Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.8.12
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesBalarāma Brings Happiness, Strength and Unity
“Garga Muni said: This child, the son of Rohiṇī, will give all happiness to His relatives and friends by His transcendental qualities. Therefore He will be known as Rāma. And because He will manifest extraordinary bodily strength, He will also be known as Bala. Moreover, because He unites two families — Vasudeva’s family and the family of Nanda Mahārāja — He will be known as Saṅkarṣaṇa.”
What the purport teaches
- The son of Rohiṇī would please His relatives and friends by His transcendental qualities. Therefore He would be known as Rāma.
- Because He would manifest extraordinary bodily strength, He would also be known as Bala.
- Baladeva united the families of Vasudeva and Nanda Mahārāja and was therefore called Saṅkarṣaṇa. These families shared the same original forefather, although they were divided as kṣatriya and vaiśya.
Try this today
Today, recall the names Rāma, Bala and Saṅkarṣaṇa, and say what each name reveals about Him.
Ask yourself
How do these names help me appreciate Balarāma’s transcendental qualities?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.