Shloka 24
Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s Forest Games and the Slaying of Pralamba
उवाह कृष्णो भगवान् श्रीदामानं पराजित: । वृषभं भद्रसेनस्तु प्रलम्बो रोहिणीसुतम् ॥ २४ ॥
uvāha kṛṣṇo bhagavān śrīdāmānaṁ parājitaḥ vṛṣabhaṁ bhadrasenas tu pralambo rohiṇī-sutam
Defeated, the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa carried Śrīdāmā. Bhadrasena carried Vṛṣabha, and Pralamba carried Balarāma, the son of Rohiṇī.
One may ask how Bhagavān, the Supreme Lord, can be defeated by His boyfriends. The answer is that in His original form, God has a most playful nature and occasionally enjoys submitting to the strength or desire of His loving friends. A father may sometimes playfully fall down on the ground when struck by his beloved little child. These acts of love give pleasure to all parties. Thus Śrīdāmā agreed to ride on Lord Kṛṣṇa’s shoulders to please his beloved friend, who happened to be Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
FAQs
This verse describes a playful contest among the cowherd boys where, after losing, Kṛṣṇa accepts the rule of the game and carries His friend—showing the sweetness of His Vraja pastimes.
Pralamba had entered the boys’ play in disguise; by getting the chance to carry Balarāma, he sought an opportunity to abduct and harm Him, which sets up the ensuing episode of Pralambāsura’s defeat.
Even as Bhagavān, Kṛṣṇa embraces loving equality with His devotees; the takeaway is to cultivate humility, playfulness, and sincere friendship in devotional life rather than pride.