Hearing the celestial voice that the eighth child of Devaki would kill the demoniac King Kamsa, he killed all the children born from Devaki. Mother Devaki was in deep distress during her seventh pregnancy because she felt the child would be divine in nature. To allay the fear of Devaki, Lord Krshna called Yogamaya and told her to transfer the child in the womb of Rohini, another wife of Vasudeva living in Nanda Gokula. Suddenly Devaki felt loss of her pregnancy while Rohini sensed pregnant. When Garga Muni, the kula-guru of the Vrishnis, visited Nanda Gokula, Rohini met the saint and he said, “Your child’s father is your husband Vasudeva and he will grow into a strong and beautiful divine boy.” After the birth of the child, Garga Muni again visited Nanda Gokula and named Him Rama (the one who brings piety and prosperity). Garga Muni also said that He would grow very strong and become famous as Bala as well. Since He is the common child lived in the wombs of Devaki and Rohini and therefore he would be called Sankarsana because he would unite people and He would be known as Dauji being the elder brother to Krshna.

Balarama grew up into a handsome and powerful youth. He was gaura (fair in complexion) and adored always in blue. He preferred the colour blue because it resembled the embodiment of the Supreme Lord Krshna. He wore a bejewelled necklace, flower garlands, long ear rings, and tied His graceful hair on head. He also wore splendid armlets, bracelets and anklets. He applied a tilaka on forehead and wore a gunja on chest. He had long arms and His voice was grave like rumbling of clouds. His splendid embodiment defeated the beauty of the rising moon and His awesome power could destroy many mighty armies and even the whole world. Balarama always carried a plow on hand as His weapon. Krishna and Balarama moved together from childhood and He rarely remained separate from the Supreme Lord and always participated in the nectarine lilas of His Younger Brother.

Balarama married Revati, the daughter of King Raivata, who lived in sattya-yuga. Unable to find a suitable match, the king and his daughter visited Brahmaloka and met Lord Brahma and sought his opinion. Lord Brahma advised to solemnise the marriage of Revati with Balarama. People of sattya-yuga were much taller and when they returned, Balarama shrunk the size of Revati placing His plow on her head.