Moderator Note: Marco, you cannot post links to the sale of this book on this forum. Open up a thread in the Keris Swap for that.

To: Jean, et al. Re: Balarama.
 

Discussion about the identity of the gada/mace toting personage caught my attention. The material to follow is mostly from Wikipedia and Vedicfeed, and does not reflect my opinion about the identity of the personage; I don't know enough about the subject to have formed an opinion. It's food for thought, or more fodder for speculation.
Balarama is often depicted with a serpent canopy. He is mentioned at vedicfeed as being the incarnation of Shesha Naag, the Nagaraja, associated with Vishnu. Vedicfeed also says that Balarama is an avatar of Vishnu, Vishnu incarnated as Krishna, and that Shesha Naag is a manifestation of Vishnu. When Balarama "died"/ "disappeared"/ "reached the state of Yoga Samadhi", a spirit in the shape of a white snake came out of his mouth. Balarama isn't depicted with a serpent around his neck, but there's a definite association.
Religion.wikia.org says "Balarama is almost always [italics mine] depicted as being fair skinned...". There is one 19th C. Nathdwara painting of Balarama and Revati, and Balarama is depicted with blue skin and yellow garments, including a yellow turban. However, he wields a plow in this painting, not a gada/mace. He may have roughly seven bulbous knots in his black hair, or they may be a serpent canopy; it's hard to tell from the picture.
And although Shiva is known for the serpent around his neck, he is not known to wield a mace.
Hanuman does wield a mace, but...
I'll conclude now.
Mickey