Balarama
Balarama (Sanskrit: बलराम, IAST: Balarāma) is a Hindu god. The elder brother of Vāsudeva-Krishna he is described in the Bhagavata Purana as the highest form of divinity that expanded into Vishnu and creation. He is particularly significant in the Jagannath tradition, as one of the triad deities. He is also known as Haladhara, Halayudha, Baladeva, Balabhadra, and Sankarshana.
| Balarama | |
|---|---|
God of Agriculture and Strength | |
| Member of Dashavatara | |
Balarama, brother of Krishna | |
| Affiliation | Avatar of Shesha in Bhagavata Vaishnavism; eighth avatar of Vishnu in some Vaishnava traditions |
| Abode | Vaikuntha, Patala, Vrindavan |
| Weapon | Plough, Mace |
| Festivals | Balarama Jayanti, Ratha Yatra |
| Personal information | |
| Born | |
| Parents | |
| Siblings | Krishna, Subhadra |
| Consort | Revati |
| Children | Nishatha Ulmuka (sons) |
| Dynasty | Yaduvamsha – Chandravamsha |
The first two epithets associate him with hala (langala, "plough") from his strong associations with farming and farmers, as the deity who used farm equipment as weapons when needed, and the next two refer to his strength.
Originally an agri-cultural deity, Balarama is mostly described as an incarnation of Adi Shesha, the serpent associated with the deity Vishnu while some Vaishnava traditions regard him as the eighth avatar of Vishnu, with Jayadeva’s Gitagovinda (c.1200) "incorporat[ing] Balarama into the pantheon" as the eighth of the 10 principal avatars of Vishnu.
Balarama's significance in Indian culture has ancient roots. His image in artwork is dated to around the start of the common era, and in coins dated to the second-century BCE. In Jainism, he is known as Baladeva, and has been a historically significant farmer-related deity.