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Isnβt it interesting to think of Lord Krishna having an elder brother or siblings, like we call them (Balarama and His other five brothers killed by Kamsa), or even a sister (Yoga Maya and Subhadra Devi born to Rohini Devi)? It is very interesting to see that even the Lord loves to relish such interesting pastimes where he takes on such positions. However, this concept shouldnβt be looked at merely with our mundane eyes and think of the Lord as just ordinary.
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There are other pastimes of the Lord where He has other siblings, like the pastimes of Lord Jagannatha and Lord Ramacandra, just to name the ones we are most familiar with. So, during the dwapara yuga, Lord Krishna adventured himself along with his brother, Lord Balarama, who is an incarnation of Lord Vishnu himself. He is said to be the Lordβs second body, and they are both one and the same, although they differ in form. Balarama is the first bodily expansion of Krishna, and he assists in Lord Krishnaβs transcendental pastimes. He is the source of the entire spiritual world and is the adi-guru, the original spiritual master.
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One of the most notable qualities of Lord Balarama is his strength, and he is often depicted as carrying a plough. Krishna declared that Balaram would be βthe source of all spiritual power, or Bala, through which one can attain the highest bliss of life, which is called Ramaa. Thus, we pray to Balaram for the spiritual strength to keep us going on our paths and the spiritual happiness that gives us the determination to stick to them no matter the distractions of this material world. He assumes five other forms to serve Lord Krishna. He Himself helps in the pastimes of Lord Krishna, and He does the work of creation in four other forms called the catur-vyuha (four-armed) forms known as Vasudeva, Sankarshana, Pradyumna, and Anirudha. 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. In all the forms, he tastes the transcendental bliss of serving Krishna. No one can approach Krishna without first seeking the mercy of Baladeva.
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Another quality that Lord Balarama is known for is His loyalty and devotion. He is always depicted as being a loyal and devoted brother and friend of Lord Krishna, and he is often seen by his side as a trusted companion. We can easily tell how kind Lord Balaram is, and not to forget that this same Balarama is our very dear Lord Nityanada, who is more merciful than Krishna Himself. All those seeking a little opportunity to serve Krishna should approach Lord Nityanada Balaram with humility, and thus He is ever ready to grant us a little helping hand in our endeavours.
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May our approach to serving Krishna be blessed by the merciful glance of Nityananda Balarama.
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