Balarama was shocked by the rude and arrogant behaviour of the Kauravas. They had insulted him. He stood stunned for a few moments. He realized he had made an error in judgement. He stormed, “These fat Kaurava animals must be punished in a manner they will never forget. Even animals respond to kindness and soft words but not these Kauravas. I will teach them the lesson of their lives now.” 

“I will drown Hastina in Ganga” 

Balarama decided to pull the entire city of Hastinapura and drown it in the holy river Ganga. “It will then become purified, cleansed of its pollution,” he remarked wryly. He took out his plough that appeared by mere wish. He struck the earth with this formidable ‘hala’ and began to draw Hastinapura towards Ganga 

Panic, panic everywhere

Hastinapura felt an earth-shaking tremor that became unbearable moment by moment. The city started sloping towards Ganga, precariously. The citizens started to run helter-skelter in panic, not knowing what was happening and what to do. They were tottering. They could not maintain their balance. There was panic, panic everywhere. 

Sambha released 

The haughty Karavas realised that they were in irredeemable danger. They had to appease Balarama at all costs, even of their lineage pride. Every moment counted. They rushed to the prison house where Sambha was kept, released him, put him along with their princess Lakshana in a chariot and rushed to Balarama without further loss of time. 

Balarama appeased 

Everyone rushed to Balarama, fell at his feet and begged him “Mighty Lord! Please desist from this horrible massacre of innocent people. They should not suffer for our folly. It is not fair. Here is your prince Sambha. We are ready to give in marriage our princess Lakshana to this Yadava prince. We take back, in all humility, all that we said in a moment of mental aberration and unwarranted arrogance. Forgive us, Sir, and save us please!” 

All is well that ends well 

Balarama could get easily excited. He could also regain his composure easily. He was pleased with the quick turnabout of the Kauravas and their abject supplication. He hastened to reassure them that they had nothing to worry and that he would not do anything harmful to their beloved city any longer. Duryodahana fell at Balarama’s feet with remorseful tears in his penitent eyes. He suddenly remembered the good old days, when in Mithila, Balarama had taught him the intricate nuances of the art of mace combat. He was ever grateful to Balarama for this. He should not have behaved so arrogantly towards his guru, he admitted humbly. He knew, more than anything else, that his act of despicable ingratitude must have angered Balarama so much. It is said that there are traces of inexplicable sloping of what was Hastinapura, and now Old Delhi, even today. 

Wedding Bells 

Duryodhana made up for all these lapses by presenting the priceless gem he had, his daughter Lakshana, to Balarama’s nephew (Krishna’s son) Sambha, besides loads of gems, gold, silver, clothes, caparisoned elephants, chariots and horses as wedding gifts. All was well again.