Shloka 9
बलरामस्य वारुणी-प्रसङ्गः, यमुनाकर्षणम्, लक्ष्मी-प्रदत्त-विभूषणम्, रेवती-विवाहः
तस्य वाचं नदी सा तु मत्तोक्ताम् अवमन्य वै नाजगाम ततः क्रुद्धो हलं जग्राह लाङ्गली
tasya vācaṃ nadī sā tu mattoktām avamanya vai nājagāma tataḥ kruddho halaṃ jagrāha lāṅgalī
But that river, slighting his command as though it were the utterance of one intoxicated, did not come. Then the Plough-bearer, angered, seized his plough.
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
Speaker: Parasara
Teaching: Historical
Quality: authoritative
FAQs
It highlights the tension between sacred nature (the river as a deity) and divine sovereignty—when the river disregards Balarama’s command, the narrative asserts that cosmic order ultimately yields to the Lord’s will.
Parāśara presents it as a measured turning point: the river’s disrespect triggers righteous anger, and Balarama’s taking up the plough signals the power to realign nature with dharma and divine intent.
Though Balarama is the immediate actor, the episode reflects Vaishnava theology where divine manifestations govern the elements; the natural world is not autonomous against the Supreme’s order.