Gopala Champu

Chapter Sixteen - Killing Pralamba and the forest fire

[1] In the morning, lit by the effulgence of the assembly, powerful Nanda took his seat with Kṛṣṇa present. Madhukaṇṭha began to speak.

O Snigdhakaṇṭha! Sitting near me, hear a brave exploit of Balarāma.

As Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma played while herding the cows, summer, which is not much favored by the animals, arrived in Vṛndāvana. It is not surprising that this summer season had the qualities of spring because the two brothers, attached to Vṛndāvana, always dwelled there. ||1||

The roar of waterfalls was mistaken for approaching rain storm clouds. The crickets chirped shrilly and the trees, covered with mist from the waterfalls, were filled with flowers. Thus summer appeared like spring. ||2||

The breeze carried the fragrance of lotuses mixed with cool water to the shady places in the forest as if it were spring, making the place moist and full of flowers. When suitable things are combined, unlimited happiness of friendship arises. ||3||

Though it was summer, the humans thought that it was spring in Vṛndāvana, what to speak of the cuckoos and bees. ||4||

When Mādhava entered the forest and played his flute, the other Mādhava (summer appearing as spring) was present two fold. ||5||

The boys were decorated with jewels from their houses and were always decorated with summer flowers and buds, which produced extreme beauty. What more can be said of the summer? ||6||

[2] Śrīdāma, Sudāma, Vasudāma and others gathered in a group not too far away, in order to keep a watch on them. Subala, Arjuna, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma came, danced about, and then joined them. They began to speak while giving blessings, “Where do you live? You seem to be dancers. Where are you going?” Śrīdāma and others revealed their intentions with joyful minds: “Magnanimous souls! We come from far off. Our minds are dancing because of hearing your glories. We also desire to dance with our bodies in front of you. We cannot stay a long time anywhere. Our eyes and ears are now fully satisfied.”

[3] Kṛṣṇa replied to his friends: “Our two ears are like great gurus with great knowledge. By the ears we understand the qualities of great persons. How much should we respect the mind by praise, since we are joyful here? What use are the feet, since the feet should be used to fulfill our desires. Can we focus our eyes on any other attractive object, since here the eyes make us see what is taught by guru? What have we not achieved with our nostrils, since they bestow us bliss? What to say about our skin, which receives the fragrant breeze from the forest? Do you not experience some auspicious emotion from this, by whose results you are inundated internally and externally? There is no harm if the glorious creator stays here even by his name. All the Upaniṣads cannot glorify his followers enough. We simply dance, forgetting ourselves. Will we not gain great fortune on ourselves by the mercy of the feet of that great soul, since he has made us like devatās by his extraordinary, unblinking effulgence? We feel protected at the feet of this great soul, since he has made us perfect by giving his shadow. Our minds feel the greatest satisfaction, since he has satisfied us with his sweet glance. Look! He has an extraordinary, dancing glance by which all great souls will give us mercy. We are eager to dance and are looking for an opportunity to do so.”

[4] The assembly members said: “O people with elevated desires! If you are dancers for all festivals, then please perform the dance, with an attractive black form, amazing like a painting which is not a painting. The dancer should wear a peacock feather, but be more attractive than a peacock and he should wear yellow cloth, being more attractive than gold. He should resemble a black cloud but be more attractive than a black cloud. He should have a flute in his mouth but be superior to anyone else with a flute. He should have wonderful form and qualities, but not material ones. He should be full of knowledge but not a Vidyādhara. By such variety the eyes will be amused.”

Arjuna, Subala and others began singing using their hands, horns, and split bamboo to keep rhythm. Kṛṣṇa began to dance and the young boys of Vraja, praised by the Vedas, began praising Kṛṣṇa. ||7||

When Kṛṣṇa entered the stage Balarāma became possessed and seeing this, the audience began praising both. ||8||

Since the black and white boys were not different, it was difficult to distinguish the two brothers by their qualities and limbs. ||9||

The movement of their limbs was like lightning and their bodies were like a dark cloud and the moon, entering into the mountain in the form of the assembled singers. ||10||

[5] When the audience offered necklaces with jewels attractive to the heart, the boys refused the gifts, “We do not ask for anything. We are the best of dancers. But we want to see wrestling.” “You are the best of wrestlers.” Hearing this as confirmation, they said: “We have entered the assembly of elevated persons. Give gifts for our satisfaction and nourishment, but not for creating deception.”

[6] The brothers entered into the crowd which, upon hearing their words, was laughing and had come close. The praiseworthy brothers, giving joy, began to wrestle.

Whirling around, jumping, punching, slapping their arms together, and pulling each other, they struck each other on their chests while wrestling. ||11||

[7] Kṛṣṇa, who destroyed the pride of all people with good qualities, along with his friends, was gratified by blissful knowledge. Śrīdāma and others then showed the art of dancing as an offering to all cultured people.

[8] Because the dancing produced great bliss, Kṛṣṇa with enthusiasm accompanied them with difficult rhythms to test their skill.

[9] Śukadeva says:

kvacin nṛtyatsu cānyeṣu gāyakau vādakau svayam |

śaśaṁsatur mahārāja sādhu sādhv iti vādinau ||

While the other boys were dancing, O King, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would sometimes accompany them with song and instrumental music, and sometimes the two Lords would praise the boys, saying, “Very good! Very good!” SB 10.18.13 ||12||

[10] When the cows disappeared, they played. They hit each other with bilva, kumbha and small āmalaki fruits. Laughing, they imitated the animals, the sounds of birds and the hopping of frogs. Kṛṣṇa spent four praharas in waves of bliss in ruling from a king’s throne and by taking off the blindfold of a person so he could touch the person who blindfolded him. ||13||

Kṛṣṇa played the king, Stoka-kṛṣṇa played the minister, while Balarāma played another king and Subala played his minister. Śrīdāma and Bhadra were the commanders of the army. In this way the two brothers ruled their kingdoms. ||14||

Sometimes they would stay in one place, sometimes march to war, sometimes make peace, sometimes fight, sometimes be victorious and sometimes be defeated. ||15||

evaṁ tau loka-siddhābhiḥ krīḍābhiś ceratur vane |

nady-adri-droṇi-kuṣjeṣu kānaneṣu saraḥsu ca ||

In this way, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma played all sorts of well-known games as they wandered among the rivers, hills, valleys, bushes, trees and lakes of Vṛndāvana. SB 10.18.16

[11] In this situation, after some days, one morning Kaṁsa began to think deeply about the deaths of his demon associates and became perplexed. Pralambha approached Kaṁsa, offered respects and asked, “O king! Why are you lamenting?”

[12] Kaṁsa said, “Do you not know? Those who assisted me are all dead. Who remains?”

[13] Pralamba said, “Anyway, just engage me for an hour.”

Kaṁṣa remained silent for a moment, shaking his head.

[14] Pralamba said, “O lord, what is this?”

[15] Kaṁsa, laughing with distaste, thinking of Pralamba as a moth, said, “You may tread the path of the blazing flame.”

[16] Pralamba said in anger, “Oh! The cruel flame of time burns up the Himalayas and dries up the lake on it.”

[17] Kaṁsa said, “Let that be. Do as you wish.”

[18] Hearing this, offering respects to Kaṁsa, insulted by Kaṁsa, without delay, Pralamba, bound by fate, wandered some distance to the spot where Kṛṣṇa was playing:

“These are the two young boys who have killed all the demons. I have met with them by coming quickly from Kaṁsa in secret.” ||16||

[19] “Their pride will be crushed by being killed by irrevocable time. Today I will fool them by producing great faith in them. I will fervently play with them as they do on all days. Acting like a friend, I will bind the two boys up by the hands and, throwing them on my shoulders, deliver them to Kaṁsa.”

[20] Clothed as a thief, covered in profuse evil, filled with faults, Pralamba came to the cow village and, looking around, put on a cowherd dress lying in a house. Laughing to please them and mix with them, he then entered the group. But Kṛṣṇa saw him.

[21] Seeing him, Kṛṣṇa went along with his disguise, “O Bhadra! Why are you late? It is good that you are coming at the height of fun.” Laughing in this way at the calamity of disguising oneself as a cowherd, he gained Pralamba’s confidence and made friends with him to defeat Balarāma’s strength. He then said: “O friend, starting today, you are my best friend. I will always keep you in my sight. Let Śrīdāma be on the same side as Balarāma, who has great competitive spirit. He is a suitable partner for you.”

[22] Giving up dismay, the demon became more arrogant:

Since he who desires to create the universe desires to learn the truth from Kṛṣṇa, What person who thinks himself clever can outwit Kṛṣṇa? ||17||

[23] Then Kṛṣṇa divided the boys into two groups and made Pralamba the head of his group in order to increase his strength. With great enthusiasm, Balarāma fought with Pralamba and Śrīdāma fought with Kṛṣṇa. In this way they fought, taking the help of unlimited friends. Those who were defeated had to carry the winners on their shoulders like a load of goods that has been purchased. In this way Kṛṣṇa became absorbed in the competition.

In that unrestricted play, those who won were carried and those who were defeated were the bearers. Looking like horses, they laughed and made others laugh. Without consideration of respect they quarreled with each other. In this way they moved from forest to grove and came to Bhāṇḍīra banyan tree. ||18||

[24] When the playing became intense, Kṛṣṇa, in order to have Pralamba carry Balarāma on his shoulders, not caring if he was defeated or considering who was strong or weak, made his own group accept defeat.

[25] Thinking that it was difficult for others to carry by themselves, Kṛṣṇa also carried someone.

Kṛṣṇa carried Śrīdāma and Pralamba carried Balarāma. Others, thinking themselves strong, carried other boys. All said, “This is really good.” ||19||

Though at first, Pralamba showed attraction to Kṛṣṇa, when he carried Balarāma away, he became fearful of Kṛṣṇa. Pralamba thus took Balarāma far away from the play area. ||20||

Absorbed in playing, Balarāma did not manifest his power of knowledge and did not recognize the demon. Kṛṣṇa understood the demon just by looking at him. Balarāma remained undisturbed as before, and Kṛṣṇa was skillful at tricking the demon. ||21||

[26] But Pralamba began to suffer as he carried Balarāma, who was heavier than a mountain range. The proud demon, with an embarrassed mind, then manifested his previous huge body.

When the black demon carried Balarāma, white like the moon, the devatās thought that Rāhu was carrying away the moon. ||22||

Suddenly feeling a little fear, Balarāma looked at Kṛṣṇa’s face. Understanding everything by the movement of Kṛṣṇa’s brow, Balarāma then hit the demon’s head with his fist. ||23||

As a thunderbolt leaves a black mountain streaked with red minerals and returns to the hand of Indra, the soul of the demon gave up the dark body stained with blood and went to Viṣṇu. ||24||

Seeing simultaneously Pralamba fall far away and Balarāma approaching close, everyone smiled with astonishment. ||25||

The two brothers, with tears in their eyes, embraced. Their friendship on embracing produced melting internally and externally. ||26||

When Pralamba died with a thunderous roar, the devatās, situated in heaven, showered him with flowers in joy and joked about him. ||27||

“He gave the order to hit the demon on the head in order to play continuously. O Pralamba! We do not transgress respect like you.” ||28||