17
votes
Accepted
Is Balarama an Avatar of Vishnu or Adiseshan (or both)?
The reason that Balarama is called an incarnation (avatara) of Vishnu is that the serpent Adiseshan is himself a form of Vishnu. Here is how Balarama's birth is described in the Srimad Bhagavatam:
...
- 94.9k
15
votes
Accepted
Who gave weapons to Shri Krishna and Balarama and how?
The story is described in the Adi Parva of the Mahabharata. A king named Shwetaki had once conducted a Yagna (fire-ritual) for twelve years, and having consumed all the ghee (clarified butter) that ...
- 94.9k
10
votes
Why did Balarama favor Duryodhana?
As per Mahabharat Tatparya Nirnaya of Madhavacharya, it was because Balarama had come under the influence of kali and had deviated from bhagavata dharam. The reason he deviated from dharma was because ...
- 26.4k
9
votes
Does Balarama ever regret killing Romaharshana?
It looks like Balarama was aware of His divinity. Balarama is avatar of Adishesha who is Lord Vishnu Himself. So, it's like Lord Vishnu killing Romaharshana. Even it is virtuous or a boon to get ...
- 30.5k
8
votes
Accepted
Does Balarama ever regret killing Romaharshana?
Markandeya Purana chapter 6 states that BalaRama repents for killing Suta. It states:
Suta, being slain, attained to the dignity of Brahma; and all the twice-born, clad in antelope skin, went away ...
- 46.3k
7
votes
Who gave weapons to Shri Krishna and Balarama and how?
@Keshav Your answer describes how Krsna obtained his Sudarshana and Kaumodaki, which are of course his main weapons. But apart from these two, Srimad Bhagavatam describes how they got most of their ...
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5
votes
Difference in height of people in different yugas
I am providing answer related to heights of humans in different yuga only
In the Skanda Purana, while explaining the greatness of the Yugas, their extent and special features, Brhaspati told the ...
- 30k
5
votes
Where does Adisesha live? In Patala loka or in Vaikuntha or underneath the earth holding it?
Adishesha lies on the Garbhodaka Ocean. This universe lies inside Hiranyagarbh which also has 14 planetary systems. Beneath the 14 planetary system is the cosmic ocean known as Garbhodaka ocean.
...
- 5,132
4
votes
Worship of combined deities of "Krishna, Balarama, and Subhadra" as in Jagannath Puri?
Yes, there is. Again in Orissa:
Ananta Vasudeva Temple
From page 31 of the book, The History of Medieval Vaishnavism in Orissa:
Anangabhima III's daughter Chandrika was devoted to Vishnu and she ...
- 2,309
3
votes
Accepted
Who is Lord Jagannatha's maternal aunt?
The ancedote of Gundicha devi and Jaggannath blessing her is a Lokachar katha. Thus, I can't exactly provide the referances. Maybe it might be mentioned in Sthala Puranas of Puri.
Still the boon given ...
- 1,783
3
votes
Accepted
How Balram reached Yashoda's house in Vrindavan?
Rohini and other wives of Vasudeva used to live at the home of Nanda Mahārāja due to fear of Kaṁsa:
The Lord ordered Yoga-māyā:
In that very beautiful land, where many cows reside, Rohiṇī, the wife ...
- 23.3k
3
votes
Is Balrama (Baldeva) mentioned somewhere as VAsudeva (Vaasudeva)?
Balarama is not usually referred to as Vāsudeva, but there is one use of Vāsudeva in the Bhagavad Gita which many commentators interpret as referring to Balarama. Namely verse 10.37:
vṛṣṇīnāṁ ...
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3
votes
Accepted
Why did Lord Balarama not took a participation at any side of in the Kurukshetra Battle in Mahabharata?
why Lord Balarama did not fight on behalf of any side?
The answer is given by Shree Ved Vyasa In Shreemad Bhagavatam . He decided to stay neutral in the war to avoid an awkward situation .
...
- 31.4k
3
votes
Accepted
Is Lord Nityananda the incarnation of Sri Balarama?
According to Chaitanya Charitamrta and Gaudiya Vaishnava view, yes he is:
sei kṛṣṇa navadvīpe śrī-caitanya-candra
sei balarāma saṅge śrī-nityānanda [CC - 1.5.6]
Meaning
That original Lord Kṛṣṇa ...
- 26.4k
2
votes
Is Lord Nityananda the incarnation of Sri Balarama?
In addition to the above answer, there are also a few scriptural injunctions that the Goswamis quote to support that Lord Nityananda is Balaram Himself
Vayu Purana states:
balaramo mamaivamsah, so ...
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2
votes
Is Balarama an Avatar of Vishnu or Adiseshan (or both)?
Balarama is neither.
Kṛṣṇa is clearly shown to be Svayam Bhagavān by Bhāgavatām whose feet are
respected hundreds of times by all other scriptures, with the help of other texts
such as Gītā, Gopāla-...
- 4,043
2
votes
Why do some temples show Balarama as 8th avatar of vishnu
To add to the other answer which cites Srimad Bhagavatam mentioning that " the Lord advented Himself as Lord Balarama", another source which might probably explain why you saw Balrama as 8th avatar of ...
- 134
1
vote
Why Lord Balarāma is referred as 'Palm-tree bannered'? Is he 'palm-bannered (Tāla-dhvaja)' or 'plough-bannered (Sīrā-dhvaja)'?
Lord Balarama has Plough and Club for his two weapons. His club is called Sunanda. He used it to kill Rukmi,
fight Dvivida Gorilla
and Jarasandha forces.
He used Plough
to grab Balvala demon,
also to ...
- 49
1
vote
When did Mainda and Dvivida drink Amrita with the permission of Brahma?
A Partial answer.
In Vishnu Purana, it was mentioned that Naraka had a friend of exceeding prowess in the monkey named Dwivida, a great Asura. Balarama eliminates that asura Dwivida.
The great Asura,...
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1
vote
How is Rukmi's killing by Balarama justified?
Short Answer:
I think, in this case, the answer is very simple: Rukmī's (goddess Rukmiṇī's brother), murder at the hands of Lord Balarāma wasn't justified, at least not from vyāvahārika level ...
- 11.6k
1
vote
How is Rukmi's killing by Balarama justified?
This is best explained through Manusmriti 2.12
vedaḥ smṛtiḥ sadācāraḥ svasya ca priyamātmanaḥ |
etaccaturvidhaṃ prāhuḥ sākṣād dharmasya lakṣaṇam || 12 ||
The Veda, the Smṛti, the Practice of ...
- 4,588
1
vote
What is the purpose of Balarama's avatara?
It is same as Krishna's purpose. To remove the burden of the world.
ekonaviṁśe viṁśatime vṛṣṇiṣu prāpya janmanī rāma-kṛṣṇāv iti bhuvo
bhagavān aharad bharam
In the nineteenth and twentieth ...
- 4,043
1
vote
What is the purpose of Balarama's avatara?
Namaste
Avatar purush when they take birth, they bring their supplementary ecosystem also. In Ramayana, brother Laxmana is shown suspicious or apprehensive of schemy step mother Kaikeyi & her ...
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1
vote
Is Balarama an Avatar of Vishnu or Adiseshan (or both)?
https://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/m01/m01068.htm
Sambhava Parva of Adi Parva describes the incarnation of gods on earth.
And he, called Vasudeva, endued with great valour, was among men a portion of ...
- 2,755
1
vote
Who gave weapons to Shri Krishna and Balarama and how?
There are many stories in which it is said Shiva or Agni gifted Sudarshana Chakra to Krishna/Vishnu, but in reality it is not the case. All the weapons are Krishna's eternal property and his weapons ...
- 279
1
vote
Why did Balarama favor Duryodhana?
Balarama did not always favor Duryodhana. It is explained in Vana Parva SECTION CXIX that Balarama favored Yudhishthira.
Then Valarama, resembling in hue the milk of the cow and the Kunda flower and ...
- 2,755
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