Balarama is the elder brother of the Hindu god Krishna. In some sectarian traditions, he is regarded as the eighth incarnation or avatar of Vishnu, the Hindu God of preservation. Balarama grew up in pastoral Vrindavan with Krishna and his foster-parents Nanda and Yashoda. He had numerous exploits with his brother and slew several demons, including the ass demon Dhenuka (see M.78.9.10). Balarama is also believed by some sects to be an incarnation of the five-headed serpent Ananta or Shesha that is associated with Vishnu (see M.79.111), which may be why he is represented here against a backdrop of snake coils and a rearing cobra hood. Balarama’s prodigious fondness for alcohol is conveyed by the now-damaged wine cup in his left hand. His right hand is raised in a gesture characteristic of a “universal monarch” (chakravartin). His other principal attribute, a plow, reflects his agricultural origins but is absent here. For Balarama holding his plow, see AC1999.127.33.
