Shloka 12
भाण्डीरवट-क्रीडा: प्रलम्बासुरवधः, मानुष्यलीला, एक-कारण-तत्त्वम्
हरिणाक्रीडनं नाम बालक्रीडनकं ततः प्रकुर्वन्तो हि ते सर्वे द्वौ द्वौ युगपद् उत्पतन्
hariṇākrīḍanaṃ nāma bālakrīḍanakaṃ tataḥ prakurvanto hi te sarve dvau dvau yugapad utpatan
Então todos começaram uma brincadeira infantil chamada “hariṇa-krīḍā”, o “jogo do cervo”: formando pares, dois a dois, saltavam juntos ao mesmo tempo, deleitando-se na diversão.
Sage Parāśara (narrating) to Maitreya
Avatara: Krishna
Purpose: To delight His companions through bāla-līlā while remaining the protector who will soon remove the asura threat within the same play-context.
Leela: Bala
Dharma Restored: Preservation of innocent communal joy and safety in Vraja.
Concept: Divine līlā reveals that the Supreme can be approached through simple, joyful companionship rather than only through awe.
Vedantic Theme: Moksha
Application: Integrate devotion into ordinary life—sanctify play, friendship, and community by remembrance of the Lord.
Vishishtadvaita: Accessibility of the transcendent Lord through intimate relations (sakhya) within the real world of names and forms.
Vishnu Form: Krishna
Bhakti Type: Sakhya
FAQs
They ground the royal-genealogical narrative in lived culture, showing how refinement and community bonds are formed even in childhood through orderly, shared play.
Parāśara briefly names the game, defines it as a children’s sport, and depicts its key action—pairs leaping simultaneously—using concise narrative description typical of Purāṇic storytelling.
Even in seemingly ordinary scenes, the Purana’s larger frame remains Vishnu-centered: human life, lineage, and culture unfold within the cosmic order sustained by Vishnu as the supreme regulator.