The Killing of the Demon Pralamba

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.18.1)

श्रीशुक उवाच अथ कृष्णः परिवृतो ज्ञातिभिर्मुदितात्मभिः । अनुगीयमानो न्यविशद्व्रजं गोकुलमण्डितम् ॥ 18.1 ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca atha kṛṣṇaḥ parivṛto jñātibhir muditātmabhiḥ anugīyamāno nyaviśad vrajaṁ gokula-maṇḍitam

Shukadeva said: Thereafter, surrounded by His joyous kinsmen who sang His glories, Krishna entered Vraja, adorned with the herds of Gokula.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.18.2)

व्रजे विक्रीडतोरेवं गोपालच्छद्ममायया । ग्रीष्मो नामर्तुरभवन्नातिप्रेयाञ्छरीरिणाम् ॥ 18.2 ॥

vraje vikrīḍator evaṁ gopāla-cchadma-māyayā grīṣmo nāmartur abhavan nāti-preyāñ charīriṇām

While the two, in the guise of cowherd boys, sported thus by Their own divine power, the summer season came upon Vraja — a season not ordinarily dear to embodied beings.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.18.3)

स च वृन्दावनगुणैर्वसन्त इव लक्षितः । यत्रास्ते भगवान् साक्षाद् रामेण सह केशवः ॥ 18.3 ॥

sa ca vṛndāvana-guṇair vasanta iva lakṣitaḥ yatrāste bhagavān sākṣād rāmeṇa saha keśavaḥ

Yet, thanks to Vrindavana's own special qualities, that summer seemed like spring itself — for there the Lord Keshava dwelt in person, together with Balarama.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.18.4)

यत्र निर्झरनिर्ह्रादनिवृत्तस्वनझिल्लिकम् । शश्वत्तच्छीकरर्जीषद्रुममण्डलमण्डितम् ॥ 18.4 ॥

yatra nirjhara-nirhrāda- nivṛtta-svana-jhillikam śaśvat tac-chīkararjīṣa- druma-maṇḍala-maṇḍitam

There the roar of waterfalls drowned out the crickets' chirping, and clusters of trees, ever moistened by the falls' fine spray, added to the beauty of the place.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.18.5)

सरित्सरःप्रस्रवणोर्मिवायुना कह्लारकुञ्जोत्पलरेणुहारिणा । न विद्यते यत्र वनौकसां दवो निदाघवह्न्यर्कभवोऽतिशाद्वले ॥ 18.5 ॥

sarit-saraḥ-prasravaṇormi-vāyunā kahlāra-kañjotpala-reṇu-hāriṇā na vidyate yatra vanaukasāṁ davo nidāgha-vahny-arka-bhavo ’ti-śādvale

Because of the breeze that rose from the waves of rivers, lakes and waterfalls and carried with it the pollen of lotuses and water lilies, the dwellers of that lush, grass-covered forest never suffered the scorching heat of the sun or any forest fire born of summer's fierceness.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.18.6)

अगाधतोयह्रदिनीतटोर्मिभि- र्द्रवत्पुरीष्याः पुलिनैः समन्ततः । न यत्र चण्डांशुकरा विषोल्बणा भुवो रसं शाद्वलितं च गृह्णते ॥ 18.6 ॥

agādha-toya-hradinī-taṭormibhir dravat-purīṣyāḥ pulinaiḥ samantataḥ na yatra caṇḍāṁśu-karā viṣolbaṇā bhuvo rasaṁ śādvalitaṁ ca gṛhṇate

On every side the deep rivers' waves kept their banks damp and muddy with soft silt, so that even the sun's fierce, poison-like rays could never dry up the earth's moisture or the grass that covered it.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.18.7)

वनं कुसुमितं श्रीमन्नदच्चित्रमृगद्विजम् । गायन्मयूरभ्रमरं कूजत्कोकिलसारसम् ॥ 18.7 ॥

vanaṁ kusumitaṁ śrīman nadac-citra-mṛga-dvijam gāyan mayūra-bhramaraṁ kūjat-kokila-sārasam

That lovely forest, blossoming with flowers, resounded with the calls of varied birds and beasts; peacocks and bees sang, cuckoos and cranes called out.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.18.8)

क्रीडिष्यमाणस्तन् कृष्णो भगवान् बलसंयुतः । वेणुं विरणयन् गोपैर्गोधनैः संवृतोऽविशत् ॥ 18.8 ॥

krīḍiṣyamāṇas tat krṣṇo bhagavān bala-saṁyutaḥ veṇuṁ viraṇayan gopair go-dhanaiḥ saṁvṛto ’viśat

Wishing to play, Lord Krishna, together with Balarama, sounding His flute and surrounded by the cowherd boys and their herds, entered that forest.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.18.9)

प्रवालबर्हस्तबकस्रग्धातुकृतभूषणाः । रामकृष्णादयो गोपा ननृतुर्युयुधुर्जगुः ॥ 18.9 ॥

pravāla-barha-stabaka- srag-dhātu-kṛta-bhūṣaṇāḥ rāma-kṛṣṇādayo gopā nanṛtur yuyudhur jaguḥ

Decking themselves with fresh sprouts, peacock feathers, garlands of flower clusters and colored minerals, Rama, Krishna and the other cowherd boys danced, wrestled and sang.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.18.10)

कृष्णस्य नृत्यतः केचिज्जगुः केचिदवादयन् । वेणुपाणितलैः शृङ्गैः प्रशशंसुरथापरे ॥ 18.10 ॥

kṛṣṇasya nṛtyataḥ kecij jaguḥ kecid avādayan veṇu-pāṇitalaiḥ śṛṅgaiḥ praśaśaṁsur athāpare

As Krishna danced, some sang, others played flutes, clapped their hands or blew on horns, and still others simply praised His dancing.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.18.11)

गोपजातिप्रतिच्छन्ना देवा गोपालरूपिणौ । ईडिरे कृष्णरामौ च नटा इव नटं नृप ॥ 18.11 ॥

gopa-jāti-praticchannā devā gopāla-rūpiṇau īḍire kṛṣṇa-rāmau ca naṭā iva naṭaṁ nṛpa

O King, gods disguised as cowherd folk praised Krishna and Rama, who wore the guise of cowherd boys, just as one dancer praises another.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.18.12)

भ्रमणैर्लङ्घनैः क्षेपैरास्फोटनविकर्षणैः । चिक्रीडतुर्नियुद्धेन काकपक्षधरौ क्वचित् ॥ 18.12 ॥

bhramaṇair laṅghanaiḥ kṣepair āsphoṭana-vikarṣaṇaiḥ cikrīḍatur niyuddhena kāka-pakṣa-dharau kvacit

The two of Them played at whirling, leaping, throwing, slapping and tugging, and sometimes wrestled with Their boyfriends, whose hair was still worn in the childhood locks.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.18.13)

क्वचिन्नृत्यत्सु चान्येषु गायकौ वादकौ स्वयम् । शशंसतुर्महाराज साधु साध्विति वादिनौ ॥ 18.13 ॥

kvacin nṛtyatsu cānyeṣu gāyakau vādakau svayam śaśaṁsatur mahā-rāja sādhu sādhv iti vādinau

O great King, sometimes, while the other boys danced, the two of Them Themselves became the singers and musicians, and at other times They would praise the dancers, calling out, "Excellent! Excellent!"

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.18.14)

क्वचिद्बिल्वैः क्वचित्कुम्भैः क्वचामलकमुष्टिभिः । अस्पृश्यनेत्रबन्धाद्यैः क्वचिन्मृगखगेहया ॥ 18.14 ॥

kvacid bilvaiḥ kvacit kumbhaiḥ kvacāmalaka-muṣṭibhiḥ aspṛśya-netra-bandhādyaiḥ kvacin mṛga-khagehayā

Sometimes they played with bilva fruits, sometimes with kumbha fruits, sometimes with handfuls of amalaka fruits; sometimes they played games of touch-and-flee or blind man's buff, and sometimes they mimicked the beasts and the birds.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.18.15)

क्वचिच्च दर्दुरप्लावैर्विविधैरुपहासकैः । कदाचित् स्यन्दोलिकया कर्हिचिन्नृपचेष्टया ॥ 18.15 ॥

kvacic ca dardura-plāvair vividhair upahāsakaiḥ kadācit syandolikayā karhicin nṛpa-ceṣṭayā

Sometimes they leapt about like frogs, sometimes played all manner of jesting games, sometimes swung on swings, and sometimes mimicked the airs of kings.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.18.16)

एवं तौ लोकसिद्धाभिः क्रीडाभिश्चेरतुर्वने । नद्यद्रिद्रोणिकुञ्जेषु काननेषु सरःसु च ॥ 18.16 ॥

evaṁ tau loka-siddhābhiḥ krīḍābhiś ceratur vane nady-adri-droṇi-kuñjeṣu kānaneṣu saraḥsu ca

In this way, playing games well known to all people, the two of Them wandered through the rivers, hill-valleys, thickets, woods and lakes of that forest.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.18.17)

पशूंश्चारयतोर्गोपैस्तद्वने रामकृष्णयोः । गोपरूपी प्रलम्बोऽगादसुरस्तज्जिहीर्षया ॥ 18.17 ॥

paśūṁś cārayator gopais tad-vane rāma-kṛṣṇayoḥ gopa-rūpī pralambo ’gād asuras taj-jihīrṣayā

While Rama and Krishna, along with the cowherd boys, were tending their cattle in that forest, the demon Pralamba, disguised as a cowherd boy, came among them, intent on abducting them.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.18.18)

तं विद्वानपि दाशार्हो भगवान् सर्वदर्शनः । अन्वमोदत तत्सख्यं वधं तस्य विचिन्तयन् ॥ 18.18 ॥

taṁ vidvān api dāśārho bhagavān sarva-darśanaḥ anvamodata tat-sakhyaṁ vadhaṁ tasya vicintayan

Though the all-seeing Lord, born in the line of Dashārha, well knew who he was, He accepted his friendship all the same, while inwardly resolving on his destruction.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.18.19)

तत्रोपाहूय गोपालान् कृष्णः प्राह विहारवित् । हे गोपा विहरिष्यामो द्वन्द्वीभूय यथायथम् ॥ 18.19 ॥

tatropāhūya gopālān kṛṣṇaḥ prāha vihāra-vit he gopā vihariṣyāmo dvandvī-bhūya yathā-yatham

Then Krishna, expert in every game, called the cowherd boys together and said: Come, boys, let us divide ourselves properly into two teams and play.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.18.20)

तत्र चक्रुः परिवृढौ गोपा रामजनार्दनौ । कृष्णसङ्घट्टिनः केचिदासन् रामस्य चापरे ॥ 18.20 ॥

tatra cakruḥ parivṛḍhau gopā rāma-janārdanau kṛṣṇa-saṅghaṭṭinaḥ kecid āsan rāmasya cāpare

Then the cowherd boys made Rama and Janardana the leaders of the two sides; some joined Krishna's team, and the rest, Rama's.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.18.21)

आचेरुर्विविधाः क्रीडा वाह्यवाहकलक्षणाः । यत्रारोहन्ति जेतारो वहन्ति च पराजिताः ॥ 18.21 ॥

ācerur vividhāḥ krīḍā vāhya-vāhaka-lakṣaṇāḥ yatrārohanti jetāro vahanti ca parājitāḥ

They played various games of "rider and carrier," in which the winners climbed upon the backs of the losers, and the losers had to carry them.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.18.22)

वहन्तो वाह्यमानाश्च चारयन्तश्च गोधनम् । भाण्डीरकं नाम वटं जग्मुः कृष्णपुरोगमाः ॥ 18.22 ॥

vahanto vāhyamānāś ca cārayantaś ca go-dhanam bhāṇḍīrakaṁ nāma vaṭaṁ jagmuḥ kṛṣṇa-purogamāḥ

Thus, by turns carrying and being carried, and tending the cows all the while, they made their way, with Krishna at their head, to the banyan tree called Bhandiraka.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.18.23)

रामसङ्घट्टिनो यर्हि श्रीदामवृषभादयः । क्रीडायां जयिनस्तांस्तानूहुः कृष्णादयो नृप ॥ 18.23 ॥

rāma-saṅghaṭṭino yarhi śrīdāma-vṛṣabhādayaḥ krīḍāyāṁ jayinas tāṁs tān ūhuḥ kṛṣṇādayo nṛpa

O King, whenever Shridama, Vrishabha and the others on Balarama's side won at that game, Krishna and his teammates had to carry them.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.18.24)

उवाह कृष्णो भगवान् श्रीदामानं पराजितः । वृषभं भद्रसेनस्तु प्रलम्बो रोहिणीसुतम् ॥ 18.24 ॥

uvāha kṛṣṇo bhagavān śrīdāmānaṁ parājitaḥ vṛṣabhaṁ bhadrasenas tu pralambo rohiṇī-sutam

Defeated, Lord Krishna carried Shridama; Bhadrasena carried Vrishabha; and Pralamba carried Rohini's son, Balarama.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.18.25)

अविषह्यं मन्यमानः कृष्णं दानवपुङ्गवः । वहन् द्रुततरं प्रागादवरोहणतः परम् ॥ 18.25 ॥

aviṣahyaṁ manyamānaḥ kṛṣṇaṁ dānava-puṅgavaḥ vahan drutataraṁ prāgād avarohaṇataḥ param

Reckoning Krishna to be beyond his power, that chief of demons, carrying Balarama, sped on faster and faster, well past the place where He was meant to be set down.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.18.26)

तमुद्वहन् धरणिधरेन्द्रगौरवं महासुरो विगतरयो निजं वपुः । स आस्थितः पुरटपरिच्छदो बभौ तडिद्द्युमानुडुपतिवाडिवाम्बुदः ॥ 18.26 ॥

tam udvahan dharaṇi-dharendra-gauravaṁ mahāsuro vigata-rayo nijaṁ vapuḥ sa āsthitaḥ puraṭa-paricchado babhau taḍid-dyumān uḍupati-vāḍ ivāmbudaḥ

As he carried Balarama, the great demon slowed as He grew as heavy as the very king of mountains; he then assumed his true form, and, adorned with golden ornaments, shone like a cloud flashing with lightning and cradling the moon.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.18.27)

निरीक्ष्य तद्वपुरलमम्बरे चरत् प्रदीप्तदृग् भ्रुकुटितटोग्रदंष्ट्रकम् । ज्वलच्छिखं कटककिरीटकुण्डल- त्विषाद्भुतं हलधर ईषदत्रसत् ॥ 18.27 ॥

nirīkṣya tad-vapur alam ambare carat pradīpta-dṛg bhru-kuṭi-taṭogra-daṁṣṭrakam jvalac-chikhaṁ kaṭaka-kirīṭa-kuṇḍala- tviṣādbhutaṁ haladhara īṣad atrasat

Seeing that vast form roaming freely through the sky, its eyes blazing, its terrible teeth bared beneath scowling brows, its hair like leaping flame, marvelous with the glow of its armlets, crown and earrings, Haladhara, the wielder of the plow, felt a moment's fear.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.18.28)

अथागतस्मृतिरभयो रिपुं बलो विहायसार्थमिव हरन्तमात्मनः । रुषाहनच्छिरसि दृढेन मुष्टिना सुराधिपो गिरिमिव वज्ररंहसा ॥ 18.28 ॥

athāgata-smṛtir abhayo ripuṁ balo vihāya sārtham iva harantam ātmanaḥ ruṣāhanac chirasi dṛḍhena muṣṭinā surādhipo girim iva vajra-raṁhasā

Then, His memory returning, fearless Balarama understood that this enemy meant to carry Him off from His companions; in fury He struck his head with a hard fist, as swiftly as Indra strikes a mountain with his thunderbolt.

Verse 29 (bhagavata.10.18.29)

स आहतः सपदि विशीर्णमस्तको मुखाद् वमन् रुधिरमपस्मृतोऽसुरः । महारवं व्यसुरपतत् समीरयन् गिरिर्यथा मघवत आयुधाहतः ॥ 18.29 ॥

sa āhataḥ sapadi viśīrṇa-mastako mukhād vaman rudhiram apasmṛto ’suraḥ mahā-ravaṁ vyasur apatat samīrayan girir yathā maghavata āyudhāhataḥ

Struck thus, his head shattered at once; vomiting blood from his mouth, senseless, the demon fell lifeless with a mighty crash, like a mountain felled by Indra's weapon.

Verse 30 (bhagavata.10.18.30)

दृष्ट्वा प्रलम्बं निहतं बलेन बलशालिना । गोपाः सुविस्मिता आसन्साधु साध्विति वादिनः ॥ 18.30 ॥

dṛṣṭvā pralambaṁ nihataṁ balena bala-śālinā gopāḥ su-vismitā āsan sādhu sādhv iti vādinaḥ

Seeing Pralamba slain by the mighty Balarama, the cowherd boys were struck with astonishment and cried out, "Excellent! Excellent!"

Verse 31 (bhagavata.10.18.31)

आशिषोऽभिगृणन्तस्तं प्रशशंसुस्तदर्हणम् । प्रेत्यागतमिवालिङ्ग्य प्रेमविह्वलचेतसः ॥ 18.31 ॥

āśiṣo ’bhigṛṇantas taṁ praśaśaṁsus tad-arhaṇam pretyāgatam ivāliṅgya prema-vihvala-cetasaḥ

Uttering blessings upon Him, they praised Him as He deserved, and, overwhelmed with love, embraced Him as though He had returned from the dead.

Verse 32 (bhagavata.10.18.32)

पापे प्रलम्बे निहते देवाः परमनिर्वृताः । अभ्यवर्षन् बलं माल्यैः शशंसुः साधु साध्विति ॥ 18.32 ॥

pāpe pralambe nihate devāḥ parama-nirvṛtāḥ abhyavarṣan balaṁ mālyaiḥ śaśaṁsuḥ sādhu sādhv iti

With the sinful Pralamba slain, the gods were filled with the greatest delight; they showered Balarama with garlands of flowers and praised Him, crying, "Excellent! Excellent!"