Balaram’s many moods – Balaram appearance day 2024

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Disclaimer: This transcript was generated using AI and may contain occasional errors or inaccuracies.

Hare Krishna Grateful to be here with all of you today It's been quite some time. I was in UK for a month and the time zones didn't work at that time So today on the occasion of Lord Balaram's appearance day, I talk about Well Balram in terms of how he relates with Krishna In different situations and how he relates with us so if we consider Lord Balram now he has a relationship with Krishna and Then he has a relationship with us Generally, if you want to know a person we know them by how they relate with different So in his relationship with Krishna Balram manifests many different moods and his relationship with us as means the souls He manifests many different moods so We'll try to look at this spectrum of moods that he manifests in his various relationships Generally when we want to get to know a person the one way to know a person is By observing them in various settings Observing them in various settings means in various roles in various relationships So by that What we understand is okay Some person might be very sweet when we deal with them, but if they are very harsh with someone else Some then see what's going on over here if the same person is very Very Humble and submissive and respectful with their seniors But the same person become very harsh and dismissive and almost cruel with their juniors What is going on over here but if the person is very sweet and loving and very appealing in various interactions And that's very special So basically We'll see Balramji's interactions Now with Krishna as I said, and then we'll talk also to other others So now Balramji is the one constant in Krishna's relationship Right from start till the end of his manifesting manifested being so It is said that in one sense Balram appears slightly before so Balram appears and then Krishna appears and Balram also disappears slightly before and Krishna disappears slightly afterwards but for most of their life, both of them are always together and Although there is an age difference and the exact amount of age difference and How exactly Balram's appearance comes, I won't go into that, that's a whole separate class but There is with respect to their mutual relationship Two things are clear Balram is older than Krishna At the same time Balram and Krishna They are almost equal in the sense that they grow together So they grow together means in terms of age is definitely older But in namakaran both of their names are done together and Both of them they grow in many ways together. So so basically they are So they grow together they in the Upalachapur described that When they are growing together, they there there as Babies, they are in the same room.

Mother Yashoda comes sometimes and Rohini comes sometimes and They are in that sense very close to each other so This forges a very special bond Now in his relationship with Krishna, we can talk about his relationship in Vrindavan and then outside Vrindavan and We look at the moods that are manifested Inside Vrindavan and outside Vrindavan in relationship with Krishna and then we look at in relationship with others also now here There are I talk about three main incidents in Krishna Leela Krishna basically interacts with broadly three kinds of people Krishna interacts with the Devatas Krishna interacts with the demons and Krishna interacts with the Prajavasis Now when he's interacting with all these three and of course his primary interaction in Vrindavan is with the Prajavasis and the demons sometimes create a disruptive influence and sometimes the Devatas create a disruptive influence so we could say Krishna's interaction with the Prajavasis is the primary interaction and here Krishna Balramji plays a role in Every one of his interactions, so that means in among the Prajavasis There is the Vatsalya interaction Sakshaya interaction and of course the Madhurya interaction so when these interactions are happening At one level we could say Krishna Balram their interaction is primarily at the Sakshaya level so They play together They go out to the forest together and They go in the Damodar Sutra it is described how Krishna goes out in the forest every morning and How Krishna and Balram go together it is described in many of the past times so the primary relationship in Vrindavan is in Sakhya Ras and within that Sakhya Ras Krishna is this younger slightly mischievous brother Now in the Vatsalya Ras Now we could go into how Balram himself is in the Vatsalya Ras But there's another way to understand it is that Balram plays a role in Krishna's interaction with the Vatsalya Ras also So consider for example Yashodamayi when Krishna is growing up initially Krishna is at home and We will see if we consider Krishna's pastime in Vrindavan itself Initially he is in Gokul and then he goes to the forest called Vrindavan As we know Vrindavan refers to one particular forest and Vrindavan refers to the broader area also So Both of these nomenclatures are there. So in the broader Vrindavan area, there's another place that is Gokul Mahavan and This is where Krishna initially is and then after that they move from Gokul to Vrindavan so when Krishna is In Gokul more or less he is at home And you know Krishna for mother Yashoda It is as if for every mother In a small child is growing up It's a lot of anxiety You could almost say anxiety is a part. You know quite a key part of the job description of being a mother The father also has anxiety but at the immediate level the mother has anxiety to take care of the child So Yashoda for her the concern is that say Krishna is here and dangers are here and It is like sometimes dangers come to Krishna and sometimes Krishna goes to dangers But it's always some danger or the other is coming And she's always in anxiety if you see in Gokul because Krishna is largely indoors or nearly indoors He's still a small child doesn't really go far away from home So the demons and dangers come to the home or near the home Putana comes inside the home.

Trnavart comes outdoors and the Shaktasura is just outside the door then the Damodar Leela happens also in the courtyard So basically these are things should happen while they are in Gokul Mahabharata and from there they move to Vrindavan Then Krishna is also growing up and the Vrajvasis move primarily Because they feel maybe this Gokul is a jinxed place Something is wrong over here Generally when we love and care for someone and that person has is getting into trouble We try to figure out where did this troubles coming from and how do we try to get rid of the troubles? So we try various things with the Vrajvasis for them They're trying various things. One thing that I think is maybe this place itself is the problem. So let's leave here and they leave here, but Krishna is growing and Krishna says that I want to now go out and Children will be sweet and innocent But children are also Could say sweetly cunning Like a small child and growing up the child knows What to ask for a father to get a yes answer and Then let the father deal with the mother who may give no answer and what to ask a mother that the mother will give a yes Answer and then father may give no answer, but the mother will deal with the father So the child knows that so Krishna when he wants to go out mother Yashoda has a lot of anxiety She doesn't want Krishna to go.

So Krishna asks Nanda Maharaj I want to go and play. I want to go and take care of the cows not play That's that's our profession that's our quality I want to do it No, he's happy. That's what as a father.

He wants Krishna to learn their vocation their profession He's happy that Krishna himself is coming forward and wanting to learn Yes and then Krishna very sweetly says He goes and hugs Nanda Baba and says Please tell Yashoda Bai also and then Nanda Baba understands what Krishna has done He's smiling Absolutely not There's so much danger around him all the time And Krishna says I want to go and Nanda Baba he has his own way of works He says that Balram will go with him Balram is the elder brother Balram is responsible And Krishna Krishna Krishna always listens to Balram Krishna respects Balram So reluctantly Mother Yashoda agrees So basically her vatsalya bhava her mood of caring and protecting Krishna She in one sense entrusts a part of it to Balram Balram takes on that mood and she tells Krishna This is your elder brother you should obey and listen to him And in some commentaries it is said that the example is given as just as Lakshman always followed Ram Like that you should follow Balram so That same same brothers are there. They are reversed over here, but for Mother Yashoda Krishna is her child Krishna agrees Now Krishna and Balram smile And when Balram takes his responsibility seriously, Balram knows Krishna is a non-person and Krishna may not listen to him but here Balram externally takes the role of a protector the mood of a protector and Sometimes when Balram is Krishna wants to do some mischief Balram initially says no no no you cannot do this, but when Krishna wants to steal butter He says you cannot do these things and then after that When Balram says he can't you can't do these things, but then He goes and does these things also Then he gets Balram also to come along and when Balram comes along at that time So when Balram comes along Balram also has a lot of fun and when he has a lot of fun That's when he also starts going along with that so In one sense Balram is going to protect Krishna, but Krishna spoils Balram, but that is their sweet reciprocation and then As they're growing Krishna is Slowly in the purva bhava, the purvarad that starts manifesting So that means that just before they start just before The Starts feeling and Attraction to Krishna in the Madhurya Bhava Is before that starts happening Something else is happening over here that is So they start feeling that Attraction toward Krishna the initial attraction before the full Madhurya Bhava manifests and when that happens at that time Krishna is there on one side the Gopis are there The other side Balram is there Now what do you mean by other side Balram is there? See Vrindavan. It's a sweet Intimate village.

It's like a small town. Everybody knows everyone else and it is expected that Residents will marry or someone they marry among each other, but still it is a traditional Conservative end of society The song It starts from our words Which comes in the Bhagavatam in 1039 just before Krishna is departing from the Vrindavan Visrujya Lajjam Rudhususmaram So Govinda Damodara Mahadevi So Visrujya Lajja means they're giving up Lajja. Now Lajja can mean shame But Lajja also means modesty So the Gopis are generally very modest because They cannot Show their love for Krishna publicly very openly and nor can Krishna show his love for the Gopis very publicly But when Krishna is about to depart from Vrindavan, the Gopis start thinking that what is the point of our Modesty if our very life goes away Therefore cast aside their Lajja and They race out They try to stop Krishna and they beg Krishna to stop and then they lay down in front of Krishna's chariot Kuru's chariot and They say Krishna if you're going to go take our life So that is the first time the Gopis Publicly express their affection for Krishna, but before that it is very discreet so When will Krishna and the Gopis interact? It is initially when Krishna goes out to the forest So at that time All the Gopis, all of Vrindavan comes out to see Krishna So the elder Gopas, the elder Gopis, they come out of their homes and they come out onto the streets and the two sides They are watching, two sides of the street.

They're crowding and watching. The younger Gopis go up to the terrace Now that is one reason out of modesty and because they are younger the crowd is so much That they will not be able to see clearly. So from above they can see So when Krishna goes out, it's a festival and Krishna comes back also.

It's a festival So all the Gopis when they So if we consider this is Vrindavan and then there is a way out and a way in So Nanda Maharaj's house is right in the middle So what happens is on both sides of the road as they come inside the Gopis are here on both sides and Even if it is not their home, the Gopis come from Their particular homes to the homes of whoever Are staying over there and from there they behold Krishna Now when Krishna knows the Gopis are there, Krishna also wants to look at the Gopis but then Krishna is here and Balram is here with him. So Krishna feels shy in the presence of Balram So Krishna starts acting as if he is very tired. He starts walking very slowly Balram says come on Krishna, let's go home quickly You go home very quickly Mother our mothers will have cooked some nice food.

We'll have a bath, we'll freshen ourselves, we'll eat food. Come let's go You please go ahead I'll come slowly. Sure, come, just shortness will come, you go ahead Balram goes ahead and then Krishna feels liberated And then he glances at the Gopis Sometimes it's a straight glance, most of the time it's a side glance.

That's why the Gopis, the Gopikids say Prema vikshanam Vikshanam, that word, that side glance. So basically here it's almost as if in Krishna Leela Especially in the Madhurya Bhav Balram has almost a role which is like an opponent or obstacle so everything he does is for Krishna, but sometimes he acts as a friend and Sometimes just to increase the flavor of the pastime He acts as an opponent. So generally in any story, if you are watching a movie, if in a movie there is No suspense, no opposition, no villain then the movie becomes very boring.

The hero meets the heroine and they keep meeting and they keep falling in love and They dance and sing and then they get married and they live happily ever after It's a straight story and it becomes boring. There has to be some villain It's not a person who has an evil eye on the heroine Then maybe there's a family which opposes or maybe there are circumstances and some misunderstandings occur. Something has to happen If there is no tension Then there is no attention It becomes boring So even in Krishnalaya, the same principle comes up just to enhance the excitement of the pastime There is opposition that is created and sometimes Balram takes that opposing role.

Now, of course, Balram does not always take that opposing role We'll see later on how Balram takes a very very sweet role of a friend who rather than being like a Barrier or a window where he becomes like a wall. He becomes a bridge for the Mahabharata's pastimes So, but this is another flavor and then Balramji kills some of his demons. So we'll talk about he is a friend sometimes he is also an opponent sometimes An opponent it's like the Virya Rasa So in the Virya Rasa pastime What happens is Balramji acts as if he is there for Krishna, but he is opposing Krishna in some ways and When he's acting in this way There are many times we will see later on he acts in different moods and different roles So Now if we move forward and Krishna and Balram leave Vrindavan So in Vrindavan sometimes he is a friend sometimes he is an opponent and he is Interceding he's having a role not in Sathya Rasa relationship, but also in the Vata Salya and in the Madhuri also And from there when they go to out of Vrindavan See in one sense in Krishna Leela There is always some disruption But those disruptions are almost always playful The weather they come from the demons The majority or they come from the devatas Which may happen to Indira or Brahma in both these cases The whole mood of Vrindavan is very playful Balakridana Kam Iva Balakridana Kam That means it's like Krishna is a child and they are playing together But then when he goes out of Vrindavan things become much more serious so they go first to Mathura and then later They go to Dwarka.

So it is It becomes much more serious means Krishna and Balarama they have to become very responsible Even in Krishna who first kills Kamsa, it is still they're just wrestling and they're having fun And Krishna beats Balarama, beats Kamsa to death Even then while Kamsa is considered a dangerous demon Krishna actually kills him quite effortlessly. He beats him to death and then drags his body along He's demonstrating to all the Mathura Vasis who have been terrorized by Kamsa that not only I have defeated him But he is no match to me. I have effortlessly defeated him Increases the faith of the Mathura Vasis But while Krishna in one sense Krishna is removing pain for the Mathura Vasis But what is happening for him Is that In other sense he is receiving pain Not necessarily intentionally, but from those same Mathura Vasis Now here like I said in every place there is some antagonist that is there Somebody who seems to be playing an opposite role Somebody has to play an opposing role So in this case, it is the Mathura Vasis who are said to play the opposing role.

They are very concerned that Krishna should not leave Mathura and go back to Vrindavan and that's why They don't let Krishna even talk about Vrindavan Whenever he starts talking, they become very disapproving Krishna while he is God is playing the role of a child He suddenly displaced from the place where he grew up surrounded by everyone who loved him and that was his world and Suddenly, not only is it taken out of that world But he is not even allowed to talk about that world And he is not even taken out. There is nobody practically from that world. If a child has Moves from place to place constantly Maybe even if the child has parents and has loving parents, but because of the parent's jobs The child has to move constantly and child has to go to a new school and then make new friends.

It's not easy Even if the child has a constant of the parent's love, but still making new friends is not easy. But for Krishna There is there are no common parents over here Everyone was there in the past life is gone. I know at least when the child goes to a new place Maybe somebody asks him.

Okay. Where are you from? What were you doing over there? Who is your friend? What was your life like that? But here the child is told Cannot talk about anyone at all It is a very difficult situation. I met one devotee recently.

I cannot tell specifics but that devotee was in a different country and That country had some activities like There's some terrorist activities going on over there. So this devotee gave some witness Against those terrorist activities and then that devotee and his family They had to be moved completely. They have put in a witness protection program and they have given a new identity and The kids were told you cannot even talk about your previous life The parents were telling me it's very difficult for our kids especially So it's been a dramatic life they had but they were telling me about it.

I was thinking about Krishna Moving from Vrindavan to Mathura. He cannot talk about anything with anyone except Balram Now of course Rohini comes so they call Rohini But then when Rohini tries to talk about Vrindavan, Rajvasis, the Mathurasis start saying Why are you glorifying Vrindavan? From whose side are you? You are supposed to be on our side, not their side Have they fed you so many sweets that you have lost your good sense? And Rohini says I cannot do much over here So at that time Krishna and Balram are together Krishna in all his heart only to Balram Now the Mathuravasis don't have fear that Balram may go away to Vrindavan Because right from the beginning you need to know that Balram is the son of Vasudeva and Rohini So with respect to Krishna, it seems as if there is always an ambiguity among the mind of the Rajvasis They never really accept that Krishna is the son of Vasudeva and Rohini. They say Krishna is Keshavda and Nanda's son So let Krishna and Balram go to the Gurukul And for them the changes are happening so fast They've come from this place to that place Mathura, Vrindavan to Mathura and in Mathura they are not there for a very long time There's a lot of political turbulence and then they are sent to the Gurukul And now Gurukul means lots of years they have to be but In Mathura there is so much danger that They have to be back to Mathura Therefore because they cannot be away from Mathura for very long Vasudeva requests and Nandipani Muni complies that they have like an expedited program, you know, like you have a crash course Accelerated learning program.

So they learn everything very fast During that time when they are in the Gurukul, they are together and Gopal Champu describes how Because now they are in a forested area out of a urban place This forested area is reminding Krishna of Vrindavan. It's not Vrindavan, but it's it looks like Vrindavan He remembers fervently All day they would study and learn and serve the Guru, but into the evening and night Krishna and Balram would sit close to each other And as Krishna would pour his heart and speak about Vrindavan Balram would hug him and try to console him And he said Balram's body would become wet with Krishna's tears Similarly Balram would cry and start crying at that time. So Balram became the closest of friends So this is how their friendship is so resilient Sometimes we may be a friend with a person in a particular place, we may be friends when we are in school We may go to the same college later on, we may later on be in the same company But sometimes we may be close to each other, sometimes we may go away from each other.

It depends This is what happens to them, Krishna and Balram, they are very close. So while this friendship is becoming closer and closer so the the mood of friendship is, while earlier in Vrindavan, it is more of just they are enjoying each other's company That's in Vrindavan but outside it is more of not so much enjoyment as comforting They are having the difficulty of being outside Vrindavan and Balram comforts Krishna so this comforting is also to some extent a manifesto by Vatsalyabhau and then Although they grew up together, although they have lived together, but still they are individuals in their own right Like sometimes there may be two twins They may be twin brothers, twin sisters Whatever it is Of course, if it's a different gender, then there are always some differences, but even if they are same gender, as they grow up some differences come up and there are distinctive differences in their personalities also. So Krishna and Balram, as they grow up especially in the way they look at the world, the way they approach things in the world especially in the way they handle their political responsibilities They have differences and that's where Balram sometimes plays the opposing role.

Now when I'm using the word political responsibilities the word politics has two different connotations One is a neutral functional connotation, the other is a negative connotation Politics means simply the art or the area of state administration So anywhere the administration is required, the system that is used So the political system of governance can be democracy, it can be It can be autocracy, it can be divine monarchy. So that it has now negative connotations, it's a functional thing The negative connotation is people do politics. That means they manipulate, they backbite They bad mouth somebody.

So that part is negative But here when they have their political responsibilities, they are both heads of state and they are leaders in the Kshatriya community and certainly they are leaders in the Yadu Vamsha. They have responsibilities So now before we move into the adversarial role Opponent role, but let's focus on something more over here That Krishna means Vrindavan, he has told the Vrajavasis That I will come back soon, especially the Yadu Vamshas, he assures that I'll come back, I'll come back soon, in a few days I'll come back And when Krishna is making this promise actually, he has full guarantee He has full intention of keeping the promise But then things go beyond his control The Yadus say You are our son Krishna is not ready to listen to that also. Then they say we are in great danger We are in danger from the allies, the friends of Kamsa who will try to come to take revenge And we are in danger from the enemies of Kamsa Whom Kamsa has plundered earlier and now they may want to get back to us They may think we are all, we were all with him and they will get back to us.

Either way, there is danger, we must be ready to take revenge So with a heavy heart Krishna has to stay Krishna is concerned about the Vajmasis, especially about the Gopis So while Krishna is in Mathura there he sends Uddhava as a messenger And Uddhava uses elaborate message, but essentially the message is I'll come back soon but then Krishna feels that I cannot go back till I have killed the demons Because if there is even one demon remaining Then that demon, if that demon comes to know I have the Vajmasis so close to me then to get back at me the demon will attack the Vajmasis So the demons don't have ethics so they Normally, there's a war between two sides. It's only the warrior should be fighting with each other The warrior should not involve Civilians, the warrior should not involve the families of the warriors But that's not how demons fight. When Ravan wanted to get back at Ram He didn't want to face Ram.

He abducted Sita So Krishna was concerned that the demons would get back at him by attacking the Vajmasis and that's why Krishna wanted to act as if Vrindavan was just some place I stayed in when my parents were in trouble But now that I left that place I have nothing to do with it Those people have forgotten me and I have forgotten them. He wanted to portray like that to the world so that they would not think they would not want to attack Vrindavan to get back at him. So now Krishna from Mathura moves to Dwarka Now at one level it is to protect the Mathuravasis from the attacks But another level is also to protect the Vajmasis because whenever attackers come They come to Mathura from various roads.

Many times they come by the side of Vrindavan And if they come by the side of Vrindavan, they may plunder Vrindavan. They may attack the Vajmasis So the Vajmasis have to go and hide in the caves of Govardhan taking all their cows and all their possessions Krishna doesn't want them to be inconvenienced. So Krishna moves far away to Dwarka But then Krishna is still concerned.

The Vrajavasis will be anticipating when will I come back Krishna tells Uddhava, can you go again? Uddhava says last time only I had difficulty persuading them that you are going to come back. Now If I go with the same message, then I will be accepted. They won't believe me.

I'll have no credibility over it. You don't have to go Krishna. Then Krishna requests Balaram to go.

And then Balaram goes then Balaram becoming the messenger of Krishna's heart for the Vrajavasis. There is no person who understand Krishna's love for the Vrajavasis as much as Balaram does. And then when Balaram goes, it is both Balaram as messenger He has both Authority and Authenticity Authenticity because he knows Krishna's heart.

He has been close to Krishna and he knows how much Krishna loves the Vrajavasis. Authority because he is Krishna's Raoji. He is the elder brother.

So normally when you send a messenger We might as nowadays we just send an email. In the past we would send a postman. People might send birds, pigeons with messages.

But normally the messenger is not considered a very important person. But if you are sending a message itself, say There's a wedding in our family and you want to invite someone for a wedding. Then we might just send a WhatsApp invitation.

We might go and give a personal invitation or say if the senior most member of the house Say the patriarch of the patriarch of the family, the eldest male or female of the family. They go and give an invitation and the weight of that is much much more. He himself or she herself came to invite me.

So like that What happens is Krishna's elder brother coming with a message. That has a special meaning. Krishna and Balaram, their close bond manifested in Balaram and he used to carry the message.

What is the message that he will give? He assures the Vrajavasis about Krishna's love for them and he expresses his own love for them and then there is, it is described that Balaram also performs the Rastri love. So this is from the Gauriya Vaishnav perspective. What is Balaram doing? Balaram is consoling the Gopis by giving them an experience that they have never had.

And that is, he gives them the experience. They have had the experience of Gopi Bhav, but he gives them the experience of the Manjari Bhav. What do you mean by the Manjari Bhav over here? This is oversimplification, but the broad principle is right.

These are very exotic subjects. Generally, the Manjaris, they are younger Gopis. So they assist the Gopis.

But when they when Krishna and Gopis, Krishna and Radharani, are performing Leela, maybe Rastila or whatever they are performing, so at that time these Manjaris, they observe and the Manjaris are somewhat pre-puberty. So that particular flavor of Madhurya Bhav is not awakened in them. So the Manjaris love Radharani and the Manjaris love Krishna.

So what happens is, if we are watching a movie, then we get immersed in the movie to the extent we can relate with and identify with the characters. So if we can identify with the hero, if we can identify with the heroine, if we can identify with the hero's friend or the heroine's friend, okay, how is this person thinking? What is this person going to do? What are the challenges this person is having? The more we can identify, the more we get immersed in the movie. Now if the villain is just a cartoonishly cool, then we don't identify at all with the villain.

We just want the villain to be beaten up and destroyed. But the villain also has a backstory. The villain is a good person who has become bad.

Then we can to some extent identify with the villain also. Then it becomes even more interesting. So the point is that the more we can identify with characters in our movie, the more we can enjoy the movie, the more we can get immersed in the movie.

So the Manjari is, when they have seen the Radhakrishna pastimes, then they can identify with Krishna because they love Krishna. They can identify with Radharani because they love Radharani also. And because the Madhuriya Bhava is not yet awakened, so once that is awakened, then they will identify more with Radharani.

Because then that particular phase of their life has begun. But till before that, they can they can identify with either. So they get the maximum absorption.

So for the Gopis, for Krishna's Gopis, when Balram is performing Raftila with Balram's Gopis, then what happens is, Krishna's Gopis, they are in one sense playing the role of the Manjaris. So they love Balram's Gopis, they love Balram also. And it's not in the Madhuriya Bhava exactly, but they are able to there is this natural affection over there.

Their Madhuriya relationship is with Krishna. But they are able to immerse themselves in both ways and they they feel really happy. By seeing how Balram is loving his Gopis, they remember Krishna and how Krishna loves them.

And the principle of love as well as the memory of the specific relationship of love, both are awakened in their hearts. So Krishna does, sorry Balram does for Krishna what no one else can do, what Uddhava could never have done. He does after enriching and comforting the hearts of the Gopis, for say two months in the Navan, Balram took bath.

So this is his role as a friend. One of the greatest services that he does. And now I said he acts as a friend and sometimes he acts as an opponent also.

And he acts as an opponent especially in his relationship with Duryodhana. So now the relationship of Balram with Duryodhana is one of the big mysteries in the post Vrindavan aspect of Krishna Leela. So during their various interactions, see at one level relationships are mysterious.

See when we meet different people, with some people just get along. Some people we meet and we spend a lot of time and they are polite, they are cordial, we will do services together. But we never feel very very close to each other.

And some people we just meet once and just there is a natural attraction. So that way there is Krishna's natural attraction happens with Arjuna. And Balram's natural attraction happens with Duryodhana.

Now at one level, we know Arjuna is virtuous, Duryodhana is vicious. So why would Balram form a bond with Duryodhana? Actually speaking there are multiple levels of understanding this but one key level is and I said that he acts as an opponent to Krishna and the biriyaras manifest over him. So in the biriyaras, he plays a special role.

So he opposes Krishna and by that opposition to Krishna he creates excitement in Krishna's pastimes and by that opposition to Krishna he also gives Krishna an opportunity to show his love for Arjuna, to show his love for the Pandavas, to show his eagerness to defend the Pandavas. Thus when Balram is twice in. Balram at one time, he wants to attack Arjuna and another time he wants to attack Bhima.

So in both these cases it is Krishna who stops it. So Balram wanting to attack Arjuna that is at the time of Subhadra's wedding and before that her abduction. So you really cannot call it the abduction, although that word can be used, kidnapping or abduction.

Because generally the word kidnapping or abduction is against the will of the person. In this case, it's secretly. Actually, the more appropriate thing is that Arjuna and Subhadra, they together run away.

And that's what Krishna explains. Balram says he has disgraced our family. He has incited our family and he has forcibly taken Subhadra away.

No, just reducing the chariot. Arjuna was fighting to defend, to protect himself and Subhadra was taking the chariot, just driving the chariot. So Balram reluctantly agrees.

Okay, let things be. And then the final, toward the end of the Kurukshetra war, when Balram feels that Bhima has defeated Duryodhana by unfair means, Balram comes with his mace to attack Bhima. Bhima shrinks back.

Bhima knows that I am no match to Balram. Although he is the greatest base fighter, he knows that I am no match to Balram. And he doesn't even know how to fight Balram.

So at that time, Krishna comes in between. So Balram's opposition gives Krishna an opportunity to demonstrate his love for his devotees. So that is the virya rasa of Balram.

And now, of course, I said, I'll discuss one last point and then we'll stop. That I talked about Krishna, the complexity of Krishna's relationship with Balramji. But then what about our Balram's relationship with Krishna? What about Balram's relationship with the souls? So that is where there is the role of Balram as the Guru.

So now it is said about the Vaishnavas that they are Kusuma the Picopalum and Vajra the Picotorum. Sometimes they are softer than a lotus and sometimes they are harder than a thunderbolt. So Balram is super soft with Duryodhana and Balram is super hard with Romaharshan.

Duryodhana does so many serious wrong things. Balram is very sweet and kind to him. And Romaharshan does a small wrong thing and Balram becomes very very angry with him.

So what is going on over here? This is Balramji is to some extent manifesting the Avdhoota Bhava. Avdhoota is one who is beyond the rules and regulations. He just acts in his own transcendental way.

So Nityananda Prabhu was something similar. Nityananda Prabhu would beg those who were unqualified Jagai and Madai. Nityananda Prabhu actually went and asked them.

So if you see Nityananda Prabhu he begged for the favor of Jagai and Madai. He was very very soft with them and Nityananda Prabhu was hard with Shivananda Singh. A small mistake on his part.

There's a delay in getting food, delay in arranging the logistics during their travel from Bengal to Puri. And Nityananda Prabhu got so angry. He kicked Shivananda and gave him some strong negative words.

He spoke and he said he almost cursed him. This is the point over here is that Balramji is demonstrating in his mood that he cannot really reduce the Guru's behaviour to any small simplistic framework. Yes, we do try to understand as much as we can.

Prabhupada, he doubted all his disciples. At the same time, he chose to spend more time with some disciples and whoever approached him, he tried to respond to them. After some time, this became impossible.

So, Prabhupada reciprocated. But in his reciprocal, his reciprocation was not always proportional. That he was reciprocal.

Reciprocal means I do something for you and you reciprocate. You do something for me and I reciprocate. Reciprocal but not exactly proportional.

Proportional means I have done this much for you. Therefore, you do this much for me. Somebody has done this much, then they will get this much reward.

It's not like that. Krishna is not, neither the Krishna nor Guru are a product of mathematics. They are not controlled by mathematics.

So, now why he dealt with Rama Harishan in a particular way and Balramji in a particular way, that is a whole different subject. But the point I'm making over here is the reciprocity is not mathematical. So, Rama Harishan did make a mistake.

And Duryodhana, he had his vices. But still, Balramji was actually reciprocal. So, but I'll conclude with one last point over here, especially with respect to Balram's relationship with Duryodhana.

Although Balram was there to support Duryodhana till the end, but the point was that there is the soul, there is the Guru and there is Krishna. So, basically the Guru is meant to link the soul with Krishna. But if the soul, so this is the ideal situation.

This is what is recommended. But if the soul wants to link only with Guru, but not with Krishna, there is no link. In fact, there is the opposite of a link.

Then, although the Guru is merciful and the Guru can be immensely merciful, it is not going to work. We don't want, see this, if a person only links with the Guru and no link with Krishna at all, then at best, it becomes a personality cult. There might be a lot of Guru Bhakti, but it just becomes centered on the Guru.

And if the Guru is a good person, then it will be a personality cult. Otherwise, it can be like a destructive cult. At worst, it can just become fanaticism.

The destructive fanaticism. This particular Guru is the only way and anybody who doesn't accept that that person is evil, that person is going to go to hell, I will make it my responsibility to send that person to hell. So, so Duryodhana was affectionate to Duryodhana and Balramji had a close relationship.

But that is Balramji's causeless compassion. So, but the point is even if the Guru is causeless compassion, if the disciple does not reciprocate by changing his heart by the disciple keeps going against Krishna. Sometimes the Guru may just decide to give a very very long rope to a disciple.

But no matter how long the rope might be, ultimately, it's not going to work. That is demonstrated. The causeless mercy might be there, but even the causeless mercy cannot deliver if it is one-sided.

One-sided means Guru, disciple or the soul is connecting only with Guru and not with Krishna. So that is the tragedy of Duryodhana that he got so much affection from Balramji, but he never benefited from it. So, I'll summarize and then I'll conclude with the prayer.

So we are talking about the many murud of Balaram today. So I talked about broadly three things, Balram as friend, Balram as opponent with respect to Krishna, both of them with respect to Krishna and third was Balram as Guru, especially in his relationship with Duryodhana. So as friend, we discussed how in Sankhya Rasi, he is naturally a friend.

He sometimes takes the Vatsalya Vahav. As an opponent, as a Madhurya Bhav, especially when he goes as a messenger of Krishna's Guru, the Vajvasis. Now, Vatsalya Vahav was when he takes the responsibility of being an elder brother and protector for Krishna.

Now as the opponent in the Madhurya Bhav, the Lajja, the modesty of the Gopis that prevent them from expressing their love and even for Krishna for expressing his love when Balramji is present and then opponent is in the Virya Rasi or the Virya Bhav when he takes the side of Duryodhana. So he allows that there is tension, then there is attention. Balram's opposition increases the excitement of Krishna's pastime and Balramji's affection for Duryodhana is an instance of causeless mercy.

But even that causeless mercy will be less if there is no proper development from the disciple. If the disciple, if there's only relationship, only Guru and no Krishna, then even the Guru can't deliver Krishna, such a disciple. Such a disciple, such a Duryodhana and he was ultimately ruined.

So on Lord Balram's appearance day, we can pray for Balramji. If you demonstrate the very rich life of loving relationships in Krishna's personal abode, you are the Guru who help us by opening the doors to that world of love. Please help us appreciate that love and aspire for that love and advance toward that love by your mercy.

Balramji ki Jai. Thank you Prabhu. Thank you Prabhu, first of all for your time and for your association and coming on the call Prabhu.

Very much appreciated Prabhu and beautiful, beautiful class Prabhuji. There are so many points, actually a few points, you know, always were boggling the mind and you cleared those. I'll come on to those, but I was kind of laughing when you said crash courses were there.

So I said not only today, but at that time the crash courses started. And of course, we are in Parampara, so difficult not to have those. And then the difference in approach, you spoke beautifully Prabhu, very beautiful.

And the point I really loved Prabhu is people still think why Krishna left Radharani and but if we see Treta Yuga as you explained, Ravana at a certain point, you know was supposed to be a Kshatriya and fight, but he abducted Sita Mata. So same Krishna was very much afraid that he will do the same with Vrajvasis and Radharani and Gopis. So that is such a beautiful point Prabhu, such a my heart was like, wow, this is so beautiful because, you know, you often come into, you know, people who just you know, want some kind of masala and they just ask this thing.

So, but if you don't read Shastras, certainly this is a very, very beautiful point Prabhu. And then point of messenger and Prabhu how beautifully you explained Manjaribhav, the absorption, that is just something else. Like you put such a deep subject into so easy connection with all of us that we see the movie and we sometimes relate and how Manjaris do this is just unbelievable Prabhu, just beautiful, beautiful Prabhuji.

And then again the point of Balaramji that he wanted to be in Veerarasa and then so that's the Krishna can show his love to unbelievable, beautiful, beautiful classroom. So many points that can be, you know, used of course in preaching for Srila Prabhupada and Guru Maharaj. This is just unbelievable Prabhu.

I would encourage all the devotees to see and share this class because this is, there are so many questions being answered. Thank you Prabhuji. Thank you.

Dear devotees, if anybody has any questions or comments or realizations, please raise your hand or unmute yourself. I think I spoke enough Prabhu. Yes, I have a doubt Prabhu.

My doubt is that Balram is an expansion of Krishna. Yes, yes Prabhu. There are potencies of Krishna called Samvit, Sandhini and Hladini Shaktis.

When it is appearing in the Chit level, the spiritual world has been revealed by Balram. But when this Samvit, Sandhini and Hladini acting on Jeeva, the material consciousness is being elevated and that too being done by Balram only. Though the same way we can see how it's acting upon Prabhu.

The Jeeva will be remaining only Tatastha every time or it can access spiritual world. Hare Krishna Prabhu. So is this a comment or a question? It's a question Prabhu.

The Jeeva will remain in marginal only or because I read Bhaktivinode Thakur's one song. See now there are two different things over here. There is the Tattva and there is the Rasa or the Bhava.

Now in terms of Tattva, the Jeeva is always going to be marginal. That is just the nature of the Jeeva. But in terms of the disposition, so we have the position and we have the disposition.

So in terms of position, the Jeeva is the marginal potency. That's what the Jeeva will always remain. But in terms of disposition, Yad Gatwa Lali Vartante Tas Dhaam Paramaham.

That once we have experienced the taste of love for Krishna, especially after we have experienced the deceptive taste of this world, then there will be no inclination to turn towards these things. Chotra Upad writes in the 271 Parpottanam, 270 Nakamakam. He says that the desires might come, but there is no inclination to fulfill the desires.

So similarly, the free will will always be there. Krishna never takes away the free will. And the free will to turn toward Krishna or turn away from Krishna, that is the characteristic of the marginal potency.

But the inclination, the tendency to turn away from that, Krishna will no longer be there. Yes, thank you. Then Balram is comprising this Guru Tattva.

Then if we surrender fully to Balramji, the Guru whom which connects to Krishna. You have told that ideal Guru connects the soul to Krishna. So that means if we utilize our free will by only following the instructions of the Guru, then we will reach spiritual wellness.

We should not use our free will as per our own wishes. We should surrender our free will completely to Guru. My point is that our bond with the Guru should increase our attraction to Krishna.

Our bond should not just stay with the Guru and not go toward Krishna. That should not be happening. So now we will always have our free will.

And Krishna has not given us free will so that we give it up. Krishna has given us free will so that we use it properly. So the Guru is not meant to take away, surrender to the Guru is not meant to take away our individuality.

In the spiritual world, the Gopis, it's not that every day Krishna sends a menu today. This is what you should cook for me. The Gopis know what Krishna likes.

The Gopis know what they can cook. And they cook for Krishna's pleasure using their individuality. So sometimes Krishna may tell specifically, this is what I want to cook today.

But Krishna doesn't mind. He has control over the Gopis. So it's very, very clear.

We have to use our free will. Prabhupada told Rochan Prabhu, find out what you like to do and do it for Krishna. Prabhupada wanted us to be independently thoughtful.

So not independent, but independently thoughtful. That means actually the Guru is not going to be there all the time. And over-dependence, even on the Guru in a practical sense, is going to be very problematic.

What we need to learn from the Guru is that the inspiration to serve Krishna and my free will is for serving Krishna. Now, how exactly to serve Krishna? So that is something which we have to use our buddhi. We have to use our inspiration.

And then we have to find out how we have to look at our own interests. Krishna has given us particular gifts and we have to see what gifts we have and we have to use them in Krishna's service. So it's not that we have to give up our free will.

Rather, so there are two different things. In one sense, what we do and for whom we do. So free will should be and we use it for serving Krishna.

But exactly how we serve Krishna, that the Guru is not going to control that. Prabhupada's Guru told him that go to the West and preach. Prabhupada did that in the 1970s.

Prabhupada told his disciples, my spiritual master told me to preach. In the West, I have done that. Now, my desire is to preach in India.

You help me just as I help my spiritual master. So now was Prabhupada's desire independent of his defiance of his spiritual master? No. Prabhupada saw that if there is to be a global vision across the world, then it is important that there be a foundation in India.

Prabhupada used his buddhi, Prabhupada used his inspiration, Prabhupada used his interests. So we all need to do that. We cannot keep our spiritual life on hold till the Guru gives us some instruction, till the Guru directs our free will.

No, we have to decide. It's not that, OK, which book should I read tomorrow? No, we can't ask the Guru all these things. So free will, we want to avoid the misuse of the free will.

But using the free will properly is not just like one narrow path. It is one broad direction. You want to go to old Krishna.

How exactly to go to old Krishna? That, as I said, depends on our interests, our inspiration and our intelligence. That's the meaning of being independently thoughtful. Thank you so much, Prabhupada.

Thank you. Thank you.