Balarāma's Enjoying - The Transcendental Pastimes of the Lord
While conditioned souls exhaust themselves attempting to extract fleeting pleasure from dead matter, the Supreme Personality of Godhead exists in a state of perpetual, effortless bliss. Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings vividly describe the various ways Lord Balarāma relishes His existence, engaging in sweet childhood sports, relishing the natural beauty of the spiritual forests, and partaking in the profound intimacy of the rāsa dance.
Childhood Sports and Wrestling
The Supreme Lord descends to display the supreme sweetness of spiritual life, completely devoid of the anxieties of material maintenance. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma spent Their days as simple cowherd boys, finding boundless enjoyment in imitating the local wildlife, engaging in friendly wrestling matches, and recreating the heroic epics of previous incarnations with Their friends.
- Sometimes They (Krsna and Balarama) would imitate the voices of the animals. In this way They enjoyed sporting, exactly like two ordinary human children - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.11.39-40.
- Balarama and Krsna enjoyed Their childhood pastimes, imitating Lord Ramacandra's monkeys, who constructed the bridge over the ocean, and Hanuman, who jumped over the water to Ceylon. They used to imitate such pastimes among Their friends.
- In this way, the maintainers of the complete creation, Krsna and Balarama, used to take care of the calves every day, beginning in the morning, and thus They enjoyed Their childhood pastimes as cowherd boys in Vrndavana.
- Canura continued, "You (Krsna and Balarama) are cowherd boys, and we have heard that while tending Your cows in the forest, You enjoy wrestling with each other."
Relishing the Forests of Vṛndāvana
The land of Vṛndāvana is not an ordinary geographical location; it is a fully conscious environment that constantly serves to heighten the Lord's pleasure. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how Balarāma and His friends would wander through the lush forests, deeply enjoying the seasonal changes, the fragrant breezes, and the abundant, aromatic fruits offered by the devoted trees.
- Balarama and Krsna, along with all Their friends, played all kinds of sports and enjoyed the soothing atmosphere of Vrndavana, full of rivers, lakes, rivulets, fine trees and excellent gardens filled with fruits and flowers.
- Vrndavana forest improved from the rains and was replete with ripened dates, mangoes, blackberries and other fruits. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, along with His boyfriends and Balarama, entered the forest to enjoy the new seasonal atmosphere.
- Sridama, Subala and Stoka Krsna said, "Dear Balarama, if You like, let us all go there and enjoy these fruits. The aroma of the fruits is now spread everywhere. Don't You smell it from here?"
- Sweet-smelling breezes blew always, refreshing the mind and body. Krsna, with His friends and Balarama, entered the forest and, seeing the favorable situation, desired to enjoy the atmosphere to the fullest extent.
The Intimacy of the Rāsa Dance
The highest expression of transcendental bliss is found in the exchanges of pure conjugal love. Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms that Lord Balarāma also participated in the sublime rāsa dance. To satisfy the pure spiritual desires of the gopīs, Balarāma stayed in the forest of Vṛndāvana for two months, passing the moonlit nights in ecstatic singing and dancing.
- For those two (Caitra and Vaishaka) months He kept Himself among the gopis and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vrndavana to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarama also enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis.
- Lord Balarama and the gopis enjoyed transcendental pastimes together every night for two months, and time passed so quickly that all those nights appeared to be only one night.
- Moonlight filled the sky and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamuna appeared very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarama enjoyed the company of the gopis there.
- There (at Raivataka Mountain) he (Dvivida) saw Lord Balarama in the midst of many beautiful young girls, enjoying their company while singing and dancing.
Water Pastimes in the Yamunā
Water sports are a prominent feature of the Supreme Lord's enjoyment. After dancing with the gopīs or herding the cows, Balarāma would seek relief in the cool waters of the sacred Yamunā River. Śrīla Prabhupāda compares the Lord's majestic enjoyment in the water to that of a powerful elephant surrounded by his affectionate companions.
- While Balarama was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the company of the gopis in the water of the Yamuna.
- Upon displaying this submissive attitude, the Yamuna was forgiven and when she came nearby, Lord Balarama enjoyed the pleasure of swimming in her waters along with the gopis in the same way that 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.
- In this way, Lord Krsna and Balarama began to enjoy the residents of Vrndavana to Their full satisfaction as They herded the calves and cows on the bank of the Yamuna. In some places Krsna and Balarama were accompanied by Their friends.
Conclusion
In conclusion, understanding the nature of Lord Balarāma's enjoying is essential for grasping the reality of the spiritual world. Śrīla Prabhupāda rigorously teaches that the Absolute Truth is the supreme person, fully capable of experiencing the highest degrees of friendship, paternal care, and conjugal love. By hearing about Balarāma's blissful pastimes—from His playful wrestling in the forests to His elegant dancing on the banks of the Yamunā—a sincere devotee naturally loses their taste for the illusory, miserable enjoyments of the material world and develops an intense desire to enter the Lord's eternal association.
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