Sports of the boys in the forest. Pralamba the Asura comes amongst them: is destroyed by Ráma, at the command of Krishńa.
WHEN the demon in the form of an ass, and all his tribe, had been destroyed, the grove of palms became the favourite resort of the Gopas and their wives, and the sons of Vasudeva, greatly pleased, repaired to the Bháńd́íra fig tree. They continued to wander about, shouting and singing, and gathering fruits and flowers from the trees; now driving the cows afar to pasture; now calling them by their names; now carrying the foot-ropes of the kine upon their shoulders; now ornamenting themselves with garlands of forest flowers, they looked like two young bulls when the horns first appear. Attired the one in yellow, and the other in sable garments, they looked like two clouds, one white, and one black, surmounted by the bow of Indra. Sporting mutually with frolics beneficial to the world, they roamed about like two monarchs over all the collected sovereigns of the earth. Assuming human duties, and maintaining the human character, they strayed through the thickets, amusing themselves with sports suited to their mortal species and condition, in swinging on the boughs of trees, or in boxing and wrestling and hurling stones.
Having observed the two lads thus playing about, the Asura Pralamba, seeking to devour them, came amongst the cowherd boys in the shape of one of themselves, and mixed, without being suspected, in their pastimes; for he thought, that, thus disguised, it would not be difficult to find an opportunity to kill, first Krishńa, and afterwards the son of Rohińí. The boys commenced playing at the game of leaping like deer, two and two together 1. Govinda was matched with Sridáman, and
earth sustains living and inanimate things? and that, in the character of uncreated time, with its divisions of ages, developed from an instant, thou devourest the world? As the waters of the sea, when swallowed up by submarine flame, are recovered by the winds, and thrown, in the form of snow, upon the Himáchala, where coming into contact with the rays of the sun, they reassume their watery nature 2; so the world, being devoured by thee at the period of dissolution, becomes of necessity, at the end of every Kalpa, the world again, through thy creative efforts. Thou and I, soul of the universe, are but one and the same cause of the creation of the earth, although, for its protection, we exist in distinct individuals. Calling to memory who thou art, O being of illimitable might, destroy of thyself the demon. Suspending a while your mortal character, do what is right." Thus reminded by the magnanimous Krishńa, the powerful Baladeva laughed, and squeezed Pralamba with his knees, striking him at the same time on the head and face with his fists, so as to beat out both his
eyes. The demon, vomiting blood from his mouth, and having his brain forced through the skull, fell upon the ground, and expired. The Gopas, beholding Pralamba slain, were astonished, and rejoiced, and cried out, "Well done," and praised Balaráma: and thus commended by his playfellows, and accompanied by Krishńa, Bala, after the death of the daitya Pralamba, returned to Gokula 3.
518:1 Jumping with both feet at once, as deer bound, two boys together: the one that holds out longest, or comes to a given point first, is the victor, and the vanquished is then bound to carry him to the goal, if not already attained, and back again to the starting-post, on his shoulders. The Bhágavata does not specify the game, but mentions that the vanquished carry the victors on their backs. 520:2 This passage is read and explained differently in different copies. In some it is, ###. And this is explained, 'The water of the ocean, devoured by the fire called Vád́ava, becoming condensed, or in the form of dew or snow, is seized by the wind called Kastaka, from which the Vád́ava fire has departed, consisting of a pipe of the solar rays, and being placed in the air, lies or is on the Himáchala,' &c. This is rather an awkward and confused representation of the notion, and the other reading is somewhat preferable: it consists simply in substituting ### for ### that is, according to the commentary, 'The water devoured by the fire is thrown by the wind Ka, made of a solar ray &c., on the Himáchala, where it assumes the form of snow;' and so on. However disfigured by inaccurate views of some of the instruments in operation, the physiology is in the main very correct, and indicates accurate observation of natural phenomena. The waters of the ocean, converted into vapour by solar heat, are raised by the same influence into the air, and thence borne by the winds to the summits of lofty mountain ranges, where they are arrested by a diminished temperature, descend in the form of snow, and again supply the streams that perpetually restore to the sea the treasures of which it is as perpetually plundered. 521:3 According to the Hari Vanśa the gods themselves praised this proof of Ráma's strength (bala), and hence he derived the name of Balaráma.
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