FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.26.11

प्रलम्बं घातयित्वोग्रं बलेन बलशालिना । अमोचयद् व्रजपशून्गोपांश्चारण्यवह्नित: ॥ ११ ॥
pralambaṁ ghātayitvograṁ
[pralambam ghaatayitvogram]
balena bala-śālinā
[balena bala-shaalinaa]
amocayad vraja-paśūn
[amochayad vraja-pashoon]
gopāṁś cāraṇya-vahnitaḥ
[gopaamsh chaaranya-vahnitah]
pralambam — the demon named Pralamba ghāyayitvā — arranging to be killed ugram — terrible balena — by Lord Balarāma bala - śālinā — who is very powerful amocayat — He liberated vraja - paśūn — the animals of Vraja gopān — the cowherd boys ca — and āraṇya — of the forest vahnitaḥ — from the fire .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
pralambaṁ ghātayitvograṁ
pralambam
the demon named Pralamba
ghāyayitvā
arranging to be killed
ugram
terrible
balena bala-śālinā
balena
by Lord Balarāma
bala - śālinā
who is very powerful
amocayad vraja-paśūn
amocayat
He liberated
vraja - paśūn
the animals of Vraja
gopāṁś cāraṇya-vahnitaḥ
gopān
the cowherd boys
ca
and
āraṇya
of the forest
vahnitaḥ
from the fire .
  • pralambam — the demon named Pralamba
    Pralamba — 'the elongated one' or 'the hanging one,' from pra + √lamb. The name itself signals deception: he hangs back, mingles in, plays along, then strikes.
  • balena — by Lord Balarāma
    Instrumental — Balarāma is the agent. Gauḻīyas note that Kṛṣṇa arranges this so His brother gets the credit; svayaṁ-bhagavān continually defers glory to His expansions. Adi-guru's role.
  • vraja-paśūn — the animals of Vraja
    Vraja (the cowherd settlement) + paśu (animal, here cow/calf). The Bhāgavatam never lets us forget the cows — they are not backdrop but co-residents whose welfare is Kṛṣṇa's daily work.
  • vahnitaḥ — from the fire
    Vahni (fire) + ablative -taḥ. Kṛṣṇa swallows the davāgni; Gauḻīyas read forest fires in Vraja as the burning of accumulated kleśas — He literally drinks His devotees' distress.
  • amocayat — He liberated
    Causative imperfect of √muc. To liberate from the fire is moceyat in form, mokṣa in implication. Bhāgavata always lets temporal rescue echo eternal rescue.
After arranging for the mighty Lord Balarāma to kill the terrible demon Pralamba, Kṛṣṇa saved Vraja’s cowherd boys and their animals from a forest fire.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
After arranging for the mighty Lord Balarāma to kill the terrible demon Pralamba, Kṛṣṇa saved Vraja's cowherd boys and their animals from a forest fire.
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

Through Balarāma, he had Pralamba killed. This shows Kṛṣṇa’s prominence. Why did he have Balarāma and not others kill Pralamba? Balarāma possessed great strength by Kṛṣṇa’s influence. In his presence no one else was suitable to kill Pralamba.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Dhriti (Resilience / Steadfastness / Fortitude)
Related verses
Concepts
Jiva
After arranging for Balarāma to kill Pralamba, Kṛṣṇa saved the cowherds from the forest fire. The Lord coordinates with His expansions — His brother takes one task, He takes another; nothing falls through the cracks.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I trying to do all the tasks myself when His expansions in my life would take some?
  • Whom in His service network am I underusing?

Two brothers play a game where the loser carries the winner across the field — and the loser turns out to be a giant in disguise who tries to carry one of them past the goalposts and away. Balarāma's fist on Pralamba's head is what every concealed predator deserves in Vraja's game.

Pralamba and the forest fire

Pralambāsura joined the cowherd boys' game, intending to carry Balarāma off and kill Him (SB 10.18). When the boys mounted his back per the rules, Pralamba ran away with Balarāma. Mid-flight, Balarāma recognized the demon and brought His fist down on Pralamba's head, ending him.

Later, while the boys grazed cattle in the forest, a fire surrounded them — and Kṛṣṇa simply swallowed the fire (SB 10.19). The chapter 26 verse compresses both episodes: Kṛṣṇa's arrangement, Balarāma's might, the sakhās' rescue.

📝 My note

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