Why is Balarama shown in Dasavatara Sabdam instead of Krishna?

Ever wondered why the Dasavatara Sabdam in Kuchipudi depicts Lord Balarama as the Eighth Avatar of Sri Mahavishnu instead of Lord Krishna? We discovered a very interesting train of thought here.

Artiste Sri Josyula Venkata Chalapathi depicting the Balarama stance in a Kuchipudi commemorative stamp issued in 1975 by India Post as part of the Dances of India collection

Balarama is commonly identified to be the Dwapara Yuga incarnate form of Adisesha (literally meaning “Foremost among Serpents). Adisesha is said to have also accompanied Sri Mahavishnu in his earlier incarnation of Rama, as Lakshmana (Rama’s younger brother).

According to one theory, which cites the Vishnudharmottara Purana for reference, and one which is ascribed to by the Kuchipudi Bhagavathulu, Adisesha is given a boon by Lord Vishnu as follows:

"You have always been serving me, be it as a bed for me in the Milky Ocean
 or as a devoted younger brother, in Rama Avatara. Therefore, in my next
 incarnation as Krishna, you will be born as my elder brother Balarama,
 and I shall in turn serve you as your younger brother. Even though I am
 the Avatara Purusha (the Prime Incarnate), you shall gain the Fame and
 Name of that Avatar by virtue of primogeniture."
                                                    - Vishnudharmottara Purana

However, a look at the cultural influences which have shaped Kuchipudi also reveal some interesting observations.

Kuchipudi is an outcome of the Bhakti Movement that medieval India witnessed. The causes for the Bhakti Movement are too many and variegated to be enumerated here. For the purpose of our discussion it suffices to say that many leading Saints such as Jayadeva, Chaitanaya Mahaprabhu, Meera Bai and others were staunch Krishna devotees. In the Krishna Bhakti ideology, Krishna is regarded as the Supreme Godhead from whom all other Avatars emanated. This is known as the “Swayam Bhagwan” concept (literally, “God Himself”). As such, when Krishna is the taken to be the Supreme Godhead, it necessitates the idea that in Dwapara Yuga, Balarama be the incarnation of Krishna.

Jayadeva, who is widely believed to have spent a considerable part of his life in Sri Mukhalingam in modern day North Andhra, and whose Ashtapadis have come to be a standard part of almost all classical dance idioms of India, himself included Balarama and not Krishna in his Dasavatara Stotram.

Vahasi vapusi visade vasanam jaladabham
Hala-hati-bhiti-milita-yamunabham
Keshava dhruta-haladhara-rupa jaya jagadisa hari
                                                - Sri Jayadeva's Dasavatara Stotram

Translated it reads:

Victory to Keshava, the lord of Universe, who assumed the form of the plough bearer Balarama, who wore clothes of colour of the River Yamuna over his white body and made the river fear his weapon of the plough.

Further evidences of prevalence/ influence in Andhra of this notion of “Swayam Bhagwan Krishna” during those times comes from present day North India! Guru Sampradayas, where a community or a sect follows the teachings and philosophy of a Guru are well established in India. Two of the oldest such continuing Guru Sampradayas are the Nimbarka Sampradaya and Vallabha Sampradaya which have considerable following in Northern India. Nimbarka and Vallabha were also saint proponents of the Bhakti movement which swept medieval India.

Curiously enough, both Nimbarka and Vallabhacharya came from Telugu speaking families (Nimbarka born in present day Andhra, and Vallabha to Telugu parents in Varanasi). And interestingly enough, in both these Sampradayas, Balarama is regarded as the Eight Avatar and not Krishna. The proponents of these two Sampradayas adhere to the same version of the Ten Incarnations to this day.

Even the region surrounding Kuchelapuram (present day Kuchipudi), played host to the influence of Movva Gopala Madhura Bhakti (via Kshetrayya) where Krishna is regarded as God Supreme. The Kuchipudi Bhagavathulu in their turn were also part of this tradition of Krishna Bhakti; Siddhendra Yogi himself, being an ardent devotee of Sri Raja Gopala Swamy. In true Vaishnava Bhagavata Sampradaya, Kuchipudi’s repertoire (be it Kalapams or Sabdams or Tarangams or Padams) predominantly concentrates around Krishna Bhakti. As such, this may have been the reason why even in Kuchipudi’s Dasavatara Sabdam Balarama becomes the Eighth manifestation of the Godhead.

We must note here that it has been nowhere stated that Kuchipudi Bhagavathulu were also proponents of the “Swayam Bhagwan” concept, where Krishna is regarded as the Supreme Godhead. However, given the geo-spiritual leanings of  those times, this could very well have been the case. We hope dance researchers and South Asian Religion Studies scholars can throw some more light on this issue!

Yadava Vamsaabdhi Sudhakara, Adi devudu anujuduga,
Modam osagu khalulanu trunchiyu, medina bharamudipina Balarama!
Ee medina Bharamudipina Balarama!!
                                                  - Kuchipudi Dasavatara Sabdam