How did Duryodhana win Balaram over to his side?
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How did Balram, how did Duryodhana get the affection of Balram, how did he win Balram over to his side? Yes. So, there are two things here. First is that Krishna performs his pastimes with different characters playing different roles.
There are some people who are demoniac, they create some obstacles and those obstacles lead to the intensification of the love between him and his devotees. Just like when Duryodhana tries to have Draupadi disrobe him, that is when Draupadi intensely, fervently, desperately calls out to Krishna. And there is that immortal reciprocation of surrendered love that is demonstrated by Draupadi.
So, sometimes there are demons who take such roles, sometimes there are devotees like Jai Vijay, they can become Kamsa and Shishupalan and Tavakra or Ravana and Gupaka. So, they can take such roles. Sometimes there are some characters who themselves transitionally take such roles by Krishna's will.
So, for example, in the spiritual world there is Jatila and Kutila in Vrindavan. So, they are the relatives of Radharani and they create obstacles in the meeting of Krishna and Radha. So, that is something to enhance the pastimes.
So, by his will only, Balarama sometimes takes a viperid position. He takes the opposite position for the sake of creating some more additional excitement. So, now Duryodhana, he wins over Balarama's affection primarily by his diligence to learn new ways of fighting.
So, Duryodhana also, he knows how to pursue his purposes. And pursuing his purpose means, in this case, he wants to counter Bhima's strength and for that he needs to be expert in fighting. So, for that purpose, he seeks Balarama who is the expert mace teacher.
And at that time, when he first approaches Balarama, at that time, Duryodhana has not really exhibited outright demoniac qualities during the first meeting. And then after that, he starts learning and he studies very diligently, practices all skills. And even Krishna acknowledges that.
As when it's mace fighting, the two are equally matched, Bhima and Duryodhana. But they are not equally matched in the sense that in all skills and everything they are equal. Rather, Bhima is superior in strength whereas Duryodhana is superior in skill.
So, that is by his diligence. So, to some extent, he wins over Balarama's heart by his diligent studentship. And secondly, he also has his own spin.
His spin means, it's not that Balarama ji is misled by it, but that is all part of the leela. So, he has his own reasoning. First, he tries to argue that actually who knows if the Pandavas are actually the son of Pandu.
We knew that Pandu could not beget children. So, maybe there are some upstarts who have come along. Then he says, actually, like that, he comes along with all.
If you see, at various points, he comes up with all strange reasons. Earlier, I said that, actually, they don't come to the dhagyatwas. He gives a reason like that.
Another point is, actually, the Pandavas, they are yogis. They lived for the first, just like Krishna lived for the first 10 years of his life, in a Varanaya in which he was not born. He lived as a Vaishya.
Similarly, the Pandavas, the first 10 years of their life, they lived in a Varanaya of a Brahmana. Because they were living with Brahmanas. Pandavas lived in a Brahminical life.
He says, they are not trained for fighting. So, they will not be able to maintain their given up properly. They will not be able to do Kshatriya duties properly.
So, he tends to act as if he has his own side of the story. And in that way, he tries to persuade people. So, it's not that he succeeds in manipulating Balram.
But as a part of the Leela, by Krishna's will, Balram takes on that opposition role, so that there can be further excitement in Krishna's pastimes. Okay. Thank you.
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