MARKANDEYA PURANA

Why did Balarama atone for the sin of ‘Brahmahatya’during his pilgrimage?

 Balarama, the elder brother of Shri Krishna, remained neutral during the Great Battle of Mahabharata between Pandavas and Kauravas. Instead, he along with his wife Revathi proceeded on pilgrimage for twelve years. In the course of the travel, he took ‘toddy’, a kind of intoxicant drink, and entered a charming garden called ‘Raivat’ full of fruits, flowers and chirping birds along with his beloved wife and the entire atmosphere was quite alluring.

They spotted a hermitage where several Brahmanas gathered to hear Sage Suta’s preachings; the Brahmanas stood up and greeted the Balarama couple excepting the Sage Suta. Balarama felt slighted and killed the Sage in his intoxication but eventually realised his folly after recovering his normacly thus becoming a victim of the sin of ‘Brahmahatya’. The assembly of Brahmanas was dispersed in disgust at the tragedy. For twelve years, Balarama observed fast during the pilgrimage and atoned for the sin at the Holy Spot of Puloma Saraswati to pay further penance.