śrutvā yuddhodyamaḿ rāmaḥ
kurūṇāḿ saha pāṇḍavaiḥ
tīrthābhiṣeka-vyājena
madhya-sthaḥ prayayau kila
srutva -- hearing; yuddha -- for battle; udyamam -- the preparations; ramah -- Lord Balarama; kurunam -- of the Kurus; saha -- with; pandavaih -- the Pandavas; tirtha -- in holy places; abhisheka -- of bathing; vyajena -- on the pretext; madhya-sthah -- neutral; prayayau -- He departed; kila -- indeed.
Lord Balarama then heard that the Kurus were preparing for war with the Pandavas. Being neutral, He departed on the pretext of going to bathe in holy places.
Both Duryodhana and Yudhishthira were dear to Lord Balarama, and so to avoid an awkward situation He departed. Furthermore, after killing the demon Viduratha, Lord Krishna put aside His weapons, but Lord Balarama still had to kill Romaharshana and Balvala to finish relieving the earth of her burden of demons.
