Deity

Balarama

बलरामBalarāma

Also called Balram

verses
2,048
books
22
chapters
545
Avatar of
Vishnu
Sibling of
Krishna
Consort of
Revati
Child of
Rohini

What the texts say

In the Bhagavata Purana, Balarama is the son of Rohini and the elder brother of Krishna. Bhagavatam 10.36.17, 10.43.30 The Mahabharata describes Balarama as a portion of the serpent Shesha. Mahabharata 1.61.91 The Bhagavata Purana says that because he was sent from the womb of Devaki, Krishna's mother, to the womb of Rohini, Balarama is celebrated as Sankarshana, one of his names. Bhagavatam 10.2.13 In the same Purana, Balarama seizes the demon Dhenuka and throws him into a palm tree, and he kills the demon Pralamba as well. Bhagavatam 10.15.32, 10.18.30 In the Vishnu Purana, Balarama takes as his wife Revati, daughter of King Raivata. Vishnu Purana 5.25.19, 4.1.73 In the Mahabharata, the warriors Bhima and Duryodhana are both pupils of Balarama in mace-combat. Mahabharata 9.54.23 The Bhagavata Purana tells how Balarama dragged the river Yamuna with his plough, and her many channels can still be seen. Bhagavatam 10.65.24, 10.65.33

Where to read

Every verse that names Balarama, book by book.

  1. Bhagavatam

    635 verses · 109 chapters

    All 635 verses in the Bhagavatam
    • 10.79.3

      Woh rakshas bahut bada tha, kala kaayla jaisa. Uske baal aur daadhi tambe jaisi chamak rahi thi. Uske daant aur chehra bahut daraavna tha. Balarama ne use dekha. Unhone apna gada yaad kiya jo dushmanon ki fauj ko tod deta hai. Aur hal ki…

    • 10.65.1

      Shukdevji ne kaha, Kuru vansh ke sabse bade, Balaram apni rath pe baith kar Nanda Gokul chale gaye. Unko apne doston se milne ka bahut dil kar raha tha.

    • 10.68.14

      Lekin Balaram ne unhe samjhaya. Yadav ke bade logon ne apna armor pehan liya tha, lekin Balaram ne unhe roka. Kali ka dosh mitane wale ko yeh ladai pasand nahi thi. Kurus aur Yadav aapas mein lad jayein, yeh accha nahi tha.

  2. Mahabharata

    300 verses · 95 chapters

    All 300 verses in the Mahabharata

    Also in the Gita Press edition: 445 verses

    • 16.5.6

      Babhru ko mara hua dekh ke Krishna ne apne bade bhai se kaha. Ruk jao yahin mera intezaar karo. Jab tak main in auraton ko unke logon ke hawaale karta hoon, tab tak rukna.

    • 9.59.22

      Sanjay ne kaha, logon ke raja, Keshav ne jo samjhaya usme dharam ka ek tarah ka chal tha. Ram yeh sun ke khush nahi hue. Unhone sabke saamne bol diya.

    • 9.53.1

      Vaishampayan ne kaha. Phir Balaram ne Kurukshetra dekha. Usne logon ko daan diya. Phir woh ek bade achhe ashram mein gaya, Janamejay.

  3. Skanda Purana

    295 verses · 87 chapters

    All 295 verses in the Skanda Purana
    • 3.1.19.6

      Yahan Lakshman Tirth mein naha ke aur Lakshmaneshwar ki puja karke insaan garibi aur bimari se azaad ho jaata hai. Sansaar ke bandhan se bhi chhutkara mil jaata hai. Pehle Balabhadra ne bhi yahi kiya tha. Unse brahmin maarne ka paap khatam…

    • 1.2.39.33

      Wahan raksha karne wali Devi khadi hain. Unke aas-paas kai kharab Deviyan hain. Sankarshan ke saans se aag bhadakti hai, woh aag sab jala deti hai.

    • 1.2.42.187

      Aur bola, Bhagwan Vasudeva ko naman. Hum tumhe yaad karte hain. Pradyumna ko naman. Aniruddha ko naman. Aur Sankarshan ko bhi naman.

  4. Brahma Purana

    211 verses · 50 chapters

    All 211 verses in the Brahma Purana
    • 192.3

      Unhone dono se sahi tarah se hello kiya. Balaram aur Keshav ne use saath liya. Phir turant apne ghar mein chale gaye.

    • 208.1

      Rishiyon ne kaha, hum aur sunna chahte hain. Balabhadra ke baare mein, jo bade samajhdar the. Unki bahaduri aur taakat ke baare mein aap humein bataiye.

    • 201.9

      Pandit log, us ladki ki shaadi ke liye Balaram aur baaki Yadav log Krishna ke saath gaye. Woh log Rukmin ke shehar gaye jiska naam Bhojakata tha.

Also named in

Key chapters

The chapters where Balarama matters most.

  1. Lakṣmaṇa-tīrtha Māhātmya and Balabhadra’s Expiation Narrative

    Skanda Purana 3.1.19 · 48 verses

  2. Balarāma Slays Balvala and Visits Sacred Tīrthas; He Attempts to Stop Bhīma-Duryodhana

    Bhagavatam 10.79 · 28 verses

    Protector of brāhmaṇas and yajña

  3. Chapter 5: Dāruka’s Mission, Balarāma’s Yogic Departure, and Kṛṣṇa’s Niṣkramaṇa

    Mahabharata 16.5 · 8 verses

    First to depart

  4. Balarāma Visits Vraja: Consoling the Gopīs and Dragging the Yamunā

    Bhagavatam 10.65 · 25 verses

    Mediator and protector: expert in sāma (conciliation), he…

  5. Chapter 59: Baladeva’s Censure, Keśava’s Restraint, and Yudhiṣṭhira’s Moral Accounting

    Mahabharata 9.59 · 20 verses

    Custodian of martial code

  6. Balarāma Humbles the Kurus and Rescues Sāmba

    Bhagavatam 10.68 · 19 verses

    Chief mediator and enforcer of dharma

  7. Plakṣaprasravaṇa-Kārapacana tīrtha-varṇana and Nārada’s war briefing (Śalya-parva, Adhyāya 53)

    Mahabharata 9.53 · 19 verses

    Pilgrim-war-witness poised between sacred travel and impending…

  8. Appointment of Pandava Commanders and Balarama’s Counsel

    Mahabharata 5.154 · 17 verses

    Elder Vrishni whose withdrawal dramatizes the war’s moral…

  9. Adhyāya 33: Rauhiṇeya (Balarāma) is welcomed and takes his seat to witness the gadā-engagement

    Mahabharata 9.33 · 16 verses

    Revered elder and guru-figure whose presence sanctifies and…

  10. Kṛṣṇa Slays Kuvalayāpīḍa and Enters Kaṁsa’s Wrestling Arena

    Bhagavatam 10.43 · 15 verses

    Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother and co-hero, embodying strength and…

Key episodes

  1. Yashoda Sees the Universe in Krishna's Mouth

    Bhagavatam 10.8

  2. Brahma Steals the Calves and Cowherd Boys

    Bhagavatam 10.13-10.14

  3. Krishna Kills Kamsa

    Bhagavatam 10.43-10.44

  4. Rukmini's Letter and Krishna's Rescue

    Bhagavatam 10.52-10.54

  5. The Mace Duel: Bhima Breaks Duryodhana's Thigh

    Mahabharata 9.54-9.58

  6. The Destruction of the Yadavas and Krishna's Departure

    Mahabharata 16.1-16.9

Also known to Wikipedia · Wikidata Q1061606