Chapter Ten Śrī Balarāma-paddhati-paṭala The Paddhati and Paṭala of Lord Balarāma

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca kauravendra ekadā gargācāryah kalinda-nandinīṁ snātuṁ gargācalād vraja-maṇḍalaṁ cājagāma. tatraikānte marul-līlāijal-lalita-latā-taru-pallava-puṣpa-gandha- matta-milinda-puṣje kālindī-kūla-kalita-nikuṣje śrī-rāma-kṛṣṇa- dhyāna-tat-paraṁ gargācāryaṁ praṇamya nagendra-kanyāh sma iti jāti-smarā gopa-kanyāh śrīmad-balabhadra-prāpty-arthaṁ sevanaṁ papracchus tāsāṁ paramāṁ bhaktiṁ vīkṣya paddhati-paṭala-stotra- kavaca-sahasra-nāmāni gopī-yūthāya sa pradadau. kiṁ bhūyas tvaṁ tad-grahaṇaṁ kartum icchasi vadatāt. śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca—Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said; kauravendra—O king of the Kauravas; ekadā—one day; gargācāryah—Garga Muni; kalinda-nandinīm—to the Yamunā; snātum—to bathe; gargācalāt—from Mount Garga; vraja-maṇḍalam—to the circle of Vraja; ca—and; ājagāma—came; tatra—there; ekānte—in one place; marut—breezes; līlā—pastimes; ejat—moving; lalita—graceful; latā—vines; taru—trees; pallava—sprouts; puṣpa—flowers; gandha—scent; matta—maddened; milinda-puṣje—a host of bees; kālindī-kūla—on the shore of the Yamunā; kalita—perceived; nikuṣje—in the forest grove; śrī-rāma-kṛṣṇa—of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; dhyāna—meditation; tat—to that; param—intent; gargācāryam—to Garga Muni; praṇamya—bowing down; nagendra-kanyāh—the snake princesses; sma—indeed; iti—thus; jāti-smarā—remembering their previous birth; gopa-kanyāh—gopīs; śrīmad-balabhadra-prāpty-artham—to attain Lord Balarāma; sevanam—service; papracchuh—asked; tāsām—of them; paramam—great; bhaktim—devotion; vīkṣya—seeing; paddhati-paṭala-stotra-kavaca-sahasra-nāmāni—the paddhati, paṭala, stotra, kavaca, and sahasra-nāma; gopī-yūthāya—to the gopīs; sa—he; pradadau—gave; kim—what?; bhūyah—more; tvam—you; tad-grahaṇam—understanding that; kartum—to do; icchasi—wish; vadatāt—may speak. Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said: O king of the Kauravas, one day Garga Muni left Mount Garga and went to Vraja to bathe in the Yamunā. In a certain forest grove by the Yamunā's shore, where gentle breezes moved the graceful trees, flowering vines, and new sprouts, and where the bees were maddened by the sweet scent of the flowers, some gopīs bowed down before Garga Muni, who was rapt in meditation on Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma. Remembering their previous birth as snake-princesses, the gopīs asked him what kind of devotional service they should perform to attain the company of Lord Balarāma. Seeing their great devotion, Garga Muni gave these gopīs the paddhati, paṭala, stotra, kavaca, and sahasra-nāma of Lord Balarāma. What more do you wish to hear? You may ask.

duryodhana uvāca rāmasya paddhatiṁ brūhi yayā siddhiṁ vrajāmy aham tvaṁ bhakta-vatsalo brahman guru-deva namo 'stu te duryodhana uvāca—Duryodhana said; rāmasya—of Lord Balarāma; paddhatim—the paddhati; brūhi—please tell; yayā—by which; siddhim—perfection; vrajāmy—attain; aham—I; tvam—you; bhakta-vatsalah—affectionate to the devotees; brahman—O Brāhmaṇa; guru-deva—O Gurudeva; namah—obeisances; astu—should be; te—unto you. Duryodhana said: Please describe the paddhati of Lord Balarāma, reciting which I may attain perfection. O brāhmaṇa, you are affectionate to the devotees. O gurudeva, I bow down before you.

śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca rāma-mārgasya niyamaṁ śṛṇu pārthiva-sattama yena prasanno bhavati balabhadro mahā-prabhuh śrī-prāḍvipāka uvāca—Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said; rāma-mārgasya—of the path to Lord Balarāma; niyamam—the restrictions; śṛṇu—please hear; pārthiva-sattama—O best of kings; yena—by which; prasannah—pleased; bhavati—is; balabhadrah—Lord Balarāma; mahā-prabhuh—the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrī Prāḍvipāka Muni said: O best of kings, please hear the regulative principles of the path to Lord Balarāma. When one follows these principles Lord Balarāma, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, becomes pleased with him.

oṁ namo bhagavate puruṣottamāya vāsudevāya saṅkarṣaṇāya sahasra-vadanāya mahānantāya svāhā. anena mantreṇa śikhā- bandhanaṁ kṛtvā sarvatas taṁ praṇamya tat-sammukho bhūtvā svayaṁ nato bhavet. oṁ jaya jayānanta balabhadra kāma-pāla tālāṅka kālindī-bhaṣjana āvirāvirbhūya mama sammukho bhaveti. anena mantreṇāvāhanaṁ kuryāt. oṁ namas te 'stu sīra-pāṇe hala-musala-dhara rauhiṇeya nīlāmbara rāma revatī-ramaṇa namo 'stu te. anena mantreṇāsana-padyārghya-snāna-madhuparka-dhūpa- dīpa-yajṣopavīta-naivedya-vastra-bhūṣaṇa-gandha- puṣpākṣata-puṣpāṣjali-nīrājaṇādīn upacārān prakalpayet. oṁ viṣṇave madhusūdanāya vāmanāya trivikramāya śrīdharāya hṛṣīkeśāya padmanābhāya dāmodarāya saṅkarṣaṇāya vāsudevāya pradyumnāyāniruddhāyādhokṣajāya puruṣottamāya śrī- kṛṣṇāya namah. iti pāda-gulpha-jānūru-kaṭy-udara-pārśva-pṛṣṭhi- bhuja-kandhara-netra-śirāṁsi pṛthak pṛthak pūjayāmīti mantreṇa sarvāṅga-pūjāṁ kuryāt. atha śaṅkha-cakra-gadā- padmāsi-dhanur-bāṇa-hala-musala-kaustubha-vanamālā-śrīvatsa- pītāmbara-nīlāmbara-vaṁśī-vetra-garuḍāṅka-tālāṅka-ratha- dāruka-sumati-kumuda-kumudākṣa-śrīdāmādīn praṇava-pūrvena cāturthyaṁ tena namah samyuktena nāma-mantreṇa pṛthak pṛthak sampūjya. tathā viṣvaksena-vedavyāsa-durgā-vināyaka-dikpāla- grahādīn kamale sarvatah sve sve sthāne sampūjayet. punah parisamūhanādī-sthālī-pāka-vidhānena vaiśvānaraṁ sampūjya pūrvoktena mūla-mantreṇa paṣca-viṁśati-sahasrāṇy āhutīr juhuyāt. tathāṣṭau sahasrāṇi dvādasākṣāreṇa tathāṣṭau sahasrāṇi catur-vyūha-mantreṇāhūtir juhuyāt. tato 'gniṁ pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya namaskṛtyācāryaṁ mahārha-vastra- suvarṇābharaṇa-tāmra-patra-savatsa-go-suvarṇa-dakṣiṇābhih sampūjya tathā brahmaṇān bhojanādyaih sampūjya nagara-janebhyo bhojanaṁ dattvācāryān praṇamet. itthaṁ balasya paṭalānusāreṇa yo 'nusmarati ihāmūtra siddhi-samṛddhibhih samvṛto bhavati. śrī- rāma-paṭalaṁ guhyaṁ mayā te hy anuvarṇitam. sarva-siddhi-pradaṁ rājan kiṁ bhūyah śrotum icchasi. om—Oṁ; namah—obeisances; bhagavate—to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; puruṣottamāya—the supreme person; vāsudevāya—the son of Vasudeva; saṅkarṣaṇāya—Lord Saṅkarṣaṇa; sahasra-vadanāya—who has a thousand heads; mahānantāya—the great Lord Anbanta; svāhā—svāhā; anena—with this; mantreṇa—mantra; śikhā—śikhā; bandhanam—tying; kṛtvā—doing; sarvatah—in all respects; tam—to Him; praṇamya—bowing; tat-sammukhah—before Him; bhūtvā—becing; svayam—personally; natah—bowed; bhavet.—should be; om—Oṁ; jaya—vitory; jaya—victory; ananta—O limitless one; balabhadra—O Balarāma; kāma-pāla—O fulfiller of desires; tālāṅka—O Lord who acrries the mark of the palm tree; kālindī-bhaṣjana—O breaker of the Yamunā; āvirāvirbhūya—appearing; mama—of me; sammukhah—in the presence; bhava—please become; iti—thus; anena—with this; mantreṇa—mantra; āvāhanam—invoking the presence; kuryāt.—should do; om—Oṁ; namah—obeisances; te—to you; astu—should be; sīra-pāṇe—plow in hand; hala-musala—plow and club; dhara—holding; rauhiṇeya—O son of Rohiṇī; nīlāmbara—dressed in blue garments; rāma—O Balarāma; revatī-ramaṇa—O lover of Revatī; namah—obeisances; astu—should be; te—to You; anena—with this; mantreṇa—mantra; āsana—seat; padya—padya; arghya—arghya; snāna—bath; madhuparka—madhuparka; dhūpa—incense; dīpa—lamp; yajṣopavīta—sacred thread; naivedya—food; vastra—garments; bhūṣaṇa—ornaments; gandha—scent; puṣpa—flowers; akṣata—unbroken rice; puṣpa—of flowers; aṣjali—handful; nīrājaṇa—arati; ādīn—beginning with; upacārān—services; prakalpayet—should perform; om—Oṁ; viṣṇave—to Lord Viṣṇu; madhusūdanāya—the killer of Madhu; vāmanāya—Vāmana; trivikramāya—Trivikrama; śrīdharāya—Śrīdhāra; hṛṣīkeśāya—Hṛṣīkeśa; padmanābhāya—whose navel is a lotus flower; dāmodarāya—who waist is bound with a rope; saṅkarṣaṇāya—who was pulled from Devakī's womb; vāsudevāya—the son of Vasudeva; pradyumnāya—Pradyumna; aniruddhāya—Aniruddha; adhokṣajāya—Adhokṣaja; puruṣottamāya—the Supreme Person; śrī-kṛṣṇāya—Śrī Kṛṣṇa; namah.—obeisances; iti—thus; pāda—feet; gulpha—ankles; jānu—knees; ūru—thighs; kaṭy—hips; udara—belly; pārśva—sides; pṛṣṭhi—back; bhuja—arms; kandhara—shoulders; netra—eyes; śirāṁsi—and head; pṛthak pṛthak—each one individually; pūjayāmi—I worship; iti—thus; mantreṇa—with the mantra; sarvāṅga-pūjām—the worship of all limbs; kuryāt.—should perform; atha—then; śaṅkha—conchshell; cakra—disc; gadā—club; padma—lotus; asi—sword; dhanuh—bow; bāṇa—arrow; hala—plow; musala—club; kaustubha—Kaustubha jewel; vanamālā—forest garland; śrīvatsa—Śrīvatsa mark; pītāmbara—yellow garments; nīlāmbara—blue garments; vaṁśī—flute; vetra—stick; garuḍa—Garuḍa; aṅka—mark; tāla—palm tree; aṅka—mark; ratha—chariot; dāruka—Dāruka; sumati—Sumati; kumuda—Kumuda; kumudākṣa—Kumudākṣa; śrīdāma—Śrīdāma; ādīn—beginning with; praṇava-pūrvena—with Oṁ first; cāturthyam—fourth; tena—by that; namah—obeisances; samyuktena—with; nāma-mantreṇa—by tha mantras of names; pṛthak pṛthak—one after another; sampūjya.—should worship; tathā—so; viṣvaksena—Viṣvaksena; vedavyāsa—Vedavyāsa; durgā—Durgā; vināyaka—Vināyaka; dikpāla—the protectors of the directions; graha—the planets; ādīn—beginning with; kamale—on the lotus flower; sarvatah—each; sve sve sthāne—in his own place; sampūjayet.—should worship; punah—again; parisamūhana—sprinkling water; ādi—beginning with; sthalīin an earthen pot; pāka—cooking; vidhānena—by the action; vaiśvānaram—Vaiśvānara; sampūjya—worshiping; pūrvoktena—previously spoken; mūla-mantreṇa—with the mula-mantra; paṣca-viṁśati-sahasrāṇy—25,000; āhutīh—oblations; juhuyāt—should offer; tathā—so; aṣṭau sahasrāṇi—8,000; dvādasākṣāreṇa—with 12 syllables; tathā—then; aṣṭau sahasrāṇi—8,000; catur-vyūha-mantreṇa—with mantras to the catur-vyūha; āhutīh—oblations; juhuyāt.—should offer; tatah—then; agnim—the sacred fire; pradakṣiṇī-kṛtya—circumambulating; namaskṛtya—bowing down; ācāryam—to the guru; mahārha—very valuable; vastra—garments; suvarṇa—golden; ābharaṇa—ornaments; tāmra—red; patra—petals; savatsa—with calves; gah—cows; suvarṇa—and gold; dakṣiṇābhih—with dakṣiṇā; sampūjya—worshiping; tathā—so; brahmaṇān—the brāhmaṇas; bhojanādyaih—beginning with food; sampūjya—worshiping; nagara-janebhyah—the residents of the city; bhojanam—food; dattvā—giving; ācāryān—to the gurus; praṇamet—should offer obeisances; ittham—thus; balasya—of Lord Balarāma; paṭalānusāreṇa—by following the paṭala; yah—one who; anusmarati—remembers; iha—in this life; amūtra—and the next; siddhi—of perfection; samṛddhibhih—with increase; samvṛtah—accompanied; bhavati.—becomes; śrī-rāma-paṭalam—the paṭala of Lord Balarāma; guhyam—secret; mayā—by me; te—to you; hy—indeed; anuvarṇitam.—described; sarva-siddhi-pradam—giving all perfection; rājan—O king; kim—what?; bhūyah—more; śrotum—to hear; icchasi—you wish. Chanting the mantra "oṁ namo bhagavate puruṣottamāya vāsudevāya saṅkarṣaṇāya sahasra-vadanāya mahānantāya svāhā" (Obeisances to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Saṅkarṣana, who is thousand-headed Lord Ananta, and who is the son of Vasudeva), one should tie his śikhā. Then one should bow down before the deity and in all directions. Then, chanting the mantra "oṁ jaya jayānanta balabhadra kāma-pāla tālāṅka kālindī-bhaṣjana āvirāvirbhūya mama sammukho bhava" (Oṁ. O Lord Balarāma, O Lord Ananta, O fulfiller of desires, O Lord who carries a palm-tree flag, O Lord who broke the Yamunā, all glories to You! O Lord, please appear before me.), one should request Lord Balarāma to appear. Then, chanting the mantra "oṁ namas te 'stu sīra-pāṇe hala-musala-dhara rauhiṇeya nīlāmbara rāma revatī-ramaṇa namo 'stu te" (O Lord who holds a plow in Your hand, O Lord who holds a plow and club, O son of Rohiṇī, O Lord dressed in blue garments, O Balarāma, O husband of Revatī, obeisances to You!), one should offer a throne, padya, arghya, bath, madhuparka, incense, lamp, sacred thread, food, garments, ornaments, fragrant flowers, unbroken grains of rice, handsful of flowers, ārati, and other services. Then, chanting the mantra, "oṁ viṣṇave madhusūdanāya vāmanāya trivikramāya śrīdharāya hṛṣīkeśāya padmanābhāya dāmodarāya saṅkarṣaṇāya vāsudevāya pradyumnāyāniruddhāyādhokṣajāya puruṣottamāya śrī-kṛṣṇāya namah. (Oṁ. Obeisances to Lord Viṣṇu, the killer of Madhu, the Lord who is the Vāmana incarnation, the Lord who covered the universe in three steps, the Lord who maintains the goddess of fortune, the master of the senses, the Lord whose navel is a lotus flower, the Lord whose waist was bound by a rope, the Lord who was carried from Devakī's womb, the Lord who is the son of Vasudeva, the Lord who is Pradyumna, the Lord who is Aniruddha, the Lord who is beyond the material senses, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is all-attractive Śrī Kṛṣṇa!) and also the mantra "pāda-gulpha-jānūru-kaṭy-udara-pārśva-pṛṣṭhi-bhuja-kandhara-netra-śirāṁsi pṛthak pṛthak pūjayāmi" (I worship the Lord's feet, ankles, knees, thighs, hips, belly, sides, back, arms, shoulders, eyes, and head.), one should worship all the limbs of Lord Balarāma. Then, chanting the word namah before each one, and putting each word in the dative case, one should worship Lord Balarāma's conchshell (with the mantra śaṅkhāya namah), disc (cakrāya namah), club (gadāyai namah), lotus (padmāya namah), sword (asaye namah), bow (dhanuṣe namah), arrows (bāṇebhyah namah), plow (halāya namah), club (musalāya namah), Kaustubha jewel (kaustubhāya namah), forest garland (vanamālāyai namah), Śrīvatsa mark (śrīvatsāya namah), yellow garments (pītāmbarāya namah), blue garments (nīlāmbarāya namah), flute (vaṁśyai namah), stick (vetrāya namah), chariot marked with the flag of Garuḍa (garuḍāṅka-rathāya namah), chariot marked with the flag of a palm tree (tālāṅka-rathāya namah), and His associates Dāruka (darukāya namah), Sumati (sumataye namah), Kumuda (kumudāya namah), Kumudākṣa (kumudākṣāya namah), and Śrīdāmā (śrīdāmāya namah). Then one should place Viṣvaksena, Vedavyāsa, Durgā, Gaṇeśa, the planets, and the protectors of the directions in their respective places in the lotus and then one should worship them. Then, sprinkling water and offering food cooked in an earthen pot, one should worship the sacred fire. Then, chanting the previously described mūla-mantra (oṁ klīṁ kālindī-bhedanāya saṅkarṣaṇāya svāhā) one should offer 25,000 oblations. Then, chanting the twelve-syllable mantra (oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya), one should offer 8,000 oblations. Then, chanting the catur-vyūha mantra (oṁ namo bhagavate tubhyaṁ vāsudevāya sākṣiṇe, pradyumnāyāniruddhāya namah saṅkarṣaṇāya ca), one should again offer 8,000 oblations. Then one should circumambulate the sacred fire, bow down before the guru, worship him with dakṣiṇā of valuable garments, gold ornaments, copper vessels, cows with their newborn calves, and much gold, worship the brāhmaṇas by offering them food and gifts, feed the people of the city, and bow down before the gurus. Meditating on Lord Balarāma by following this paddhati, one attains perfection in this life and the next. In this way I have described to you Lord Balarāma's confidential paddhati, which gives all perfection. O king, what more do you wish to hear? .pa