Balarama's Wine and His Marriage to Revati

Verse 1 (vishnu.5.25.1)

वने विचरतस्तस्य सह गोपैर्महात्मनः। मानुषच्छद्मरूपस्य शेषस्य धरणीभृतः

vane vicaratastasya saha gopairmahātmanaḥ mānuṣacchadmarūpasya śeṣasya dharaṇībhṛtaḥ

As that great soul, the very form of Shesha, bearer of the earth, wandered in the forest with the cowherds, wearing the disguised form of a man,

Verse 2 (vishnu.5.25.2)

निष्पादितोरुकार्यस्य कार्येणोर्वीविचारिणः। उपभोगार्थमत्यर्थं वरुणः प्राह वारुणीम्

niṣpāditorukāryasya kāryeṇorvīvicāriṇaḥ upabhogārthamatyarthaṁ varuṇaḥ prāha vāruṇīm

varuna, seeing him who wandered the earth on account of that great task, urgently asked Varuni, the goddess of wine, for his enjoyment —

Verse 3 (vishnu.5.25.3)

अभीष्टा सर्व्वदा यस्य मदिरे त्वं महौजसः। अनन्तस्यौपभोगाय तस्य गच्छ मुदे शुभे

abhīṣṭā sarvvadā yasya madire tvaṁ mahaujasaḥ anantasyaupabhogāya tasya gaccha mude śubhe

'O auspicious one, go now, in the form of wine, for the enjoyment of that Ananta, the being of great splendor to whom you have ever been dear.'

Verse 4 (vishnu.5.25.4)

इत्युक्ता वारुणी तेन सन्निधानमथाकरोत्। वृन्दावनवनोत्पन्नकदम्बतरुकोटरे

ityuktā vāruṇī tena sannidhānamathākarot vṛndāvanavanotpannakadambatarukoṭare

Thus addressed, Varuni took up her abode in the hollow of a kadamba tree growing there in the forest of Vrindavana.

Verse 5 (vishnu.5.25.5)

विचरन् बलदेवोऽपि मदिरागन्धमुत्तमम्। आघ्राय मदिरातर्षमवापाथ पुरातनम्

vicaran baladevo'pi madirāgandhamuttamam āghrāya madirātarṣamavāpātha purātanam

Baladeva too, wandering there, caught the scent of that fine, ancient wine, and was seized by an intense thirst for it.

Verse 6 (vishnu.5.25.6)

ततः कदम्बात् सहसा मद्यधारां स लाङ्गली। पतन्तीं वीक्ष्य मैत्रेय प्रययौ परमां मुदम्

tataḥ kadambāt sahasā madyadhārāṁ sa lāṅgalī patantīṁ vīkṣya maitreya prayayau paramāṁ mudam

Then, O Maitreya, seeing a stream of that wine suddenly flowing forth from the kadamba tree, the plow-bearer was filled with the greatest delight.

Verse 7 (vishnu.5.25.7)

पपौ च गोपगोपीभिः समवेतो मुदान्वितः। प्रगीयमानो ललितं गीतवाद्यविशारदैः

papau ca gopagopībhiḥ samaveto mudānvitaḥ pragīyamāno lalitaṁ gītavādyaviśāradaiḥ

Sung sweetly around him by those skilled in song and music, joined by the cowherds and cowherd women, he drank of it there, filled with joy.

Verse 8 (vishnu.5.25.8)

स मत्तोऽत्यन्तघर्माम्भःकणिकामौक्तिकोज्ज्वलः। आगच्छ यमुने स्नातुमिच्छामीत्याह विह्वलः

sa matto'tyantagharmāmbhaḥkaṇikāmauktikojjvalaḥ āgaccha yamune snātumicchāmītyāha vihvalaḥ

Gleaming with beads of sweat, born of his intoxication, like so many pearls, overcome with drink, he said: 'Come here, O Yamuna! I wish to bathe.'

Verse 9 (vishnu.5.25.9)

तस्य वाचं नदी सा च मत्तोक्तामवमन्य वै। नाजगाम ततः क्रुद्धो हलं जग्राह लाङ्गली

tasya vācaṁ nadī sā ca mattoktāmavamanya vai nājagāma tataḥ kruddho halaṁ jagrāha lāṅgalī

But that river, disdaining his drunken words, did not come; then, in fury, the plow-bearer took up his plow.

Verse 10 (vishnu.5.25.10)

गृहीत्वा तां तटे तेन चकर्ष मदविह्वलः। पापे नायासि नायासि गम्यतामिच्छयात्मनः

gṛhītvā tāṁ taṭe tena cakarṣa madavihvalaḥ pāpe nāyāsi nāyāsi gamyatāmicchayātmanaḥ

Seizing her with his plow, overcome with drink, he dragged her toward the bank: 'You wretched one, you will not come, you will not come — then go, of your own accord, wherever you wish!'

Verse 11 (vishnu.5.25.11)

सा कृष्टा तेन सहसा मार्गं सन्त्यज्य निम्नगा। यत्रास्ते बलभद्रोऽसौ प्लावयामास तद्वनम्

sā kṛṣṭā tena sahasā mārgaṁ santyajya nimnagā yatrāste balabhadro'sau plāvayāmāsa tadvanam

Dragged along thus by force, that river left her own course, and flooded the very forest where Balabhadra sat.

Verse 12 (vishnu.5.25.12)

शरीरिणी तथोत्पत्य त्रासविह्वललोचना। प्रसीदेत्यब्रवीद् रामं मुञ्च मां मुषलायुध

śarīriṇī tathotpatya trāsavihvalalocanā prasīdetyabravīd rāmaṁ muñca māṁ muṣalāyudha

Assuming bodily form, her eyes wide with terror, she said: 'Be gracious, O Rama, wielder of the club — release me!'

Verse 13 (vishnu.5.25.13)

सोऽब्रवीदवजानासि मम शौर्यबले नदि। सोऽहं त्वां हलपातेन विनेष्यामि सहस्रधा

so'bravīdavajānāsi mama śauryabale nadi so'haṁ tvāṁ halapātena vineṣyāmi sahasradhā

He said: 'If you scorn my valor and my strength, O river, then I myself shall divide you, with a single stroke of this very plow, into a thousand separate streams.'

Verse 14 (vishnu.5.25.14)

इत्युक्तयातिसन्त्रासात् तया नद्या प्रसादितः। भूभागे प्लाविते तस्मिन् मुमोच यमुनां बलः

ityuktayātisantrāsāt tayā nadyā prasāditaḥ bhūbhāge plāvite tasmin mumoca yamunāṁ balaḥ

Thus addressed, and in the greatest terror, propitiated by that river, Bala released the Yamuna once more upon that flooded stretch of land.

Verse 15 (vishnu.5.25.15)

ततः स्नातस्य वै कान्तिराजगाम महात्मनः। अवतंसोत्पलं चारु गृहीत्वैकं च कुण्डलम्

tataḥ snātasya vai kāntirājagāma mahātmanaḥ avataṁsotpalaṁ cāru gṛhītvaikaṁ ca kuṇḍalam

Thereupon, having bathed, that great soul's own splendor increased still further; and he took up as well a lovely lotus for his ear, and a single earring.

Verse 16 (vishnu.5.25.16)

वरुणप्रहितां चास्मै मालामम्लानपङ्कजाम्। समुद्राभे तथा वस्त्रे नीले लक्ष्मीरयच्छत

varuṇaprahitāṁ cāsmai mālāmamlānapaṅkajām samudrābhe tathā vastre nīle lakṣmīrayacchata

A garland of unfading lotuses, sent by Varuna, came to him there, and Lakshmi too bestowed upon him a pair of garments, blue as the very ocean.

Verse 17 (vishnu.5.25.17)

कृतावतंसः स तदा चारुकुण्डलभूषितः। नीलाम्बरधरः स्रग्वी शुशुभे कान्तिसंयुतः

kṛtāvataṁsaḥ sa tadā cārukuṇḍalabhūṣitaḥ nīlāmbaradharaḥ sragvī śuśubhe kāntisaṁyutaḥ

With his ear-lotus, adorned with lovely earrings, clad in dark-blue garments, garlanded, he then shone forth, resplendent with radiant beauty.

Verse 18 (vishnu.5.25.18)

इत्थं विभूषितो रेमे तत्र रामस्तदा व्रजे। मासद्वयेन यातश्च पुनः स द्वारकां पुरीम्

itthaṁ vibhūṣito reme tatra rāmastadā vraje māsadvayena yātaśca punaḥ sa dvārakāṁ purīm

Thus adorned, Rama sported there in Vraja for that while; and after two months had passed, he returned once more to the city of Dwaraka.

Verse 19 (vishnu.5.25.19)

रेवतीं नाम तनयां रैवतस्य महीपतेः। उपयेमे बलस्तस्यां जज्ञाते निशठोल्मुकौ

revatīṁ nāma tanayāṁ raivatasya mahīpateḥ upayeme balastasyāṁ jajñāte niśaṭholmukau

Bala married Revati, daughter of King Raivata; and from her were born to him two sons, named Nishatha and Ulmuka.