Balarama was a great devotee of Lord Jagannatha. He was a resident of Puri and the eldest of the Panchasakhas. In his Jagamohana Ramayana, Balarama Dasa says that his father’s name was Somanatha Mahapatra and his mother was Manamaya. In Vaisnavavandana Balarama’s name is mentioned with great reverence, describing him as a profound devotee of Lord Jagannatha and Balarama. He had a number of encounters with Lord Caitanya throughout his life. Dibakara Dasa, the author of Jagannatha Charitamrtia, mentions him as the disciple of Hrdayananda, in the line of Gauridasa Pandita. On Lord Caitanya’s request Balarama initiated Jagannatha Dasa. Thereafter, Balarama left to travel throughout India on pilgrimage.
In the Chaitanyabhagavata Iswar Dasa describes Balarama’s first meeting with Lord Caitanya in his native village of Chandrapur which is situated near Jagpur. Lord Caitanya stayed at Chandrapur on his way to Puri. Upon seeing Him there, Balarama fell down at the Lord’s feet. The Lord kindly raised him up and embraced him affectionately. Lord Caitanya addressed Balarama as Subala and imparted the “Rama-Taraka-Brahma” mantra into his ear.
According to the Sunyasamhita and Chaitanyabhagavata, Balarama Dasa always accompanied the sankirtana party. In the Caitanyabhagavata the story is related of how one elephant of Gajapati Prataparudra became made and killed his own mahuta (keeper). Balarama Dasa caught hold of the wild elephant and chanted the holy name in his ear. The elephant suddenly became docile and bowed to the feet of Lord Caitanya. Astonished to see the divine power of Balarama, Lord Caitanya embraced him, calling him “Matta”. From that day on Balarama was known as Matta. In his Jagannatha Charitamrita Dibakar Dasa also refers to Balarama as Matta. In the Vedantasaraguptagita it is said that Balarama was gifted with divine powers.
In the Chaitanyabhagavata by Iswar Dasa (compiled by Dr. A.B. Mohanty), Lord Caitanya asked the Panchasakhas about their writings. The eldest, Balarama, said that he had composed the Ramayana in seven kandas and one lakh of padas, Bhagavatagita in eighteen chapters, Vedantasaraguptagita in the guise of Brahmabidya. Besides the works mentioned in Chaitanya Bhagavata he wrote a number of books such as: 1.Brahmapurana, 2.Kanta Koile, 3.Guptagita, 4.Bata Aavakash, 5.Bhava Samudra, 6.Amarkoshgita, 7.Brahmandabhagola, 8.Saptanga Yogasaragita, 9.Bhagavatatika, 10.Bedaparikrama, 11.Arjunagita, etc.
Once the brahmanas of Puri challenged Balarama, accusing him of being an ignorant, low-born man. In response to this accusation Balarama brought a deaf and dumb man named Haridasa before the assembly and touched the head of Haridasa. Suddenly Haridasa began explaining the Vedanta. Everyone present, including Prataparudra, was astonished to see Balarama’s spiritual potency. From that day the king honored him as “Paramaguru”, as he was in some ways greater than Lord Caitanya, who was Balarama’s own guru.
According to Chaurasi Ajna Balarama was present at the Mukti Mandapa along with Lord Caitanya and King Prataparudra, when the famous jackfruit episode took place. It is also found in the above book, that Balarama referred to himself as Subala of Dvaparayuga, and as Sudra in the Kaliyuga. Sri Krsna appeared to Balarama in a dream and informed him that He would appear in Navadvipa as Lord Caitanya. The Lord ordered Balarama to serve the Lord and His followers.
In Gurubhaktigita (by Achyutananda Dasa, Vol.111, Chapter XLIX, p.176) Balarama Dasa is referred to as the companion, Samadira, of Radha. This fact is supported by Chaitanyaganodesa, in which Balarama Dasa is referred to as sakhi Sumandira which leads us to believe that Balarama was Samadira in a previous birth. (Krsnadasa Kaviraja, Sri Chaitanyaganoddesadipika, manuscript preserved in Orissa State Museum, Cat. No. L 470(B).)
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