Lord Balarama Slays Dvivida the Gorilla

Verse 1 (bhagavata.10.67.1)

श्रीराजोवाच भुयोऽहं श्रोतुमिच्छामि रामस्याद्भुतकर्मणः । अनन्तस्याप्रमेयस्य यदन्यत् कृतवान् प्रभुः ॥ १ ॥

śrī-rājovāca bhuyo ’haṁ śrotum icchāmi rāmasyādbhuta-karmaṇaḥ anantasyāprameyasya yad anyat kṛtavān prabhuḥ

Śrī Rājā said: I wish to hear further what else that lord of astonishing deeds, the boundless and immeasurable Balarama, did.

Verse 2 (bhagavata.10.67.2)

श्रीशुक उवाच नरकस्य सखा कश्चिद् द्विविदो नाम वानरः । सुग्रीवसचिवः सोऽथ भ्राता मैन्दस्य वीर्यवान् ॥ २ ॥

śrī-śuka uvāca narakasya sakhā kaścid dvivido nāma vānaraḥ sugrīva-sacivaḥ so ’tha bhrātā maindasya vīryavān

Śrī Śuka said: There was an ape named Dvivida, a friend of the demon Naraka; he was a minister of Sugriva and the mighty brother of Mainda.

Verse 3 (bhagavata.10.67.3)

सख्युः सोऽपचितिं कुर्वन् वानरो राष्ट्रविप्लवम् । पुरग्रामाकरान् घोषानदहद् वह्निमुत्सृजन् ॥ ३ ॥

sakhyuḥ so ’pacitiṁ kurvan vānaro rāṣṭra-viplavam pura-grāmākarān ghoṣān adahad vahnim utsṛjan

To avenge his friend, that ape wreaked havoc across the land, setting fires that burned towns, villages, mines and cowherd settlements.

Verse 4 (bhagavata.10.67.4)

क्वचित्स शैलानुत्पाट्य तैर्देशान् समचूर्णयत् । आनर्तान् सुतरामेव यत्रास्ते मित्रहा हरिः ॥ ४ ॥

kvacit sa śailān utpāṭya tair deśān samacūrṇayat ānartān sutarām eva yatrāste mitra-hā hariḥ

At times he tore up mountains and used them to crush whole regions to dust — the province of Anarta most of all, since there dwelt Hari, the slayer of his friend.

Verse 5 (bhagavata.10.67.5)

क्वचित् समुद्रमध्यस्थो दोर्भ्यामुत्क्षिप्य तज्जलम् । देशान् नागायुतप्राणो वेलाकूले न्यमज्जयत् ॥ ५ ॥

kvacit samudra-madhya-stho dorbhyām utkṣipya taj-jalam deśān nāgāyuta-prāṇo velā-kūle nyamajjayat

At other times, standing in mid-ocean, that ape with the strength of ten thousand elephants would fling up the sea water with both arms and drown the coastal lands.

Verse 6 (bhagavata.10.67.6)

आश्रमानृषिमुख्यानां कृत्वा भग्नवनस्पतीन् । अदूषयच्छकृन्मूत्रैरग्नीन् वैतानिकान् खलः ॥ ६ ॥

āśramān ṛṣi-mukhyānāṁ kṛtvā bhagna-vanaspatīn adūṣayac chakṛn-mūtrair agnīn vaitānikān khalaḥ

That wicked creature broke down the trees in the hermitages of great sages and defiled their sacred fires with his excrement and urine.

Verse 7 (bhagavata.10.67.7)

पुरुषान् योषितो दृप्तः क्ष्माभृद्द्रोणीगुहासु सः । निक्षिप्य चाप्यधाच्छैलैः पेशष्कारीव कीटकम् ॥ ७ ॥

puruṣān yoṣito dṛptaḥ kṣmābhṛd-dronī-guhāsu saḥ nikṣipya cāpyadhāc chailaiḥ peśaṣkārīva kīṭakam

Puffed with arrogance, he would throw men and women into cave hollows in the mountain valleys and seal them in with boulders, just as a wasp seals a smaller insect inside its nest.

Verse 8 (bhagavata.10.67.8)

एवं देशान् विप्रकुर्वन् दूषयंश्च कुलस्त्रियः । श्रुत्वा सुललितं गीतं गिरिं रैवतकं ययौ ॥ ८ ॥

evaṁ deśān viprakurvan dūṣayaṁś ca kula-striyaḥ śrutvā su-lalitaṁ gītaṁ giriṁ raivatakaṁ yayau

While thus ravaging the land and molesting women of good family, he once heard a very sweet song and made his way to Mount Raivataka.

Verse 9 (bhagavata.10.67.9)

तत्रापश्यद् यदुपतिं रामं पुष्करमालिनम् । सुदर्शनीयसर्वाङ्गं ललनायूथमध्यगम् ॥ ९ ॥

tatrāpaśyad yadu-patiṁ rāmaṁ puṣkara-mālinam sudarśanīya-sarvāṅgaṁ lalanā-yūtha-madhya-gam

There he saw Balarama, lord of the Yadus, wearing a garland of lotuses, beautiful in every limb, seated amid a company of young women.

Verse 10 (bhagavata.10.67.10)

गायन्तं वारुणीं पीत्वा मदविह्वललोचनम् । विभ्राजमानं वपुषा प्रभिन्नमिव वारणम् ॥ १० ॥

gāyantaṁ vāruṇīṁ pītvā mada-vihvala-locanam vibhrājamānaṁ vapuṣā prabhinnam iva vāraṇam

He was singing; his eyes swam with the intoxication of the varuni wine he had drunk, and his body shone radiant like a rutting elephant.

Verse 11 (bhagavata.10.67.11)

दुष्टः शाखामृगः शाखामारूढः कम्पयन् द्रुमान् । चक्रे किलकिलाशब्दमात्मानं सम्प्रदर्शयन् ॥ ११ ॥

duṣṭaḥ śākhā-mṛgaḥ śākhām ārūḍhaḥ kampayan drumān cakre kilakilā-śabdam ātmānaṁ sampradarśayan

That wicked ape climbed onto a branch, shook the trees, and made himself known by shrieking out a loud "kila-kila" cry.

Verse 12 (bhagavata.10.67.12)

तस्य धार्ष्ट्यं कपेर्वीक्ष्य तरुण्यो जातिचापलाः । हास्यप्रिया विजहसुर्बलदेवपरिग्रहाः ॥ १२ ॥

tasya dhārṣṭyaṁ kaper vīkṣya taruṇyo jāti-cāpalāḥ hāsya-priyā vijahasur baladeva-parigrahāḥ

Balarama's consorts — young women naturally playful and fond of laughter — burst out laughing at the ape's audacity.

Verse 13 (bhagavata.10.67.13)

ता हेलयामास कपिर्भ्रूक्षेपैर्सम्मुखादिभिः । दर्शयन् स्वगुदं तासां रामस्य च निरीक्षितः ॥ १३ ॥

tā helayām āsa kapir bhrū-kṣepair sammukhādibhiḥ darśayan sva-gudaṁ tāsāṁ rāmasya ca nirīkṣitaḥ

Even as Balarama watched, the ape mocked the women, waggling his eyebrows, coming right before them and exposing his hindquarters to them.

Verse 14 (bhagavata.10.67.14)

तं ग्राव्णा प्राहरत् क्रुद्धो बलः प्रहरतां वरः । स वञ्चयित्वा ग्रावाणं मदिराकलशं कपिः ॥ १४ ॥

taṁ grāvṇā prāharat kruddho balaḥ praharatāṁ varaḥ sa vañcayitvā grāvāṇaṁ madirā-kalaśaṁ kapiḥ

Angered, Balarama, foremost among warriors, hurled a stone at him, but the cunning ape dodged the stone and snatched up the pot of liquor instead.

Verse 15 (bhagavata.10.67.15)

गृहीत्वा हेलयामास धूर्तस्तं कोपयन् हसन् । निर्भिद्य कलशं दुष्टो वासांस्यास्फालयद् बलम् । कदर्थीकृत्य बलवान् विप्रचक्रे मदोद्धतः ॥ १५ ॥

gṛhītvā helayām āsa dhūrtas taṁ kopayan hasan nirbhidya kalaśaṁ duṣṭo vāsāṁsy āsphālayad balam kadarthī-kṛtya balavān vipracakre madoddhataḥ

Seizing it, that rogue laughed and provoked Balarama further; the wicked ape shattered the pot and pulled at the women's garments, insulting the Lord all the more; thus, drunk with pride, the powerful ape kept mocking Him.

Verse 16 (bhagavata.10.67.16)

तं तस्याविनयं दृष्ट्वा देशांश्च तदुपद्रुतान् । क्रुद्धो मुषलमादत्त हलं चारिजिघांसया ॥ १६ ॥

taṁ tasyāvinayaṁ dṛṣṭvā deśāṁś ca tad-upadrutān kruddho muṣalam ādatta halaṁ cāri-jighāṁsayā

Seeing this insolence, and recalling the lands the ape had ravaged, Balarama, enraged, took up His club and plow, resolved to slay His enemy.

Verse 17 (bhagavata.10.67.17)

द्विविदोऽपि महावीर्यः शालमुद्यम्य पाणिना । अभ्येत्य तरसा तेन बलं मूर्धन्यताडयत् ॥ १७ ॥

dvivido ’pi mahā-vīryaḥ śālam udyamya pāṇinā abhyetya tarasā tena balaṁ mūrdhany atāḍayat

Mighty Dvivida too uprooted a sala tree with one hand, rushed forward, and struck Balarama on the head with it.

Verse 18 (bhagavata.10.67.18)

तं तु सङ्कर्षणो मूर्ध्नि पतन्तमचलो यथा । प्रतिजग्राह बलवान् सुनन्देनाहनच्च तम् ॥ १८ ॥

taṁ tu saṅkarṣaṇo mūrdhni patantam acalo yathā pratijagrāha balavān sunandenāhanac ca tam

But Sankarshana, mighty and unmoving as a mountain, caught the tree as it fell upon His head, and then struck Dvivida with His club named Sunanda.

Verse 19 (bhagavata.10.67.19)

मूषलाहतमस्तिष्को विरेजे रक्तधारया । गिरिर्यथा गैरिकया प्रहारं नानुचिन्तयन् ॥ १९ ॥

mūṣalāhata-mastiṣko vireje rakta-dhārayā girir yathā gairikayā prahāraṁ nānucintayan

Struck on the skull by the club, he was adorned with a stream of blood, like a mountain beautified with red ochre. Yet, undaunted by the blow, Dvivida tore up another tree, stripped its leaves by sheer force, and struck the Lord again.

Verse 20 (bhagavata.10.67.20)

पुनरन्यं समुत्क्षिप्य कृत्वा निष्पत्रमोजसा । तेनाहनत् सुसङ्क्रुद्धस्तं बलः शतधाच्छिनत् ॥ २० ॥

punar anyaṁ samutkṣipya kṛtvā niṣpatram ojasā tenāhanat su-saṅkruddhas taṁ balaḥ śatadhācchinat

Again he tore up yet another tree, stripped it bare by force, and struck with it; and Balarama, now furious, cut that one too into a hundred pieces.

Verse 21 (bhagavata.10.67.21)

ततोऽन्येन रुषा जघ्ने तं चापि शतधाच्छिनत् ॥ २१ ॥

tato ’nyena ruṣā jaghne taṁ cāpi śatadhācchinat

Then in fury he struck with yet another tree, and Balarama shattered that one too into a hundred pieces.

Verse 22 (bhagavata.10.67.22)

एवं युध्यन् भगवता भग्ने भग्ने पुनः पुनः । आकृष्य सर्वतो वृक्षान् निर्वृक्षमकरोद् वनम् ॥ २२ ॥

evaṁ yudhyan bhagavatā bhagne bhagne punaḥ punaḥ ākṛṣya sarvato vṛkṣān nirvṛkṣam akarod vanam

Fighting on in this way, though the Lord shattered tree after tree he brought, Dvivida kept uprooting trees from all sides, until he had stripped the whole forest bare.

Verse 23 (bhagavata.10.67.23)

ततोऽमुञ्चच्छिलावर्षं बलस्योपर्यमर्षितः । तत्सर्वं चूर्णयामास लीलया मुषलायुधः ॥ २३ ॥

tato ’muñcac chilā-varṣaṁ balasyopary amarṣitaḥ tat sarvaṁ cūrṇayāṁ āsa līlayā muṣalāyudhaḥ

Then, in a fury, he rained down stones upon Balarama; but the wielder of the club pulverized them all with effortless ease.

Verse 24 (bhagavata.10.67.24)

स बाहू तालसङ्काशौ मुष्टीकृत्य कपीश्वरः । आसाद्य रोहिणीपुत्रं ताभ्यां वक्षस्यरूरुजत् ॥ २४ ॥

sa bāhū tāla-saṅkāśau muṣṭī-kṛtya kapīśvaraḥ āsādya rohiṇī-putraṁ tābhyāṁ vakṣasy arūrujat

Then that lord of apes clenched his palm-tree-thick arms into fists, came before Rohini's son, and beat both fists against His chest.

Verse 25 (bhagavata.10.67.25)

यादवेन्द्रोऽपि तं दोर्भ्यां त्यक्त्वा मुषललाङ्गले । जत्रावभ्यर्दयत्क्रुद्धः सोऽपतद् रुधिरं वमन् ॥ २५ ॥

yādavendro ’pi taṁ dorbhyāṁ tyaktvā muṣala-lāṅgale jatrāv abhyardayat kruddhaḥ so ’patad rudhiraṁ vaman

Balarama, chief of the Yadus, then dropped both His club and plow, and in fury struck Dvivida's collarbone with His bare hands alone; he fell to the ground, vomiting blood.

Verse 26 (bhagavata.10.67.26)

चकम्पे तेन पतता सटङ्कः सवनस्पतिः । पर्वतः कुरुशार्दूल वायुना नौरिवाम्भसि ॥ २६ ॥

cakampe tena patatā sa-ṭaṅkaḥ sa-vanaspatiḥ parvataḥ kuru-śārdūla vāyunā naur ivāmbhasi

O tiger among the Kurus, as he fell the mountain shook, cliffs and trees together, like a boat tossed by the wind upon the sea.

Verse 27 (bhagavata.10.67.27)

जयशब्दो नमः शब्दः साधु साध्विति चाम्बरे । सुरसिद्धमुनीन्द्राणामासीत् कुसुमवर्षिणाम् ॥ २७ ॥

jaya-śabdo namaḥ-śabdaḥ sādhu sādhv iti cāmbare sura-siddha-munīndrāṇām āsīt kusuma-varṣiṇām

In the sky the gods, Siddhas and great sages cried out, "Victory! Obeisance! Well done, well done!" and showered flowers down.

Verse 28 (bhagavata.10.67.28)

एवं निहत्य द्विविदं जगद्व्यतिकरावहम् । संस्तूयमानो भगवान् जनैः स्वपुरमाविशत् ॥ २८ ॥

evaṁ nihatya dvividaṁ jagad-vyatikarāvaham saṁstūyamāno bhagavān janaiḥ sva-puram āviśat

Having thus slain Dvivida, who had thrown the whole world into turmoil, the Lord, praised on every side by the people, entered His own city.