POI Wy] |
10/ Lord Balarama Visits Vrndavana

Lord Balarama became very anxious to see His father and mother,
Maharaja Nanda and Yasoda. Therefore He started for Vrndavana on a
chariot with great enthusiasm. The inhabitants of Vrndavana had been
anxious to see Krsna and Balarama for a very long time. When Lord
Balarama returned to Vrndavana, all the cowherd boys and the gopis had
grown up; but still, on His arrival, they all embraced Him, and Balarama
embraced them in reciprocation. After this He came before Maharaja
Nanda and Yaégoda and offered His respectful obeisances unto them. In
response, mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja offered their blessings unto
Him. They addressed Him as Jagadigvara, or the Lord of the universe who
maintains everyone. The reason for this was that both Krsna and Balarama
maintain all living entities, and yet Nanda and Yagodi were put into such
difficulties on account of Their absence. Feeling like this, they embraced
Balarama and, seating Him on their laps, began their perpetual crying,
wetting Balarama with their tears. Lord Balarama then offered His respect-
ful obeisances to the elderly cowherd men and accepted the obeisances
of the younger cowherd men. Thus, according to their different ages and
relationships, Lord Balarama exchanged feelings of friendship with them.
He shook hands with those who were His equals in age and friendship, and
with loud laughing embraced each one of them.

After being received by the cowherd men and boys, the gopis, and King
Nanda and Yagoda, Lord Balarama sat down, feeling satisfied, and they all
surrounded Him. First Lord Balarama inquired from them about their
welfare, and then, not having seen Him for such a long time, they began
to ask Him different questions. The inhabitants of Vrndavana had sacrificed
everything for Krsna, simply being captivated by the lotus eyes of the
Lord. Because of their great desire to love Krsna, they never desired
anything like elevation to the heavenly planets or merging into the
effulgence of Brahman to become one with the Absolute Truth. They were

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