Balarāma's Power - The Inconceivable Strength of the Supreme Lord
In the material world, powerful men constantly strive to dominate nature and each other, yet their strength is always temporary and severely limited by the laws of time. In stark contrast, the power of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, unlimited, and absolute. Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings explore the multi-dimensional power of Lord Balarāma, demonstrating how His inconceivable strength maintains the cosmos, subdues arrogant dynasties, controls nature, and provides flawless protection to His devotees.
Master of Cosmic Potencies
The fundamental elements and forces of the universe do not operate independently; they are powered by the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Balarāma, as the original Saṅkarṣaṇa, is the master of all mystic potencies. Great authorities like Vasudeva and Akrūra acknowledge that Balarāma's power is the unseen force behind the sun, the moon, and the entire cycle of cosmic creation and dissolution.
- He (Akrura) further informed Satadhanva, "Krsna and Balarama are so powerful that simply by willing They create, maintain and dissolve the whole cosmic manifestation."
- Vasudeva said, "My dear Balarama, You are Sankarsana, the master of all mystic powers; therefore I have now understood that You are eternal."
- Kurus said, "O all-powerful Lord (Balarama), great sages speak about You. You are the original puppeteer, and everything in the world is just like Your toy."
- Vasudeva said, "My dear Lord (Krsna and Balarama), the shining of the moon, the heat of fire, the rays of the sun, the glittering of the stars, and the electric lightning, which are all manifested as very powerful all are different manifestations of You."
Earth-Shaking Displays of Strength
When demonic leaders become falsely proud of their earthly opulence, the Supreme Lord personally intervenes to crush their vanity. Śrīla Prabhupāda vividly recounts the incident where the Kuru dynasty insulted Lord Balarāma. In response, Balarāma used His plow to hook the capital city of Hastināpura, violently shaking the earth and proving the absolute futility of challenging His might.
- Lord Balarama came personally to settle the matter, and, as a powerful ksatriya, He ordered them to free Samba immediately. The Kauravas were superficially insulted by this order, so they challenged Lord Balarama's power.
- Since the argument (about Samba's release) was not settled, Balarama showed His power in such a way that all of Hastinapura trembled and would have been vanquished as if by a great earthquake.
- Balarama showed His power in such a way that all of Hastinapura trembled and would have been vanquished as if by a great earthquake. Then the matter was settled, and Samba married Duryodhana's daughter.
- Krsna said, "How could Salva possibly enter the city and arrest My father in that way? Whatever Salva may be, his power is limited, so how could it be possible that he has conquered the strength of Balaramaji."
Subduing Nature and Bestowing Life
Lord Balarāma's name literally means the source of spiritual strength who enjoys exhibiting His power. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that Balarāma's authority is absolute over both the forces of nature and the laws of life and death. He easily subjugated the personified Yamunā river and demonstrated His supreme capability by offering to instantly restore the life of Romaharṣaṇa Sūta.
- Lord Balarama's name suggests not only that He is very powerful but that He takes pleasure in exhibiting extraordinary strength. So He took a stone and threw it at Dvivida. The gorilla, however, artfully avoided being struck by the stone.
- When the 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.
- Yamuna prayed, "My dear Balarama, You are the most powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone."
- Balarama said, "Simultaneously I can also give this Romaharsana Suta life again, with a span of long duration, sufficient strength and full power of the senses. Not only this, but if you desire I shall be glad to award him anything else you may ask."
The Protector of the Devotees
The ultimate purpose of the Supreme Lord's immense power is to give shelter and protection to His pure devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that whether facing a blazing forest fire, the pangs of severe hunger, or the attacks of terrifying demons, the cowherd boys of Vṛndāvana remained perfectly fearless because they knew the protective power of Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma was completely unmatched.
- One should take shelter of Krsna-Balarama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose protective power is so great that it cannot be equaled in the material world.
- They (the cows and boys) said, "My dear Krsna! My dear Krsna! You and Balarama are very powerful. We are now burning from the heat of this blazing fire. Let us take shelter of Your lotus feet. We know You can protect us from this great danger."
- They (the cowherd boys) immediately approached Krsna and Balarama and said, "Dear Krsna and Balarama, You are both all-powerful; You can kill many, many demons, but today we are much afflicted with hunger, and this is disturbing us."
- His most intimate friends Sridama, Subala and Stoka Krsna addressed Krsna and Balarama with great love and affection thus: "Balarama, You are very powerful; Your arms are very strong. Krsna, You are very expert in killing all kinds of disturbing demons."
Conclusion
In conclusion, Lord Balarāma's power is not a mundane force to be calculated by material science, but the very source of all energy within the cosmic manifestation. Śrīla Prabhupāda masterfully explains that whether He is holding the universe together as the Supreme Supersoul, dragging the proud city of Hastināpura with His plow, or rescuing His intimate friends from a blazing fire, Balarāma uses His absolute strength solely to establish religious principles and protect His devotees. By constantly meditating on the infallible power of Lord Balarāma, a sincere soul can become completely fearless in the face of all material dangers.
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