Lord Balarama’s Touring the Sacred Places 171

At the point of the cape there is a big temple of the goddess Durga
where she is known as Kanyakumari. This temple of Kanyakumari was
also visited by Lord Ramacandra, and therefore it is to be understood
that the temple has been existing for millions of years. From there, Lord
Balarama went on to visit the pilgrimage city known as Phalgunatirtha,
which is on the shore of the Indian Ocean, or the Southern Ocean.
Phalgunatirtha is celebrated because Lord Visnu in His incarnation of
Ananta is lying there. From Phalgunatirtha, Lord Balarama went on to
visit another pilgrimage spot known as Paficapsarasa. There also He bathed
according to the regulative principles and observed the ritualistic cere-
monies. This site is also celebrated as a shrine of Lord Visnu; therefore
Lord Balarama distributed ten thousand cows to the local brahmana priests.

From Cape Comarin Lord Balarama turned toward Kerala. The country
of Kerala is still existing in southern India under the name of South Kerala.
After visiting this place, He came to Gokarnatirtha, where Lord Siva is
constantly worshiped. Balarama then visited the temple of Aryadevi,
which is completely surrounded by water. From that island, He went on to
a place known as Sirparaka. After this He bathed in the rivers known as
Tapi, Payosni, and Nirvindhyd, and He came to the forest known as
Dandakaranya. This is the same Dandakaranya Forest where Lord Rama-
candra lived while He was in exile. Lord Balarama next came to the bank
of the River Narmada, the biggest river in central India. On the bank of
this sacred Narmada there is a pilgrimage spot known as Mahismati Puri.
After bathing there, according to regulative principles, Lord Balarama
returned to Prabhasatirtha, wherefrom He had begun His journey.

When Lord Balarama returned to Prabhasatirtha He heard from the
brahmanas that most of the ksatriyas in the Battle of Kuruksetra had been
killed. Balarama felt relieved to hear that the burden of the world had been
reduced. Lord Krsna and Balarama appeared on this earth to lessen the
burden of military strength created by the ambitious ksatriya kings. This
is the way of materialistic life: not being satisfied by the absolute
necessities of life, people ambitiously create extra demands, and their
illegal desires are checked by the laws of nature or by laws of God,
appearing as famine, war, pestilence and similar catastrophes. Lord Balarama
heard that although most of the ksatriyas had been killed, the Kurus were
still engaged in fighting. Therefore He returned to the battlefield just
on the day Bhimasena and Duryodhana were engaged in a personal duel
As well-wisher of both of them, Lord Balarama wanted to stop them, but
they would not stop.

When Lord Balarama appeared on the scene, King Yudhisthira and his
young brothers, Nakula, Sahadeva, Lord Krsna and Arjuna, immediately
