98 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

auspicious for the whole material existence. We are offering our respectful
obeisances unto You because You are the imperishable Supreme Person-
ality of Godhead, the reservoir of all opulences and potencies. O creator
of innumerable universes, let us fall down and offer You our respectful
obeisances, again and again. We are now completely surrendered unto
You. Please, therefore, be merciful upon us and give us Your protection.”
When the prominent members of the Kuru dynasty, beginning with
grandfather Bhismadeva down to Arjuna and Duryodhana, had offered
their respectful prayers in that way, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
Lord Balarama, immediately became softened and assured them there was
no cause for fear and that they need not worry.

For the most part it was the practice of the ksatriya kings to inaugurate
some kind of fighting between the parties of the bride and bridegroom
before the marriage. When Samba forcibly took away Laksmana, the
elderly members of the Kuru dynasty were pleased to see that he was
actually the suitable match for her. In order to see his personal strength,
however, they fought with him, and without any respect for the regula-
tions of fighting, they all arrested him. When the Yadu dynasty decided to
srelease Samba from the confinement of the Kurus, Lord Balarama came
personally to settle the matter, and as a powerful ksatriya, He ordered
them to free Simba immediately. The Kauravas became superficially in-
sulted by this order, so they challenged Lord Balarama’s power. They
simply wanted to see Him exhibit His inconceivable strength. Thus with
great pleasure they handed over their daughter to Samba, and the whole
matter was settled. Duryodhana, being affectionate. towards his daughter
Laksmana, had her married to Samba in great pomp. For her dowry, he
first gave 1,200 elephants, each of which were at least sixty years old; then
he gave 10,000 nice horses, 6,000 chariots, which were dazzling just like
the sunshine, and 1,000 maidservants who were decorated with golden
ornaments. Lord Balarama, the most prominent member of the Yadu
dynasty, acted as guardian of the bridegroom Samba and very pleasingly
accepted the dowry. Balarama was very satisfied after His great reception
from the side of the Kurus, and accompanied by the newly married couple,
He started towards His capital city of Dvaraka.

Lord Balarama triumphantly reached Dvaraka, where He met with many
citizens who were all His devotees and friends. When they all assembled,
Lord Balarama narrated the whole story of the marriage, and they were
astonished to hear how Balarama had made the city of Hastinapura
tremble. It is confirmed by Sukadeva Gosvami that the site of Hastinapura
is now known as New Delhi, and the river flowing through the city is called
