Balarāma draws the Yamunā with His plow — exact verses
Follow the complete lila: Balarāma’s summons, the drawing of the river, Yamunā-devī’s prayers and surrender, and the Yamunā’s many channels.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.18
पूर्णचन्द्रकलामृष्टे कौमुदीगन्धवायुना ।
यमुनोपवने रेमे सेविते स्त्रीगणैर्वृत: ॥ १८ ॥
pūrṇa-candra-kalā-mṛṣṭe
kaumudī-gandha-vāyunā
yamunopavane reme
sevite strī-gaṇair vṛtaḥ
In the company of numerous women, Lord Balarāma enjoyed in a garden by the Yamunā River. This garden was bathed in the rays of the full moon and caressed by breezes bearing the fragrance of night-blooming lotuses.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.24-25
स्रग्व्येककुण्डलो मत्तो वैजयन्त्या च मालया ।
बिभ्रत् स्मितमुखाम्भोजं स्वेदप्रालेयभूषितम् ।
स आजुहाव यमुनां जलक्रीडार्थमीश्वर: ॥ २४ ॥
निजं वाक्यमनादृत्य मत्त इत्यापगां बल: ।
अनागतां हलाग्रेण कुपितो विचकर्ष ह ॥ २५ ॥
sragvy eka-kuṇḍalo matto
vaijayantyā ca mālayā
bibhrat smita-mukhāmbhojaṁ
sveda-prāleya-bhūṣitam
sa ājuhāva yamunāṁ
jala-krīḍārtham īśvaraḥ
nijaṁ vākyam anādṛtya
matta ity āpagāṁ balaḥ
anāgatāṁ halāgreṇa
kupito vicakarṣa ha
Intoxicated with joy, Lord Balarāma sported flower garlands, including the famous Vaijayantī. He wore a single earring, and beads of perspiration decorated His smiling lotus face like snowflakes. The Lord then summoned the Yamunā River so that He could play in her waters, but she disregarded His command, thinking He was drunk. This angered Balarāma, and He began dragging the river with the tip of His plow.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.26
पापे त्वं मामवज्ञाय यन्नायासि मयाहुता ।
नेष्ये त्वां लाङ्गलाग्रेण शतधा कामचारिणीम् ॥ २६ ॥
pāpe tvaṁ mām avajñāya
yan nāyāsi mayāhutā
neṣye tvāṁ lāṅgalāgreṇa
śatadhā kāma-cāriṇīm
[Lord Balarāma said:] O sinful one disrespecting Me, you do not come when I call you but rather move only by your own whim. Therefore with the tip of My plow I shall bring you here in a hundred streams!
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.27
एवं निर्भर्त्सिता भीता यमुना यदुनन्दनम् ।
उवाच चकिता वाचं पतिता पादयोर्नृप ॥ २७ ॥
evaṁ nirbhartsitā bhītā
yamunā yadu-nandanam
uvāca cakitā vācaṁ
patitā pādayor nṛpa
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thus scolded by the Lord, O King, the frightened river-goddess Yamunā came and fell at the feet of Śrī Balarāma, the beloved descendant of Yadu. Trembling, she spoke to Him the following words.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.28
राम राम महाबाहो न जाने तव विक्रमम् ।
यस्यैकांशेन विधृता जगती जगत: पते ॥ २८ ॥
rāma rāma mahā-bāho
na jāne tava vikramam
yasyaikāṁśena vidhṛtā
jagatī jagataḥ pate
[Goddess Yamunā said:] Rāma, Rāma, O mighty-armed one! I know nothing of Your prowess. With a single portion of Yourself You hold up the earth, O Lord of the universe.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.29
परं भावं भगवतो भगवन् मामजानतीम् ।
मोक्तुमर्हसि विश्वात्मन् प्रपन्नां भक्तवत्सल ॥ २९ ॥
paraṁ bhāvaṁ bhagavato
bhagavan mām ajānatīm
moktum arhasi viśvātman
prapannāṁ bhakta-vatsala
My Lord, please release me. O soul of the universe, I didn’t understand Your position as the Supreme Godhead, but now I have surrendered unto You, and You are always kind to Your devotees.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.30
ततो व्यमुञ्चद् यमुनां याचितो भगवान् बल: ।
विजगाह जलं स्त्रीभि: करेणुभिरिवेभराट् ॥ ३० ॥
tato vyamuñcad yamunāṁ
yācito bhagavān balaḥ
vijagāha jalaṁ strībhiḥ
kareṇubhir ivebha-rāṭ
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Thereupon Lord Balarāma released the Yamunā and, like the king of the elephants with his entourage of she-elephants, entered the river’s water with His female companions.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.31
कामं विहृत्य सलिलादुत्तीर्णायासीताम्बरे ।
भूषणानि महार्हाणि ददौ कान्ति: शुभां स्रजम् ॥ ३१ ॥
kāmaṁ vihṛtya salilād
uttīrṇāyāsītāmbare
bhūṣaṇāni mahārhāṇi
dadau kāntiḥ śubhāṁ srajam
The Lord played in the water to His full satisfaction, and when He came out Goddess Kānti presented Him with blue garments, precious ornaments and a brilliant necklace.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.32
वसित्वा वाससी नीले मालामामुच्य काञ्चनीम् ।
रेये स्वलङ्कृतो लिप्तो माहेन्द्र इव वारण: ॥ ३२ ॥
vasitvā vāsasī nīle
mālāṁ āmucya kāñcanīm
reye sv-alaṅkṛto lipto
māhendra iva vāraṇaḥ
Lord Balarāma dressed Himself in the blue garments and put on the gold necklace. Anointed with fragrances and beautifully adorned, He appeared as resplendent as Indra’s royal elephant.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.65.33
अद्यापि दृश्यते राजन् यमुनाकृष्टवर्त्मना ।
बलस्यानन्तवीर्यस्य वीर्यं सूचयतीव हि ॥ ३३ ॥
adyāpi dṛśyate rājan
yamunākṛṣṭa-vartmanā
balasyānanta-vīryasya
vīryaṁ sūcayatīva hi
Even today, O King, one can see how the Yamunā flows through the many channels created when it was dragged by the unlimitedly powerful Lord Balarāma. Thus she demonstrates His prowess.