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Balarama Destroys Pride

Summary of a leacture by HH Radhanath Swami.

DravidaTheGorrilla

Dravivda Grorrilla was a devotee of the Lord and due to the bad association with Narakasura he became a demon. How did he become a demon?

In the Ramayana Dravivda gorilla was one of the great warriors on the Side of the Lord Rama. He was a General in Sugriva army. He used to fight along side with Hanuman. Because Dravivda was so powerful in the army He became proud and began disrespecting Luxman and other devotees. Luxmana is Guru and the devotees are Vaisnava. Drivivda caused Guru- apradha and Vaisvana- Appradha.

But when Luxman was shot by the arrow of Indrajit, he fell as if was dead. Luxman played as if He was an ordinary human being. Dravivda Gorilla began criticising Luxmana and considered him to be an ordinary human being. He became proud that he was better than other devotees.

Due to this pride he developed attraction for Bad association. This is the result of causing Vaisnava-appradha. Our Pride will lead us from good Vaisnavaassocaiton to Demoniac associations. Dravivda left the association of Vaisnava began associating with Narakasura.



After years of association together causing havoc Krsna killed Narakasura. Drivivda was angry and used to roam around causing destruction to the inhabitants. Then one day He saw Lord Balarama dancing with His gopis. Dravivda began insulting Lord Balarama and the gopis. Then there was a great fight and Lord Balarama killed him.

Another example is the Story of Romahasana Suta. When Lord Balarama entered the assembley of Sages, Romahasana Suta was sitting on the Vyasana. He was the disciple of Srila Vyasadev. When Lord Balarama entered the assembly all the Sages got up and offered full respect to the Lord. But Romahasana Suta felt that since he a disciple of Srila Vyasadev he need not offer his respect to Lord Balarama and did not get up.

Lord Balarama been the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the spiritual master of all understood his mentality and could see his pride took a blade of grass and struck his body. This simply act killed Romahasana Suta.

Lord Balarama can not stand that person with False pride and as the Original Guru he destroys False pride. He uses this story to destroy False pride.

When there is false pride there is disrespect for others, when there is disrespect there is offenses and when there is offenses, there is disunity. Vaisnava community starts fighting amongst each other for their own prestige and fame.

False pride gradually progress into the mentality were you disrespect others and have a desire for unwanted associations. In this way all our devotional service is destroyed
From a lecture by HH Radhanath Swami.