Shloka 27
Balarāma Visits Vraja: Consoling the Gopīs and Dragging the Yamunā
एवं निर्भर्त्सिता भीता यमुना यदुनन्दनम् । उवाच चकिता वाचं पतिता पादयोर्नृप ॥ २७ ॥
evaṁ nirbhartsitā bhītā yamunā yadu-nandanam uvāca cakitā vācaṁ patitā pādayor nṛpa
O King, thus chastised, the frightened river-goddess Yamunā came to Śrī Balarāma, the beloved descendant of Yadu, fell at His feet, and trembling spoke the following words.
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the goddess who appeared before Lord Balarāma is an expansion of Śrīmatī Kālindī, one of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s queens in Dvārakā. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī calls her a “shadow” of Kālindī, and Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī confirms that she is an expansion of Kālindī, not Kālindī herself. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī also gives evidence from Śrī Hari-vaṁśa — in the statement pratyuvācārṇava-vadhūm — that Goddess Yamunā is the wife of the ocean. The Hari-vaṁśa therefore also refers to her as sāgarāṅganā.
FAQs
This verse shows Yamunā personified falling at Kṛṣṇa’s feet and speaking fearfully—an image of complete surrender when corrected by the Lord.
Because she had been rebuked by Yadunandana (Kṛṣṇa); overwhelmed by His authority and fearful of displeasing Him, she approached in humility at His feet.
When corrected by a higher principle—guru, scripture, or conscience—respond without pride: acknowledge, become receptive, and realign your actions with dharma and devotion.