Balarama and the other cowherd boys became unconscious. Though Balarama could have killed the asura, his response of fainting is because of brotherly affection. In the stealing of Rukmini Balarama displayed his brotherly affection by protecting Krsna. Just as sugar candy tastes bitter to the tongue for the diseased person, though his touch was as cool as a tender blue lotus, it felt like fire on the palate of the asura. It was the fault of the asura’s palate, not Krsna. Bakasura spit Krsna out. He saw Krsna in an unharmed state (aksata). This hints that Krsna’s body became hard like a thunderbolt.

The boys fainted. Though they knew the power of the Lord and though Balarāma had the power to immediately kill evil Baka, Balarāma and other boys suddenly become devoid of the powers of knowledge and action (jṣāna and kriya-śakti) because they were overpowered by intense affection for Kṛṣṇa. An example is given. They were like senses without prāṇa. Balarāma’s affection can be seen when Kṛṣṇa went to steal Rukmiṇī: śrutvaitad bhagavān rāmo vipakṣīya nṛpodyamam kṛṣṇaṁ caikaṁ gataṁ hartuṁ kanyāṁ kalaha-śaṅkitaḥ balena mahatā sārdhaṁ bhrātṛ-sneha-pariplutaḥ tvaritaḥ kuṇḍinaṁ prāgād gajāśva-ratha-pattibhiḥ When Balarāma heard about these preparations of the inimical kings and how Kṛṣṇa had set off alone to steal the bride, he feared that a fight would ensue. Immersed in affection for his brother, he hurried to Kuṇḍina with a mighty army consisting of infantry and of soldiers riding on elephants, horses and chariots. SB 10.53.20-21

The boys fainted. Though they knew the power of the Lord and though Balarāma had the power to immediately kill evil Baka, Balarāma and other boys suddenly become devoid of the powers of knowledge and action (jṣāna and kriya-śakti) because they were overpowered by intense affection for Kṛṣṇa. An example is given. They were like senses without prāṇa. The senses endowed with jṣāna and kriya śaktis, cannot do anything when the main prāṇa disappears. It is as if they had been destroyed.