Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.44.26
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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līlayā
—
playfully
Instrumental of līlā — pastime, play. The single most important word in Gauḍīya theology. Every act of Bhagavān is līlā: even killing a wrestler is play, not labor. The grammar of the verse encodes the doctrine.
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sa - avajñam
—
with disregard
Compound: sa (with) + avajñā (disregard, slighting). Balarāma kills without even granting Kūṭa the dignity of attention. Cf. BG 4.8 — paritrāṇāya sādhūnām — the same Lord whose face turns toward bhaktas turns barely an eye toward demons.
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vāma - muṣṭinā
—
with the left fist
Compound: vāma (left) + muṣṭi (fist). The left hand is the non-favored hand in classical contexts — Balarāma chooses His non-dominant side. The detail is the verse's whole point: this much is enough.
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praharatām varaḥ
—
the best of those who strike
Compound: praharatām (gen. plur. participle of pra + √hṛ, 'of those striking') + vara (best). Of all who strike, He is best — not by force but by economy. The Bhāgavatam pairs the descriptor with the left-fist detail: best, and barely trying.
He killed him effortlessly (līlayā) since he did by his left fist, and also without paying attention.
Balarāma killed Kūta, who approached him after Muṣṭika was killed (anu), or who approached him from behind out of fear. He is called Rāma because he gave pleasure to his friends. He did this without effort, using only his left fist, without much attention, since he was the best among fighters. O king! Śukadeva addressed Parīkṣit in joy, since the king glowing with joy. Or rājan can mean “Balarāma shone because of the pastime.”
- What 'Kūṭa-level' problems do you treat with the gravity reserved for major ones?
- Where could nonchalance be your spiritual default?
Kūṭa rushes at Balarāma, and Balarāma kills him līlayā — playfully, casually — with the left fist, as a man flicks a fly. The right hand is not needed; the gaze is barely engaged. This is Bhagavān's signature: the catastrophic act done with the unbothered hand.
My note
Source: vedabase.io