When Kamsa, the cruel king of Mathura took his sister Devaki to her husband's house just after her wedding, a voice from the sky told Kamsa that Devaki's eighth son would kill him.
Kamsa put Devaki and Vasudeva in prison and in his fear of being killed by Devaki's son, Kamsa killed the first six children of Devaki and Vasudeva.
At this time, Lord Krishna appeared as the son of Devaki and Vasudeva, but before Him, a son was born to Vasudeva from another of his wives, Rohini.
This was Krishna's older brother, Balarama, who also grew up in Vrindavana with Krishna. The two sons of Vasudeva were sent there to live in the care of Nanda Maharaja and his wife Yashoda.
Balarama carries a plough, or "hala", just as Krishna carries a flute.
Balarama killed many dangerous demons and protected the people of Vrindavana and Dvaraka with His strength.
Once, when a demon named Balvala troubled the sages who lived in the Naimisharanya forest, Balarama killed him.
When He was in Vrindavana, Balarama once asked River Yamuna to flow near the place where He was playing but she did not.
Angry with Yamuna, Balarama dug His plough into the earth and started to drag the river closer to Him.
"Do not be angry with me, O Lord!" cried Yamuna, "I will flow wherever You would like me to. Please forgive my pride."
Balarama was happy to see that Yamuna had understood her mistake.