Balarama, the Avatar of Vishnu and Brother of Krishna was born not to Devaki,Mother of Krishna but to Vasudeva’s another wife Rohini.
Devaki, mother of Krishna was imprisoned by her brother Kamsa who vowed to kill her offspring fearing his death at the hands of her eighth child.
English: “Painting of Balarama. He is depicted crowned, two-armed and carrying a plough over his left shoulder. An impression of perspective is provided by a lightly sketched-in foreground. On laid European paper watermarked with a fleur de lys.” (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Bala Rama Devanagari बलराम Sanskrit Transliteration Balarāma Affiliation Avatari of Shesha or Vishnu Weapon Plough, mace Consort Revati.Image Credit.wiki
Vishnu then impregnated the belly of the goddess Devaki with two strands of hair, one black, one white.
To ensure their safety, their essence was transferred before birth to Rohini, who also desired a child.
At birth, Krishna had a darker complexion, while Balarama was born fair.
The other name of Balarama is also Sankarshana, meaning a spirit transferred between two wombs.
‘Devakya Jathare Garbham Shesakhyam
Dham Mamakam,
Tata Sanni Krushya Rohinya Udare
Sanniveshaya’
Bhagavat [10-3-(8-10)]
Shesha which is the abode of Lord
Krishna (Vishnu), took birth as a human in the
form of foetus in the uterus of Devaki.
Goddess Yogamaya had extracted the foetus of Balarama and placed it safely inside the uterus of Rohini,
the second wife of Basudeva. So after birth, his name was Sankarsana.
When the Gargamuni arrived, Nanda Maharaja, received him well and requested the naming ceremony.
Gargamuni then reminded Nanda Maharaja that Kaṁsa was looking for the son of Devaki, and if he performed the ceremony in opulence, it would come to his attention.
Nanda Maharaja therefore askedGargamuni to perform the ceremony in secret, and Gargamuni did so:
Because Balarama, the son of Rohini, increases the transcendental bliss of others, His name is Rama, and because of His extraordinary strength, He is called Baladeva. He attracts the Yadus to follow His instructions, and therefore His name is Sankarshana.
—Bhagavata Purana, 10.8.12
In the Bhagavata Purana, it is described that after Balarama took part in the battle causing the destruction of the remainder of the Yadu dynasty, and
witnessing the disappearance of Krishna, he sat down in a meditative state and departed from this world.
Some scriptures describe a great white snake that left the mouth of Balarama, in reference to his identity as Ananta-Sesha.
The Saura Puran states that –
Matsyah kurmo varaha schah
Narasingho atha vamanah
Ramo Ramascha Krishnascha Buddhah Kalki
Cha Te Dasha 11. 15/25 (Soura Purana)
Matsya (fish), Kurma (Turtle), Baraha (Boar),
Narasingha (man-lion), Vaman (Dwarf-man),
Rama, Balaram, Krishna, Buddha and Kalki are
ten incarnation of Vishnu. Here Balaram is
regarded as Vishnu. Now he is regarded as Debata
or God. So Balarama became (Bala+Deva)
Baladeva. Krishna and Balarama are regarded
as Hari and Hara. Here Balarama is regarded as Lord Siva. Siva is helping Vishnu in every
incarnation like Rama-Laxman in Tretaya Yuga.
In Dwapar Yuga as Krishna-Balarama and in Kali
Yuga they are Jagannath and Balabhadra.
Balarama like Laxamana is a yogi, traveller, silent
worker, renunsation, truthful and Sanyasi as
described in different Puranas.
Vivid descriptions are known to us about the Birth of Lord Krishna in the prison of Kamsa in the dead of the night on Ahstami Thithi,Rohini Nakshtra to an extent that even Krishna’s date of Birth has been determined.
Lord Vishnu is said to be Brahma Swarupam and is Beyond Birth ,Death and is Indescribable(Avyakthan)
While going through the Bhagavad Gita Chapter 49 (read the Gita daily, a Chapter a Day first thing in the morning for the past 10 years-every day I get new insights and new doubts!)
When I read the 7th Sloka where Krishna uses the word ‘srujaami’ meaning ‘reveal’ while describing how he is born time and again, I had this doubt.
How come, then, He was said to be born of Devaki?
The use of the word ‘srujaami’ means revealing and not born and I know the Bhagavad Gita is very careful in choosing words.
Lord Krishna’s Birth
So I started checking Srimad Bhagavatham which describes the birth of Lord Krishna in detail.
To my surprise I found that Lord Krishna was not born to Devaki as mortals would from the Womb for He is Ayonijan(One who does not stay in the Womb)
This is what the Bhagavatham says of Lord Krishna’s Birth,
” Thereafter, at the auspicious time for the appearance of the Lord, the entire universe was surcharged with all the qualities of goodness, beauty and peace. The constellation Rohiṇī appeared, as did stars like Aśvinī. The sun, the moon and the other stars and planets were very peaceful. All directions appeared extremely pleasing, and the beautiful stars twinkled in the cloudless sky. Decorated with towns, villages, mines and pasturing grounds, the earth seemed all-auspicious. The rivers flowed with clear water, and the lakes and vast reservoirs, full of lilies and lotuses, were extraordinarily beautiful. In the trees and green plants, full of flowers and leaves, pleasing to the eyes, birds like cuckoos and swarms of bees began chanting with sweet voices for the sake of the demigods. A pure breeze began to blow, pleasing the sense of touch and bearing the aroma of flowers, and when the brāhmaṇas engaging in ritualistic ceremonies ignited their fires according to Vedic principles, the fires burned steadily, undisturbed by the breeze. Thus when the birthless Lord Viṣṇu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was about to appear, the saints and brāhmaṇas, who had always been disturbed by demons like Kaḿsa and his men, felt peace within the core of their hearts, and kettledrums simultaneously vibrated from the upper planetary system..
Vasudeva then saw the newborn child, who had very wonderful lotuslike eyes and who bore in His four hands the four weapons śańkha, cakra, gadā andpadma. On His chest was the mark of Śrīvatsa and on His neck the brilliant Kaustubha gem. Dressed in yellow, His body blackish like a dense cloud, His scattered hair fully grown, and His helmet and earrings sparkling uncommonly with the valuable gem Vaidūrya, the child, decorated with a brilliant belt, armlets, bangles and other ornaments, appeared very wonderful.
O Madhusūdana, because of Your appearance, I am becoming more and more anxious in fear of Kaḿsa. Therefore, please arrange for that sinful Kaḿsa to be unable to understand that You have taken birth from my womb.
SB 10.3.40: After you received that benediction and I disappeared, you engaged yourselves in sex to have a son like Me, and I fulfilled your desire.
SB 10.3.41: Since I found no one else as highly elevated as you in simplicity and other qualities of good character, I appeared in this world as Pṛśnigarbha, or one who is celebrated as having taken birth from Pṛśni.
SB 10.3.42: In the next millennium, I again appeared from the two of you, who appeared as My mother, Aditi, and My father, Kaśyapa. I was known as Upendra, and because of being a dwarf, I was also known as Vāmana.
SB 10.3.43: O supremely chaste mother, I, the same personality, have now appeared of you both as your son for the third time. Take My words as the truth.
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