1-çré-çuka uväca
atha kåñëaù parivåto
jïätibhir muditätmabhiù
anugéyamäno nyaviçad
vrajaà gokula-maëòitam
Çukadeva Gosvämé said: Surrounded by His blissful companions, who
constantly chanted His glories, Çré Kåñëa then entered the village of Vraja,
which was decorated with herds of cows.
2-vraje vikréòator evaà
gopäla-cchadma-mäyayä
gréñmo nämartur abhavan
näti-preyäï charériëäm
While Kåñëa and Balaräma were thus enjoying life in Våndävana in the guise
of ordinary cowherd boys, the summer season gradually appeared. This season is
not very pleasing to embodied souls.
3-sa ca våndävana-guëair
vasanta iva lakñitaù
yaträste bhagavän säkñäd
rämeëa saha keçavaù
Nevertheless, because the Supreme Personality of Godhead was personally
staying in Våndävana along with Balaräma, summer manifested the qualities ofspring. Such are the features of the land of Våndävana.
4-yatra nirjhara-nirhrädanivåtta-
svana-jhillikam
çaçvat tac-chékararjéñadruma-
maëòala-maëòitam
In Våndävana, the loud sound of waterfalls covered the crickets’ noise, and
clusters of trees constantly moistened by spray from those waterfalls beautified
the entire area.
5-sarit-saraù-prasravaëormi-väyunä
kahlära-kaïjotpala-reëu-häriëä
na vidyate yatra vanaukasäà davo
nidägha-vahny-arka-bhavo ‘ti-çädvale
The wind wafting over the waves of the lakes and flowing rivers carried
away the pollen of many varieties of lotuses and water lilies and then cooled the
entire Våndävana area. Thus the residents there did not suffer from the heat
generated by the blazing summer sun and seasonal forest fires. Indeed,
Våndävana was abundant with fresh green grass.
6-agädha-toya-hradiné-taöormibhir
dravat-puréñyäù pulinaiù samantataù
na yatra caëòäàçu-karä viñolbaëä
bhuvo rasaà çädvalitaà ca gåhëate
With their flowing waves the deep rivers drenched their banks, making them
damp and muddy. Thus the rays of the sun, which were as fierce as poison,
could not evaporate the earth’s sap or parch its green grass.
7-vanaà kusumitaà çréman
nadac-citra-måga-dvijam
gäyan mayüra-bhramaraà
küjat-kokila-särasam
Flowers beautifully decorated the forest of Våndävana, and many varieties of
animals and birds filled it with sound. The peacocks and bees sang, and the
cuckoos and cranes cooed.
8-kréòiñyamäëas tat krñëo
bhagavän bala-saàyutaù
veëuà viraëayan gopair
go-dhanaiù saàvåto ‘viçat
Intending to engage in pastimes, Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, accompanied by Lord Balaräma and surrounded by the cowherd boys
and the cows, entered the forest of Våndävana as He played His flute.
9-praväla-barha-stabakasrag-
dhätu-kåta-bhüñaëäù
räma-kåñëädayo gopä
nanåtur yuyudhur jaguù
Decorating themselves with newly grown leaves, along with peacock
feathers, garlands, clusters of flower buds, and colored minerals, Balaräma,
Kåñëa and Their cowherd friends danced, wrestled and sang.
10-kåñëasya nåtyataù kecij
jaguù kecid avädayan
veëu-päëitalaiù çåìgaiù
praçaçaàsur athäpare
As Kåñëa danced, some of the boys accompanied Him by singing, and others
by playing flutes, hand cymbals and buffalo horns, while still others praised His
dancing.
11-gopa-jäti-praticchannä
devä gopäla-rüpiëau
éòire kåñëa-rämau ca
naöä iva naöaà nåpa
O King, demigods disguised themselves as members of the cowherd
community and, just as dramatic dancers praise another dancer, worshiped
Kåñëa and Balaräma, who were also appearing as cowherd boys.
12-bhramaëair laìghanaiù kñepair
äsphoöana-vikarñaëaiù
cikréòatur niyuddhena
käka-pakña-dharau kvacit
Kåñëa and Balaräma played with their cowherd boyfriends by whirling about,
leaping, hurling, slapping and fighting. Sometimes Kåñëa and Balaräma would
pull the hair on the boys’ heads.
13-kvacin nåtyatsu cänyeñu
gäyakau vädakau svayam
çaçaàsatur mahä-räja
sädhu sädhv iti vädinau
While the other boys were dancing, O King, Kåñëa and Balaräma would
sometimes accompany them with song and instrumental music, and sometimes
the two Lords would praise the boys, saying, “Very good! Very good!”
14-kvacid bilvaiù kvacit kumbhaiù
kvacämalaka-muñöibhiù
aspåçya-netra-bandhädyaiù
kvacin måga-khagehayä
Sometimes the cowherd boys would play with bilva or kumbha fruits, and
sometimes with handfuls of ämalaka fruits. At other times they would play the
games of trying to touch one another or of trying to identify somebody while
one is blindfolded, and sometimes they would imitate animals and birds.
15-kvacic ca dardura-plävair
vividhair upahäsakaiù
kadäcit syandolikayä
karhicin nåpa-ceñöayä
They would sometimes jump around like frogs, sometimes play various jokes,
sometimes ride in swings and sometimes imitate monarchs.
16-evaà tau loka-siddhäbhiù
kréòäbhiç ceratur vane
nady-adri-droëi-kuïjeñu
känaneñu saraùsu ca
In this way Kåñëa and Balaräma played all sorts of well-known games as
They wandered among the rivers, hills, valleys, bushes, trees and lakes of
Våndävana.
17-paçüàç cärayator gopais
tad-vane räma-kåñëayoù
gopa-rüpé pralambo ‘gäd
asuras taj-jihérñayä
While Räma, Kåñëa and Their cowherd friends were thus tending the cows
in that Våndävana forest, the demon Pralamba entered their midst. He had
assumed the form of a cowherd boy with the intention of kidnapping Kåñëa and
Balaräma.
18-taà vidvän api däçärho
bhagavän sarva-darçanaù
anvamodata tat-sakhyaà
vadhaà tasya vicintayan
Since the Supreme Lord Kåñëa, who had appeared in the Daçärha dynasty,
sees everything, He understood who the demon was. Still, the Lord pretended
to accept the demon as a friend, while at the same time seriously considering
how to kill him.
19-tatropähüya gopälän
kåñëaù präha vihära-vit
he gopä vihariñyämo
dvandvé-bhüya yathä-yatham
Kåñëa, who knows all sports and games, then called together the cowherd
boys and spoke as follows: “Hey cowherd boys! Let’s play now! We’ll divide
ourselves into two even teams.”
20-tatra cakruù parivåòhau
gopä räma-janärdanau
kåñëa-saìghaööinaù kecid
äsan rämasya cäpare
The cowherd boys chose Kåñëa and Balaräma as the leaders of the two
parties. Some of the boys were on Kåñëa’s side, and others joined Balaräma
21-äcerur vividhäù kréòä
vähya-vähaka-lakñaëäù
yaträrohanti jetäro
vahanti ca paräjitäù
The boys played various games involving carriers and passengers. In these
games the winners would climb up on the backs of the losers, who would have
to carry them.
22-vahanto vähyamänäç ca
cärayantaç ca go-dhanam
bhäëòérakaà näma vaöaà
jagmuù kåñëa-purogamäù
Thus carrying and being carried by one another, and at the same time
tending the cows, the boys followed Kåñëa to a banyan tree known as
Bhäëòéraka.
23-räma-saìghaööino yarhi
çrédäma-våñabhädayaù
kréòäyäà jayinas täàs tän
ühuù kåñëädayo nåpa
My dear King Parékñit, when Çrédämä, Våñabha and the other members of
Lord Balaräma’s party were victorious in these games, Kåñëa and His followers
had to carry them.
24-uväha kåñëo bhagavän
çrédämänaà paräjitaù
våñabhaà bhadrasenas tu
pralambo rohiëé-sutam
Defeated, the Supreme Lord Kåñëa carried Çrédämä. Bhadrasena carried
Våñabha, and Pralamba carried Balaräma, the son of Rohiëé.
25-aviñahyaà manyamänaù
kåñëaà dänava-puìgavaù
vahan drutataraà prägäd
avarohaëataù param
Considering Lord Kåñëa invincible, that foremost demon [Pralamba] quickly
carried Balaräma far beyond the spot where he was supposed to put his
passenger down.
26-tam udvahan dharaëi-dharendra-gauravaà
mahäsuro vigata-rayo nijaà vapuù
sa ästhitaù puraöa-paricchado babhau
taòid-dyumän uòupati-väò ivämbudaù
As the great demon carried Balaräma, the Lord became as heavy as massive
Mount Sumeru, and Pralamba had to slow down. He then resumed his actual
form—an effulgent body that was covered with golden ornaments and that
resembled a cloud flashing with lightning and carrying the moon.
27-nirékñya tad-vapur alam ambare carat
pradépta-dåg bhru-kuöi-taöogra-daàñörakam
jvalac-chikhaà kaöaka-kiréöa-kuëòalatviñädbhutaà
haladhara éñad atrasat
When Lord Balaräma, who carries the plow weapon, saw the gigantic body of
the demon as he moved swiftly in the sky—with his blazing eyes, fiery hair,
terrible teeth reaching toward his scowling brows, and an amazing effulgence
generated by his armlets, crown and earrings—the Lord seemed to become a
little frightened.
28-athägata-småtir abhayo ripuà balo
vihäya särtham iva harantam ätmanaù
ruñähanac chirasi dåòhena muñöinä
surädhipo girim iva vajra-raàhasä
Remembering the actual situation, the fearless Balaräma understood that the
demon was tåying to kidnap Him and take Him away from His companions.
The Lord then became furious and struck the demon’s head with His hard fist,
just as Indra, the king of the demigods, strikes a mountain with his thunderbolt
weapon.
29-sa ähataù sapadi viçérëa-mastako
mukhäd vaman rudhiram apasmåto ‘suraù
mahä-ravaà vyasur apatat samérayan
girir yathä maghavata äyudhähataù
Thus smashed by Balaräma’s fist, Pralamba’s head immediately cracked
open. The demon vomited blood from his mouth and lost all consciousness, and
then with a great noise he fell lifeless on the ground, like a mountain devastated
by Indra.
30-dåñövä pralambaà nihataà
balena bala-çälinä
gopäù su-vismitä äsan
sädhu sädhv iti vädinaù
The cowherd boys were most astonished to see how the powerful Balaräma
had killed the demon Pralamba, and they exclaimed, “Excellent! Excellent!”
31-äçiño ‘bhigåëantas taà
praçaçaàsus tad-arhaëam
pretyägatam iväliìgya
prema-vihvala-cetasaù
They offered Balaräma profuse benedictions and then glorified Him, who
deserves all glorification. Their minds overwhelmed with ecstatic love, they
embraced Him as if He had come back from the dead.
32-päpe pralambe nihate
deväù parama-nirvåtäù
abhyavarñan balaà mälyaiù
çaçaàsuù sädhu sädhv iti
The sinful Pralamba having been killed, the demigods felt extremely happy,
and they showered flower garlands upon Lord Balaräma and praised the
excellence of His deed.
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