Lord Balaram

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LORD BALARAMA is the first personal expansion of Lord Krsna,

the Supreme Personality of Godhead. All other incarnations

expand from Him. In Lord Krsna's pastimes, He plays as Krsna's

older brother. Together Krsna and Balarama enact many pastimes

as cowherd boys in the land of Vrndavana. Lord Balarama carries

a plow and club and is known for His great strength. (See Sri

Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, Chapter 5.)

 

 

Who is Lord Balarama?

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The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all

incarnations. Lord Balarama is His second body. They are both one and the

same identity. They differ only in form. Balarama is the first bodily

expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna's transcendental

pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the

adi-guru, the original spiritual master.

 

He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krishna. He Himself helps in the

pastimes of Lord Krishna, and He does the work of creation in four other

forms called the catur-vyuha (four armed) forms known as Vasudeva,

Sankarshana, Pradyumna and Anirudha. He executes the orders of Lord Krishna

in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Sesa He serves Sri Krishna

in various ways. In all the forms He tastes the transcendental bliss of

serving Krishna. No one can approach Krishna without first getting the mercy

of Baladeva.

 

Descent of Balarama

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Whenever Krishna appears in the material world, He is accompanied by His

associates and paraphernalia. Five thousand years ago when Krishna descended

into the material world, He was first preceded by Baladeva. Only after

Baladeva give His mercy did Krishna descend, such is the intimate

relationship between Krishna and Baladeva.

 

When Baladeva appeared as the seventh child in the womb of Devaki, she could

understand that this was a divine child and this made her all the more

concerned about His safety. Even Kamsa could sense His potency and he became

fearful, thinking he may have been tricked by the prophecy that he will be

slain only by the eight child of Devaki. At this time Krishna instructed

Yogamaya, His internal potency, to transfer the unborn child from the womb

of Devaki to that of Rohini, one of the other wives of Vasudeva, who was

hiding from Kamsa in the house of Nanda Maharaja in Gokul.

 

In this way Balarama was born in Gokul under the protection of Nanda

Maharaja. Garga Muni the venerable kulguru (family priest) of the Yadu

dynasty revealed to Rohini that the child she was carrying was indeed that

of her husband Vasudeva. At the time of the name-giving ceremony he named

the child Rama, one who gives all pleasures. Referring to the immense

strength of the child, Garga Muni predicted that He will also be known as

Balarama (bala meaning strength). Since He was forcibly attracted from the

womb of Devaki to that of Rohini, He was also be called Sankarshana. As the

son of Rohini He was known as Rohini-nandan and as the elder brother of

Krishna He was also called Douji.

 

The form of Lord Balarama

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Powerful Lord Balarama is sixteen years old, full of the luster of youth and

has a fair complexion the color of crystal. He wears blue garments and a

garland of forest flowers. His handsome hair is tied in a graceful topknot.

Splendid earrings adorn His ears and His neck is splendidly decorated with

garlands of flowers and strings of jewels. Splendid armlets and bracelets

ornament Douji's graceful and very strong arms and His feet are decorated

with splendid jeweled anklets.

 

Lord Balarama's beauty is enhanced by the earrings touching His cheeks. His

face is decorated with tilaka made from musk, and His broad chest is

ornamented with a garland of gunja. Balarama’s voice is very grave and His

arms are very long, touching His thighs

 

The splendor of Lord Balarama's transcendental form eclipses many millions

of glistening rising moons, and the slightest scent of His boundless

strength is sufficient to destroy many armies of demons. Although He knows

the supernatural power of His younger brother, Krishna, still, out of love

for Him, He never leaves Krishna alone in the forest even for a moment.

Balarama is Sri Krishna's dearest friend and is a great reservoir of the

nectar mellows of many kinds of transcendental pastimes.

 

Specific Pastimes of Lord Balarama

Balarama slays Dhenukasura

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Dhenukasura was a powerful demon who had assumed the form of an ass. With

his demon friends he was occupying Talavana, one of the twelve forests of

Vrindavana. Out of fear of these demons no one could approach Talavana and

enjoy the numerous flowers and fruits in the forest. Balarama, induced by

His cowherd friends, entered the forest desiring to kill the demons. He

began shaking the fruit trees, making a big noise. Dhenuka, furious at the

intrusion, attacked Balarama with his rear legs, but Balarama easily picked

him up by his legs and whirled him around until he died. As the other demon

friends of Dhenuka rushed to attack, Krishna and Balarama picked them up and

threw them on trees, killing them. Soon the forest was free of all demons,

and it appeared that the bent trees were being directed by Balarama to pay

obeisances to Krishna.

 

Balarama kills Pralambasura

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Once when Krishna and Balarama were playing with the cowherd boys, a demon

named Pralamba entered their midst, disguised as a cowherd boy.

Understanding the invincible potency of Krishna, he instead decided to

abduct Balarama. At the end of the game, as the losing party he was supposed

to carry Balarama on his shoulders. Carrying the Lord on his shoulders he

ran swiftly, but Balarama realizing the true identity of demon began to make

himself heavier and heavier. Unable to bear the weight, the demon assumed

his original form which was like a huge dark effulgent cloud, decorated with

golden ornaments. Balarama then bought His fist down the head of the demon

splitting it into two and causing him to give up his life.

 

Balarama glorified by Krishna

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As the elder brother of Krishna, Balarama was the object of His love and

respect. Once when walking in the forest of Vrindavana, Krishna observed the

trees bending down as if paying obeisances. He glorified the lotus feet of

Balarama as being the object of devotion even for the demigods. He said that

the trees, which were impersonalists in previous life times, witnessing the

personal form of Balarama were now praying for His devotion. At other times

when Balarama would get tired by playing, He would lie down the lap of one

of the cowherd boys and Krishna would personally massage His feet, fan Him

and give Him service. Such was the sweet reciprocation of love between

Krishna and Balarama.

 

Yamuna devi chastised

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Once Lord Balarama, Who was at the time living in Dwarka, came back to stay

in Vrindavana for two months. At this time He enjoyed pastimes with His gopi

friends (who were different from the gopis of Krishna). Enjoying such

pastimes on the bank of Yamuna at Rama-ghata, the Lord summoned Yamuna so

that He could sport in the waters. When Yamuna devi did not respond. Lord

Balarama took up His favorite weapon, His plow, and began to drag Yamuna in

a hundred streams. Understanding the position of Balarama, Yamuna devi

personally appeared and offered her obeisances to the Lord with many prayers

in His glorification. Thus appeased the Lord entered and bathed in the

waters of the river.

 

Kauravas chastised

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Samba, the darling son of Jambavati and Krishna, kidnapped Laksmana the

daughter of Duryodhana from the assembly were she was supposed to choose her

husband. The furious Kauravas after a prolonged fight, finally arrested

Samba by sending in six of their greatest warriors. When the Yadavas heard

of this they prepared for battle but Lord Balarama pacified them, preferring

to find a peaceful solution. However when He requested the Kauravas to

return Samba and Laksmana, the Kauravas responded by insulting Him and the

Yadava dynasty. Understanding them to be ignorant in their false prestige,

Balarama took His plow and began to drag Hastinapura into the Ganges. The

terrified Kauravas now surrendered to the lotus feet of Balarama, begging

for His mercy. They immediately returned Samba and Laksmana and had them

married ceremoniously with many opulent gifts.

 

Balarama marries Revati

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In Satya yuga there was a King named Raivata whose daughter Revati was

excellent in all respects. Unable to find a match suitable for her, the king

took her to the court of Brahma for his advise. After waiting for some time

when the king met with Brahma, he was shocked to learn that in the short

time he spent in the Brahmaloka, millions of years had already passed on

Earth and at the time Dvapara yuga was concluding. However Lord Brahma

informed King Raivata that present at this time was Lord Balarama Who was

more than qualified to be the husband of Revati.

 

King Raivata returned and approached Balarama to accept Revati as His wife.

However Revati belonged to an earlier yuga when people were much larger

physically. So Lord Balarama placed His plow on her head until she shrunk to

an appropriate size and accepted her as His wife.

 

Balarama and Mahabharata

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In general Balarama was equally affectionate to both the Pandavas and the

Kauravas. He accepted both Duryodhana and Bhima as His disciples in the art

of mace-war. As a teacher He appreciated the superior technique of

Duryodhana as opposed to the raw strength of Bhima. At the time of

Mahabharata, He refused to take sides and instead went on an extended

pilgrimage to the holy places. In the battle between Bhima and Duryodhana,

He became angry at Bhima for killing Duryodhana by trickery, but was

appeased by Sri Krishna.

 

Killing of Romaharshana

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Towards the end of Dvapara yuga thousands of sages assembled on the banks of

Naimyasharana to perform a thousand year yajna in an effort to reverse the

onset of Kali yuga. They appointed as their leader Romaharshana, one of the

main disciple of Vyasadeva, who was also present when Sukadeva Goswami

narrated Srimad Bhagavatam to King Parikshit.

 

When Lord Balarama entered the assembly, understanding Him to be the Supreme

Personality of Godhead, all present rose to offer Him respect. However

Romaharshana, proud at occupying the position of the leader did not get up.

Lord Balarama could understand that even though Romaharshana was a an expert

Vedantist, he had not yet realized these teachings. Considering him

unqualified to lead the ceremony, Balarama touched him with a blade of grass

causing him to die. He then instituted Suta, the son of Romaharshana as the

leader of the assembly and continued with His pilgrimage.

 

Mercy of Lord Balarama

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Lord Balarama exemplifies the service attitude to Krishna. His only mission

is to please Krishna by rendering service to Him, whether it is in the

creation of the material worlds, maintaining the spiritual world or as His

personal paraphernalia.

 

Lord Balarama is the eternal companion of Sri Krishna. He came as Lakshmana

with Rama and later as Nityananda Prabhu with Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the

original spiritual master, and any one desiring to make spiritual progress

must first get the mercy of Lord Balarama.

 

All glories to Lord Balarama !!

Reference : Srimad Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto.

 

by salagram.net