Hare Krsna. All glories to His Divine Grace, Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Lord Balaram, Who is the source of all spiritual strength.
Please accept my fallen obeisances.
From Srila Prabhupada's CC 1.1.168 purport: "There is no difference between the bodily forms of Sri Krsna and Balarama except that Their bodily colors are different - the bodily hue of Krsna is dark and that of Balarama is fair."
From Srila Prabhupada's "Krsna Book" ("Prayers by the Demigods"): "In the Upanisads it is stated that one cannot attain the supreme or any form of self-realization without being sufficiently favored by Balarama...One must have the spiritual strength which is infused by Balarama or Sankarsana...The spiritual master is the representative of Balarama, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who supplies spiritual strength."
Lord Balaram exhibits softness and love for His devotees: (From Srila Prabhupada's "Krsna Book," "Lord Balaram Visits Vrndavan") "When the gopis arrived, Lord Balarama glanced over them with loving eyes."
Lord Balaram also swiftly kills the demons, (Prahlambasura, Dhenukasura, Dvivida, Balvala).
From Srila Prabhupada's "Krsna Book," the following description of Lord Balarama killing Balvala:
"Lord Balarama prepared Himself to meet the demon Balvala. At the time when the demon usually attacked the sacred place, there appeared a great hailstorm, the whole sky became covered with dust and the atmosphere became surcharged with a filthy smell. Just after this, the mischievous demon Balvala began to shower torrents of stool and urine and other impure substances on the arena of sacrifice. After this onslaught, the demon himself appeared with a great trident in his hand. He was a gigantic person, and his black body was like a huge mass of carbon. His hair, his beard and his mustache appeared reddish, like copper, and because of his great beard and mustache, his mouth appeared to be very dangerous and fierce. As soon as He saw the demon, Lord Balarama prepared to attack him. He first began to consider how He could smash the great demon to pieces. Lord Balarama called for His plow and club, and they immediately appeared before Him. The demon Balvala was flying in the sky, and at the first opportunity Lord Balarama dragged him down with His plow and angrily smashed the demon's head with His club. By Balarama's striking, the forehead of the demon became fractured. There was a profuse flow of blood from his forehead, and he began to scream loudly. In this way the demon, who had been such a great disturbance to the pious brahmanas, fell to the ground. His falling was like a great mountain with a red oxide peak being struck by a thunderbolt and smashed to the ground."
In anger at Rukmi's insolence, with one blow of His club, Lord Balarama struck Rukmi dead:
"Hearing this kind of pinching talk by Rukmi and hearing the loud laughter of all the other princes present there, Lord Balarama became as agitated as burning cinders. He immediately took a club in His hand and, without any further talk, struck Rukmi on the head. From that one blow, Rukmi fell down immediately and was dead and gone."
Lord Balarama killed Romaharsana Suta in his misrepresentation as guru, Romaharsana Suta's being seated on the Vyasasana, though knowing the verses of the Vedas, but not understanding the position of respectable persons, and especially, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
From Srila Prabhupada's "Krsna Book," "The Killing of Dantavakra, Viduratha and Romaharsana":
The appearances of Krsna and Balarama are especially meant for re-establishment of the religious principles...When Lord Balarama saw that Romaharsana Suta did not understand the highest principle of religiousness in spite of having studied all the Vedas, He certainly could not support his position... Because he was seated on the vyasasana, he foolishly thought himself greater than the Lord; therefore he did not get down from his seat or bow down before the Lord... Lord Balarama did not like the audacity of Romaharsana, and He becoming very angry with him...When Lord Balarama saw that Romaharsana Suta did not understand the highest principle of religiousness in spite of having studied all the Vedas, He certainly could not support his position...After seeing the deficiency of realization in Romaharsana Suta, Lord Balarama decided to chastise him for being puffed up...Lord Balarama began to consider thus: "I have appeared in order to chastise false persons who are internally impure but externally pose themselves to be very learned and religious. My killing of such persons is proper to check them from further sinful activity."...Considering these points, He killed Romaharsana Suta simply by striking him with a kusa straw, which was nothing but a blade of grass.
Concluding with Lord Balaram's sweet pastimes in His visiting Vrndavan, (from Srila Prabhupada's "Krsna Book," "Lord Balaram Visits Vrndavan"):
"Lord Balarama could, of course, understand the ecstatic feelings of the gopis, and therefore He wanted to pacify them. He was expert in presenting an appeal, and thus, treating the gopis very respectfully, He began to narrate the stories of Krsna so tactfully that the gopis became satisfied. In order to keep the gopis in Vrndavana satisfied, Lord Balarama stayed there continually for two months, namely the months of Caitra (March-April) and Vaisakha (April-May). For those two months He kept Himself among the gopis, and He passed every night with them in the forest of Vrndavana in order to satisfy their desire for conjugal love. Thus Balarama also enjoyed the rasa dance with the gopis during those two months. Since the season was springtime, the breeze on the bank of the Yamuna was blowing very mildly, carrying the aroma of different flowers, especially of the flower known a kaumudi. Moonlight filled the sky and spread everywhere, and thus the banks of the Yamuna appeared to be very bright and pleasing, and Lord Balarama enjoyed the company of the gopis there.
The demigod known as Varuna sent his daughter Varuni in the form of liquid honey oozing from the hollows of the trees. Because of this honey the whole forest became aromatic, and the sweet aroma of the liquid honey, Varuni, captivated Balaramaji. Balaramaji and all the gopis became very much attracted by the taste of Varuni, and all of them drank it together. While drinking this natural beverage, Varuni, all the gopis chanted the glories of Lord Balarama, and Lord Balarama felt very happy, as if He had become intoxicated by drinking that Varuni beverage. His eyes rolled in a pleasing attitude. He was decorated with long garlands of forest flowers, and the whole situation appeared to be a great function of happiness because of this transcendental bliss. Lord Balarama smiled beautifully, and the drops of perspiration decorating His face appeared to be soothing morning dew.
While Balarama was in that happy mood, He desired to enjoy the company of the gopis in the water of the Yamuna. Therefore He called Yamuna to come nearby. But Yamuna neglected the order of Balaramaji, considering Him to be intoxicated. Lord Balarama became very much displeased at Yamuna's neglecting His order. He immediately wanted to scratch the land near the river with His plowshare. Lord Balarama has two weapons, a plow and a club, and He takes service from them when they are required. This time He wanted to bring the Yamuna by force, and He took the help of His plow. He wanted to punish Yamuna because she did not come in obedience to His order. He addressed Yamuna: 'You wretched river! You did not care for My order. Now I shall teach you a lesson! You did not come to Me voluntarily. Now with the help of My plow I shall force you to come. I shall divide you into hundreds of scattered streams!'
When Yamuna was threatened like this, she became greatly afraid of the power of Balarama and immediately came in person, falling at His lotus feet and praying thus: 'My dear Balarama, You are the most powerful personality, and You are pleasing to everyone. Unfortunately, I forgot Your glorious, exalted position, but now I have come to my senses, and I remember that You hold all the planetary systems on Your head merely by Your partial expansion of Sesa. You are the sustainer of the whole universe. My dear Supreme Personality of Godhead, You are full of six opulences. Because I forgot Your omnipotence, I have mistakenly disobeyed Your order, and thus I have become a great offender. But, my dear Lord, please know that I am a surrendered soul unto You. You are very much affectionate to Your devotees. Therefore please excuse my impudence and mistakes and, by Your causeless mercy, may You now release me.'
Upon displaying this submissive attitude, Yamuna was forgiven, and when she came nearby, Lord Balarama wanted to enjoy the pleasure of swimming within her water along with the gopis in the same way an elephant enjoys himself along with his many she-elephants. After a long time, when Lord Balarama had enjoyed to His full satisfaction, He came out of the water, and immediately a goddess of fortune offered Him a nice blue garment and a valuable necklace made of gold. After taking bath in the Yamuna, Lord Balarama, dressed in blue garments and decorated with golden ornaments, looked very attractive to everyone. Lord Balarama's complexion is white, and when He was properly dressed He looked exactly like the white elephant of King Indra in the heavenly planets. The river Yamuna still has many small branches due to being scratched by the plowshare of Lord Balarama. And all these branches of the river Yamuna still glorify the omnipotency of Lord Balarama.
Lord Balarama and the gopis enjoyed transcendental pastimes together every night for two months, and time passed away so quickly that all those nights appeared to be only one night. In the presence of Lord Balarama, all the gopis and other inhabitants of Vrndavana became as cheerful as they had been before in the presence of both brothers, Lord Krsna and Lord Balarama."
All glories to Lord Balarama on His Appearance Day, and all other days. May we be protected by His causeless mercy, and may Lord Balaram keep us safely situated under the shelter of Srila Prabhupada's Lotus Feet, Those of our Guru Varga, the Vaisnavas, and Sri Sri Radha and Krsna.
With love,
Your servant,
B. Radha-Govinda
Hare Krsna
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