Devanagari
श्रुत्वा युद्धोद्यमं राम: कुरूणां सह पाण्डवै: ।
तीर्थाभिषेकव्याजेन मध्यस्थ: प्रययौ किल ॥ १७ ॥
Verse text
śrutvā yuddhodyamaṁ rāmaḥ
kurūṇāṁ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ
tīrthābhiṣeka-vyājena
madhya-sthaḥ prayayau kila
Synonyms
śrutvā
—
hearing
;
yuddha
—
for battle
;
udyamam
—
the preparations
;
rāmaḥ
—
Lord Balarāma
;
kurūṇām
—
of the Kurus
;
saha
—
with
;
pāṇḍavaiḥ
—
the Pāṇḍavas
;
tīrtha
—
in holy places
;
abhiṣeka
—
of bathing
;
vyājena
—
on the pretext
;
madhya
—
sthaḥ — neutral
;
prayayau
—
He departed
;
kila
—
indeed .
Translation
Lord Balarāma then heard that the Kurus were preparing for war with the Pāṇḍavas. Being neutral, He departed on the pretext of going to bathe in holy places.
Translation (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Lord Balarāma then heard that the Kurus were preparing for war with the Pāṇḍavas. Being neutral, He departed on the pretext of going to bathe in holy places.
KB 10.78.17
Once upon a time, Lord Balarāma heard that an arrangement was being made for a fight between the two rival parties in the Kuru dynasty, one headed by Duryodhana and the other by the Pāṇḍavas. He did not like the idea, and He tried to act as mediator to stop the fighting. Finding it impossible, and not wishing to take an active part on behalf of either party, He left Dvārakā on the plea of visiting various holy places of pilgrimage.
Purport
Both Duryodhana and Yudhiṣṭhira were dear to Lord Balarāma, and so to avoid an awkward situation He departed. Furthermore, after killing the demon Vidūratha, Lord Kṛṣṇa put aside His weapons, but Lord Balarāma still had to kill Romaharṣaṇa and Balvala to finish relieving the earth of her burden of demons.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Krsna killed the demons up until Viduratha, and then gave up his sword. But Balarama did this only after killing Balvala and the son of roma harsana. Hearing that the kauravas wanted to fight the Pandavas Balarama thought, " I have friendship with Duryodhana and Yudhisthira. They will both invite me on their side. Whose side should I choose?" Thus he left on the pretext of bathing in holy places.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Balarāma did not side with either party. He did this for variety in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. He left Dvārakā.
Purport (Sanatana Goswami)
Having indicated Kṛṣṇa prowess and his withdrawal from fighting, Śukadeva now beings a related story to describe Balarāma’s withdrawal. This continues for the rest of the chapter. This occurred after the journey to Kurukṣetra for the eclipse since Balarāma was present at the Kuruksetra meeting. All this becomes clear later. Balarāma gave pleasure to everyone (rāmaḥ). In order to maintain his attraction for the Kurus and Pāṇḍavas, he left. He was neutral to both parties.