Balarama

Balarama, the elder brother of Krishna and son of Vasudeva, occupies a dignified and commanding presence in Premanand's *Okhaharan*. Known for his immense physical strength, his characteristic plough and pestle as weapons, and his fondness for wine, Balarama is portrayed as a figure of both martial authority and fraternal devotion. In this celebrated seventeenth-century Gujarati narrative poem, he appears as a senior voice among the Yadava heroes, lending weight and gravity to the councils and campaigns that unfold around the rescue of Aniruddha.

Premanand renders Balarama with the warmth and vivid characterisation that marks his finest work. Whether deliberating with Krishna over strategy or preparing for battle against the demon king Banasura, Balarama embodies the heroic ethos of the Yadava clan. His presence reinforces the poem's larger celebration of divine power and familial loyalty, reminding readers that behind every great adventure stands not only the grace of Krishna but also the steadfast, earthly strength of his elder brother.