Devalok
From the epics · 2 tellings · North India, Pan-India

The brother who would not take a side

Balarama, teacher of the mace to both Bhima and Duryodhana, refuses to fight in the Kurukshetra war and goes on pilgrimage; he returns for the final duel, and when Bhima strikes below the navel he rushes at him with his plough until Krishna holds him back, then leaves for Dwaraka. In the Bhagavata he tries to stop the duel and fails.

Who is in it

Places: Kurukshetra · Texts: Mahabharata, Bhagavata Purana

The story, beat by beat

  1. In the Pandava camp Balarama says he loves both pupils equally and will not watch the Kurus destroyed.
  2. He goes on pilgrimage along the Sarasvati with the Dwaraka fire and priests.
  3. At Plakshaprasravana Narada tells him the war is over and the duel is today.
  4. He arrives after forty-two days and the fight moves to Samantapanchaka.
  5. Bhima breaks Duryodhana's thighs; Balarama rushes at him with his plough.
  6. Krishna holds him and argues; he is not persuaded and drives away to Dwaraka.

neutrality fairness brothers teachers

How it is told, place by place

Base telling · Primary text (translation)

Mahabharata, Udyoga 158 and Shalya 34, 35, 54, 55, 60

North India · Kurukshetra All traditions

Before the war Balarama comes into the Pandava camp in blue silk, says the slaughter is fate, that he asked Krishna in vain to treat both sides alike, that both mace fighters are his pupils and he loves them equally, and leaves for the Sarasvati. Shalya 35 adds that he had asked Krishna to help the Kurus and left in anger, taking the Dwaraka fire and priests and feeding travellers. At Plakshaprasravana Narada tells him the Kurus are destroyed and the duel is today. He arrives after forty-two days, Pushya to Shravana, and proposes Samantapanchaka. When Bhima strikes Duryodhana's thighs he cries shame, raises his plough and rushes at Bhima; Krishna holds him, citing Bhima's vow, Maitreya's curse and kinship. Unconvinced, he says Bhima will be called a crooked fighter and Duryodhana will have lasting glory, and drives to Dwaraka.

Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 158, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 35, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 54, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 34, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 55, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 60, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived)

Primary text (translation)

Bhagavata Purana 10.78-79

Pan-India Vaishnava

Being neutral, he leaves on pilgrimage. At Naimisha Romaharshana does not rise for him and he kills him with a blade of kusha grass; to make amends he makes the suta's son the teller of the Puranas, kills Balvala, and walks a year round India from the Kaushiki and Prayaga to Kanyakumari and back to Prabhasa. Hearing the kings are dead he goes to Kurukshetra to stop the mace fight, tells the two they are equal and neither can win, and when they will not listen accepts it as fate and returns to Dvaraka.

What is different here:

Neutral, not angry; Romaharshana and Balvala; an all-India route; he tries to stop the duel and is not there for the blow.

Srimad Bhagavatam 10.78 (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, vedabase); Srimad Bhagavatam 10.79 (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, vedabase)

Sources: Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva 158, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 35, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 54, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 34, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 55, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Mahabharata, Shalya Parva 60, tr. K. M. Ganguli (sacred-texts, archived); Srimad Bhagavatam 10.78 (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, vedabase); Srimad Bhagavatam 10.79 (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, vedabase)

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