Category:Balarama's Taking
Theme Analysis
The pastimes of Lord Balarāma are characterized by His role as the original servitor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that Lord Balarāma "takes" various responsibilities to facilitate the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and to protect the cosmic order. In the village of Vṛndāvana, Balarāma takes charge of the calves alongside the other cowherd boys, herding them to water and playing His flute. He also takes a mischievous role in the childhood pastimes, taking advantage of the darkness in the gopīs' homes to steal butter, using the light of His own jeweled ornaments to navigate.
Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights Balarāma's protective nature through His taking of martial duties. When Kṛṣṇa's safety was suspected to be at risk, Balarāma took strong military divisions to ensure His brother's protection. During the battle at Mathurā, Balarāma specifically took charge of killing Kaṁsa's eight brothers, demonstrating His role as the protector of the pious. His taking up of weapons is never ordinary; whether He is taking an elephant's tusk to enter the wrestling arena or taking His plow to drag the city of Hastināpura, His actions are always directed toward the reestablishment of religious principles.
Beyond martial affairs, Balarāma's taking of roles involves personal and ritualistic care. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how Balarāma took His bath in numerous sacred rivers throughout India, performing the necessary Vedic ritualistic ceremonies to set a perfect example for human society. He also takes a parental and fraternal role, taking care of Kṛṣṇa with great affection and advising Him when to remain at home. Furthermore, Balarāma's role as the savior of devotees is seen in His taking the hand of Akrūra to offer him hospitality, proving that the Lord is always ready to receive those who approach Him with devotion.
- Taking Charge in Vraja: In His childhood, Balarāma takes responsibility for herding calves and herding the other boys toward water, while also taking part in the sweet butter-stealing pastimes.
- Martial Responsibility: Lord Balarāma takes up His plow and club to chastise demons and arrogant kings, taking charge of specific tasks like killing Kaṁsa's brothers to assist Kṛṣṇa.
- Pilgrimage and Rituals: To avoid the Battle of Kurukṣetra, Balarāma took an extensive journey, taking baths in many holy rivers and taking the sacred avabhṛtha bath after His sacrifices.
- Hospitable Reciprocation: Lord Balarāma takes the hand of His devotees, such as Akrūra, to welcome them into His home, demonstrating the Lord's eagerness to reciprocate with love.
- Explore the synthesized essence of this category in this Vanipedia article: Balarāma's Taking - Actions of the Supreme Servitor.
Pages in category "Balarama's Taking"
The following 40 pages are in this category, out of 40 total.
A
- After taking His (Balarama's) bath in the river Godavari and performing the necessary ritualistic ceremonies, He gradually visited the other rivers - the Vena, Pampa and Bhimarathi
- After taking His bath in this holy place, He (Balarama) proceeded toward the river Sarayu and visited the source of the river
- After taking Their baths and finishing all other morning duties, Krsna and Balarama could hear the beating of the kettledrums in the wrestling arena. They immediately prepared Themselves to proceed to the spot to see the fun
- After taking Their supper, Krsna and Balarama came to bid goodnight to Akrura and asked him how Kamsa was dealing with Their friends and relatives. Krsna then inquired into Kamsa's plans
- After this ghastly incident, the employees of the washerman immediately dispersed, leaving the clothing. Krsna and Balarama took possession of it and dressed according to Their choice
- Akrura could understand that both Krsna and Balarama had returned from tending cows in the forest; They had taken Their baths and were dressed with fresh clothing and garlanded with flowers and with necklaces made of valuable jewels
- Akrura thought, "When Krsna & Balarama are pleased with my behavior, certainly They will take my hand, receive me within Their home & offer me all kinds of respectable hospitalities, & They will surely ask me about the activities of Kamsa & his friends"
- Akrura-tirtha is located on the road between Vrndavana and Mathura. When Krsna and Balarama were being taken to Mathura by Akrura, the Lord rested at this place and took His bath in the Yamuna
- Along with the other little cowherd boys, Krsna and Balarama went into the pasturing ground and took charge of the calves, and there They played with Their playmates. While taking charge of the calves, sometimes the two brothers played on Their flutes
- As far as Kamsa's eight brothers were concerned, Balarama took charge of killing them. Balarama's mother, Rohini, although the wife of Vasudeva, was not the sister of Kamsa; therefore Balarama took charge of killing all of Kamsa's eight brothers
B
- Balarama also embraced Akrura. Taking him by the hand, Krsna and Balarama brought him to Their sitting room, where They offered him a very nice sitting place and water for washing his feet
- Balarama gradually reached the asrama of the sage Pulaha and from there went to the rivers Gandaki and Gomati. After this He took His bath in the river Vipasa. Then He gradually came to the bank of the Sona River
- Balarama said, "Tell Him He should not leave the house today." This shows how Balarama, Krsna's elder brother, took care of Krsna with parental love, within the scope of fraternal affection
- Balarama said, "They (the Yadus) were preparing to attack the whole kingdom of the Kuru dynasty, but I pacified them and took the trouble to come here to settle the affair without any fighting. Yet these rascals behave like this"
- Balarama suspected that they would attack Krsna, and thus out of great affection for His brother He took strong military divisions of chariots, infantry, horses and elephants and went to the precincts of Kundina
- 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
H
- He (Balarama) immediately took His club and, without further talk, struck Rukmi on the head
- He (Balarama) immediately took up an available weapon (most probably the elephant’s tusk which He carried) and killed the eight brothers one after another, just as a lion kills a flock of deer
- 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 (Balarama) took His bath there (the place of pilgrimage known as Prabhasa-ksetra), and He pacified the local brahmanas and offered oblations to the demigods, Pitas, great sages and people in general, in accordance with Vedic ritualistic ceremonies
- He (Bali) worshiped the Lord sufficiently, and thereafter Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama took away the six conditioned souls and returned to the city of Dvaraka
- He (Lord Balarama) also took His bath there and performed the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. He continued His travels and gradually came to the pilgrimage city of Gaya, where there is a celebrated Visnu temple
- He (Lord Balarama) took His bath, and then He worshiped in the local temples of the demigods and, as enjoined in the Vedic literature, offered oblations to the forefathers and sages
- 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 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 took Their baths in the river and washed Their faces. After drinking the transparent, crystal-clear water of the Yamuna, They took Their seats again on the chariot
L
- Lord Balarama had avoided taking part in the Battle of Kuruksetra, and yet because of His position as an incarnation, the reestablishment of religious principles was His prime duty
- Lord Balarama has two weapons, a plow and a club, from which He takes service when they are required
- Lord Balarama then took the avabhrtha bath, which is taken after finishing sacrificial performances. After taking His bath, He dressed Himself in new silken garments and decorated Himself with beautiful jewelry
- Lord Balarama took permission from the brahmanas assembled at Naimisaranya and, accompanied by other brahmanas, went to the bank of the river Kausiki
- Lord Balarama took the other tusk of the elephant on His shoulder. Accompanied by Their cowherd boyfriends, They entered the arena
- Lord Balarama's name suggests not only that He is very powerful but that He takes pleasure in exhibiting extraordinary strength. So He took a stone and threw it at Dvivida. The gorilla, however, artfully avoided being struck by the stone
- Lord Balarama, however, immediately caught hold of the big tree (which was thrown at him by Dvidida) & remained undisturbed, just like a great mountain. To retaliate, He took His club, named Sunanda, and hit the gorilla with it, severely injuring his head
O
- One day all the boys, including Krsna and Balarama, each boy taking his own group of calves, brought the calves to a reservoir of water, desiring to allow them to drink. After the animals drank water, the boys drank water there also - SB 10.11.46
- One night Sacidevi dreamt that the Deities in her house, Krsna and Balarama, had taken the forms of Caitanya and Nityananda and were fighting one another, as children do, to eat the naivedya, or offering to the Deities
T
- Taking advantage of the pleasing atmosphere, Krsna and Balarama began to sing very melodiously. The damsels became so absorbed in Their rhythmical song that they almost forgot themselves
- They (Krsna and Balarama) also learned how to splash water in the rivers or lakes while taking a bath among friends