Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.68.54
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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rāma - vikramam
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Balarāma's prowess
Vikrama = valor, prowess. The same word used of Viṣṇu's three strides in Vāmana-līlā. Balarāma's vikrama is preserved here in the tilt of a city.
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samunnatam
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prominently elevated
Sam-un-nata = thoroughly raised. One side of Hastināpura is permanently lifted relative to the other — the city literally never settled back. Geography proves the līlā.
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anudṛśyate
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is seen
Pratyakṣa-pramāṇa — direct perception. The Bhāgavatam ends the chapter on physical evidence visible 'even today.' Vyāsa's invitation: go look, and see for yourself.
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes as follows: “For the most part it was the practice of the kṣatriya kings to inaugurate some kind of fighting between the parties of the bride and bridegroom before the marriage. When Sāmba forcibly took away Lakṣmaṇa, the elderly members of the Kuru dynasty were pleased to see that he was actually the suitable match for her. In order to see his personal strength, however, they fought with him, and without any respect for the regulations of fighting, they all arrested him. When the Yadu dynasty decided to release Sāmba from the confinement of the Kurus, Lord Balarāma came personally to settle the matter, and, as a powerful kṣatriya, He ordered them to free Sāmba immediately. The Kauravas became superficially insulted by this order, so they challenged Lord Balarāma’s power. They simply wanted to see Him exhibit His inconceivable strength. Thus with great pleasure they handed over their daughter to Sāmba, and the whole matter was settled. Duryodhana, being affectionate toward his daughter Lakṣmaṇā, had her married to Sāmba in great pomp.… Balarāma was very satisfied after His great reception from the side of the Kurus, and accompanied by the newly married couple, He started toward His capital city of Dvārakā. “Lord Balarāma triumphantly reached Dvārakā, where He met with many citizens who were all His devotees and friends. When they all assembled, Lord Balarāma narrated the whole story of the marriage, and they were astonished to hear how Balarāma had made the city of Hastināpura tremble.” Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Sixty-eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Marriage of Sāmba.”
The great strength of Baladeva is described with joy. Even today that city (pointing it out) is seen continually (anudṛśyate) to be raised on its southern side on the river. May the devotees see with astonishment my boldness and rashness. Where Śrīdhara Svāmī is silent (writing a sparse commentary for this chapter), I have been talkative. Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Sixty-eighth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled "The Marriage of Sāmba." 10.69: Nārada Muni Visits Lord Kṛṣṇa's Palaces in Dvārakā verses: Summary, 1-6, 7-8, 9-12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20-22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 Chapter Summary This chapter relates how Nārada Muni was amazed to see the household pastimes of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and how he offered prayers to the Lord. After killing the demon Naraka, Lord Kṛṣṇa had simultaneously married sixteen thousand maidens, and sage Nārada wanted to observe the Lord's diverse activities in this unique family situation. Thus he went to Dvārakā. Nārada entered one of the sixteen thousand palaces and saw Goddess Rukmiṇī personally rendering menial service to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, despite her being in the company of thousands of maidservants. As soon as Lord Kṛṣṇa noticed Nārada, He got up from His bed, offered obeisances to the sage and seated him on His own seat. Then the Lord bathed Nārada's feet and sprinkled the water on His own head. Such was the exemplary behavior of the Lord. After conversing with the Lord for a short while, Nārada went to another of His palaces, where the sage saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa playing at dice with His queen and Uddhava. Going from there to another palace, he found Lord Kṛṣṇa coddling His infant children. In another palace he saw Him preparing to take a bath; in another, performing fire sacrifices, in another, feeding brāhmaṇas; and in another, eating the remnants left by brāhmaṇas. In one palace the Lord was performing noontime rituals; in another, quietly chanting the Gāyatrī mantra; in another, sleeping on His bed; in another, consulting with His ministers; and in yet another, playing in the water with His female companions. Somewhere the Lord was giving charity to brāhmaṇas, in another place He was joking and laughing with His consort, in yet another place He was meditating on the Supersoul, somewhere He was serving His spiritual masters, in another place He was arranging for the marriages of His sons and daughters, somewhere else He was going out to hunt animals, and elsewhere He was moving about in disguise to find out what the citizens were thinking. Having seen all this, Nārada addressed Lord Kṛṣṇa: "Only because I have served Your lotus feet can I understand these varieties of Your Yogamāyā potency, which ordinary living beings bewildered by illusion cannot begin to perceive. Thus I am most fortunate, and I simply desire to travel all over the three worlds chanting the glories of Your pastimes, which purify all the worlds." Śrī Kṛṣṇa asked Nārada not to be confused by his vision of the Lord's transcendental opulences, and He described to him the purposes of His appearances in this world. He then honored the sage properly, according to religious principles, and Nārada departed, continuously meditating on the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Where in my life are there visible traces of past divine intervention?
- What pilgrimage to such a place — outer or inner — could I undertake?
Even today the southern wall of Hastināpura leans toward the Ganges, a tilt the eye can still measure — a city that bowed once to a plough and has not stood straight since.
The Bhāgavatam often notes landmarks left by the Lord's līlā: Yamunā's curve from Balarāma's plough (SB 10.65), the soft mark of Kṛṣṇa's feet on Govardhana, the tracks at Bhāṇḍīravana, the gardens of Vraja whose flowers Caitanya Mahāprabhu would later seek out with the Six Gosvāmīs.
Geography becomes scripture. Hastināpura's tilt joins the list — the earth itself bears witness to Bhagavān's footsteps and to His brother's plough.
My note
Source: vedabase.io