(HH Kadamba Kanana Swami, Stockholm, Sweden, 5th August 2012, Lecture on Lord Balarama’s Appearance Day Festival)
The Sri Caitanya-Siksamrta, written by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, gives a list of the symbolic meanings of each of the demons (in Krishna’s pastimes) which represents an anartha. He makes a point by saying:
‘There are demons that are killed by Krishna and there are demons that are killed by Balarama. The demons that are killed by Krishna are representing anarthas that Krishna must take away. These are the anarthas that will go away in the process of devotional service. But the anarthas that are represented by the demons that are killed by Balarama are those that we have to overcome ourselves, by our conscious endeavour.’
We have to give up the mode of ignorance and the mode of passion. We cannot just remain there because if we do, then we stay handicapped in our spiritual advancement. Of course, if we are to become purified of these modes by devotional service, then the emphasis is placed by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura who points out that we must make a conscious endeavour to rise above this contamination.