Shloka 5
बलरामस्य वारुणी-प्रसङ्गः, यमुनाकर्षणम्, लक्ष्मी-प्रदत्त-विभूषणम्, रेवती-विवाहः
विचरन् बलदेवो ऽपि मदिरागन्धम् उत्तमम् आघ्राय मदिरातर्षम् अवापाथ पुरातनम्
vicaran baladevo 'pi madirāgandham uttamam āghrāya madirātarṣam avāpātha purātanam
बलदेव भी विचरते हुए उत्तम मदिरा की गंध सूँघकर, मात्र उससे ही उनके भीतर पुरातन मदिरा-तृष्णा फिर जाग उठी।
Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)
FAQs
The verse shows how even a subtle sensory stimulus—here, fragrance—can awaken dormant impressions (old tendencies), highlighting the Purana’s moral psychology about vigilance over the senses.
Through straightforward narration: Balarāma’s wandering brings him into contact with an intoxicating scent, and that contact immediately produces a renewed craving—implying latent vāsanās can re-emerge when conditions align.
Within Book 5’s Krishna-centered framework (Vishnu’s manifestation), the narrative underscores that the divine order guides the world’s drama while individual beings still encounter the play of guṇas and sense-objects, calling for dharmic restraint.