Deity

Balarama

बलरामBalarāma

Also called Balram

verses
2,048
books
22
chapters
545
Avatar of
Vishnu
Sibling of
Sri 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.

    • 10.79.3

      Iblis besar itu menyerupai gumpalan karbon hitam. Jambul dan janggutnya seperti tembaga cair, dan wajahnya mempunyai taring yang mengerikan dan kening yang berkerut. Apabila melihatnya, Dewa Balarama teringat akan gada-Nya, yang…

    • 10.65.1

      Śukadeva berkata: Wahai yang terbaik di antara kaum Kuru, Tuhan Balarāma, rindu untuk bertemu sahabat-sahabat yang berhati baik, menaiki kereta dan berangkat ke Nanda Gokula.

    • 10.68.14

      Namun Śrī Rāma (Balarāma) menenangkan para wira Vṛṣṇi yang sudah bersenjata lengkap. Baginda yang menghapus kekotoran Kali tidak menghendaki pertelingkahan antara Kuru dan Vṛṣṇi.

    • 16.5.6

      Kemudian, melihat Babhru terbunuh, Krsna bersabda kepada abangnya: "Wahai Rama, tunggulah aku di sini, sehingga aku menyerahkan para wanita itu di bawah perlindungan dan kawalan sanak saudara mereka."

    • 9.59.22

      Sañjaya berkata: “Wahai tuan rakyat, meskipun telah mendengar hujah Keśava—suatu helah yang diselubungi atas nama dharma—Rāma tetap tidak berkenan di hati, lalu berkata di balairung.”

    • 9.53.1

      Vaiśaṃpāyana berkata: Kemudian, setelah melihat Kurukṣetra dan membahagikan sedekah serta anugerah, wahai Janamejaya, Sang Sātvata (Balarāma) pun pergi menuju sebuah āśrama yang amat besar lagi gemilang.

    • 3.1.19.6

      Di sini, dengan mandi suci di Lakṣmaṇa-tīrtha serta bersembah-bhakti kepada Lakṣmaṇeśvara, seseorang dibebaskan daripada kemiskinan, penyakit, bahkan belenggu saṁsāra. Wahai para brāhmaṇa, pada zaman dahulu Balabhadra juga terlepas…

    • 1.2.39.33

      Di sana, Dewi Pelindung berdiri dikelilingi oleh krore demi krore para dewi. Dan api yang membakar—didorong oleh hembusan nafas Saṅkarṣaṇa—bergerak maju sebagai nyala yang melahap.

    • 1.2.42.187

      Sembah sujud kepada-Mu, Bhagavān Vāsudeva—kepada-Mu kami bermeditasi. Sembah sujud kepada Pradyumna dan Aniruddha, serta kepada Saṅkarṣaṇa juga.

    • 192.3

      Setelah ia menyampaikan salam dengan baik kepada Balarama dan Kesawa, mereka segera masuk, membawanya ke kediaman mereka sendiri.

    • 208.1

      Para resi berkata: Kami ingin mendengar lebih lanjut tentang Balabhadra yang bijaksana. Wahai resi, silakan jelaskan kepada kami keperkasaan dan kepahlawanannya.

    • 201.9

      Wahai para brahmin, untuk perkahwinan baginda, Balarāma dan Yādava lainnya pergi bersama Hari ke bandar Rukmin yang bernama Bhojakaṭa.

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