Shloka 33
Paugaṇḍa Cowherding, Tālavana, the Slaying of Dhenukāsura, and Revival from Poisoned Yamunā Water
तेनाहतो महातालो वेपमानो बृहच्छिरा: । पार्श्वस्थं कम्पयन् भग्न: स चान्यं सोऽपि चापरम् ॥ ३३ ॥
tenāhato mahā-tālo vepamāno bṛhac-chirāḥ pārśva-sthaṁ kampayan bhagnaḥ sa cānyaṁ so ’pi cāparam
Apabila tubuhnya menghentam, pokok palma tertinggi di rimba bergegar lalu patah bersama pucuknya yang besar; gegarannya menggoncang pokok di sisi, yang turut patah dan menimpa yang lain—demikian banyak pokok palma bergegar dan rebah.
Lord Balarāma threw the demon Dhenuka so violently into the great palm tree that a chain reaction was unleashed, and many towering palm trees shook and then broke with a great crashing sound.
FAQs
In Tālavana, Balarāma powerfully strikes the tāla trees; they tremble and topple in a chain reaction, setting the stage for the confrontation with the ass-demon Dhenukāsura and his followers.
The verse highlights Balarāma’s extraordinary divine strength: one struck tree collapses and knocks down others, vividly portraying the Lord’s effortless control over nature during His Vṛndāvana pastimes.
Small actions can create cascading effects—so align your “first strike” with dharma and devotion; similarly, sincere spiritual practice can quickly transform many connected areas of life.