Chapter Twenty Pralamba-vadha The Killing of Pralamba

cri-nārada uvāca - Sri Nārada said; iti - thus; krsna-stavam - Sri Yamunā-stava; crutvā - hearing; mandhātā - King Mandhata; nrpa - of kings; sattamaḥ - the best; ayodhyām - to Ayodhyā; prāyayau - went; viraḥ - hero; natvā - bowing down; cri-saubharim - to Sri Saubhari; munim - the sage. Sri Nārada said: After hearing these prayers glorifying Sri Yamunā, and after offering his respectful obeisances to Sri Saubhari Muni, the great king Mandhātā went to Aytodhyā.

idam - this; mayā - by me; te - to you; kathitam - spoken; gopinām - of the gopis; caritam - the pastimes; cubham - beautiful; mahā-pāpa-haram - removing the greatest sins; punyam - sacred; kim - what?; bhuyaḥ - more; crotum - to hear; icchasi - you wish. I have now told you the beautiful story of the gopis, a sacred story that removes the greatest sins. What more do you wish to hear?

cri-bahulācva uvāca - Sri Bahulācva said; crutam - heard; tava - from you; mukhāt - mouth; brahman - O brāhmana; gopinām - of the gopis; varnanam - description; param - great; yamunāyāc - of Sri Yamunā; ca - and; pancāggam - pancanga; mahā-pātaka - great sins; nācanam - destroying. Sri Bahulācva said: O brāhmana, now I have heard from your mouth the story of the gopis and the description of the pa 24āgga worship of Sri Yamunā, worship that destroys the greatest sins.

cri-krsnaḥ - Sri Krsna; sa-balaḥ - accompanied by Balarāma; sāksāt - directly; golokādhipatiḥ - the king of Goloka; prabhuḥ - the Lord; agre - in the presence; cakāra - did; kām - what?; lilām - pastimes; lalitām - charming; vraja-manḍale - in the circle of Vraja. What charming pastimes did Lord Krsna, the king of Goloka, then enjoy with Balarāma in the circle of Vraja?

cri-nārada uvāca - Sri Nārada said; ekadā - one day; cārayan - herding; gāḥ - the cows; svāḥ - own; sa-balaḥ - with Balarāma; gopa-bālakaiḥ - with the gopa boys; bhānḍire - in Bhandiravana; yamunā-tire - by the Yamunā's shore; bāla-lilām - childhood pastimes; cakāra - did; ha - indeed. Sri Nārada said: One day, as He was herding His cows in Bhānḍiravana forest by the Yamunā's shore, Krsna played many childhood games with Balarāma and the gopa boys.

vihāram - playing; kārayan - doing; bālaiḥ - with the boys; vāhya-vāhaka-laksanam - the carried and the carriers; vijahāra - played; vane - in the forest; krsnaḥ - Krsna; darcayan - showing; gāḥ - the cows; manoharāḥ - beautiful. Keeping an eye on the beautiful cows, Krsna played a game of carried and carriers with the boys.

tatra - there; āgataḥ - come; gopa-rupi - in the form of a gopa; pralambaḥ - Pralamba; kamsa-noditaḥ - sent by Kamsa; na - not; jnātaḥ - known; bālakaiḥ - by the boys; saḥ - he; api - although; harinā - by Krsna; viditaḥ - known; abhavat - was. Sent by Kamsa, and now assuming the form of a gopa, the demon Pralamba came there. Although the gopas did not know who he really was, Krsna did.

vihāre - in the game; vijayam - victorious; rāmam - Balarāma; netum - to carry; ko 'pi - someone; na - not; manyate - is considered; uvāha - carried; tam - Him; pralambaḥ - Pralamba; asau - he; bhānḍirāt - from Bhānḍiravana; yamunā-tatam - to the Yamunā's shore. When Balarāma won in the game there was no one to carry Him. Pralamba offered to carry Him. Pralamba carried Him out of Bhānḍiravana forest, far away to the Yamunā's shore.

avarohanataḥ - descending; daityaḥ - the demon; mathurām - to Mathurā; gantum - to go; udyataḥ - beginning; dadhāra - held; ghanavat - like a cloud; rupam - a form; girindra - the king of mountains; iva - like; durgamaḥ - imposing. Suddenly assuming a monstrous form like a great cloud or an impassible king of mountains, the demon went in the direction of Mathurā.

babhau - was splendidly manifest; balaḥ - Balarāma; daitya-prsthe - on the demon's back; sundaraḥ - handsome; lola-kunḍalaḥ - swinging earring; ākāca - in the sky; stha - situated; purna-candraḥ - a full moon; sa-taḍij-jalataḥ - a cloud with lightning; yathā - as. Riding on the demon's back, handsome Balarāma was splendid as a moving earring, a full moon in the sky, or a glittering lightning flash.

daityamthe demon; bhayagkaram - a monstrous form; viksya - seeing; baladevaḥ - Balarāma; mahā-balaḥ - very powerful; rusā-angrily; ahanat - hit; mustinā - with a fist; tam - him; cirasy - on the head; adrim - a mountain; yathā - like; adri-bhit - Indra. As King Indra hits a mountain with his thundersbolt, so powerful Balarāma, noticing that His carrier had become a monster, punched Pralamba's head with His fist.

vicirna - broken; mustakaḥ - head; daityaḥ - the demon; yathā - as; vajra-hataḥ - hit by a thunderbolt; giriḥ - a mountain; papāta - fell; bhumau - to the ground; sahasā - at once; cālayan - shaking; vasudhā-talam - the earth. Falling the ground as a mountain hit by Indra's thunderbolt falls, the demon, his head broken, made the earth tremble.

taj-jyotiḥ - his light; nirgatam - left; dirgham - long; bale - in Balarāma; linam - entered; babhuva - was; ha - indeed; tadā - then; eva - indeed; vavrsuḥ - showered; devāḥ - the demigods; puspaiḥ - with flowers; nandana-sambhavaiḥ - grown in the Nandana gardens. A great effulgence left the demon and merged into Lord Balarāma. Then the demigods showered flowers from the Nandana gardens.

abhut - was; jaya-jayārāvaḥ - the sound of Victory! Vicotry!; divi - in the sky; bhumau - on the earth; nrpecvara - O king of kjings; evam - thus; cri-baladevasya - of zBalarāma; caritam - the pastime; paramādbhutam - very wonderful; mayā - by me; te - to you; kathitam - spoken; rajan - O king; kim - what?; bhuyaḥ - more; crotum - to hear; icchasi - you wish. O king of kings, then sounds of "Victory! Victory!" filled the heaven and earth. O king, now that I have recounted for you this wonderful pastime of Lord Balarāma, what more do you wish to hear?

cri-bahulācva uvāca - Sri Bahulācva said; kaḥ - who?; ayam - this; daityaḥ - demon; purva-kāle - in previous time; pralambaḥ - Pralamba; rana-durmadaḥ - ferocious; baladevasya - pf Lord Balarāma; hastena - by the fist; muktim - liberation; prāpa - qattained; katham - how?; mune - O sage. Sri Bahulācva said: O sage, who was the ferocious demon Pralamba in his previous birth that he was able to attain liberation by Lord Balarāma's hand?

cri-nārada uvāca - Sri Nārada said; civasya - of Lord Suva; pujanārtham - for the worship; hi - indeed; yaksa-rāt - the king of the Yaksas; sva-vane - in his own forest; cubhe - beautiful; kārayām āsa - made; puspānām - of flowers; raksām - raksa; yaksaiḥ - by yaksas; itas tataḥ - here and there. Sri Nārada said: To worship Lord Siva, one day the yaksa-king Kuvera had the yaksas place here and there in his berautiful forest many raksā-amulets made of flowers.

tat - that; apy - also; asya - of that; api - also; jagrhuḥ - took; puspāni - flowers; prasphuranti - maniufest; ca - and; tataḥ - then; kruddhaḥ - angered; dadau - gave; cāpam - a curse; yaksa-rāḍ - the yaksa-king; dhanadaḥ - Kuvera; bali - powerful. When the some of the flowers were stolen, the powerful yaksa-king Kuvera spoke a curse.

ye - whoever; grhnanty - takes; asya - of this; puspāni - the flowers; sve - own; ca - and; anye - in another; sura - demigod; mānavāḥ - or human; bhavitāraḥ - will become; asurāḥ - demons; sarve - all; mac-chāpāt - by my curse; sahasā - at once; bhuvi - on the earth. He said: Any demigod or human that takes any of these flowers will become a demon. That is my curse.

huhu-sutaḥ - the son of Huhu; atha - then; vijayaḥ - Vijaya; vicaran - walking; tirtha-bhumisu - to holy places; vanam - to the forest; caitraratham - Caitraratha; prāptaḥ - attained; gāyan - singing; visnu-gunān - the glories of Lord Visnu; pathi - on the path. Then the gandharva Vijaya, who was the son of Huhu, walking on a pilgrimage to many holy places, and singing Lord Visnu's glories as he went, came to Caitraratha forest.

vinā - a vina; pāniḥ - in his hand; ajānan - unaware; vai - indeed; gandharvaḥ - the gandharva; sumanāmsi - sumanah flowers; ca - and; grhitvā - taking; saḥ - he; asuraḥ - a demon; jātaḥ - born; gandharvatvam - his gandharvahood; vihāya - leaving behind; tat - that. Unaware of the curse, the gandharva, vinā in hand, took some of the sumanaḥ flowers there. At once he left his gandharva body and became a demon.

tadā - then; eva - indeed; caranam - shelter; prāptaḥ - attained; kuverasya - of Kuvera; mahātmanaḥ - the great soul; natvā - bowing down; tat-prārthanam - a prayer to him; cakre - did; krtānjali-putaḥ - with folded hands; canaiḥ - slowly. At once he took shelter of the great soul Kuvera. With folded hands he bowed down and presented his appeal.

tasmai - with him; prasannaḥ - pleased; rājendra - O king of kings; kuveraḥ - Kuvera; api - also; varam - a boon; dadau - gave; tvam - you; visnu-bhaktaḥ - a devotee of Lord Visnu; cāntātmā - peaceful at heart; mā - don't; cokam - lament; kuru - do; mānada - O respectful one. Pleased with him, Kuvera blessed him: You are a peaceful-hearted devotee of Lord Visnu. O respectful one, please don't lament.

dvaparānte - at the end of Dvapara-yuga; ca - and; te - of you; muktiḥ - liberation; baladevasya - of Lord Balarāma; hastataḥ - by the hand; bhavisyati - will be; na - not; sandehaḥ - doubt; bhānḍire - in Bhanmdiravana; yamunā-tate - by the Yamunā's shore. At the end of Dvāpara-yuga, in Bhānḍiravaana forest by the Yamunā's shore, you will attain liberation by Lord Balarāma's hand. Of this there is no doubt.

cri-nārada uvāca - Sri Nārada said; huhu-sutaḥ - the son of Huhu; sa - he; gandharvaḥ - gandharva; pralambaḥ - Pralamba; abhut - became; mahāsuraḥ - a great demon; kuverasya - of Kuvera; varāt - by the nl; essing; rājan - O kingl; param moksam - liberation; jagāma - attained; ha - indeed. Sri Nārada said: In this way Huhu's gandharva son became a great demon and, by Kuvera's grace, attained liberation. .pa