Lord Balarama
Who is Lord Balarama?
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
Note:: Special thanks to Jaya Tirtha Caran prabhu from NZ for allowing us to use some of the content from his site to compile these pages - http://www.hknet.org.nz
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