Lord Balarama's Rasa Lila

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Excerpt from Krsna Book on Balarama Visits Vrndavan

http://www.krsnabook.com/ch65.html

Lord Balarama could, of course, understand the ecstatic feelings of

the gopis, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in

presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopis very

respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Krsna so tactfully

that the gopis became satisfied. In order to keep the gopis in

Vrndavana satisfied, Lord Balarama stayed there continually for two

months, namely the months of Caitra (March-April) and Vaisakha

(April-May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopis,

and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vrndavana in

order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarama also

enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis during those two months. Since

the season was springtime, the breeze on the bank of the Yamuna was

blowing very mildly, carrying the aroma of different flowers,

especially of the flower known as kaumudi. Moonlight filled the sky

and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamuna appeared to

be very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarama enjoyed the company

of the gopis there.

 

The demigod known as Varuna sent his daughter Varuni in the form of

liquid honey oozing from the hollows of the trees. Because of this

honey the whole forest became aromatic, and the sweet aroma of the

liquid honey, Varuni, captivated Balaramaji. Balaramaji and all the

gopis became very much attracted by the taste of Varuni, and all of

them drank it together. While drinking this natural beverage,

Varuni, all the gopis chanted the glories of Lord Balarama, and Lord

Balarama felt very happy, as if He had become intoxicated by

drinking that Varuni beverage. His eyes rolled in a pleasing

attitude. He was decorated with long garlands of forest flowers, and

the whole situation appeared to be a great function of happiness

because of this transcendental bliss. Lord Balarama smiled

beautifully, and the drops of perspiration decorating His face

appeared to be soothing morning dew.

 

While Balarama was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the

company of the gopis in the water of the Yamuna. Therefore He called

Yamuna to come nearby. But Yamuna neglected the order of Balaramaji,

considering Him to be intoxicated. Lord Balarama became very much

displeased at Yamuna's neglecting His order. He immediately wanted

to scratch the land near the river with His plowshare. Lord Balarama

has two weapons, a plow and a club, and He takes service from them

when they are required. This time He wanted to bring the Yamuna by

force, and He took the help of His plow. He wanted to punish Yamuna

because she did not come in obedience to His order. He addressed

Yamuna: "You wretched river! You did not care for My order. Now I

shall teach you a lesson! You did not come to Me voluntarily. Now

with the help of My plow I shall force you to come. I shall divide

you into hundreds of scattered streams!"

 

When Yamuna was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of

the power of Balarama and immediately came in person, falling at His

lotus feet and praying thus: "My dear Balarama, You are the most

powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone.

Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I

have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the

planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion of

Sesa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme

Personality of Godhead, You are full of six opulences. Because I

forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and

thus I have become a great offender. But, my dear Lord, please know

that I am a surrendered soul unto You. You are very much

affectionate to Your devotees. Therefore please excuse my impudence

and mistakes and, by Your causeless mercy, may You now release me."

 

Upon displaying this submissive attitude, Yamuna was forgiven, and

when she came nearby, Lord Balarama wanted to enjoy the pleasure of

swimming within her water along with the gopis in the same way an

elephant enjoys himself along with his many she-elephants. After a

long time, when Lord Balarama had enjoyed to His full satisfaction,

He came out of the water, and immediately a goddess of fortune

offered Him a nice blue garment and a valuable necklace made of

gold. After taking bath in the Yamuna, Lord Balarama, dressed in

blue garments and decorated with golden ornaments, looked very

attractive to everyone. Lord Balarama's complexion is white, and

when He was properly dressed He looked exactly like the white

elephant of King Indra in the heavenly planets. The river Yamuna

still has many small branches due to being scratched by the

plowshare of Lord Balarama. And all these branches of the river

Yamuna still glorify the omnipotency of Lord Balarama.

 

Lord Balarama and the gopis enjoyed transcendental pastimes together

every night for two months, and time passed away so quickly that all

those nights appeared to be only one night. In the presence of Lord

Balarama, all the gopis and other inhabitants of Vrndavana became as

cheerful as they had been before in the presence of both brothers,

Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama.