This is the most auspicious appearance day of Lord Balarama, the elder brother of Lord Krishna. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, is the fountainhead of all incarnations. Lord Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and He assists in Lord Krishna’s transcendental pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master.
The Supreme Lord Krishna and Lord Balarama, are each the seed and womb of the universe, the Creator and His Creative potency, respectively. They enter the hearts of living beings and control their conditioned awareness. They are the primeval supreme.
Birth
Balaram appeared on the full moon day of Shravana. The history of His appearance is unique. He was born as the seventh son of Devaki and Vasudeva.
Yogamaya transferred Ananta Sesa (Balarama) from the womb of Devaki to the womb of Rohini. Seven months later during the most auspicious moment in Sravana month, Rohini, gave birth to Lord Balarama. His complexion was just like a white lotus flower and He resembled the full moon. His eyes were brilliant like lightning flashes and his hair was the color of a new cloud yet brilliant like the sun. Such extraordinary beauty prevailed because He was none other than the Lord Sankarsana.
He executes the orders of Lord Krishna in the work of creation, and in the form of Lord Sesa He serves Sri Krishna in various ways. He tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Krishna. No one can approach Krishna without first getting the mercy of Baladeva.
Whenever Krishna appears in the material world, He is accompanied by His associates and paraphernalia. When Krishna descended into the material world, He was first preceded by Baladeva. Only after Baladeva gave His mercy did Krishna descend, such is the intimate relationship between Krishna and Baladeva.
Appearance
Lord Balarama is full of the luster of youth and has a fair complexion. He wears blue garments and a garland of forest flowers. His beautiful hair is tied in a graceful topknot. Splendid earrings adorn His ears and His neck is wonderfully decorated with garlands of flowers and strings of jewels. Resplendent armlets and bracelets ornament Balaram’s very strong arms and His feet are decorated with jeweled anklets.
Splendor
The splendor of Lord Balarama’s form eclipses many millions of glistening rising moons, and the slightest scent of His boundless strength is sufficient to destroy many armies of demons. Although He knows the supernatural power of His younger brother, Krishna, still, out of love for Him, He never leaves Krishna alone in the forest even for a moment. Balarama is Sri Krishna’s dearest friend and is a great reservoir of many kinds of divine pastimes.
Mercy of Lord Balarama
Lord Balarama exemplifies the service attitude to Krishna. His only mission is to please Krishna by rendering service to Him, whether it is in the creation of the material worlds, maintaining the spiritual world or as His personal associate. Lord Balarama is the eternal companion of Sri Krishna. He incarnated as Lakshmana with Rama and later as Nityananda Prabhu with Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. He is the original spiritual master, and any one desiring to make spiritual progress must first get the mercy of Lord Balarama. We can never directly approach Krishna, only by the mercy of and through Lord Balaram we can approach the Supreme Lord Krishna. Spiritual master is considered the true representation of Balaram. Thus by following the instructions of the spiritual master and by pleasing him we can get the grace of Krishna.
Comments