27 / Lord Krsna and Balarama
Meet the Inhabitants of Vrndavana

Once upon a time while Lord Krsna and Balarama were living peacefully
in Their great city of Dvaraka, there was the rare occasion of a full solar
eclipse, such as takes place at the end of every kalpa, or day of Brahma.
At the end of every kalpa the sun is covered by a great cloud, and
incessant rain covers the lower planetary systems up to Svargaloka. By
astronomical calculation, people were informed about this great eclipse
prior to its taking place, and therefore everyone, both men and women,
decided to assemble at the holy place in Kuruksetra known as Samanta-
paficaka.

The Samanta-pajicaka pilgrimage site is celebrated because Lord
Paragurama performed great sacrifices there after having killed all the
ksatriyas in the world twenty-one times. Lord Paragurama killed all the
ksatriyas, and their accumulated blood flowed like a stream. Lord
Parasurama dug five big lakes at Samanta-pajicaka, and filled them with
this blood. Lord Paragurama is Vignu-tattva. As stated in the [sopanisad,
Visnu-tattva cannot be contaminated by any sinful activity. Yet although
Lord Paragurama is fully powerful and uncontaminated, in order to exhibit
ideal character, He performed great sacrifices at Samanta-paficaka to atone
for His so-called sinful killing of the ksatriyas. By His example, Lord
Parasurama established that the killing art, although sometimes necessary,
is not good. Lord Parasurama considered Himself culpable for the sinful
killing of the ksatriyas; therefore, how much more are we culpable for
such abominable unsanctioned acts. Thus, killing of living entities is
prohibited from time immemorial all over the world.

Taking advantage of the occasion of the solar eclipse, all important
persons visited the holy place of pilgrimage. Some of the important
personalities are mentioned as follows. Among the elderly persons there
were Akrura, Vasudeva and Ugrasena; among the younger generation there

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