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Bhandarkar 109 provides with a passage of Niddesa which mentions the religious prevailing in the fourth century B.C. among which there is a mention of the worship of Balarama along with krsna. An inscription found at Ghosundi in Rajputana 110 century B.C. also proves the worship of Vasudeva in 2nd In the inscription No.1 in the large * cave at Nanaghat, 111 the names of Samkarsana and Vasudeva, in a dvandva compound, occur along with those of the other deities in the opening invocation. In the Naxayaniya section of the Mbh., Samkarsana is mentioned as form of Vasudeva. ch. 344 of the same section Samkarsana is given as the individual soul and Bhandarkar 112 In .113 concludes that the idea of a religion of devotion of Vasudeva arose in earlier times, but it received a definite shape when Vasudeva revealed the cita to Arjuna and led to the formation of an independent sect, when his brother and grandson were associated with him as his forms presiding over certain psychological categories, or as persons created by him for the purpose. That sect became conterminous. 109 Vaisnavism, Saivism, P. 3. 110 Ibid., P.4, 111 Ibid., P.5. 112 Ibid., P.8. 113 Ibid., P.ll.

529 with the race of the satvatas. The Brahma Purana acknowledges Balarama as an avatara of Visnu and gives him due importance as the elder brother of krsna besides mentioning his worship with krsna and Subhadra at Konarka. Even at present, Balarama is worshipped at Mathura and there is a celebrated temple in his honour where he is worshipped by the name of Dauji. The idol of Balarama holds a cep in his hand, a cup meant for wine to which his addiction is famous. him there is a shrine of serpent Sesa of whom he is considered to be an incarnation. Even at present he is worshipped as Vrajaraja in the northern India. Behind He is considered to be an incarnation of Sesa (181. 39) as well as of Visnu. It is said that after the incarnation of Rama, Visnu snatched out two hair one black and another white from his body, the black hair was incarnated as lord krsna and the white hair was incarnated as Balarama. Thus Balarama too, like krsna, is considered to be an amsavatara of Visnu. 114 too,like He was the seventh child of Vasudeva and Devaki but on account of the fear of Kamsa he was dragged from Devaki's foetus and was afterwards transferred to the womb of Rohini. Therefore, he is known as Samkarsana (181.39-42). This story is apparantly invented in order to make him a 114 181.17, Mbh. Bom. ed., I. 197.33.

530 brother of krsna, probably the two popular gods GovindaVasudeva and Baladeva were closely connected, and, after the former was identified with the Rajput hero krsna, the latter 115 came to be regarded as his brother. A similar transfer of an embryo is told by the Svetambara Jains of Mahavira, who was transferred from the womb of Devananda to that of Trisala. The Brahma purana gives his description as follows: His eyes are like the lotus (50.51,52). prettier than Moon (58.21-26). 25). He has a face His hands are long (191.24, He wears blue clothes and beautiful ornaments and in his neck, he wears a Vanamala (192.36-38), He is very tall and like the mountain Kailasa surrounded by clouds on account of his blue dress (192.24,25). His body is fair like Kanda flower (192.36,38). fle is called Gauranga, Ksiravarna, Milajimutasannibha, Atasipaspasankasa (50.45,46,51,52). He wears one Kundala (54.21-26) and is decorated by Swastika (50. (17.19) 45-46). He holds plough, musala/and cakra (50.51,52). He is called Langalin (17.19). He is the husband of Revati, the daughter of king Revata and he had two sons, Nisatha and 116 Ulmaka by her (7.29-39; 50,45,46, 108.19), In the Mbh. the sons of Balarama are mentioned but not as his sons by 115 ERE, Vol. VII, P.195. 116 Bom. ed. 2.34.6.

531 1 Revati. He is called Ananta because not even the gods, the danavas, gandharvas, yaksas, vidyadharas and uragas are able to know end (50.45,46). Here he is identified with Sesa, who too as previously shown was called Ananta. He is divine and the bestower of all the destred things (50.51,52). He is dear to the devotees and is worshipped by the gods and he is unconquerable (58.31-36). He is the lord Sesa himself who holds the earth (A.208). He is the Atman of all, subtler than subtle, cause of the whole world, a precedent of all the causes, the advitiya atman, the atman of the world and aprameya (187.22-26). The following anecdotes are given regarding Balarama. Satadhanva had the jewel Syamantaka. Sri krsna killed him in order to get it but found that Satadhanva had not it then in his possession. When sri krsna related this to Balarama, Balarama was not prepared to believe that krsna had not, got the jewel and refused to believe the Sri krsna's statement. He broke all the relations with krsna and entered Mithila. There he was highly respected by all. Duryodhana went to Mithila and learnt the gadavidya from Balarama. Krsna then pleased him and brought him back to Dwaraka (17.20-28). Balarama killed the donkey faced demon Dhenuka (A.186). In

532 a game called Harikridana, a demon called Pralamba disguised himself as one of the playmates, carried Balarama at his back and began to fly. Realising his trick, Balarama pressed him with all his weight and force which the demon was unable to bear and hence the demon had to abandon the disguise and thereupon Balarama killed him with his fist-blows (187.1-30). Balarama and krsna killed the elephant Kuvalayapida (193.30). Balarama killed the demon-wrestler Mustika (193.65). He also killed Sunama, the brother of Kamsa (193.77). Balarama is famous for his addiction to wine. Varuna sent the wine Varani to Balarama for a drink. Balarama drank it to his heart's desire and being intoxicated ordered the river Yamuna to come to him as he wanted to take a bath.' As the river Yamuna did not come, he dragged her with his plough (A.198). He defeated the kings Paundraka, Dantavaktra, Viduratha, Sisupala, Jarasandha, Salva and others when they followed krsna while he was carrying away Rukmini (199.7). On the occasion of the marriage of Aniruddha with his granddaughter, Rukmi invited Balarama for gambling. Rukmi was an expert in gambling and Balarama lost much wealth. The king of Kalinga mocked at him. Being irritated, Balarama staked one crore mudras, Rukmi played his turn and Balarama won but Rukmi protested saying that he had not consented to the game.

533 Upon this the divine speech declared that even though Rukmi did not say anything about the betting, Rukmi's playing his turn amounted to giving consent to the bet, and that therefore, Balarama had won the bet. But Rukmi did not even then accept the ruling so Balarama got angry and killed Rukmi by throwing at him the Astapada. He also broke the teeth of the king of Kalinga and killed all the kings who were partisans of Rukmi (202.11-25). Balarama killed the army of Banasura when there was a terrible fight between krsna and Banasura (206.30). Samba was attempting to kidnap Laksmana, the daughter of Duryodhana. caught hold of Samba. Thereupon Duryodhana and others. Balarama went to Hastinapur and requested to release Samba. When they did not comply with the wish of Balarama, he shook the city with his plough and thereupon Duryodhana and others released Samba (A.208). Once when Balarama was in the company of his wife Revati, a monkey Dvivid threw a slab of stone on him and Balarama killed him with his fist (A.209). At the time of death, Balarama went into Samadhi whereupon a serpent emerged from his mouth and entered, the ocean and the serpent was worshipped by the Siddhas and the Uragas (210.50-53). The Brahma Purana deals at length with the worship of Balarama along with krsna and Subhadra and the mode of his worship is described in the

534 section 'Worship' of Chapter VII on 'Religion'. Elsewhere it is said that one who worships Balarama gets the desired rewards and becoming free from all the sins, goes to Visnuloka (58.21-26). According to Tarapada Bhattacarya, Balarama is more associated with Rudra or Siva as their characteristics agree in many respects. 117 Rudra is regarded as a god of agriculture in the vedas and so does Samkarsana's emblem 'Hala' indicate. Balarama is associated with Naga } and so is Siva. Both Rudra and Balarama axx are known to have been great drunkards. The Mbh, also does not mention him as an avatara, but refers to satvata as an avatara in his place. Samkarsana was thus a god of the Rudra-Siva cult and later on incorporated into Vasudeva cult by identifying him is with krsna's brother Balarama. Balarama-worship referred to in the benedictory of stanza of Bhasa's famous drama Svapnavasavadattam.