Did Balarama come to Kurukshetra to witness the final battle between Bhima and Duryodhana?

 

The episode of Balarama coming to the place, where Bhima and Duryodhana were about start their battle, appears to me as an interpolated part, in view of the following issues.

a) Balarama visits the camp of Pandavas at the beginning of the war at Kurukshetra. He states that both Pandavas and Kauravas are equal to him but since his brother Krishna had joined Pandavas camp, he does not want join any camp and he proceeded towards pilgrimage.

b) Just in a couple of days later the great war had commenced. It took 18 days for the entire Kauravas army to get extinguished.

c) On 18th day evening, the battle between Bhima and Duryodhana took place.

d) So, logically a time period of not more than 20 days might have elapsed between Balarama’s proceeding on pilgrimage and the final war between Bhima and Duryodhana.

e) However, in the above interpolated episode, Balarama says as follows: (34th Chapter of Shalya Parva)

अब्रवीच्च तदा रामो दृष्ट्वा कृष्णं च पाण्डवम् । दुर्योधनं च कौरव्यं गदापाणिमवस्थितम् ॥

चत्वारिंशदहान्यद्य द्वे च मे निःसृतस्य वै । पुष्येण सम्प्रयातोऽस्मि श्रवणे पुनरागतः ॥

शिष्ययोर्वै गदायुद्धं द्रष्टुकामोऽस्मि माधव ॥

Rama then casting his eyes on Krishna and the Pandavas, and looking at Duryodhana also of Kuru's race who was standing there armed with mace, said, "Two and forty days have passed since I left home. I had set out under the constellation Pushya and have come back under Sravana. I am desirous, O Madhava, of beholding this encounter with the mace between these two disciples of mine!"

Here, Balarama was saying that 42 days have passed since left home. Balarama was last seen by Pandavas 20 days before only, this statement of Balarama was contradicting with the facts.

f) Apart from the above crucial issue, another worth mentioning issue is also there.

When Balarama was at Yamuna, Narada rishi came there and intimated the complete eradication of Kauravas army. He also tells Balarama that Duryodhana was instigated by Pandavas and that he came out of that Lake and a final battle is about to take place. (54th chapter of Shalya Parva).

इन्द्रोऽग्निरर्यमा चैव यत्र प्राक्प्रीतिमाप्नुवन् । तं देशं कारपचनाद्यमुनायां जगाम ह ॥

स्नात्वा तत्रापि धर्मात्मा परां तुष्टिमवाप्य च । ऋषिभिश्चैव सिद्धैश्च सहितो वै महाबलः ॥

उपविष्टः कथाः शुभ्राः शुश्राव यदुपुङ्गवः ॥

From Karavapana he proceeded to that spot on the Yamuna where in days of yore Indra and Agni and Aryaman had obtained great happiness. Bathing there, that bull of Yadu's race, of righteous soul, obtained great happiness. The hero then sat himself down with the Rishis and the Siddhas there for listening to their excellent talk. There where Rama sat in the midst of that conclave, the adorable Rishi Narada came (in course of his wandering). Covered with matted locks and attired in golden rays, he bore in his hands, O king, a staff made of gold and a waterpot made of the same precious metal. Accomplished in song and dance and adored by gods and Brahmanas, he had with him a beautiful Vina of melodious notes, made of the tortoise-shell. A provoker of quarrels and ever fond of quarrels, the celestial Rishi came to that spot where the handsome Rama was resting.

स तुद्यमानो बलवान्वाग्भी राम समन्ततः । उत्थितः प्राग्घ्रदाद्वीरः प्रगृह्य महतीं गदाम् ॥

स चाप्युपगतो युद्धं भीमेन सह साम्प्रतम् । भविष्यति च तत्सद्यस्तयो राम सुदारुणम् ॥

यदि कौतूहलं तेऽस्ति व्रज माधव मा चिरम् । पश्य युद्धं महाघोरं शिष्ययोर्यदि मन्यसे ॥

While lying stretched for rest at the bottom of the lake after stupefying its waters, Duryodhana was approached by the Pandavas with Krishna and pierced by them with their cruel words. Pierced with wordy darts, O Rama, from every side, the mighty and heroic Duryodhana hath risen from the lake armed with his heavy mace. He hath come forward for fighting Bhima for the present.

After hearing that news, Balarama came down from a hill named Plakshasravana and ascended his chariot and came to Kurukshetra. 

The distance between Yamuna and Kurukshetra is about 450 Km, as per present geographical positions.

When the battle is about to happen, how can Balarama travel such a long distance so quickly and reached there? It is nothing but an interpolated story.

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This interpolated episode was inserted by someone else at a later date, to narrate the greatness of various Tirtha Kshetras (35th Chapter to 54th Chapter of Shalya Parva), which has no relevance to the Mahabharata story.