Upon hearing that their beloved friend Balarama had arrived, the Kurus were filled with delight. They welcomed him warmly, approaching with auspicious offerings to honor his presence. After greeting him with proper respect, they presented Balarama with a cow and water for worship, and those who understood his greatness bowed their heads before him in reverence. Once Balarama had received news that his relatives were well and had inquired after their welfare, he spoke openly to the assembly. He advised them, “Whatever command Ugrasena, the lord of the earth, gives, you should listen calmly and carry it out without delay.” Balarama then addressed a grievance, saying, “Though you are many, you bound the righteous one by unrighteous means, having defeated him. I have tolerated this for the sake of unity among relatives.” The Kurus, provoked by Balarama’s words—words filled with vigor, heroism, and strength—listened, but their pride was stirred. They exclaimed in astonishment, “By the unstoppable movement of time, one who wishes to ascend wears shoes while his head is adorned with a crown.” They complained that the Vṛṣṇis, once mere youths who shared beds, seats, and meals with them, had now been raised to their own status and given royal seats. The Kurus lamented that the Vṛṣṇis enjoyed royal honors—fans, fly-whisks, conches, white umbrellas, crowns, thrones, and beds—all because of their own neglect. Enough, they said, of the Yādavas being marked by royal honors, bestowed by the donor, like nectar to serpents. The Yādavas, who had prospered by the Kurus’ favor, now commanded them shamelessly. They asked, “How could even Indra, with the Kurus—Bhīṣma, Droṇa, Arjuna, and others—seize what was not given, like a lion snatching prey in the forest?” Śrī Bādarāyaṇa narrates that the Kurus, puffed up with pride from birth, kinship, and wealth, spoke harsh words to Balarama, then entered the city, their arrogance evident. Seeing their wickedness and hearing their offensive speech, Acyuta—Krishna—became angry and difficult to look at. He laughed and spoke repeatedly, declaring, “These wicked ones, swollen with pride, do not desire peace. For them, restraint is punishment, just as a stick is for animals.” Balarama continued, “I came here seeking peace, having gently calmed the enraged Yādus and Krishna. Yet these dull-minded, quarrelsome, wicked ones have repeatedly disregarded me and spoken disrespectfully.” He reminded them, “Is not Ugrasena the mighty lord, ruler of the Bhojas, Vṛṣṇis, and Andhakas, whom even Indra and the guardians of the worlds obey? He entered Sudharmā and brought the Pārijāta tree from the realm of the immortals—he is surely worthy of the royal seat. At his feet, Śrī herself serves directly, the sovereign of all. The dust of his lotus feet is borne by the crowns of all guardians of the worlds, worshipped as the holiest of places. Brahmā, Śiva, and I are but portions of his portion, and Śrī herself serves him for a long time—where is the royal seat for him?” The Kurus retorted, “The Vṛṣṇis enjoy the land given by the Kurus, while we are like shoes and the Kurus are the crown upon the head.” Balarama reflected, “Who could endure or instruct those intoxicated by wealth, whose words are incoherent and harsh, like those of the proud and drunken?” Enraged, Balarama declared, “Today I will make the earth free of the Kauravas!” Seizing his plough, he rose up, as if to burn the three worlds. With the tip of his plough, he tore open the city of Hastinapura, dragging it into the Ganga in his fury. The city spun like a boat in a whirlpool, and the Kauravas, witnessing this, were seized with panic. Desiring to live, the Kauravas, with their families, approached Balarama for refuge, placing Lakshmana and Samba at the front. They bowed with joined palms to the Lord and pleaded, “O Rama, foundation of all, we do not know your power. Please forgive our offense, for we are foolish and misguided. You alone are the cause, without dependence, of creation, maintenance, and dissolution. The wise say that the worlds are your playthings, and you play with them. You alone, O endless one, bear the earth with your thousand heads, playfully supporting it on your crown. At the end, when the universe is withdrawn into yourself, you alone remain, unique and unsurpassed. Your anger is for the sake of universal instruction, not out of hatred or envy. You, upholding sattva, are ever intent on the protection of existence. Salutations to you, the soul of all beings, bearer of all powers, imperishable one. O creator of the universe, we bow to you and have taken refuge in you.” Śuka says that, thus entreated by those who had taken refuge, distressed and trembling, Balarama was pleased. Fully satisfied, he granted them fearlessness, saying, “Do not be afraid.” Duryodhana then offered tribute: sixty-year-old elephants, twelve thousand horses, six thousand golden chariots shining like the sun, and a thousand maidservants without necklaces, being fond of daughters. Having accepted all these gifts, the Lord, foremost among the Sātvatas, departed with his son and daughter-in-law, honored by his friends. Halāyudha—Balarama—entered his own city, his heart affectionate toward his relatives. In the assembly of the Yadus, he recounted all his deeds among the Kurus. Even today, that city, bearing the mark of Rama’s might, stands elevated to the south of the Ganga, visible to all. Thus ends the sixty-eighth chapter, entitled “The Victory of Sankarshana in the Form of Dragging Hastinapura,” of the Uttara section of the Tenth Book of the glorious Bhagavata Purana. Śuka then continues: The household conduct of the Lord, as performed by the sage Narada—upon hearing that Naraka was slain and that Krishna alone had married many women, Narada desired to witness this marvel. How astonishing it is, he thought, that with a single body, Krishna simultaneously married eight thousand and two hundred women, each in their own home.