SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 10

S'rî S'uka said: 'Then, on de day of the new moon, arose a fierce wind scattering dust, o King, with the smell of pus everywhere.

S'rî S'uka said: 'Then, on de day of the new moon, arose a fierce wind scattering dust, o King, with the smell of pus everywhere. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Following came down upon the sacrificial arena a rain of abominable things produced by Balvala, after which he himself appeared carrying a trident.

Following came there upon the sacrificial arena down a rain of abominable things produced by Balvala, after which he appeared carrying a trident. (Vedabase)

Text 3-4

The sight of that immense body looking like a heap of charcoal with a topknot and beard of burning copper, fearsome teeth and a face with contracted eyebrows, made Râma think of His club, which tears apart opposing armies, and His plow, which subdues the Daityas; they both stood forthwith at His side.

The sight of that immense body looking like a heap of soot with a topknot and beard of burning copper, fearsome teeth and a face with contracted eyebrows, made Râma think of His club, tearing asunder opposing armies, and His plow, subduing the daityas, that both forthwith stood at his side. (Vedabase)

Text 5

With the tip of His plow got He hold of Balvala who moved about in the sky, and with His club struck Balarâma angrily the harasser of the brahmins on the head.

With the tip of His plow pulling Balvala moving in the sky close, struck Balarâma angry the harasser of the brahmins with His club on the head. (Vedabase)

Text 6

He, releasing a cry of agony, fell with his forehead cracked open gushing blood to the ground like a red mountain struck by a thunderbolt.

He, releasing a cry of agony, fell with his forehead cracked open gushing blood to the ground like a red mountain struck by a thunderbolt. (Vedabase)

Text 7

The sages together being of praise awarded Râma with practical benedictions and ceremonially sprinkled Him with water, just like the great souls did with [Indra] the killer of Vritrâsura [Indra, see 6.13].

The sages together of praise awarded Râma with unfailing benedictions, in ceremony sprinkling Him with water, like the great souls did with the killer of Vritrâsura [Indra, see 6.13]. (Vedabase)

Text 8

They gave Râma a Vaijayantî flower garland of unfading lotuses in which S'rî resided and a divine pair of garments together with heavenly jewelry.

They gave Râma a vaijayantî flower garland of unfading lotuses homing S'rî and a divine pair of garments with divine jewelry. (Vedabase)

Text 9

Then given leave by them went He together with the brahmins to the Kaus'ikî river where they took a bath. Next He headed for the lake from which the Sarayû flows.

Then given leave by them came He together with the brahmins to the Kaus'ikî river where they bathed and went He from there to the lake from which the Sarayû flows. (Vedabase)

Text 10

Following the course of the Sarayû arrived He in Prayâga where He bathed to propitiate the demigods and others. Thereafter He went to the hermitage of Pulaha Rishi [see also 5.7: 8-9].

Following the course of the Sarayû coming to Prayâga bathed He there propitiating the demigods and such and went He to the hermitage of Pulaha Rishi [see also 5.7: 8-9]. (Vedabase)

Text 11-15

Having immersed Himself in the Gomatî, the Gandakî, the S'ona and Vipâs'â river, He went to Gayâ, to worship His forefathers and to the mouth of the Ganges for ritual ablutions. At Mount Mahendra seeing and honoring Lord Paras'urâma He next bathed where the seven branches of the Godâvarî River converge together with the rivers the Venâ, the Pampâ and the Bhîmarathî. After seeing Lord Skanda [Kârttikeya] visited Râma S'rî-s'aila, the residence of the Lord Giris'a [S'iva], and saw the Master in Dravida-des'a [the southern provinces] the hill most sacred, the Venkatha [of Bâlajî]. After [seeing] the cities of Kâmakoshnî and Kâñcî went He to the river the Kâverî and to the greatest of them all, the most holy S'rî-ranga, where the Lord manifested [as Ranganâtha]. Going to the place of the Lord the mountain Rishabha, He went to southern Mathurâ [Madurai where the goddess Mînâkshî resides] and to Setubandha [Cape Comorin], where the gravest sins are destroyed.

Having immersed Himself in the Gomatî, the Gandakî, the S'ona and Vipâs'â river, He went to Gayâ, to worship His forefathers and to the mouth of the Ganges for ritual ablutions. At Mount Mahendra seeing and honoring Lord Paras'urâma He next bathed in the Saptagodâvarî ['seven Godâvarîs'] as well as in the rivers the Venâ, the Pampâ and the Bhîmarathî. After seeing Lord Skanda [Kârttikeya] visited Râma S'rî-s'aila, the residence of of Lord Giris'a [S'iva], and saw the Master in Dravida-des'a [the southern provinces] the hill most sacred, the Venkatha [of Balajî]. After the cities of Kâmakoshnî and Kâñcî went He to the river the Kâverî and to the greatest of them all, the most holy S'rî-ranga, where the Lord manifested [as Ranganatha]. Going to the place of the Lord the mountain Rishabha, He went to southern Mathurâ [Madurai where the goddess Mînâkshî resides] and to Setubandha [Cape Comorin], where the gravest sins are destroyed. (Vedabase)

Text 16-17

There gave the Wielder of the Plow, Halâyudha, a great number of cows away to the brahmins. Going to the rivers the Kritamâlâ and Tâmraparnî and the Malaya mountain range, He bowed down paying respect to Âgastya Muni who sitting there in meditation gave Him his blessings. Leaving with his permission He went to the southern ocean to Kanyâkumârî ['chaste girl'] where he saw the goddess Durgâ [known as Kanyâ].

There gave the Wielder of the Plow, Halâyudha, a great number of cows away to the brahmins. Going to the rivers the Kritamâlâ and Tâmraparnî and the Malaya mountain range, He bowed down paying respect to Âgastya Muni who sitting there in meditation gave Him his blessings. Leaving with his permission He went to the southern ocean to Kanyâkumârî ['chaste girl'] where he saw the goddess Durgâ [known as Kanyâ]. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Then reaching Phâlguna and taking a bath in the sacred lake of the five Apsaras where Lord Vishnu manifested, gave He again away a myriad of cows.

Then reaching Phâlguna and taking a bath in the sacred lake of the five Apsaras where Lord Vishnu manifested, touched He a myriad of cows [giving them away in charity]. (Vedabase)

Text 19-21

Next traveled the Supreme Lord through Kerala and Trigarta and came then to Gokarna [northern Karnataka], a place sacred because of the manifestation of Dhûrjathi ['he with a load of matted locks'], S'iva. Seeing the honored goddess [Pârvatî] residing on an island off the coast went Balarâma to S'ûrpâraka where He touched the waters of the Tâpî, the Payoshnî and the Nirvindhyâ. Next entering the Dandaka forest went He to the Revâ where the city of Mâhishmatî is found, touched He the water of Manu-tîrtha and returned He to Prabhâsa.

Next the Supreme Lord traveled through Kerala and Trigarta and then came to Gokarna [northern Karnataka], a place sacred to the manifestation of Dhûrjathi ['he with a load of matted locks'], S'iva. Seeing the honored goddess [Pârvatî] residing on an island off the coast went Balarâma to S'ûrpâraka touching the waters of the Tâpî, the Payoshnî and the Nirvindhyâ. Next entering the Dandaka forest went He to the Revâ where the city of Mâhishmatî is found, touched He the water of Manu-tîrtha and came He back to Prabhâsa. (Vedabase)

Text 22

From the brahmins He heard about the battle [at Kurukshetra] between the Kurus and the Pândavas where all the kings were annihilating each other. He concluded that the earth was being relieved of her burden [see also e.g. 10.50: 9].

From the brahmins He heard that in a battle [at Kurukshetra] between the Kurus and the Pândavas all the kings were being annihilated, to which He concluded that the earth was finding relief of the burden [see also e.g. 10.50: 9]. (Vedabase)

Text 23

He, the beloved Son of the Yadus, then went to the battle where He tried to stop Bhîma and Duryodhana who with their maces were fighting each other on the field [see also 10.57: 26].

He, the beloved Son of the Yadus, then went to the battle intending to stop Bhîma and Duryodhana who were fighting each other on the field with clubs [see also 10.57: 26]. (Vedabase)

Text 24

But when Yudhishthhira, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, Krishna and Arjuna saw Him, were they silent in offering their obeisances with the burning question: 'What does He, coming here, want to tell us?'

But when Yudhishthhira, the twins Nakula and Sahadeva, Krishna and Arjuna saw Him, were they silent in offering their obeisances with the burning question: 'What does He, coming here, want to tell us?' (Vedabase)

Text 25

Seeing the two with clubs in their hands, skillfully moving in circles, furiously striving for the victory, said He this:

Seeing the two with clubs in their hands, skillfully moving in circles, furiously striving for the victory, said He this: (Vedabase)

Text 26

'O King, o Great Eater, the two of you warriors are equal in prowess; one I think is of a greater physical power, while the other one is technically of a better training.

'O King, o Great Eater, the two of you warriors are equal in prowess; one I think is of a greater physical power, while the other one is technically of a better training. (Vedabase)

Text 27

I do not see how from any of you here, equal in prowess, then a victory or the contrary could be seen; so stop this useless fighting.'

I do not see how from any of you here, equal in prowess, then a victory or the contrary could be seen; so stop this useless fighting.' (Vedabase)

Text 28

The two, even though they were sensible people, did, fixed in their enmity keeping in mind each others harsh words and misdeeds, not take heed of His words, o King.

The two though sensible, did, fixed in their enmity in constant remembrance about each others harsh words and misdeeds, not take heed of His words, o King. (Vedabase)

Text 29

Deciding that it was their fate went Râma to Dvârakâ were He was greeted by a delighted family headed by Ugrasena.

Deciding that it was their fate went Râma to Dvârakâ were He was greeted by a delighted family headed by Ugrasena. (Vedabase)

Text 30

With Him returning again to Naimishâranya engaged the sages Him, the Embodiment of All Sacrifice who had renounced all warfare, with pleasure in all the different sorts of rituals [*].

With Him returning again to Naimishâranya engaged the sages Him, the Embodiment of All Sacrifice having renounced all warfare, with pleasure in all the different sorts of rituals [*]. (Vedabase)

Text 31

The Almighty Supreme Lord bestowed upon them the perfectly pure spiritual knowledge by which they indeed could perceive this universe as residing within Him and also see Him as pervading the creation.

The Supreme Lord, the Almighty, bestowed upon them the perfectly pure spiritual knowledge by which they indeed could perceive this universe as residing within Him as well as Himself pervading the creation. (Vedabase)

Text 32

Together with His wife [Revatî: see 9.3: 29-33] having executed the concluding ritual avabhritha bath appeared He, well dressed, nicely adorned and surrounded by His family members and other relatives and friends, as splendid as the moon in its full glory [full and with the stars around].

Together with His wife [Revatî: see 9.3: 29-33] having taken the concluding ritual avabhritha bath appeared He, well dressed, nicely adorned and surrounded by His family members and other relatives and friends, as splendid as the moon with its own light [the stars]. (Vedabase)

Text 33

Of this sort [of pastimes] of the mighty, unlimited and unfathomable Balarâma, who by the power of His illusory energy appears as a human being, there sure are countless others.

Of this sort [of pastimes] of the mighty, unlimited and unfathomable Balarâma, who by His illusory energy appears as a human being, there sure are countless others. (Vedabase)

Text 34

Whoever regularly remembers at dawn and dusk the activities of Râma which are all amazing, will become dear to Lord Vishnu.

Whoever regularly remembers at dawn and dusk the activities of Râma which are all amazing, will become dear to Lord Vishnu.' (Vedabase)

* S'rîla Prabhupâda writes here: 'Actually Lord Balarâma had no business performing the sacrifices recommended for ordinary human beings; He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore He Himself is the enjoyer of all such sacrifices. As such, His exemplary action in performing sacrifices was only to give a lesson to the common man, to show how one should abide by the injunctions of the Vedas'.