Balaram, the elder brother of Sri Krishna, is a warrior deity unlike any other—his weapon of choice is not a sword or discus but a mighty plough. From being an incarnation of Adi Shesha to his role in Mahabharata and ancient Indian art, this blog unearths his powerful yet lesser-known stories from Puranas, coins, and cave paintings.
Vishnu has Sudarshan, Shiva his Trishula, and goddess Durga her mighty ten weapons. But there is one Hindu god who chose something different- a plough or Hala. The elder brother of Sri Krishna, one of the Yadu-Kula warriors and a deity associated with farming, fertility, and power, Balaram while accompanying Krishna from the beginning of his Lilas, is still a lesser-known figure in Hindu traditions.
Here, we look at the stories of Balaram from Puranas and Mahabharata, where he appears as an incarnation of Adi Shesha, ansha avatar or partial incarnation of Vishnu, or in some sources such as the Saura Purana (a Upapurana), one of the Dashavatara or ten incarnations of Vishnu-Narayana.
An integral part of Balaram’s iconography is his plough or Hala, which is often mentioned in the stories of his prowess and valor. Due to this unique choice of weapon, Balaram is often called Haladhara or Halayudha- “he who has the plough as his aayudha or armament”.
The stories of Balaram are most commonly included in the Mahabharata, Vishnu Purana, and the Bhagavata Purana. However, there are other sources, which describe him as a powerful deity, underlining the importance of Balaram in the ancient culture of India.
✔️The Arthashastra of Kautilya is one such work, that mentions the followers of Balaram as ascetics who shave their heads. Balaram or Balabhadra is also exalted as one of the Pancha-vira or five warrior-heroes of the Vrishni clan (Vasudeva, Samkarshana or Balaram, Pradyumna, Samba, and Anirudha) who had strong cultic following in and around Mathura.
✔️While the Puranas often mention him as part or complete incarnation of Vishnu, sometimes of Adishesha, in texts such as Jayadeva’s Gita Govinda, Balaram is seen as one of the Dashavatara- ten incarnations of Vishnu.
✔️Images and statues of Balaram are discovered in several early Indian sites such as Mathura, Guntur, and Madhya Pradesh, sometimes alone, while at times being accompanied by Krishna-Vasudeva and his sister Subhadra or Eknamsha. Tikla, a site in Madhya Pradesh contains a rare display of 3rd-2nd century BCE cave paintings, depicting the three deities together, whose triad later went on to be the center of devotion in Jagannath Puri.
✔️Not just within the Indian traditions, the popularity of Balaram due to his warrior spirit which resonates with dynasties and people all over the world, traveled to the Indo-Greek empire, whose coins bear the image of Balaram, with inscriptions etched in Greek.
The story of Balaram begins before Krishna. The elder brother of the dark-skinned god, Balaram was born from the womb of Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva. Devaki and Vasudeva were locked in the jail of Kansa, who was threatening to kill all their children. But the divine plan could not be erased. Not only was Balaram protected, but he was safely taken to the house of Nanda, whose wife Rohini, the wife of Vasudeva became the mother of Balaram.
He was carried by the goddess Yogamaya from Devaki and placed in Rohini. This act of “taking away” or “pulling from” (the womb), gave Balaram the name- “Samkarshana”. There, he awaited the arrival of his younger brother and the avatar of Vishnu- Krishna.
The sacred Purana narrates the story of Balaram and sage Garg, who visited the home of Nanda, where Rohini was taking refuge while Nanda and Devaki were in prison. There, he saw the lovely son of Rohini and named him “Ram”, as looking at him was the source of bliss for others. Due to his legendary strength or “Bala”, he came to be known as Balaram.
Another popular name associated with Balaram is Samkarshana- “he who is pulled” or “he who pulls or ploughs”. The name could be directly linked to his weapon- the plough. However, another view is that since Balaram was able to attract or pull the warriors of the Yadu clan to follow his instructions, he was called Samkarshana.
The powerful and beautiful brother of Krishna, Balaram is known in the Puranas as a fearless and wise warrior. Always standing with his younger brother as his shadow (just like the Shesha serpent shadowed Vishnu, whose incarnation is Balaram according to Puranas), Balaram fought with several demons sent by Kansa to kill Krishna.
Some of the most popular battles he had was with-
✔️Dhenukasura- The donkey-shaped demon attacked the Gopas and Krishna in the forests, and was slain by Balaram.
✔️Pralamba- The asura transformed as a Gopa (cowherd boy) joined Krishna and Balaram and tried to abduct them, but was defeated by Balaram.
✔️Mushtika- A wrestler under Kansa, he was defeated by Balaram in a duel.
Throughout his childhood, his time with Krishna as a student in Guru Sandipani’s ashram in Ujjain, and later life, Balaram engaged in battles, festivities, and challenges, excelling in each point of his life with his wit and valor.
The Bhagavata and Vishnu Purana narrate the story of Balaram’s marriage to Revati, the daughter of King Kakudmi. The intriguing tale takes us from Earth to Brahma-Loka, the home of Brahma, with Kakudmi, who was unable to find a worthy husband for his daughter on earth.
As Brahma was engaged in listening to a musical performance by Gandharvas- Haha and Huhu, Kakudmi had to wait. Time does not move at the same pace on Earth as it does in Brahma Loka. By the time the king got a chance to meet Brahma, ages had passed on earth and he was told by Brahma-” All the worthy men are dead by now.”
After ages, the men on earth were now much shorter and their strength had decreased. Kakudmi was about to lose heart when Brahma told him about Balaram, the warrior brother of Krishna, who would be the perfect match for Revati. Folklores mentioned that since Balaram was shorter than Revati, he pulled her to his size, by tapping her head with his plough!
✔️Revati : The wife of Balaram was revered as a Matrika or mother goddess in ancient times. In the Puranas, she fought against the Asuras to help Skanda (Kartikeya). Devi Bhagavata equates her with Shashthi Devi (Chathi Devi) who is worshipped on the sixth day of a child’s birth and by couples who want to be blessed with children.
Together, Balaram and Revati had Nishastha and Ulmuka, two sons, and Sashirekha or Vatsala, a daughter. As a duo, Balaram (guarding and blessing fields with abundance) and Revati (protecting wombs and children) symbolize creative energy, auspiciousness, and fertility- virtues that have always been at the center of Indian religious traditions.
The warrior with a plough, Balaram taught the art of war to both Duryodhana and Bheema, the Kaurava and Pandava princes, who were ready to face each other in Kurukshetra. Not being able to be impartial in such a situation, Balaram decided to be neutral and not participate in the epic war.
The decision, if we look at it, also represents Balaram’s innate nature as Shesha- the primordial serpent, who represents the residual time that was and will be at the end of each time cycle. Simply put, Shesha/Balaram represents the cosmic nature of time, and Kaala (time) is neutral, existing omnipresently for the sake of supporting all the divine plans.
To stay away from the battlefield, Balaram decided to go on a sacred journey during Mahabharata. One day, during his Yaatra, he reached Naimisharanya, the sacred place where sage Romaharshana was narrating Puranas to an audience of ascetics and devotees. When the gathering saw Balaram, they welcomed him graciously, but Romaharshana did not. Angered by this, Balaram killed the sage with a Kusha (grass).
Since his act could not be reversed, he blessed the son of Romaharshan- Ugrashrava to become a renowned speaker and have a long life. Some sources from Odisha suggest that the sin of killing a sage was later washed off by Balaram by bathing in the Baitarini river, the sacred stream that flows in Jajpur.
Samba, the son of Sri Krishna adored Lakhyana, the daughter of Duryodhana, who did not want the princess to be married to the enemy’s son. When Samba abducted Lakhyana for marriage, Balaram came to his aid and was disrespected by the Kauravas. Enraged at this, he threatened to pull the river Ganga with his plough and drown the capital of Kauravas. Ultimately, Kauravas backed down, and the marriage of Samba and Lakhyana took place, all thanks to the timely intervention of Haladhara.
Anirudha, the grandson of Krishna and Rochana, the granddaughter of Rukmi, brother of Rukmini (Krishna’s wife, whom he had abducted against Rukmi’s will), were to be married, according to an episode from the Bhagavata Purana. During the festivity, Rukmi invited Balaram to a match of dice, who was known for his love of the game.
While the game went on, despite losing, Rukmi refused to agree to his defeat, which caused much anger in Balaram. Finally, infuriated by his lies and the insults Rukmi was aiming at the Yadava clan, Balaram killed him, bringing an end to a long-standing animosity between the two families.
Often evoked as a warrior, Balaram is sometimes mentioned in a sacred context, which highlights his powers as a divine being.
✔️An episode from the Bhagavata describes the awe and joy of Akrura Ji, who was bringing Krishna and Balaram to Mathura when in the waters of Kalindi, he saw a vision- Krishna in the lap of Shesha (Balaram), who had a thousand glistening white hoods.
✔️In the temple legends of Luk-Luk Dauji, a shrine dedicated to Balaram in Vrindavan, his affection and dedication towards Krishna are revealed. The story tells that when Krishna performed his Raas-Lila in the grooves, Balaram, hid (luk, in Hindi, means “hiding”) as a lion behind one tree, and watched the entire Raas from the spot where the temple is situated. This heart-warming story is given a special space in Pushti Maarg tradition, where Luk-Luk Dauji is worshipped as the omnipresent guardian of Srinathji (Krishna).
✔️The Mahabharata and Puranas mention that when Narayana was about to take Krishna's avatar, he plucked two hairs from his head- one white and the other black. Both came to earth and entered the womb of Yadu clan women. The white one became Balaram and the black one came to be known as “Krishna”.
What Balaram is to Krishna-avatar, Lakshman is to Ram-avatar. Both incarnations of Shesha, quite literally shadow Vishnu on earth, ready to follow in his footsteps. Though Lakshman is comparatively more popular due to his appearance as a part of Ram-Darbaar iconography, Balaram plays an equally crucial role in ensuring that Krishna fulfills the purpose for which he came on earth.
Silently, Balaram and Lakshman remain near their brothers throughout their journey. While Lakshman is younger and Balaram is the elder brother to Vishnu’s avatars, they share the anger and spirit of warriors that always remain at the forefront of their characters, and the willingness to become the shield of their brother.
Like Lakshman at the end of Ramayana, Balaram upon realizing that he had achieved his goal, after the battle of Mahabharata and the end of Yadu-kula as arranged by the Lilas of Krishna, went back to Vishnu-Loka. According to beliefs, a place near the Somnath temple is where Balaram left the human realm. People of Veraval, near Somnath, believe that Balaram entered one of the caves in the area and traveled to Paatal. Balaram Temple and Sheshanag Gufa, dedicated to Adi Shesha are located in Veraval, to mark his final moments in the mortal world.
Balarama is primarily depicted as a fair-skinned, muscular deity in contrast to his dark-complexioned brother Krishna. His iconography varies across different traditions, but certain features remain constant:
✔️Plough (Hala): His primary attribute, symbolizes agriculture, fertility, and strength.
✔️Mace (Gada): Denotes his warrior-like nature and protection of dharma.
✔️Blue Garments and Serpentine Motifs: Often associated with Shesha, he is depicted wearing blue robes and sometimes a serpent hood over his head.
✔️Ellora and Ajanta Caves feature some of the oldest representations of Balarama.
✔️Temples in Odisha and Tamil Nadu showcase his images in a standing posture holding a plow.
✔️Coins from the Indo-Greek period depict Balarama holding a plow, indicating his worship during the early centuries CE.
While Krishna temples are abundant, Balarama is worshipped primarily in select regions:
✔️Dauji Temple (Mathura, Uttar Pradesh): One of the most significant Balarama temples.
✔️Balarama Temple (Puri, Odisha): Located near the famous Jagannath Temple, it emphasizes his role as Krishna’s elder brother.
✔️Balarama Temple (Ganjam, Odisha): A major pilgrimage site where he is venerated separately.
✔️Revati-Balarama Temple (Dwarka, Gujarat): Dedicated to his divine consort and himself.
Balarama is the god of strength, agriculture, and abundance of fields. The brother of Sri Krishna is often depicted wielding a plough.
Balarama killed the demon Dhenukasura, who had taken the form of a donkey, and terrorized the Talavana forest, preventing the residents of Vrindavan from enjoying the delicious fruits of the forest.
Sage Gargacharya, the family priest of the Yadavas, named him "Balarama," which is made up of two parts- Rama (he who brings bliss) and Bala (powerful)- signifying the charm and valor of the god.
Yes, Balarama is considered the eighth avatar of Vishnu in some traditions, while others believe he is an incarnation of Shesha, the divine serpent.
Balarama chose to remain neutral in the Kurukshetra war. He left on a pilgrimage during the battle, disapproving of the bloodshed between the Pandavas and Kauravas, both of whom were close to him.
Balarama was born to Vasudeva and Rohini. He was transferred mystically from Devaki’s womb to Rohini’s by divine intervention to protect him from Kansa.
Balarama married Revati, the daughter of King Kakudmi.
Devaki was Balarama’s biological mother, but he was transferred to Rohini’s womb by divine will. Thus, Rohini is considered his foster mother.
Balaram Purnima, also known as Balarama Jayanti, celebrates the birth of Balarama. It falls on the full moon day of the Shravana month in the Hindu calendar.
Balarama admired Duryodhana’s mastery in mace fighting, being his teacher. However, believing the war was unjust, he refrained from supporting either side in the battle.
Balaram Mandir is located in Vrindavan, Uttar Pradesh. Other temples of Balaram are in Gujarat and Odisha, where Balaram is worshipped with Revati, Krishna, and Subhadra.
As the moon is hidden by the dark clouds but always remains in their vicinity, beautifying the charm of the night sky, Balaram is usually shrouded by the Lilas of Krishna, during all of which, he was, his constant companion. This connection between Krishna and Balaram is beyond childhood plays and battlefields. In the Bhagavad Gita and Puranas, Krishna mentions that- “in serpents, I am Adi Shesha”, a direct reference to the connection between Vishnu and Shesha. If we follow the philosophy of Advaita, Shesha and Sheshashayi (Vishnu) are not two but one- an idea that echoes in various episodes of Krishna-Balaram stories.
1. BALARAMA: CHANGE AND CONTINUITY IN AN EARLY INDIAN CULT, LAVANYA VEMSANI (D Phil Thesis, McMaster University © Copyright by Lavanya Vemsani, December, 2004)
2. Lord Balarama Er. Nirakar Mahalik in Orissa Review July 2010
3. Balabhadra Upasana and Tulasi Kshetra BY: ER. NIRAKAR MAHALIK
Your email address will not be published *
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist