Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 1 - Verse 8


Sanskrit:

रोहिण्यास्तनय: प्रोक्तो राम: सङ्कर्षणस्त्वया । देवक्या गर्भसम्बन्ध: कुतो देहान्तरं विना ॥ ८ ॥

ITRANS:

rohiṇyās tanayaḥ proktorāmaḥ saṅkarṣaṇas tvayādevakyā garbha-sambandhaḥkuto dehāntaraṁ vinā

Translation:

My dear Śukadeva Gosvāmī, you have already explained that Saṅkarṣaṇa, who belongs to the second quadruple, appeared as the son of Rohiṇī named Balarāma. If Balarāma was not transferred from one body to another, how is it possible that He was first in the womb of Devakī and then in the womb of Rohiṇī? Kindly explain this to me.

Purport:

Here is a question particularly directed at understanding Balarāma, who is Saṅkarṣaṇa Himself. Balarāma is well known as the son of Rohiṇī, yet it is also known that He was the son of Devakī. Parīkṣit Mahārāja wanted to understand the mystery of Balarāma’s being the son of both Devakī and Rohiṇī.