Sankarshana

Balarama, elder brother of Krishna and incarnation of Śeṣa Nāga, draws his plough across dry earth with immense force. The ground splits, and the Yamuna begins to flow through the new channel. The scene recalls the episode when the river refused to approach; Balarama, true to his name Saṅkarṣaṇa (“the one who pulls”), altered her course toward Vṛndāvana. His identity is inseparable from the hala, strength, and his bond with his home. In the Purāṇas, Balarama’s feats involved immense commanding strength. This artwork presents him in that role, the divine force whose pull draws devotees just like the Yamuna.