The Story of Balarama: Krishna’s Brother and an Avatar of Shesha

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Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krishna, is known for his immense strength, unwavering devotion to dharma, and deep connection to agriculture. His life teaches us the values of duty, righteousness, and the balance between strength and compassion.

Characters in the story:

Lord Krishna: Lord Krishna is one of the most popular and revered deities in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is known for his divine teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and for his role in the epic Mahabharata.

Balaram: Balarama is the elder brother of Lord Krishna and an avatar of the serpent god Adishesha. He is known for his strength, courage, and loyalty, and is revered as a symbol of brotherly love and devotion.

Vasudeva: Vasudev is the father of Lord Krishna and a key player in his divine incarnation.

Devaki: Devaki is the mother of Lord Krishna, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism. She was the wife of Vasudeva and the sister of Kansa, the king of Mathura.

Bhima: Bhima also known as Bhimasena is one of the most prominent figures in Mahabharata, renowned for his incredible strength, fierce loyalty. As the second of the five Pandava brothers, Bhima was born to Kunti—the wife of King Pandu—through the blessings of Vayu, the wind god.

Balarama, also known as Baladeva or Balabhadra, was the elder brother of Lord Krishna. He was known for his great strength, kindness, and loyalty to dharma (righteousness). Balarama is believed to be an incarnation of Shesha, the divine serpent who supports Lord Vishnu.

Balarama’s Birth

Balarama was born to Vasudeva and Devaki, but due to the evil King Kamsa, he was miraculously transferred to the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva. This was done to protect him from Kamsa, who wanted to kill all the children of Devaki. Because of this, Balarama is also called “Rohini-putra” (son of Rohini).

Balarama’s Childhood in Vrindavan

Balarama grew up in the village of Vrindavan, alongside Krishna. He was very strong and loved farming. He is often shown holding a plow, which represents his connection to agriculture.

Some of his famous childhood adventures include:

Defeating the Demon Dhenukasura: A powerful demon named Dhenukasura lived in the Talavana forest in the form of a donkey. Balarama used his great strength to defeat him and free the forest.

Helping Krishna: Balarama always stood by Krishna’s side and helped him protect Vrindavan from many demons.

Protecting the Cows and People: He loved the cows and the people of Vrindavan and protected them from all dangers.

Balarama and the Mahabharata

Balarama played an important role in the Mahabharata. He was a great teacher of mace fighting (gada-yuddha) and taught both Duryodhana and Bhima how to fight with maces.

When the great war of Kurukshetra started, Balarama did not take sides. Unlike Krishna, who supported the Pandavas, Balarama remained neutral and went on a long pilgrimage instead. He believed in peace and did not want to fight in the war.

Balarama’s Anger at Bhima

At the end of the war, Balarama was angry when Bhima unfairly struck Duryodhana on his thigh, breaking the rules of mace fighting. He felt that Bhima had acted dishonorably and wanted to punish him. However, Krishna convinced Balarama that Bhima did what was necessary to end Duryodhana’s tyranny and that dharma sometimes requires difficult choices. Krishna’s wisdom calmed Balarama, and he accepted the outcome.

Balarama’s Marriage

Balarama married Princess Revati. She belonged to an earlier time period, so Balarama used his divine power to adjust her age and make her suitable for marriage. They had a happy life together in the city of Dwaraka.

Balarama’s Strength and Teachings

Balarama is known as a symbol of:

Strength: He was very powerful and always used his strength for good.

Duty: He believed in following his duties and always did what was right.

Farming: He loved agriculture and encouraged people to work hard and grow food.

The End of Balarama’s Life

After the great war and the destruction of the Yadava dynasty, Balarama decided to leave the world. He sat in deep meditation and his soul left his body, merging with the ocean. It is believed that he returned to his original form as Shesha, the divine serpent.

Balarama’s life teaches us the importance of strength, duty, and loyalty. While Krishna was playful and clever, Balarama was simple, honest, and strong. He is worshiped as a protector and a guide who teaches us to live with discipline and kindness.

Balarama’s story inspires us to be strong, do our duties, and always stand by what is right.

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