Balarama
Elder brother of Krishna, the plough-bearer of Hindu tradition
- Known from
- Mahabharata, Harivamsha, Bhagavata and other Puranas
- Brother
- Krishna
- Wife
- Revati, daughter of King Kakudmi
- Weapons
- Plough (hala) and mace
- Regarded as
- Incarnation of Shesha; in some lists an avatar of Vishnu
Krishna's elder brother, who in the Puranas marries Revati, a bride from an earlier age said to be far taller than people of his time.
What is Balarama known for?
Balarama is the elder brother of Krishna. He is known by epithets such as Haladhara, 'plough-bearer', and is often regarded as an incarnation of Shesha, the serpent of Vishnu; some lists count him among Vishnu's ten avatars. Scholars think he may have begun as an agricultural deity.
In the Mahabharata he teaches mace fighting to both the Pandava Bhima and the Kaurava Duryodhana and stays neutral in their war. In the Puranas he marries Revati, the daughter of King Kakudmi. Kakudmi had taken her to the realm of Brahma to ask advice about a husband, and on returning found that ages had passed on earth, so Brahma sent them to Balarama. A later tradition says Revati was much taller than the people of Balarama's time, and he shortened her with the tip of his plough.
Balarama is a figure of epic and Puranic tradition.
He is the husband chosen for Revati in the Kakudmi story, often cited as an ancient example of time dilation.
Mentioned on these pages
- Rabbit holeKakudmi and Revati
Sources
- The Mahabharata, trans. Kisari Mohan Ganguli, sacred-texts.comPrimary text
- Wikipedia, 'Balarama'Reference
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, 'Mahabharata'Reference
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