Krishna then assembled the cowherd boys and divided them into two even teams. After the cowherd boys had chosen Krishna and Balarama as the leaders of the two teams, the boys began to play various games involving carriers and passengers. In these games the winners would climb up on the backs of the losers, who would have to carry them. 

Thus carrying and being carried by one another, and at the same time tending the cows, the boys went to a banyan tree known as Bhandiraka. When Sridama, Vrsabha, and the other members of Lord Balarama's party were victorious in these games, Krsna and His followers had to carry them. Thus Krsna had to carry Sridama, Bhadrasena had to carry Vrsabha, and Pralamba had to carry Balarama. 

Considering Lord Krishna invincible, the demon Pralamba quickly carried Balarama far beyond the spot where he was supposed to put his passenger down. As the great demon carried Balarama, the Lord became as heavy as massive Mount Sumeru, and Pralamba had to slow down. He then resumed his actual form--an effulgent body that was covered with golden ornaments and that resembled a cloud flashing with lightning and carrying the moon. 

When Lord Balarama saw the gigantic body of the demon as he moved swiftly in the sky--with his blazing eyes, fiery hair, terrible teeth reaching toward his scowling brows, and an amazing effulgence generated by his armlets, crown, and earrings--the Lord seemed to become a little frightened. 

Remembering the actual situation, the fearless Balarama understood that the demon was trying to kidnap Him and take Him away from His companions. The Lord then became furious and struck the demon's head with His hard fist, just as Indra, the King of the demigods, strikes a mountain with his thunderbolt weapon. 

Thus smashed by Balarama's fist, Pralamba's head immediately cracked open. The demon vomited blood from his mouth and lost all consciousness, and then with a great noise he fell lifeless to the ground, like a mountain devastated by Indra. The cowherd boys were most astonished to see how the powerful Balarama had killed the demon Pralamba, and they exclaimed, "Excellent! Excellent!" They offered Balarama profuse benedictions and then glorified Him. Their minds overwhelmed with ecstatic love, they embraced Him as if He had returned from the dead.