॥ ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय ॥
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श्रीशुक उवाच
दुर्योधनसुतां राजन् लक्ष्मणां समितिञ्जजयः । स्वयंवरस्थामहरत्साम्बो जाम्बवतीसुतः ॥
कौरवाः कुपिता ऊचुर्दुर्विनीतोऽयमर्भकः । कदर्थीकृत्य नः कन्यामकामामहरद्बलात् ॥
बध्नीतेमं दुर्विनीतं किं करिष्यन्ति वृष्णयः । येऽस्मत्प्रसादोपचितां दत्तां नो भुञ्जते महीम् ॥
दृष्ट्वानुधावतः साम्बो धार्तराष्ट्रान् महारथः । प्रगृह्य रुचिरं चापं तस्थौ सिंह इवैकलः ॥
तं बद्ध्वा विरथीकृत्य कृच्छ्रेण कुरवो युधि । कुमारं स्वस्य कन्यां च स्वपुरं जयिनोऽविशन् ॥
तच्छ्रुत्वा नारदोक्तेन राजन् सञ्जातमन्यवः । कुरून् प्रत्युद्यमं चक्रुरुग्रसेनप्रचोदिताः ॥
T: Sage Shuka narrated: “Samba, son of Jambavati and Sri Krishna, was a valorous prince and wanted to wed Princess Lakshmana, daughter of Duryodhana of the Kurus. So he went to her Swayamvara, and following the example of heroes, simply caught hold of her, put her on his chariot, and began to leave the premises."
Indeed, the typical north Indian custom of the groom coming on a horse in a baaraat is a replay of the heroic way of a groom coming and taking away the bride!
Unfortunately, this made the Kauravas extremely angry. They said that they wanted none of this, and asked if even Lakshmana wanted to elope with Samba. Then they said something surprising. “What do these Vrishnis think? It is merely owing to our patronage and concession that they are ruling their land at all. Catch and arrest this fellow Samba!”
Duryodhana and Karna, along with other commanders, went after Samba. Samba was a fearless warrior and gifted in the art of battle. He was like a lion surrounded by wolves when he fought the Kauravas. However, since he was attacked by too many warriors on all sides, they managed to destroy his chariot and capture him. He and his bride were bound up and brought to Hastinapura.
This news was conveyed by – who else – Times Now #1 – Sage Narada to King Ugrasena and others in the Dwaraka court. They were all most upset that their prince, Samba, had been unfairly caught in battle and imprisoned for an act that was not offending the Kshatriya Dharma. They all wanted to go and force his release. However, Balarama, who considered Kurus to be Vrishni’s friends and had taught Duryodhana the art of battle with the Gada, offered to go and peacefully bring Samba and his bride to Dwaraka. He went in his chariot accompanied by not an army but Uddhava and some learned Brahmins.
On reaching Hastinapura, Balarama stopped on the outskirts and sent Uddhava to go and announce his arrival. The Kauravas were delighted to receive Balarama and went very cordially to receive him. After the usual pleasantries, Balarama spoke:
उग्रसेनः क्षितीशेशो यद्व आज्ञापयत्प्रभुः । तदव्यग्रधियः श्रुत्वा कुरुध्वं माविलम्बितम् ॥
यद्यूयं बहवस्त्वेकं जित्वाऽधर्मेण धार्मिकम् । अबध्नीताथ तन्मृष्ये बन्धूनामैक्यकाम्यया ॥
T: “Our King Ugrasena has conveyed his order to you. Please understand his order calmly and act at once to rectify your wrongful confinement of our Prince Samba. Your many soldiers surrounded and fought him violating the Dharma of battle. I maintain my temper despite this provocation to preserve the cordiality between our two families.”
वीर्यशौर्यबलोन्नद्धमात्मशक्तिसमं वचः । कुरवो बलदेवस्य निशम्योचुः प्रकोपिताः ॥
अहो महच्चित्रमिदं कालगत्या दुरत्यया । आरुरुक्षत्युपानद्वै शिरो मुकुटसेवितम् ॥
अलं यदूनां नरदेवलाञ्छनैर्दातुः प्रतीपैः फणिनामिवामृतम् ।
येऽस्मत्प्रसादोपचिता हि यादवा आज्ञापयन्त्यद्य गतत्रपा बत ॥
कथमिन्द्रोऽपि कुरुभिर्भीष्मद्रोणार्जुनादिभिः । अदत्तमवरुन्धीत सिंहग्रस्तमिवोरणः ॥
T: The Kauravas, bloated with self-importance because of their military power, prosperity and geopolitical influence, were enraged on hearing this. “Bah! Indeed this is a fine way to speak to us! What times have we come to! It is as if slippers (footwear) want to come and sit next to the royal crown! We have had enough of these Yadus' sporting royal flags and so on, entirely because we have been magnanimous in considering the familial ties, and have granted them equality, allowing them to share our beds, seats and meals. Indeed, it is we who have given them their royal thrones. Only because we looked the other way could they enjoy the pair of yak-tail fans and the conch, white umbrella, throne, and royal bed, the insignia of true-blue royals."
"No longer should the Yadus be allowed to use these royal symbols, which now cause trouble for those who gave them, like milk fed to poisonous snakes. Having prospered by our grace, these Yadavas have now lost all shame and are daring to command us! How would even Indra dare usurp anything that Bhishma, Drona, Arjuna or the other Kurus have not given him? It would be like a lamb claiming the lion’s kill!"
श्रीशुक उवाच
जन्मबन्धुश्रियोन्नद्धमदास्ते भरतर्षभ । आश्राव्य रामं दुर्वाच्यमसभ्याः पुरमाविशन् ॥
दृष्ट्वा कुरूणां दौःशील्यं श्रुत्वावाच्यानि चाच्युतः । अवोचत्कोपसंरब्धो दुष्प्रेक्ष्यः प्रहसन् मुहुः ॥
T: Sage Shuka continued: "King Parikshit! After the Kauravas spoke such words of extreme arrogance from their sense of power and lineage, they simply started walking away from Balarama towards their palaces. Balarama became extremely angry at the Kurus for their most abusive words. Nobody dared to look at him as he now spoke."
Balarama said: "These uncouth rascals do not deserve my peaceable words I uttered after calming down King Ugrasena and Sri Krishna saying I would secure an easy resolution! Obviously, dull-witted animals respond only to beating!"
He laughed terrifyingly and shouted at the Kauravas.
“You fellows are daring to say that King Ugrasena, the lord of the Bhojas, Vrishnis and Andhakas, is not fit to command your obedience when Indra and other planetary rulers obey his orders? Are you not aware our Sri Krishna went to Indra's Assembly to receive his tribute and brought away the Parijata? And he is unfit to sit on a throne? That Devi Lakshmi worships his feet, and yet he should not sport royal paraphernalia?"
यस्याङ्घ्रिपङ्कजरजोऽखिललोकपालैः मौल्युत्तमैर्धृतमुपासिततीर्थतीर्थम् ।
ब्रह्मा भवोऽहमपि यस्य कलाः कलायाः श्रीश्चोद्वहेम चिरमस्य नृपासनं क्व ॥
“The dust of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet, which is the source of holiness for all places of pilgrimage, is worshipped by all the great gods. The principal deities of all planets are engaged in his service, and they consider themselves most fortunate to take the dust of the lotus feet of Sri Krishna on their crowns. Great gods like Lord Brahma and Lord Shiva, and even the goddess of fortune and I, are simply parts of Bhagavan Sri Krishna's spiritual identity, and we also carefully carry that dust on our heads. And still, Sri Krishna is not fit to use the royal insignia or even sit on the royal throne?"
“Did I hear you right- that we Vrishnis enjoy only whatever small parcel of land the Kurus allow us? And we are indeed like slippers (footwear), whereas the Kurus are the crown on the head?"
“Which ruler worth his name would tolerate these insults? Today I shall rid the earth of the Kauravas!”
Thus declaring his intention, Balarama raised his weapon, the plough, and rose up as if to set the three worlds ablaze. With a terrific stroke, Balarama simply dug up Hastinapura with the tip of his plough and began to drag it, intending to cast the entire city into the Ganga!
तमेव शरणं जग्मुः सकुटुम्बा जिजीविषवः । सलक्ष्मणं पुरस्कृत्य साम्बं प्राञ्जलयः प्रभुम् ॥
राम रामाखिलाधार प्रभावं न विदाम ते । मूढानां नः कुबुद्धीनां क्षन्तुमर्हस्यतिक्रमम् ॥
T: Duryodhana and the Kauravas felt as if they were drowning in a boat in the Ganga. They experienced the end of the world. They understood their utter, unpardonable folly. Duryodhana rushed to Balarama with apologies. He released and escorted Samba and Lakshmana, and bowed in utter surrender. He pleaded,
"Oh Bhagavan Balarama! Forgive our folly in not knowing you as the Lord. Kindly forgive our transgressions. Never again shall we slight you or the Vrishnis."
Balarama cooled down after some time. He returned triumphantly with the new groom and bride in tow, along with heaps of royal wedding gifts given by Duryodhana to Dwaraka, accompanied by godly showers of appreciation from the skies. You can be sure he had a great time telling King Ugrasena, Sri Krishna and others the story of how he taught the Kauravas a lesson they would not forget.
अद्यापि च पुरं ह्येतत्सूचयद्रामविक्रमम् । समुन्नतं दक्षिणतो गङ्गायामनुदृश्यते ॥
T: Sage Shuka tells us, "Even today the city of Hastinapura is visibly elevated on its southern side along the Ganga, thus showing the signs of Lord Balarama’s prowess and his plough's impact on the land mass that he lifted up."
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