SB 10.68.14 · Srimad-Bhagavatam

Devanagari

सान्‍त्‍वयित्वा तु तान् राम: सन्नद्धान् वृष्णिपुङ्गवान् । नैच्छत् कुरूणां वृष्णीनां कलिं कलिमलापह: ॥ १४ ॥ जगाम हास्तिनपुरं रथेनादित्यवर्चसा । ब्राह्मणै: कुलवृद्धैश्च वृतश्चन्द्र इव ग्रहै: ॥ १५ ॥

Verse text

sāntvayitvā tu tān rāmaḥ sannaddhān vṛṣṇi-puṅgavān naicchat kurūṇāṁ vṛṣṇīnāṁ kaliṁ kali-malāpahaḥ jagāma hāstina-puraṁ rathenāditya-varcasā brāhmaṇaiḥ kula-vṛddhaiś ca vṛtaś candra iva grahaiḥ

Synonyms

sāntvayitvā — calming ; tu — but ; tān — them ; rāmaḥ — Lord Balarāma ; sannaddhān — suited in armor ; vṛṣṇi — puṅgavān — the heroes of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty ; na aicchat — He did not want ; kurūṇām vṛṣṇīnām — between the Kurus and the Vṛṣṇis ; kalim — a quarrel ; kali — of the age of quarrel ; mala — the contamination ; apahaḥ — He who removes ; jagāma — He went ; hāstina — puram — to Hastināpura ; rathena — with His chariot ; āditya — (like) the sun ; varcasā — whose effulgence ; brāhmaṇaiḥ — by brāhmaṇas ; kula — of the family ; vṛddhaiḥ — by elders ; ca — and ; vṛtaḥ — surrounded ; candraḥ — the moon ; iva — as ; grahaiḥ — by the seven planets .

Translation

Lord Balarāma, however, cooled the tempers of the Vṛṣṇi heroes, who had already put on their armor. He who purifies the age of quarrel did not want a quarrel between the Kurus and Vṛṣṇis. Thus, accompanied by brāhmaṇas and family elders, He went to Hastināpura on His chariot, which was as effulgent as the sun. As He went, He appeared like the moon surrounded by the ruling planets.

Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Lord Balarāma, however, cooled the tempers of the Vṛṣṇi heroes, who had already put on their armor. He who purifies the age of quarrel did not want a quarrel between the Kurus and Vṛṣṇis. Thus, accompanied by brāhmaṇas and family elders, He went to Hastināpura on His chariot, which was as effulgent as the sun. As He went, He appeared like the moon surrounded by the ruling planets. KB 10.68.14-15 Although Lord Balarāma knew very well that by slight provocation people are prepared to fight with one another in the Age of Kali, He did not like the idea that the two great dynasties, the Kuru dynasty and the Yadu dynasty, would fight amongst themselves, even though they were influenced by Kali-yuga. “Instead of fighting with them,” He wisely thought, “let Me go there and see the situation, and let Me try to see if the fight can be settled by mutual understanding.” Balarāma’s idea was that if the Kuru dynasty could be induced to release Sāmba along with his wife, Lakṣmaṇā, then the fight could be avoided. He therefore immediately arranged for a nice chariot to go to Hastināpura, accompanied by learned priests and brāhmaṇas, as well as by some of the elder members of the Yadu dynasty. He was confident that the members of the Kuru dynasty would agree to this marriage and avoid fighting with the Yadus. As Lord Balarāma proceeded toward Hastināpura in His chariot, accompanied by the brāhmaṇas and elders, He looked like the moon shining in the clear sky amongst the glittering stars.

Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)

Having pacified the Vrsnis, Balarama then went to Hastinapura, surrounded by brahmanas and elders, because he did not want a quarrel between the Kauravas and Vrsnis. 16, With a desire to know the intentions of Dhrtarastra, Balarama sent Uddhava.

Purport (Jiva Goswami)

The Kurus and the Vṛṣṇis were related through the marriage of Kuntī (a Vṛṣṇi married to a Kuru) and Rohiṇī (a Kuru married to a Vṛṣṇi). Balarāma did not want a quarrel between them since he was the remover of quarrel prominent in Kali-yuga. Or he was the destroyer of Duryodhana’s (Kali personified) pride (mala). But he did not want to kill him because of his merciful nature. This showed the difficulty in uprooting the fault of hatred towards the Lord and his devotees, even by the Lord himself.

Purport (Sanatana Goswami)

He pacified Ugrasena and others, best of the Vṛṣṇis. He did not want a quarrel because he was the destroyer of quarrels and other faults in Kali-yuga. He discouraged them from going out of affection for his pupil Duryodhana. He gave pleasure to the Kurus and the Vṛṣṇis. Balarāma’s chariot moved fast like the sun. He arrived immediately. He was surrounded by brāhmaṇas, who would make the fools come to their senses. This also indicates that he did not desire to fight.