Chapter Twenty-four Kola-daitya-vadha The Killing of the Kola Demon

Śrī Bahulāśva said: After Kṛṣṇa met the gopas and gopīs, what did Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma do in Mathurā City?

Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma's sacred, sweet, and transcendental pastimes remove all sins and grant the four goals of life.

Śrī Nārada said: Please hear another of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma's sacred transcendental pastimes, which remove all sins and grant the four goals of life.

Harassed by a demon named Kola, all the people of Kauśāravi-pura fled to Mathurā City.

At that moment Lord Balarāma, riding on horseback and ccompanied by a few attendants, was about to leave on a hunting expedition.

Bowing down, worshiping Him, and falling at His feet, with folded hands and voices faltering with happines, the people spoke to Lord Balarāma.

The people said: Balarāma! Balarāma! Mighty-armed one! Master of the demigods! Powerful one! We are all harassed by a demon named Kola. We take shalter of You.

Kola, a powerful demon-friend of Kaṁsa, defeated the king of Kauśāravi. Now he rules Kauśāravi City.

Out of fear of him, the king of Kauśāravi fled to the Gaṅgā's shore where, controlling his senses, he worships Your lotus feet to regain his kingdom.

O almighty one, please help him. We are his good subjects. He always protected us as if we were his own children. We were always happy under his rule.

Now we are continually harassed by by the demon Kola. O Lord, You killed even the ferocious Kaṁsa, who had conquered the three worlds.

O master of the demigods, we think that Kaṁsa is not dead as long as Kola remains alive. O master of the demigods, although You are transcendental, beyond the world of matter, in order to protect Your devotees You have come here, pretending to be a conditioned soul bound by the modes of nature.

Śrī Nārada said: After hearing these words, Lord Balarāma, who loves His devotees, went to Kauśāravi City in the land between the Gaṅgā and the Yamunā.

Hearing that Lord Balarāma had come to fight, ferocious Kola, decorated with ten akṣauhiṇī divisions, went to meet Him.

vīrāvartāṁ ca tāṁ vīkṣya baddhvā setuṁ halaṁ balaḥ ākṛṣya taṁ tad-agreṇa musalenāhanad dṛḍham caṣcala—restless; aśva—horses; taraṅga—waves; āḍhyam—opulent; ratha—chariots; ibha—elephants; aśva—horses; timiṅgilam—timingila fish; nadīm—river; iva—like; āgatām—arrived; senām—army; pralaya—of devastation; arṇava—the ocean; nādinīm—roaring; vīra—of warriors; āvartāṁwhirlpools; ca—and; tām—that; vīkṣya—seeing; baddhvā—binding; setum—a bridge; halam—strong; balaḥ—Balarāma; ākṛṣya—pulling; tam—that; tad-agreṇa—by the tip; musalena—by His club; ahanat—struck; dṛḍham—hard. Lord Balarāma gazed at Kola's army, which was like a great river filled with waves of restless horses, timiṅgila fish of chariots, elephants, and horses, whirlpools of ferocious soldiers, and tumultuous roaring like a great ocean of destruction. Then the Lord, in order to make a bridge to cross this river of soldiers, began striking it with His club.

vīrāvartāṁ ca tāṁ vīkṣya baddhvā setuṁ halaṁ balaḥ ākṛṣya taṁ tad-agreṇa musalenāhanad dṛḍham caṣcala—restless; aśva—horses; taraṅga—waves; āḍhyam—opulent; ratha—chariots; ibha—elephants; aśva—horses; timiṅgilam—timingila fish; nadīm—river; iva—like; āgatām—arrived; senām—army; pralaya—of devastation; arṇava—the ocean; nādinīm—roaring; vīra—of warriors; āvartāṁwhirlpools; ca—and; tām—that; vīkṣya—seeing; baddhvā—binding; setum—a bridge; halam—strong; balaḥ—Balarāma; ākṛṣya—pulling; tam—that; tad-agreṇa—by the tip; musalena—by His club; ahanat—struck; dṛḍham—hard. Lord Balarāma gazed at Kola's army, which was like a great river filled with waves of restless horses, timiṅgila fish of chariots, elephants, and horses, whirlpools of ferocious soldiers, and tumultuous roaring like a great ocean of destruction. Then the Lord, in order to make a bridge to cross this river of soldiers, began striking it with His club.

By the force of Lord Balarāma's blows millions of warriors, horses, chariots, and elephants fell, crushed as if they were pieces of fruit thrown on the battlefield.

Terrified, the surviving warriors fled from the battlefield. Then Kola, armed with many weapons, fought a duel with Lord Balarāma.

sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra-bhīṣaṇampronnataṁ dig-gajam iva nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham śitam aṅkuśam ādāya kola āruhya karṇataḥ sva-gajaṁ nodayām āsa baladevāya daitya-rāṭ go-mutra—urine; caya—abundance; sindūra—sindura; kastūrī-patra-bhṛn—muslk; mukham—face; suvarṇa—gold; śṛṅkhala—chains; āyuktam—with; prakhacit-kaṭi-bandhanam—belt; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur-dantam—four tusks; ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra—tinkling of bells; bhīṣaṇam—fearful; pronnatam—great; dig-gajam—an elephant holding up the directions; iva—like; nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham—roaring like thunder; śitam—sharp; aṅkuśam—goad; ādāya—taking; kola—Kola; āruhya—mounting; karṇataḥ—by the ear; sva-gajam—his own elephant; nodayām āsa—made it charge; baladevāya—to Lord Balarāma; daitya-rāṭ—the king of demons. Mounting by its ear his four-tusked elephant bound with golden chains, its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in gomūtra, sindūra, and musk, its ichor flowing, its bells tinkling ominously, and its body enormous as one of the elephants holding up the directions, and making his elephant trumpet like thunder, the demon-king Kola took a sharp goad in his hand and made his elephant charge Lord Balarāma.

sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra-bhīṣaṇampronnataṁ dig-gajam iva nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham śitam aṅkuśam ādāya kola āruhya karṇataḥ sva-gajaṁ nodayām āsa baladevāya daitya-rāṭ go-mutra—urine; caya—abundance; sindūra—sindura; kastūrī-patra-bhṛn—muslk; mukham—face; suvarṇa—gold; śṛṅkhala—chains; āyuktam—with; prakhacit-kaṭi-bandhanam—belt; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur-dantam—four tusks; ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra—tinkling of bells; bhīṣaṇam—fearful; pronnatam—great; dig-gajam—an elephant holding up the directions; iva—like; nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham—roaring like thunder; śitam—sharp; aṅkuśam—goad; ādāya—taking; kola—Kola; āruhya—mounting; karṇataḥ—by the ear; sva-gajam—his own elephant; nodayām āsa—made it charge; baladevāya—to Lord Balarāma; daitya-rāṭ—the king of demons. Mounting by its ear his four-tusked elephant bound with golden chains, its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in gomūtra, sindūra, and musk, its ichor flowing, its bells tinkling ominously, and its body enormous as one of the elephants holding up the directions, and making his elephant trumpet like thunder, the demon-king Kola took a sharp goad in his hand and made his elephant charge Lord Balarāma.

sravan-madaṁ catur-dantaṁ ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra-bhīṣaṇampronnataṁ dig-gajam iva nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham śitam aṅkuśam ādāya kola āruhya karṇataḥ sva-gajaṁ nodayām āsa baladevāya daitya-rāṭ go-mutra—urine; caya—abundance; sindūra—sindura; kastūrī-patra-bhṛn—muslk; mukham—face; suvarṇa—gold; śṛṅkhala—chains; āyuktam—with; prakhacit-kaṭi-bandhanam—belt; sravat—flowing; madam—ichor; catur-dantam—four tusks; ghaṇṭā-ṭaṅkāra—tinkling of bells; bhīṣaṇam—fearful; pronnatam—great; dig-gajam—an elephant holding up the directions; iva—like; nadat-kāla-ghana-prabham—roaring like thunder; śitam—sharp; aṅkuśam—goad; ādāya—taking; kola—Kola; āruhya—mounting; karṇataḥ—by the ear; sva-gajam—his own elephant; nodayām āsa—made it charge; baladevāya—to Lord Balarāma; daitya-rāṭ—the king of demons. Mounting by its ear his four-tusked elephant bound with golden chains, its face decorated with pictures and designs drawn in gomūtra, sindūra, and musk, its ichor flowing, its bells tinkling ominously, and its body enormous as one of the elephants holding up the directions, and making his elephant trumpet like thunder, the demon-king Kola took a sharp goad in his hand and made his elephant charge Lord Balarāma.

Seeing the maddened elephant, pressed on by Kola, charging Him, Lord Balarāma struck it with His club as Indra strikes a mountain with his thunderbolt.

O king of Mithilā, the elephant was shattered by the blow from Lord Balarāma's club as a small clay pot is shattered by a stick.

Kola, his eyes red and his mouth wide-open, jumped from the elephant and threw a spear at Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

O king of Videha, with His club Lord Balarāma shattered that spear into a hundred pieces as one shatters a crystal goblet with an iron rod.

Taking a club heavy as a thousand bhāras, the demon struck Lord Balarāma on the chest and roared like thunder.

As everyone could see the blow of the club had no effect on Lord Balarāma. He stood like an elephant struck by a flower garland.

Catching Kola, who was black as mascara, and dragging him about with His plow, powerful Lord Balarāma finally hit him on the head with His club.

His head struck by the Lord's club, Kola fell on the battleground. Then he clapped his hands and suddenly disappeared.

Kola, a great magician, made very terrifying and demonic illusions. Bringing devastating clouds pushed by hurricane winds, he covered the sky with a blinding darkness.

The great clouds made a terrifying monsoon rain of blood drops big as roses.

Then it rained pus, fat, stool, urine, wine, and flesh. There was a great cry of {Alas! Alas!"

sarvāstra-ghātakaṁ svacchaṁ aṣṭa-dhātu-mayaṁ dṛḍham śata-yojana-vistīrṇaṁ pralayāgni-sama-prabham jṣātvā—knowing; atha—then; tat-kṛtām—done by him; māyām—magic; baladevaḥ—Balarāma; mahā-prabhuḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cikṣepa—thre; musalam—His club; dīrgham—great; para-sainya-vidāraṇam—breaking the enemy's army; sarva—all; astra—weapons; ghātakam—blow; svaccham—clear; aṣṭa-dhātu-mayam—made of eight metals; dṛḍham—firm; śata-yojana-vistīrṇam—800 miles long; pralayāgni-sama-prabham—splendid as the fire of cosmic devastation. Aware that this was all a magical illusion, Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, threw His great eight-hundred-mile club, the best of weapons, which was made of eight metals, splendid as the fires at the time of cosmic devastation, and able to cut to pieces any enemy's army.

sarvāstra-ghātakaṁ svacchaṁ aṣṭa-dhātu-mayaṁ dṛḍham śata-yojana-vistīrṇaṁ pralayāgni-sama-prabham jṣātvā—knowing; atha—then; tat-kṛtām—done by him; māyām—magic; baladevaḥ—Balarāma; mahā-prabhuḥ—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; cikṣepa—thre; musalam—His club; dīrgham—great; para-sainya-vidāraṇam—breaking the enemy's army; sarva—all; astra—weapons; ghātakam—blow; svaccham—clear; aṣṭa-dhātu-mayam—made of eight metals; dṛḍham—firm; śata-yojana-vistīrṇam—800 miles long; pralayāgni-sama-prabham—splendid as the fire of cosmic devastation. Aware that this was all a magical illusion, Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, threw His great eight-hundred-mile club, the best of weapons, which was made of eight metals, splendid as the fires at the time of cosmic devastation, and able to cut to pieces any enemy's army.

Lord Balarāma's club circled the ten directions, cutting away the clouds as the the sun cuts away the morning fog.

Seeing that His club was still in the sky, the Lord took up His plow weapon and continued to break apart the clouds.

When the magical illusion was completely dispelled, with both hands powerful Lord Balarāma grabbed the ferocious demon's arm.

Whirling him around and around as a child whirls a cotton swab, Lord Balarāma threw the demon to the ground as a child throws a kamaṇḍalu.

When the demon fell the entire earth, with its oceans, mountains, and forests, shook.

His teeth broken and his eyes moving, the great demon named Kola fainted and died, as Vṛtra did when he was hit by Indra's thunderbolt.

At that moment there was a great tumult of "Victory! Victory!" in both the heaven and earth, the celestial dundubhi drums sounded, and the demigods showered flowers.

Having killed the demon Kola, Lord Balarāma, the elder brother of the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, returned Kauśāravi City to King Kauśāravi.

Then, to remove all sins and to protect all the worlds, Lord Balarāma, accompanied by Garga Muni and a host of great sages, went to bathe in the Gaṅgā.

Chanting auspicious Vedic mantras, the saintly brāhmaṇas headed by Garga Muni performed a ritual bathing of Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, in the waters of the Gaṅgā.

O king of Videha, after giving a hundred thousand elephants, two hundred thousand chariots, ten million horses, one billion cows, and ten billion ornaments of gold and jewels in charity to the brāhmaṇas, Lord Balarāma returned to Mathurā City.

O king of Videha, after giving a hundred thousand elephants, two hundred thousand chariots, ten million horses, one billion cows, and ten billion ornaments of gold and jewels in charity to the brāhmaṇas, Lord Balarāma returned to Mathurā City.

O king of Videha, this very sacred place, where Rāma bathed in the Ganges, the wise know as Rāma-tīrtha. Note: Texts 47-60 are quoted by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura in His Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma-māhātmya, Pramāṇa-khaṇḍa.

A person who on the full-moon day of the month of Kārttika bathes in the Ganges at Rāma-tīrtha attains piety a hundred times greater than at Hardwar.

O great king, they say that Rāma-tīrtha 12 miles southeast of Kurukṣetra and 10 miles southeast of Nalakṣetra.

The wise know that Rāma-tīrtha is 6 miles east of Vṛddha-keśī-siddha-pīṭha and Bilvakeśavana.

There was a king of Bengal named Dṛḍhāśva who always laughed at deformed Lomaśa Muni. The great sage Lomaśa cursed him:

"Now become a horrible demon with the face of a pig!" By the sage's curse the king became a pig-faced demon named Kola.

Killed by Lord Baladeva, the great demon Kola gave up his demon body and went to the spiritual world.

Then Lord Balarāma, accompanied by Uddhava and other advisers, at once went to Jahnu-tīrtha, where He became learned in the Vedas.

Jahnu is the great Brāhmaṇa after whom the Ganges is called Jāhnavī. There Lord Balarāma gave chairty ot the brāhmaṇas and then stayed the night with His associates.

Going west, He reached Āhāra-sthāna, which is very dear to the Pāṇḍavas, where He stayed the night.

There He gave delicious foods in charity to the brāhmaṇas. Then He went eight miles away to the devotee named Māṇḍūkadeva.

Māṇḍūkadeva had performed great austerities to attain the mercy of the Lord. That is the reason Lord Balarāma went there with His associates.

Standing on one foot, his head up, and his eyes closed, Māṇḍūkadeva meditated on the Lord, whom he could see in his heart. Still, Māṇḍūkadeva yearned to see the Lord's form with his eyes open. When Lord Balarāma, now in His form of Lord Ananta, embraced him, Māṇḍūkadeva opened his eyes and saw before him the sublimely handsome form of Lord Ananta.

Standing on one foot, his head up, and his eyes closed, Māṇḍūkadeva meditated on the Lord, whom he could see in his heart. Still, Māṇḍūkadeva yearned to see the Lord's form with his eyes open. When Lord Balarāma, now in His form of Lord Ananta, embraced him, Māṇḍūkadeva opened his eyes and saw before him the sublimely handsome form of Lord Ananta.

Lord Ananta had a fair complexion. He wore a flower garland and a single earring, and His chariot bore the insignia of a palm tree. Offering prayers with great devotion, Māṇḍūkadeva fell again and again at His feet.

Placing a hand on His devotee's head, Lord Balarāma, Ask for a benedcition." Māṇḍūkadeva said, "If the Lord is pleased wth Me, or if the Lord feels compassion on Me, then, O Lord, please give me the Bhāgavatī-saṁhitā, which has come from the mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and which removes the evils of the age of Kali." Note: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes these two verses in His Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma-māhātmya, Pramāṇa-khaṇḍa.

Placing a hand on His devotee's head, Lord Balarāma, Ask for a benedcition." Māṇḍūkadeva said, "If the Lord is pleased wth Me, or if the Lord feels compassion on Me, then, O Lord, please give me the Bhāgavatī-saṁhitā, which has come from the mouth of Śukadeva Gosvāmī, and which removes the evils of the age of Kali." Note: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes these two verses in His Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma-māhātmya, Pramāṇa-khaṇḍa.

Śrī Balarāma said: O sinless one, from Uddhava you will learn the Śrīmad Bhāgavatī-samhitā, which is gloriously manifest in the age of Kali.

Śrī Māṇḍūkadeva said: Why is this scripture given by the Lord so great? When will I learn it? O Lord, please break apart my doubts.

Śrī Balarāma said: I will tell you a great secret. Even now, Uddhava is nearby.

Go and see him, a great ācārya in the disciplic succession. I will not teach you further, for now I am going on pilgrimage.

I tell you Uddhava is a great teacher of Śrīmad Bhāgavatī-samhitā.

sarva-svabhāva-guṇakaṁ kṛṣṇena paramātmanā uddhavaṁ caiva svātmānaṁ eka evācirād vibhuḥ sākṣāt-kāraṁ cakārādau na svīyam antaraṁ kvacit śrī-kṛṣṇam eva te jṣātvā pūjayām āsur ādarāt nandādi-vraja-vāsīnām—the people of Vraja, headed by nanda; gopīnām—of the gopīs; prītaye—to please; kṛtaḥ—done; sva-svarūpam—own form; parikaraṁassociates; yat—what; kiṣcit—something; bhagavattamam—very exalted; sarva-svabhāva-guṇakam—with all virtues; kṛṣṇena——by Lord Kṛṣṇa; paramātmanā—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uddhavam—Uddhava; ca—and; eva—certainly; svātmānam—self; eka—one; eva—indeed; acirāt—quickly; vibhuḥ—the Lord; sākṣāt-kāram—directky manifest; cakāra—did; ādau—at the first; na—not; svīyam—own; antaram—then; kvacit—sometime; śrī-kṛṣṇam—Śrī Kṛṣṇa; eva—indeed; te—they; jṣātvā—understanding; pūjayām āsuḥ—worshiped; ādarāt—with reverence. To please Nanda, the gopīs, and the other people of Vraja, Lord Kṛṣṇa sent to them His personal associate Uddhava, who is very virtuous and exalted, and who has a transcendental form like that of the Lord Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not directly appear to them at first. First he sent Uddhava. Then, when they understood the true nature of Kṛṣṇa, the people of Vraja worshiped Him with great reverence.

sarva-svabhāva-guṇakaṁ kṛṣṇena paramātmanā uddhavaṁ caiva svātmānaṁ eka evācirād vibhuḥ sākṣāt-kāraṁ cakārādau na svīyam antaraṁ kvacit śrī-kṛṣṇam eva te jṣātvā pūjayām āsur ādarāt nandādi-vraja-vāsīnām—the people of Vraja, headed by nanda; gopīnām—of the gopīs; prītaye—to please; kṛtaḥ—done; sva-svarūpam—own form; parikaraṁassociates; yat—what; kiṣcit—something; bhagavattamam—very exalted; sarva-svabhāva-guṇakam—with all virtues; kṛṣṇena——by Lord Kṛṣṇa; paramātmanā—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uddhavam—Uddhava; ca—and; eva—certainly; svātmānam—self; eka—one; eva—indeed; acirāt—quickly; vibhuḥ—the Lord; sākṣāt-kāram—directky manifest; cakāra—did; ādau—at the first; na—not; svīyam—own; antaram—then; kvacit—sometime; śrī-kṛṣṇam—Śrī Kṛṣṇa; eva—indeed; te—they; jṣātvā—understanding; pūjayām āsuḥ—worshiped; ādarāt—with reverence. To please Nanda, the gopīs, and the other people of Vraja, Lord Kṛṣṇa sent to them His personal associate Uddhava, who is very virtuous and exalted, and who has a transcendental form like that of the Lord Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not directly appear to them at first. First he sent Uddhava. Then, when they understood the true nature of Kṛṣṇa, the people of Vraja worshiped Him with great reverence.

sarva-svabhāva-guṇakaṁ kṛṣṇena paramātmanā uddhavaṁ caiva svātmānaṁ eka evācirād vibhuḥ sākṣāt-kāraṁ cakārādau na svīyam antaraṁ kvacit śrī-kṛṣṇam eva te jṣātvā pūjayām āsur ādarāt nandādi-vraja-vāsīnām—the people of Vraja, headed by nanda; gopīnām—of the gopīs; prītaye—to please; kṛtaḥ—done; sva-svarūpam—own form; parikaraṁassociates; yat—what; kiṣcit—something; bhagavattamam—very exalted; sarva-svabhāva-guṇakam—with all virtues; kṛṣṇena——by Lord Kṛṣṇa; paramātmanā—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; uddhavam—Uddhava; ca—and; eva—certainly; svātmānam—self; eka—one; eva—indeed; acirāt—quickly; vibhuḥ—the Lord; sākṣāt-kāram—directky manifest; cakāra—did; ādau—at the first; na—not; svīyam—own; antaram—then; kvacit—sometime; śrī-kṛṣṇam—Śrī Kṛṣṇa; eva—indeed; te—they; jṣātvā—understanding; pūjayām āsuḥ—worshiped; ādarāt—with reverence. To please Nanda, the gopīs, and the other people of Vraja, Lord Kṛṣṇa sent to them His personal associate Uddhava, who is very virtuous and exalted, and who has a transcendental form like that of the Lord Himself. Lord Kṛṣṇa did not directly appear to them at first. First he sent Uddhava. Then, when they understood the true nature of Kṛṣṇa, the people of Vraja worshiped Him with great reverence.

Staying at Rādhā-kuṇḍa during the spring and summer seasons, Uddhava pacified Śrī Rādhā's grief.

Uddhava wandered the earth with devotees that were followers of the people of Vraja. He removed the sufferings Nanda, the gopas, and the cows felt in Lord Kṛṣṇa's absence.

He is the best of counselors and the first of the Lord's personal associates. When Lord Kṛṣṇa is absent, he becomes the protector of the true religion.

The Supreme Lord will give His own very wonderful transcendental potency to him. In this way he will be glorious in all times and all places.

When in the future the Lord leaves this world and returns to His own transcendental abode, Uddhava, empowered by Him, will go to Badarikāśrama. There he will teach Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣi and His followers.

Uddhava will remove the sufferings Arjuna and the other devotees feel in Lord Kṛṣṇa's absence. After him, a devotee named Vajranābha will take birth in the Yādava dynasty in Mathurā.

He will be like Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself, come to relieve the sufferings the Lord's grandsons and their wives feel in Lord Kṛṣṇa's absence.

In the Kaurava dynasty King Parīkṣit will be famous. His very powerful son Janamejaya will also be famous.

He will perform a yajṣa to kill his father's enemies. Uddhava will bring the ingredients for that yajṣa.

Then he wil hear the splendid Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Purāṇa, which predicts that the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear here in a fair-complexioned form. Of this there is no doubt. Note: Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura quotes this verse in His Śrī Navadvīpa-dhāma-māhātmya, Pramāṇa-khaṇḍa.

By the mercy of a great brāhmaṇa-sage that yajṣa will be stopped.

O great king, then he will worship the brāhmaṇas that performed the yajṣa and he will give them a hundred villages in charity.

Then, by the order of the merciful ācārya, he will go to Sūkara-kṣetra and stay there for one month.

Then he will leave that place. Accompanied by his guru and the great sages, he will see the Gaṅgā's shore and then return.

He and his followers will stay in Śayana-nagara. By his guru's order he will accumulate the ingredients for a yajṣa.

He will perform an aśvamedha-yajṣa and then he will conquer all directions. By following his guru's orders he will become the sole ruler of the earth.

Forty miles to the east, with single-pointed concentration he will worship a sacred place on the beautiful shore of the Gaṅgā.

In that place, in an assembly of the pious, there will be a blissful telling of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's pastimes, a telling that cures the disease of repeated birth and death.

You will also hear about the Lord in that assembly. In the end you will go to the Lord's transcendental abode.

This will happen because you have performed austerities to please Me. After giving this blessing to Māṇḍūkadeva, Lord Balarāma, accompanied by His followers, departed.

To the north of Śayana-nagara and Kaṇṭhaka-tīrtha is a beautiful place on the Gaṅgā shore.

In a place two miles south of Paṣpavatī, Lord Balarāma gave charity.

He happily gave ten thousand horses, one thousand chariots, one thousand elephants, and ten thousand cows.

Then all the demigods and the austere sages came there and respectfully worshiped Lord Balarāma. They said:

Obeisances to the killer of Kola! Obesiances to He who defeats the demigods and demons! Obeisances to You, O Lord carrying a plow-weapon! Obeisances to You, the Lord carrying a club-weapon! Obeisances, obeisances, obeisances to You, the handsome Lord carrying a palm-tree flag!

Hearing their prayers, Lord Balarāma said, "You may ask for the benedictions you desire."

The demigods and brāhmaṇas said: Please free us from all troubles when we remember Your feet.

Śrī Balarāma said: In Kali-yuga, whenever you remember Me and take shelter of Me, I will protect you. This is My promise.

This place, where the great sages worshiped Lord Balarāma and obtained a boon from Him, in Kali-yuga will be known as Saṅkarṣaṇa-sthāna.

viṣṇuṁ sampūjayanti sma sa-phalaṁ jīvitaṁ kṣitau te yānti daivata-sthānaṁ kāmī prāpnoti kāmanam yasmin—where; snāsyanti—will bathe; gaṅgāyām—in the Gaṅgā; devān—demigods; sampūjayanti—will worship; ye—who; dāsyanti—will give; dānam—charity; viprebhyaḥ—to the brāhmaṇas; bhojanam—food; kārayanti—will do; ye—who; viṣṇum—Lord Viṣṇu; sampūjayanti—worship; sma—indeed; sa-phalam—with the result; jīvitam—living; kṣitau—on the earth; te—they; yānti—go; daivata—of the Lord; sthānam—to the place; kāmi—desiring; prāpnoti—attain; kāmanam—desire. They who bathe in the Gaṅgā at this place, worship the demigods, feed the brāhmaṇas, give them charity, and worship Lord Viṣṇu, attain the real goal of life. They go to the divine abode. They attain their desires.

viṣṇuṁ sampūjayanti sma sa-phalaṁ jīvitaṁ kṣitau te yānti daivata-sthānaṁ kāmī prāpnoti kāmanam yasmin—where; snāsyanti—will bathe; gaṅgāyām—in the Gaṅgā; devān—demigods; sampūjayanti—will worship; ye—who; dāsyanti—will give; dānam—charity; viprebhyaḥ—to the brāhmaṇas; bhojanam—food; kārayanti—will do; ye—who; viṣṇum—Lord Viṣṇu; sampūjayanti—worship; sma—indeed; sa-phalam—with the result; jīvitam—living; kṣitau—on the earth; te—they; yānti—go; daivata—of the Lord; sthānam—to the place; kāmi—desiring; prāpnoti—attain; kāmanam—desire. They who bathe in the Gaṅgā at this place, worship the demigods, feed the brāhmaṇas, give them charity, and worship Lord Viṣṇu, attain the real goal of life. They go to the divine abode. They attain their desires.

In this way, after killing the Kola demon, and after bathing in the Gaṅgā, which is a stream that has washed Lord Viṣṇu's feet, Lord Balarāma, accompanied by His associates, returned to His city.

A person who hears these pastimes of Lord Balarāma becomes free from all sins and goes to the Lord's supreme abode. .pa