Category:Balarama's Hand
Theme Analysis
The transcendental body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is full of meaning, and every limb serves a divine purpose. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Balarāma, the first expansion of Kṛṣṇa, possesses beautifully constructed hands that perfectly execute the will of the Supreme. Theologically, the implements held in Balarāma's hands establish the foundational duties of the vaiśya class. While Kṛṣṇa holds a flute to signify the protection of cows (go-rakṣyā), Lord Balarāma holds a plow to represent the cultivation of agriculture (kṛṣi-rakṣyā). In His expanded forms as the vaibhava-vilāsa, the Lord manifests four hands, each holding specific divine weapons to maintain cosmic order.
During His childhood pastimes in Vṛndāvana, Balarāma's hands were the instruments of pure, sweet joy. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the Supreme Lord crawled on His hands and knees to the delight of Mother Yaśodā, carried binding ropes to milk the cows, held fresh mango twigs and peacock feathers, and mischievously used His hands to pick holes in the yogurt pots of the elder gopīs.
As He matured, those same beautiful hands displayed terrifying, invincible strength against demonic forces. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights how Balarāma locked hand-to-hand in professional wrestling with the giant Muṣṭika, effortlessly picked up Dhenukāsura by the legs with a single hand, and wielded His heavy club against the furious gorilla demon Dvivida. Most dramatically, Balarāma used the plow in His hand to hook the entire city of Hastināpura, dragging it toward the Ganges to chastise the arrogant Kuru dynasty. Despite this terrifying power, Balarāma's hands were equally used for gentle, affectionate exchanges, warmly shaking hands with His equals, friends, and pure devotees like Akrūra.
- Divine Symbols of Duty: Balarāma's plow perfectly symbolizes the agricultural duties of human society, complementing Kṛṣṇa's flute which represents cow protection.
- Childhood Sweetness: In Vṛndāvana, Balarāma used His hands to crawl, carry simple cowherd ropes, and mischievously steal butter, bringing immense pleasure to His devotees.
- Invincible Martial Strength: Balarāma's hands wielded massive weapons like the club and the plow, and possessed the raw physical power to wheel demons into the sky with a single hand.
- Affectionate Social Exchanges: Demonstrating His loving nature, Lord Balarāma warmly shook hands with His pure devotees and intimate friends, exchanging deep spiritual affection.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Balarāma's Hand - Symbols of Duty and Transcendental Strength.
Pages in category "Balarama's Hand"
The following 18 pages are in this category, out of 18 total.
B
- Balarama represents plowing the land for agriculture and therefore always carries in His hand a plow, whereas Krsna tends cows and therefore carries a flute in His hand. Thus the two brothers represent krsi-raksya and go-raksya
- Balarama, Krsna’s vaibhava-prakasa, is eternally situated in Gokula. From the quadruple prabhava-vilasa, twenty-four forms of the vaibhava-vilasa are expanded. Each has four hands holding weapons in different positions
- Being forcibly taken away by Sankhacuda, the damsels of Vraja called out the names of Krsna and Balarama for protection. The two brothers immediately began to follow them, taking up big logs of sala wood in Their hands
- Both (Krsna and Balarama) were the shelter of the goddess of fortune. They had well-constructed bodies, beautiful hands and pleasing faces, and They were as strong as elephants
- Both Balarama and Krsna began to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very pleasingly
H
- He (Balarama) shook hands with those who were His equals in age and friendship and with loud laughing embraced each one of them
- He (Balarama) stood up steadily and, taking His plow in His hand, began striking the earth with it, separating the whole city of Hastinapura from the earth, and then He began to drag the city toward the flowing water of the river Ganges
- He took His club in His hands. The gorilla could understand that now Balarama was going to attack him. To counteract Balarama, he immediately uprooted a big oak tree, and with great force he came and struck Lord Balarama's head
K
- Krsna and Balarama carried binding ropes on Their shoulders and in Their hands, just like ordinary cowherd boys. While milking the cows, the boys bound their hind legs with a small rope
- Krsna and Balarama taught us (the duties of a vaisya) by Their personal behavior. Krsna took care of the cows and played His flute, and Balarama took care of agricultural activities with a plow in His hand
- Krsna and Balarama would pile up planks so that They could reach the pots and would then pick holes in the pots with Their hands so that the contents would leak out and They could drink it. This was another means for stealing butter and milk
- Krsna and Canura and then Balarama and Mustika locked themselves hand to hand, leg to leg, and each began to press against the other with a view to coming out victorious
- Krsna was dressed in glowing garments of yellow, Balarama in blue, and They held new twigs of mango tree, peacock feathers and bunches of flowers in Their hands