The Killing of Dantavakra, Vidiiratha and Romaharsana 163

Once upon a time, Lord Balarama heard that there was an arrangement
being made for a fight between the two rival parties in the Kuru dynasty,
one headed by Duryodhana and the other by the Pandavas. He did not
like the idea that He was to be only a mediator to stop the fighting. Finding
it unbearable not to take an active part on behalf of either of the parties,
He left Dvaraka on the plea of visiting various holy places of pilgrimage.
He first of all visited the place of pilgrimage known as Prabhasaksetra. He
took His bath there, and He pacified the local brahmanas and offered obla-
tions to the demigods, pitas, great sages and people in general, in accord-
ance with Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. That is the Vedic method of
visiting holy places. After this, accompanied by some respectable brah-
manas, He decided to visit different places on the bank of the River
Sarasvati. He gradually visited such places as Prthiidaka, Bindusara,
Tritakupa, Sudarganatirtha, Visalatirtha, Brahmatirtha and Cakratirtha.
Besides these, He also visited all the holy places on the bank of Sarasvati
River running toward the east. After this He visited all the principal holy
places on the bank of the Yamuna and on the bank of the Ganges. Thus
He gradually came to the holy place known as Naimisaranya.

This holy place, Naimisaranya, is still existing in India, and in ancient
times it was especially used for the meetings of great sages and saintly
persons with the aim of understanding spiritual life and self-realization.
When Lord Balarama visited that place there was a great sacrifice being
performed by a great assembly of transcendentalists. Such meetings were
planned to last thousands of years. When Lord Balarama arrived, all the
participants of the meeting—great sages, ascetics, brahmanas and learned
scholars—immediately arose from their seats and welcomed Him with
great honor and respect. Some offered Him respectful obeisances, and
those who were elderly great sages and brahmanas offered Him blessings
by standing up. After this formality, Lord Balarama was offered a suitable
seat, and everyone present worshiped Him. Everyone in the assembly stood
up in the presence of Balarama because they knew Him to be the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. Education or learning means to understand the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore, although Lord Balarama
appeared on the earth as a ksatriya, all the brahmanas and sages stood up
because they knew who Lord Balarama was.

Unfortunately, after being worshiped and seated at His place, Lord
Balarama saw Romaharsana, the disciple of Vyasadeva (the literary incar-
nation of Godhead), still sitting on the Vyasasana. He had neither gotten
up from his seat nor offered Him respects. Because he was seated on the
Vyasasana, he foolishly thought himself greater than the Lord; therefore
he did not get down from his seat or bow down before the Lord. Lord
