Lord Baladeva’s Appearance:
On the purnima or full moon of the month of Sridhara month Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krsna appeared. This day is celebrated in Vrndavana and Mathura region. Particularly at the Dauji Temple, where Balarama resides with His consort Revati.
One may perform worship with abhiseka as for Sri Krsna Janmastami.
The following section is from “The Life and Legacy of Sripad Ananda Tirtha – Madhvacarya” © JTCd 1995-2001 All rights reserved.
The following incident happend when Sripad Madhwacharya was embraced by Srila Vyasadev. First of all he began to remember all of the wonderful pastimes of the Lord, Who in His literary incarnation now stood before him, beginning with Matsya, Hayagreeva, Narasimha, Varahadev, and so on.
Remembering Sri Sri Krsna – Balaram.
Sripad Madhwacarya, being in the mixed ‘rasa’ or mellows of devotional friendship and service, then meditated on his worshipful Friends and Lords, Krsna and Balarama.
As Hanuman, the ‘avatar’ of Mukhyaprana, perfectly performed devotional service in the ‘dasya rasa’ or devotional service in servitude and in the incarnation as Bhima, his mood was that of fraternal love. This group is usually divided into four. (1) well wishers, (2) friends, (3) confidential friends, (4) intimate friends, and the group is called ‘vayasyas’ (friends).
The fraternal ‘rasa’ has some light shed upon it, by the following statements: “When there is full knowledge of Krsna’s superiority and yet in dealings with Him on friendly terms respectfulness in completely absent, that stage is called affection. There is one brilliant example of this affection. When the demigods, headed by Lord Shiva, were offering prayers to Krsna describing the glorious opulences of the Lord, Krsna’s friend in Vrindavan stood before Him with his hand of His shoulders and brushed the dust from His peacock feather.
When the Pandavas were banished by Duryodhana and forced to live incognito in the forest, no-one could trace out where they were staying. At that time, the great sage Narada Muni met Lord Krsna and said, “My dear Mukunda, although You are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the all powerful person, by making friendship with You the Pandavas have become bereft of their legitimate right to the kingdom of the world – and moreover, they are now living in the forest incognito. Sometimes they must work as ordinary laborers in someone else’s house. These symptoms appear to be very inauspicious materially, but the beauty is that, the Pandavas have not lost their faith and love for You, in spite of all these tribulations. In fact, they are always thinking of You and chanting Your name in ecstatic friendship.”
Another example of freidnship may be given again described by Narada Muni, who reminded Krsna thus: “When Arjuna was learning the art of shooting arrows, he could not see You for so many days. But when You arrived there, he stopped all his activities and immediately embrassed You.”(Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu, Nectar of Devotion).
Mostly the ‘rasa’ or mood of Sripad Madhwacarya follows the ‘dasya rasa’. The devotees of the Lord in servitude are divided into four classes: (1) appointed servants – (This is how the third incarnation of Vayu came to take up these wonderful pastimes.) Others such as Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, who are appointed to control over the material modes of passion and ignorance. (2) Devotees in servitude who are protected by the Lord. (3) Devotees who are always associates. (4) Devotees who are simply following in the footsteps of the Lord. To more or lesser degrees all these four apply to Madhwa but ‘adhikrta-devata’ – appointed servants specifically covers the pastimes of our hero.
In these moods of servitude and friendship Sripad Madhwacarya stood before his Friend and Lord and remembered the unlimited pastimes of Lord Sri Krsna. When He, the Original Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, appeared in Sri Vrndavan Dhama in His original form and expansion, Sri Sri Krsna and Balarama, the divine cowherd boys, Mukhyaprana was preparing to make his second incarnation into the Yadu dynasty as Bhima.
Once Bhumidevi (the goddess of the earth) assumed the form of a cow and took shelter of Lord Brahma. She humbly begged for relief, the whole earth is in a mixed up condition. Everyone is distressed due to the presence of so many demoniac kings. Hearing the distressful condition, Lord Brahma, Mother Bhumi and many other demigods, approached Lord Visnu on His island Swetadvipa. Standing on the shore of the milk ocean they told their woeful tale. Lord Visnu instructed those devas there to go and take their births on earth in the Yadu dynasty. He said at that time I will come in My original two-armed form along with My transcendental brother and sister and will be knows as Krsna, Balarama and Yogamaya. In these forms We will kill the demons, protect the devotees, and have unlimited pastimes for the pleasure of the devotees.
In the Yadu dynasty at that time was the king named Surasena who had a son named Vasudeva. Another Yadu king by the name Ugrasena had a beautiful daughter called Devaki. After some time Vasudeva and Devaki were married. Devaki had an evil brother by the name Kamsa, and that Kamsa, after the wedding, drove Vasudeva’s and Devaki’s wedding chariot to their home. However, in mid journey, suddenly from the sky came a prophetic voice saying, “Kamsa you are a fool. The eighth son of your sister Devaki, whose chariot you now drive, will kill you.” Without a second thought Kamsa grabbed Devaki by the hair and raised his sword to kill her. Vasudeva promising that he personally would present any children they may have, first to Kamsa, and so there is no need to worry for now, as we don’t have any children, and when we do we will give them to you. So don’t kill your sister Devaki on her wedding day.
Kamsa imprisoned his father, sister and brother-in-law to be sure of Vasudeva’s promise being kept. The transcendental devotee Narada Muni then appeared before Kamsa at the arrival of the first child and told Kamsa that now Krsna’s friends, the demigods, are lying in wait, taking births in the families of Nanda Maharaja, his wives, and the cowherd men of Vraja. In this was Narada escalated the advent of Krsna. As each child was born, the was presented to Kamsa who, with rage, smashed them one by one to the ground and killed them.
Formerly an ‘asura’ named Kalanemi had six sons, named Hamsa, Suikrama, Kratha, Damana, Ripurmardana and Krodhahanta. They were known as ‘sad-garbhas’, or six ‘garbhas’, and they were all equally powerful and expert in military affairs. These ‘sad-garbhas’ gave up the association of Hiranyakasipu, their grandfather, and underwent great austerities to satisfy Lord Brahma, who, upon being satisfied, agreed to give them whatever benediction they might desire. When asked by Lord Brahma to state what they wanted, the sad-garbhas replied, “Dear Brahma, if you want to give us a benediction, give us the blessing that we will not be killed by any demigod, ‘maha-roga’, ‘yaksa’, ‘gandharva-pati’, ‘siddha’, ‘carana’ or human being, nor by great sages who are perfect in their penances and austerities.” Brahma understood their purpose and fulfilled their desire. But when Hiranyakasipu came to know of these events, he was very angry at his grandsons. “You have given up my association and have gone to worship Brahma,” he said, “….And therefore I no longer have any affection for you. You tried to save yourselves from the hands of demigods, but I curse you in this way; Your father will take birth as Kamsa and kill all of you because you will take birth as the sons of Devaki.”(Sripad Vijayadhwaj Tirtha. Srimad Bhagavatam 10:1:69.).
The arrogant Kamsa then had himself installed as King. Soon came the time of Devaki’s seventh baby. This child was non other than Lord Balarama, but as the child was born, Yogamaya took the child and placed him safely with Rohini in the house of Nanda and Yasodamayi, and news spread that Devaki has miscarried.
When news reached Kamsa’s ears that Devaki was pregnant for the eighth time, Kamsa changed extraordinarily. He became completely paranoid for the child that would kill him was now in the womb. In an adverse way Kamsa performed devotional service, always being absorbed in thoughts of Krsna. When he slept he dreamt of Krsna, whilst eating, working, walking, talking, sitting, he couldn’t spend a moment without thoughts of Krsna, but those thoughts were not at all favourable. Kamsa feared for his life, knowing his arch enemy was there, the child that would kill him.
Narada Muni reassured Devaki that Kamsa would not kill this child, and that Krsna is coming just to kill the demons so that the devotees may live in the world peacefully.
All kinds of auspicious omens were seen all around prior to Krsna’s appearance, and in the heavens the all-auspicious ‘nakshatra’ of Rohini welcomed the Lord to begin His pastimes. Rivers ran clear and full with pure water, lakes were full with full blown pink, blue and white lotuses, all the birds and animals of the forests were singing in great delight., and the soft breezes carried the fragrances of aromatic flowers in all directions. ‘Gandharvas’ and ‘Kinnaras’ began to sing, and the ‘Siddhas’ and ‘Caranas’ offered prayers in beautiful unison. The ‘Apsaras’ began their heavenly dances and the great sages, ‘Rshis’ and all the demigods showered flowers from the skies.
Them just after midnight as the constellation (‘nakshatra’) Rohini moved into position a great storm came. The four-armed form of Lord Visnu then appeared before the beautiful Devaki. Devaki, who for some time was covered by Krsna’ internal potency, thought that this was like a normal birth, and thought that only due to the trauma of the birth she didn’t remember the actual birth. But the Lord appeared fully adorned with jewels and looking very beautiful. Vasudeva saw his son first with four arms carrying conch, club, disc and lotus, surrounded by a glistening effulgence within the prison cell, with the Srivatsa mark of Laxmi devi on His chest and Kaustubha mani around His neck, and dressed in yellow silken cloth.
Krsna then told Vasudeva to take Him out of the prison and go to Gokul and exchange Krsna with the girl child just born to Mother Yashoda. Turning Himself into what seemed to be an ordinary baby, Vasudeva carried his newborn son out of the prison. The prison guards were unusually all sleeping and all the doors miraculously opened to allow baby Krsna, carried by Vasudeva, to go out.
The night was dark as it was the eighth day of the fortnight of the waning moon (Krsna paksa) and the sky was full of rain clouds. Thunder and rain of monsoon time made the Yamuna River fill it’s banks with turbulent water and the wind whipped up the waves. Thus due to the rainy season the Yamuna was impossible to cross. But now effulgent baby Krsna suddenly manifested his divine umbrella, Ananta Sesa, which, with His many snake like hoods, gave shelter to Krsna and His devotee Vasudeva. As they approached the Yamuna River again, suddenly miracles started to happen, and despite the rough and deep waters, Vasudeva, carrying baby Krsna, walked across the Yamuna and over to the house of Nanda Maharaja. Picking up her girl child, he again crossed the Yamuna and back to the prison.
In the morning the guards told Kamsa about the sounds of a baby crying in the prison, and Kamsa came down to investigate. Devaki begged Kamsa not to kill her child, as it was a girl and the prediction was that her eighth son would kill him. The cruel demon Kamsa was just about the dash the child to the ground when the baby flew up into the air and manifested herself as Durga. In her eight arms she carried all kinds of weapons – a bow, spear, sword, club, shield, arrows, conch and disc. Dressed in fine ornaments and exquisite garments and surrounded by devas, Durga addressed Kamsa, “So you think you can kill me. You cannot. The child who will kill you however has already been born before me somewhere else. Now don’t be cruel to your sister, Devaki,” and disappeared. Kamsa was now petrified, and begged Vasudeva and Devaki for forgiveness for killing their six children, but by the next day his normal demoniac nature was back. Kamsa then ordered his men to kill every child born in the last ten days.
In the meantime in Nanda Maharaja’s house, the ‘Nandotsava’ (birthday ceremony) of Lord Krsna was performed. Nanda Maharaja and the local cowherds people, the elderly ‘gopis’, and the young ‘gopis’, all assembled there along with pure hearted ‘brahmins’ including Gargamuni. After the ‘abhisheka’ bathing ceremony of baby Krsna, and after all the well wishers had came and presented so many nice present for Krsna, Gargamuni cast an astrological chart to see the nature of the child. Gargamuni was astounded. This is no ordinary child. This is the Personality of Godhead, Lord Visnu. But in their parental love, Nanda and Yasoda overlooked this face and gave abundances of well decorated cows, grains and golden ornaments to all who came to invoke their blessing upon the child.
Afterwards there was a sumptuous feast, for any ‘samskara’ is not complete without ‘daksina’ given to the ‘Vaisnava brahmins’, and distribution of ‘prasadams’. The Nanda and Yasodamayi performed ‘nyasa’, touching Krsna’s transcendental body and praying to the Supreme Personality of Godhead to protect each of His limbs and thus protect completely “their child”.
At this time Lord Balarama was also growing up in the house of Nanda Maharaja but as the son of Mother Rohini. Nanda Maharaja then asked Garga muni to perform a secret ‘nama karana’ (name giving ceremony.) Garga muni told that Rohini’s son, who has a whitish complexion will be called Rama because he is so pleasing, and he will be called Balarama because of his strength. The other boy who is actual the son of Devaki, will be known as Syama for His blackish complexion and Krsna for His all attractiveness, and by some he will be known as Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva. This child will grow in power, beauty and opulence, being the Personality of Godhead.
Kamsa sent all kinds of demons in many varieties of disguises to try to kill Krsna, one in particular was the evil witch Putana. She would take babies and smearing her motherly nipples with poison, would push them into her victim’s mouth and kill them. Assuming a very beautiful form, Putana approached the house of Nanda Maharaja. Seeing baby Krsna, she placed Him upon her lap and pushed her poisoned nipple into Krsna’s mouth. Krsna accepted this motherly service that she rendered, but as well as sucking the witches breast milk, Krsna sucked out her very life air. As Putana screaming gave up her life, she returned to her ugly and huge form, but Krsna just played of her dead body. Because of her contact with Krsna, when all the inhabitants of Vraja burned up her body, there was a very pleasant smell.
Krsna and Balarama used to crawl and play with the cows, holding onto their tails until eventually the cows would run off with the boys holding the cow’s tails. In this way they would enjoy a ride as they ran off through the cow dung. This used to amuse everyone watching the transcendental brothers playing just like cheeky, funny boys.
Kamsa would periodically send his friends who were all demons to try and cause harm to baby Krsna and Balarama. But Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even though appearing as a small baby, finished the demons easily.
Once a whirl wind demon Trnavarta came and tried to take Krsna away by force, but little Krsna suddenly became heavier and heavier until Trnavarta felt Krsna to be like a mountain. Krsna grabbed the demob by the neck and choked him, and Trnavarta’s eyes popped out of their sockets as he screamed in agony his last breath.
When Krsna and Balarama had started walking around, they would go to the houses of the ‘gopis’ every morning before the cows had been milked and would release all the calves. Each calf would immediately run to their respective mother and drink all the milk. When the ‘gopis’ would come to milk the cows there was no milk, and so they would go to complain to Mother Yashoda. On other occasions Krsna and Balaram and some of their cowherd friends would go to the cool store room where the gopis would have their yogurt hanging ready to prepare into butter. Krsna and Balarama would take that yogurt and butter and sit and eat it directly from the pots. Other times they would feed their remnants to the monkeys and then break the pots. When the ‘gopis’ would catch them, They would just smile charmingly. These boys are so transcendentally cheeky.
Another time some of Krsna’s friends headed by Balarama told Mother Yashoda that Krsna had eaten earth. Krsna complained that they were just trying to get him into trouble, but Mother Yashoda insisted on looking in Krsna’s mouth. Opening his lotus mouth, Mother Yashoda saw the entire universe, planets, mountains, oceans, everything and even herself sitting with Krsna on her lap looking into his mouth. Stunned, by her parental love, she gave Krsna a big hug and a kiss.
Once the two sons of the demigod Kuvera, Nalakuvera and Manigriva, were enjoying in Lord Shiva’s garden next to the Mandakini River, otherwise known as the Ganges. They were naked and intoxicated and playing like elephants they splashed and frolicked in the waters accompanied by naked women. Suddenly the great staunch devotee Narada Muni came by. The intoxicated sons of Kuvera didn’t even bother to try to cover themselves, or pay any respect to Narada. To teach them a lesson Narada cursed them to stand naked as trees in the garden of Nanda Maharaja for 36,000 years until Krsna would free them.
It so happened that one day when Mother Yashoda was making butter in the kitchen, baby Krsna being hungry, climbed upon her lap to drink her breast milk. Remembering she had left the milk on the stove which by now was ready to boil, over, Mother Yashoda put Krsna down and ran off to the kitchen.
Krsna, who hadn’t finished drinking, was so angry. He broke a pot of butter and started to eat the contents. When Mother Yashoda returned to find the broken pot, she took a stick and went to find her rascal son Krsna.
Here Mother Yashoda is going to bind Krsna. It is not that Krsna is unhappy, He is feeling happy. It is a pleasure for Krsna to be bound by the ropes of love by his pure devotee. It is not that anyone can chastize the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna but He is taking pleasure in being chastized by Mother Yashoda.
When she finally caught Krsna, she tried to bind him with rope, but every tope she tried to bind him with was two inches too short. Even all joined together it was two inches too short. Krsna, withholding His mercy, not allowing himself to be bound, was one inch and the other inch was the love and endeavour of His devotee, mother Yashoda. Finally when Mother Yashoda was at her wits end, in desperation she prayed to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana, then that same Supreme Person in the form of her child bestowed His mercy upon Mother Yashoda and allowed Himself to be bound by her ropes of love.
When Mother Yashoda left that place leaving Krsna tied to the grinding mortar, Krsna, to fulfil the curse of Narada, dragged the mortar into the garden and between the twin Arjuna trees. As Krsna crawled between the two trees the mortar became stuck. Krsna pulled harder and the trees came smashing down to the ground. As the trees broke, the two devas came out. Yes, it was the now repentant sons of Kuvera, Nalakuvera and Manigriva, and they offered prayers to Krsna.
Sometimes at the house of Nanda Maharaja different sales people would come by selling their wares as is the nature of village life. On one such occasion a fruit selling lady came by with a big basket of fruits. When Krsna saw her and the fruits, He took a handful of rice and approached the lady to purchase fruits. The fruit lady was so taken back by this beautifully decorated and charming boy that she gave him his required fruits. As she piled Krsna up with fruits, and watched the little boy waddle away dropping an occasional fruit here and there, she laughed. Looking back to her basket, she saw that the remaining fruits that she had turned into priceless jewels. Krsna had rewarded the fruit lady for her unmotivated, unexpectant service to Him.
On another day Krsna and Balarama were playing on the banks of the Yamuna when Mother Rohini (Balarama’s mother) called them for their lunch. Nanda Maharaja was waiting to take, and wouldn’t start without the whole family there. Mother Yashoda stayed, and Rohini went back to the house. Mother Yashoda scolded the and told them to get home immediately. Yashoda Mayi finally got the boys home. They were both covered in dust and dirt, so she gave them both a good bath, redressed them nicely with ornaments and jewels. Then the ‘brahmins’ came to receive charity for the occasion of Janmasthami (Krsna’s birthday). As is Vedic culture, one should give in charity on one’s birthday and not expect returns.
Sometimes Krsna and Balarama and their friends would play near Govardhana Hill. They would go there on carts with all the residents of Vrndavan in a very festive mood, blowing conches and horns. Krsna and Balarama themselves would take care of small calves, and with their friends and calves they would all play in the fields. Sometimes they played on their flutes and other times they played ball with bitter tasting ‘amalaki’ fruits, or covered themselves with the calves blankets and pretended to be bulls. Whilst they were playing like this, one day a demon by the name of Vatsasura came and turned himself into a calf and mingled with the other calves, waiting to attack Krsna and Balarama, but the divine brothers had their own plan. Instead they sneaked up on Vatsasura and Krsna caught the calf-demon by it’s back legs and threw him high into a tree, and the demon fell down dead.
When once Krsna and Balarama and their friends were at the Yamuna River with the calves, they saw what looked like a huge duck. Yes, this was another demon sent by the evil Kamsa to kill Krsna. The demon attacked and even swallowed Krsna. Krsna became so hot like the sun in the throat of the demon that the demon released Him. Krsna then grabbed the demon’s beak and as one would split a piece of grass, Krsna tore the demon Bakasura’s beaks wide open and killed him.
One day the younger brother of Putana witch and the duck demon Baka came by with a plan to eat Krsna, Balarama and their friends. Assuming the form of a gigantic snake, he opened his mouth like a huge cave. At first the boys thought it was a statue, but they could see it moving and smell the fishy smell of it’s liver on the demon’s breath. This demon’s name was Aghasura. Suddenly all the cowherd boys began to climb up over his big lips past his teeth and into the cave-like mouth to explore the inside. Krsna and Balaram also climbed in much to the dismay of the demigods who had gathered there to see the boys play. Then Krsna began to grow bigger and bigger until finally he choked the demon to death. After the death of Aghasura the boys used to play on the gigantic body without fear, knowing that Krsna had killed him.
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