit them. The word netra-bandha indicates a game in which one boy would approach a blindfolded boy from behind and place his palms over the blindfolded boy's eyes. Then, simply by the feel of his palms, the blindfolded boy would have to guess who the other boy was. In all such games the boys put up stakes for the winner, such as flutes or walking sticks. Sometimes the boys would imitate the various fighting methods of the forest animals, and at other times they would chirp like birds.
10.18.15
vividhair upahāsakaiḥ
(15) Then they jumped like frogs, told all kinds of jokes and then again they were swinging or pretended they to be kings.
the word nṛpa-ceṣṭayā as follows: In Vṛndāvana there was a particular place on the riverbank where people who wanted to cross the Yamunā would pay a small tax. At times the cowherd boys would assemble in this area and prevent the young girls of Vṛndāvana from crossing the river, insisting that they had to pay a customs duty first. Such activities were full of joking and laughter.
10.18.16
krīḍābhiś ceratur vane
(16) The two this way engaged in common human play roamed the forests, mountains, rivers and valleys, bowers, lakes, and groves around.
10.18.17
paśūḿś cārayator gopais
asuras taj-jihīrṣayā
(17) One day, while Râma and Krishna together with the gopas were herding the animals in that forest arrived there the demon Pralamba in the form of a gopa with the intent to kidnap Them.
Having described how Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma acted just like ordinary boys, Śukadeva Gosvāmī will now reveal one of the Lord's transcendental pastimes that is beyond the range of human activity. According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the demon Pralamba disguised himself as a particular cowherd boy who on that day had remained at home with duties to perform.
10.18.18
(18) Knowing him, since He stemming from the house of Das'ârha was the Supreme Lord omniscient, accepted He, thinking of killing him, to be friends with him.
10.18.19
tatropāhūya gopālān
he gopā vihariṣyāmo
(19) Next calling together the gopas said Krishna, the knower of all games: 'O gopas, let's play and divide us in two matching teams'.
10.18.20
kṛṣṇa-sańghaṭṭinaḥ kecid
(20) To that appointed the gopas Râma and Janârdana their leaders so that some belonged to Krishna's group while others joined with Râma.
10.18.21
yatrārohanti jetāro
(21) They engaged in several games of 'carrier and carried' [harinâkrîdanam] which were known by the rule that the winners could mount the defeated who then had to carry them.
hariṇākrīḍanaḿ nāma
"They then played the childhood game known as hariṇākrīḍanam, in which each boy paired off with an opponent and all the boys simultaneously attacked their respective rivals."
10.18.22
vahanto vāhyamānāś ca
(22) Carrying and being carried tended they meanwhile the cows and went they, led by Krishna, to a banyan tree named Bhândîraka [*].
dadarśa vipulodagra-
sthitaḿ dharaṇyāḿ meghābhaḿ
nibiḍaḿ dala-sañcayaiḥ
gaganārdhocchritākāraḿ
parvatābhoga-dhāriṇam
sendracāpa-ghanopamam
bhavanākāra-viṭapaḿ
viśāla-mūlāvanataḿ
pāvanāmbhoda-dhāriṇam
ādhipatyam ivānyeṣāḿ
kurvāṇaḿ śubha-karmāṇaḿ
nirāvarṣam anātapam
nyagrodhaḿ parvatāgrābhaḿ
"They saw that best of all trees, which had many long branches. With its dense covering of leaves, it resembled a cloud sitting on the earth. Indeed, its form was so large that it appeared like a mountain covering half the sky. Many birds with charming blue wings frequented that great tree, whose dense fruits and leaves made it seem like a cloud accompanied by a rainbow or like a house decorated with creepers and flowers. It spread its broad roots downward and carried upon itself the sanctified clouds. That banyan tree was like the lordly master of all other trees in that vicinity, as it performed the all-auspicious functions of warding off the rain and the heat of the sun. Such was the appearance of that nyagrodha tree known as Bhāṇḍīra, which seemed just like the peak of a great mountain."
10.18.23
śrīdāma-vṛṣabhādayaḥ
krīḍāyāḿ jayinas tāḿs tān
(23) When Râma's party with S'rîdâmâ, Vrishabha and others had won the contest would each of them be carried by Krishna and the members of His party, o King.
10.18.24
vṛṣabhaḿ bhadrasenas tu
(24) Being defeated carried the Supreme Lord Krishna S'rîdâmâ; was Vrishabha carried by Bhadrasena and carried Pralamba [the Asura] the son of Rohinî [Râma].
One may ask how Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord, can be defeated by His boyfriends. The answer is that in His original form, God has a most playful nature and occasionally enjoys submitting to the strength or desire of His loving friends. A father may sometimes playfully fall down on the ground when struck by his beloved little child. These acts of love give pleasure to all parties. Thus Śrīdāmā agreed to ride on Lord Kṛṣṇa's shoulders to please his beloved friend, who happened to be Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
10.18.25
vahan drutataraḿ prāgād
(25) Considering Krishna invincible set that foremost demon in great haste off carrying [his passenger Râma] beyond the finish line of dismounting.
10.18.26
(26) As he held Him high lost the demon his momentum though with Him [growing] as heavy as the king of the earth and the planets [mount Meru]. He thereupon resumed his original body which was covered by golden ornaments, because of which he shone like a cloud flashing with lightening in carrying the moon.
Here the demon Pralamba is compared to a cloud, his golden ornaments to lightning within that cloud, and Lord Balarāma to the moon shining through it. Great demons can assume various forms by exerting their mystic power, but when the Lord's spiritual potency curtails their power, they can no longer maintain an artificial form and must again manifest their actual, demoniac body. Lord Balarāma suddenly became as heavy as a great mountain, and although the demon tried to carry Him high on his shoulders, he could not go on.
10.18.27
pradīpta-dṛg bhru-kuṭi-taṭogra-daḿṣṭrakam
(27) Seeing that body fast moving in the sky with blazing eyes, frowned eyebrows, the rows of his terrible teeth, his wild hair, his armlets, crown and his earrings, was the Carrier of the Plow, stunned about the effulgence, a bit daunted.
Lord Baladeva's so-called fear as follows: Balarāma was playfully acting out the role of an ordinary cowherd boy, and to maintain the mood of this pastime He appeared slightly disturbed by the horrible demoniac body. Also because the demon had appeared as a cowherd boyfriend of Kṛṣṇa's and because Kṛṣṇa had accepted him as a friend, Baladeva was slightly apprehensive about killing him. Balarāma could also have been worried that since this cowherd boy was actually a demon in disguise, at that very moment another such demon might have been attacking Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus the omniscient and omnipotent Supreme Lord Balarāma exhibited the pastime of becoming slightly nervous in the presence of the horrible demon Pralamba.
10.18.28
athāgata-smṛtir abhayo ripuḿ balo
(28) Then remembering Himself, stroke the fearless Balarâma who was moving away from the company like He was being kidnapped, him angrily hard with His fist on the head as fast as the king of the gods would hit a mountain with his thunderbolt.
Lord Balarāma's powerful fist came crashing down upon the demon's head, just as a huge lightning bolt comes crashing into a mountain, cracking its stone surface into pieces. The words vihāya sārtham iva may also be divided vihāyasā artham iva, meaning that the demon was flying in the sky on the cosmic path, vihāyas, with the purpose of carrying off Balarāma, who was his artham, or object of pursuit.
10.18.29
(29) Being struck split the head of the demon immediately in two and fell he, giving up blood from his mouth, lifeless to the ground with a loud noise that sounded as if a mountain was hit by Indra's weapon.
10.18.30
(30) Seeing Pralamba killed by Balarâma's display of power were the gopas most astonished and exclaimed they 'Good so, well done!' ['sâdhu, sâdhu'].
10.18.31
āśiṣo 'bhigṛṇantas taḿ
pretyāgatam ivālińgya
(31) Pronouncing benedictions praised they Him who had been so deserving, as if he had returned from death and closed they Him in their arms with their hearts overwhelmed by love.
10.18.32
śaśaḿsuḥ sādhu sādhv iti
(32) With the sinful Pralamba killed heaped the demigods, utterly satisfied, garlands of flowers over Him, and offered they prayers exclaiming 'Bravo, excellent!' '
Thus end the of the Tenth Canto, Eighteenth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "Lord Balarāma Slays the Demon Pralamba (My humble salutations to the lotus feet of Swamyjis, Philosophers, Scholars and Knowledge Seekers for the collection)
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