Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.24-25
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
-
vaijayantyā
—
named Vaijayantī
The famous garland of five-colored forest flowers. Vaijayantī is Bhagavān's mālā par excellence — Gauḍīya iconography retains it on both Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma.
-
ambhojam
—
lotuslike
Lit. 'water-born' (ambhas + ja) — the lotus. Modifies mukha (face). Bhagavān's face is repeatedly named ambhoja; Gauḍīyas note that the lotus simile is not decoration but theology — His face holds, like a lotus, both root in mud and bloom in light.
-
sveda
—
of perspiration
Sweat. One of the eight sāttvika-bhāvas. Bhagavān Himself displays the same somatic markers His devotees do — Rūpa Gosvāmī uses this fact to argue that bhāva is shared substance, not asymmetric.
-
yamunām
—
the Yamunā River
Accusative — Yamunā as object of the verb 'called.' She is summoned by name; the river is treated as a person. Gauḍīya theology fully personalizes Yamunā — she is a goddess with biography.
-
anādṛtya
—
disregarding
Absolutive of an-ā-√dṛ (to not honor). Yamunā does not honor His call — the verse names her offense precisely. Gauḍīyas note: this is the rare moment where a personal goddess errs and the līlā produces public correction.
-
hala
—
of His plow weapon
The plow. The agricultural tool that names Halāyudha. In the next verse it will be called lāṅgala — the Bhāgavatam uses two synonyms, holding the agricultural and martial registers simultaneously.
-
kupitaḥ
—
angry
Past participle of √kup (to be angry). Bhagavān's anger — Gauḍīyas distinguish carefully between līlā-krodha (which serves the līlā) and conditioned anger. Here Balarāma's anger publicly establishes that Vraja-līlā is not powerless.
His face appeared frosty (praleya) with drops of perspiration. She did not respect his words because she thought that the words of a drunk person had no authority. For this reason she disregarded him and did not come, thinking, "If he calls me, wanting to enjoy in the water, then let him come to me."
He wore many garlands including chaplets on his head. The Vaijayantī garland had flowers of five colors. His lotus face had a smile. He shone with these ornaments. Hari-vaṁśa describes him as follows: śirasā cārukeśena kiṁcid āvṛttamaulinā / śravaṇaikāvalambena kuṇḍalena virājatā // candanāgarupītena vana-mālāvalambinā / vibabhāv urasā rāmaḥ kailāseneva mandaraḥ // nīle vasāno vasane pratyag raja-dala-prabhe / rarāja vapuṣā śubhraḥ śaśīva ghana-mālayā // lāṅgalenāvasaktena bhujagābhoga-vartinā / tathā bhujāgra-śliṣṭena musalena ca bhāsvatā // sa matto balināṁ śreṣṭho rarājā ghūrṇitānanaḥ / śaiśirīṣv triyāmāsu yathā khedālasaḥ śaśī // His beautiful hair was partially covered by his crown. He had one earring in his ear. He was anointed with sandalwood paste and with a forest garland on his chest. He appeared like Mandara Mountain with Kailāṣa. He wore blue cloth, shining like a fresh lotus petal. He was brilliant white like the moon with a huge garland. With his plough he appeared like a snake with a hood. He was holding a shining pestle in his hand. The best of the strong, he was intoxicated, with rolling eyes. He was like the moon after three yamas in the cold season, and was fatigued by his sporting. Instead of nijam another version has neti but this is not accepted by Śrīdhara Svāmī since it does not make sense in the context.
- What 'small' particularity in my devotional life carries more meaning than I admit?
- Can I treat the specifics of my worship as Balarāma treats His garland?
A king at the height of his pleasure asks a river to come to him — and when she refuses, he drags her course toward him with his plow. The plow that planted the world is now used to redirect a river. Bhagavān's tools, in Vraja, do double duty: agriculture and command.
Earlier in this Canto (SB 10.25) Kṛṣṇa lifted Govardhana with His left little finger to shelter Vraja from Indra's rain. Here Balarāma drags Yamunā with His plow.
Gauḍīyas read these as paired aiśvarya-bursts inside mādhurya-līlā — the brothers each, once, openly assert their lordship over an element (mountain, river). The point is that Vraja-līlā is not powerless; it merely keeps power tucked inside tenderness.
My note
Source: vedabase.io