20250809 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.5-6

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram
hariḥ oṁ tat sat

Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.15

vṛkṇe sva-śūle bahudhāriṇā hareḥ
pratyetya vistīrṇam uro vibhūtimat
pravṛddha-roṣaḥ sa kaṭhora-muṣṭinā
nadan prahṛtyāntaradhīyatāsuraḥ

Translation: The demon was enraged when his trident was cut to pieces by the discus of the Personality of Godhead. He therefore advanced toward the Lord and, roaring aloud, struck his hard fist against the Lord’s broad chest, which bore the mark of Śrīvatsa. Then he went out of sight.

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.19.16

tenettham āhataḥ kṣattar
bhagavān ādi-sūkaraḥ
nākampata manāk kvāpi
srajā hata iva dvīpaḥ

Translation: Hit in this manner by the demon, O Vidura, the Lord, who had appeared as the first boar, did not feel the least quaking in any part of His body, any more than an elephant would when struck with a wreath of flowers.

Purport: As previously explained, the demon was originally a servitor of the Lord in Vaikuṇṭha, but somehow or other he fell as a demon. His fight with the Supreme Lord was meant for his liberation. The Lord enjoyed the striking on His transcendental body, just like a fully grown-up father fighting with his child. Sometimes a father takes pleasure in having a mock fight with his small child, and similarly the Lord felt Hiraṇyākṣa’s striking on His body to be like flowers offered for worship. In other words, the Lord desired to fight in order to enjoy His transcendental bliss; therefore He enjoyed the attack.

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Jayapatākā Swami: Balarāma appeared as Kṛṣṇa’s older brother – sometimes He comes as the older brother, sometimes the younger brother. When He came as Lakṣmaṇa with Lord Rāmacandra, at that time He was the younger brother. And when He came as Balarāma, He was the older brother. Now, Lord Kṛṣṇa is ādi, the Original Personality. But when He appears as His own older brother that is for His own convenience. As Nityānanda, He came as the older spiritual brother. He came as the son Rohiṇī. He actually appeared in Devakī’s womb and was transferred to the womb of Rohiṇī.

Earlier, in the Main gate here in our Māyāpur temple, we used to have the breaking of the pot. We would draw and keep a pot with the face of the demon drawn. Devotees would be blindfolded, and they would be asked to break the pot! Because the demon was celebrated as Pralambāsura.

In the pastime of Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa liberated Kaṁsa. The brothers of Kaṁsa were all killed by Lord Balarāma. Because Kṛṣṇa killed Kaṁsa and Kaṁsa was His maternal uncle, it is not look good to kill the uncle, Kṛṣṇa left the rest of the killing to Lord Balarāma! Like that, all the pastimes of Balarāma are to assist Kṛṣṇa to perform the different līlās. And Balarāma gave some training to Duryodhana, how to fight with the gadā. But then, you see, Kṛṣṇa told Bhīma that the only way you can get Duryodhana, because Duryodhana was more expert than him, because Duryodhana had gone to his mother with a gamchā, and the only way to kill him was to hit him in the region of his thigh. Even though Duryodhana’s mother was not actually blind but because her husband was blind, she voluntarily blindfolded herself for life. Because she performed this austerity, that is why when she opened her and glanced at Duryodhana, then Duryodhana could be protected. But Duryodhana, he was misguided by Kṛṣṇa, “How can you appear before your mother naked? It would be good to wear a gamchā!” So when Bhīma came hit Duryodhana on the thigh, He said, “This was not good, you should not hit below the waist.” So like that, Balarāma, He assisted Kṛṣṇa in different ways in His pastimes.

Balarāma would sometimes go with Kṛṣṇa and They would be cowherd boys and play. So when we hear about Kṛṣṇa or Balarāma, that is purifying. In the Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta it is stated that when Gopa-kumāra came to Vaikuṇṭha, everyone looked like the Lord Himself and so he was offering his obeisances to each and everyone. But, the personality who is the Supreme Lord, on His chest there is the mark of the Śrīvatsa. So, the doorkeepers, they knew that these are not Bhagavān as they don’t know have the Śrīvatsa mark. So, in the verse we read today, Hiraṇyākṣa punched the Lord on His chest with his hard fist in the area where He had the Śrīvatsa mark. There is a kind of liberation called sārūpya-mukti or attaining the form like that of the Lord, but the difference is that these devotees in that form, they do not have the Śrīvatsa mark on their chest.

One time, Kṛṣṇa’s son was captured by the Kurus. So Balarāma went and He tried to convince them and argue to tried to get back the son. But those Kurus were arrogant and did not listen to Balarāma or care for His words. So Balarāma used His plow and split the earth and started to drag Hastināpura towards the Yamunā! So, Balarāma, displayed His unlimited strength this way and the Kurus realized this and with respect they freed Kṛṣṇa’s son and the daughter of Duryodhana. So this way, Balarāma enacted so many different pastimes. Normally, it would be very hard to get Kṛṣṇa’s mercy but as Nitāi Gaura, They gave out the mercy freely! Balarāma came as Nitāi and assisted Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

One day, Lord Balarāma was drinking Vāruṇī which is a kind of intoxicating beverage. So then, He asked the Yamunā to come near Him. The Yamunā river heard this but did not give much importance to the words of Lord Balarāma. So Balarāma, He began to cut the Yamunā into different parts! Yamunā became fearful then and she surrendered to Lord Balarāma. So, Balarāma, He appeared today and if we continue our sādhana-bhakti, then we can get the mercy of Lord Caitanya. So it is important to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and to follow the system of sādhana-bhakti. Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura said that sādhana-bhakti is the process by which we perform devotional service gradually to reach kṛṣṇa-prema. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda, he came as our spiritual master and he gave us a simple way of sādhana-bhakti. He is our Founder-Ācārya. We have to follow him forever.

I went to swing the Rādhā Mādhava Deities which are now here, to swing on the Jhulana. If you haven’t done the Jhulana, today is the last day you can do it here. So there are 30 days left for Bhadra Pūrṇimā and we want to distribute as many sets as possible of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam! Today you see how the Deities are beautifully worn dresses in white color which is the dress that is worn on Pūrṇimā, the full moon day!

So, Balarāma Pūrṇimā is a very special day. Balarāma, He is the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa. And all the other expansions come from Balarāma. Here Balarāma is present here in Navadvīpa dhāma in Rājāpur Jagannātha temple and he is there and one can go and take this opportunity to take darśana of Him on this auspicious day.

We would like to welcome 1400 devotees who have come from Hooghly Nāma-haṭṭa! And the devotees of the Gītā Course who have come from North Kolkata, we welcome them as well. Tomorrow, the Haṁsa Vāhana, is coming to Māyāpur! So today is Balarāma Pūrṇimā and that is why we are very, very happy! So don’t forget to do your sādhana-bhakti!

Any questions or comments? Normally on these days, starting day after Balarāma Pūrṇimā, every day we have some kind of observance leading to Śrīla Prabhupāda’s appearance day or Vyāsa-pūjā. No fasting, but like schools, different departments, perform these programs.

So, during the Kurukṣetra war, Balarāma went on a tour and came back when the war was over. Somehow, as Lord Boar the Lord came and Hiraṇyākṣa punched Him, but He did not shake or show any disturbance. On the appearance day of Lord Balarāma today, we are all very happy! We are only having fasting till noon. Lord Balarāma, He is very merciful! Haribol! Balarāma kī jaya!