Garga Nāmakaraṇa

Garga Muni, the family teacher (kulācārya) of the Yādava clan, gives Kṛshṇa and Balarāma their names in a secret ceremony. The nāmakaraṇa (naming ceremony) is held at night in the gośālā (cow-pen) of Nanda’s home in Gokula, so that Kaṃsa’s spies will not learn of it. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa tells this in the eighth chapter of the tenth Skanda.

The same chapter also tells of Kṛshṇa’s play as a small child, of Yaśodā seeing the whole universe in his mouth, of who Nanda and Yaśodā truly are, and of a fruit-seller.

Garga’s arrival and the secret setting

Garga Muni was the kulācārya of the Yādavas. He was well known for his mastery of astronomy and the Vedas. Vasudeva came to him with a secret request. Vasudeva knew that a public naming ceremony for the infant Kṛshṇa would draw Kaṃsa’s attention and put the child in danger. So he asked Garga to perform the nāmakaraṇa quietly, with no public announcement. Garga agreed and went to Nanda’s settlement.

Nanda received the great muni with the highest respect and offered him all the customary hospitality. Garga said he was willing to perform the naming rite, but he asked for complete secrecy. The ceremony was held in the gośālā, a place of great holiness in a gopa household, at night and away from public view.

The names given

For Rohiṇī’s son, Balarāma, Garga spoke three names:

• Saṃkarshaṇa, because the child was drawn (saṃkarshaṇa) from Devakī’s womb into Rohiṇī’s womb by the power of Yogamāyā.
• Rāma, because he delights (ramayati) all beings.
• Bala, because he is the greatest among the strong.

For Devakī’s son, Garga said: “This child has taken many forms across many births. In earlier births his colours have been white, red and yellow. In this birth his colour is dark (kṛshṇa-varṇa). Therefore, among those who know, he will be called Kṛshṇa.”

Garga went on: “O Nanda, this child of yours will bring good fortune to your community. He is equal in all qualities to Nārāyaṇa. Those who are enemies of your clan will not be able to overcome him. By his grace your community will cross all difficulties. This boy is very dear to Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa.”

Garga held back his deepest knowledge of the child. He said: “I have spoken what I am able to say. Who knows the full truth of this child? No one among men can know it.” With this the naming was complete. Nanda was full of joy. He honoured Garga with great gifts, and the muni departed.

Childhood play: stealing butter

As Kṛshṇa grew from infancy into a small child, he took to stealing butter in Gokula. He crawled into the store-room and found the butter-pots hung high on hooks or ropes. He pulled them down by their ropes. When the pots hung too high, he piled up objects or stood on his companions to reach them. He ate the butter with great delight and gave some to the monkeys. When he was caught, he smiled innocently and denied everything.

Yaśodā scolded him, chased him and watched helplessly as every attempt to keep the butter safe failed. The small dark child with butter smeared on his face was the one the people of Gokula loved most.

Yaśodā sees the universe in his mouth

One day Yaśodā heard from other children that Kṛshṇa had been eating mud. She came to him and asked: “Did you eat mud?” Kṛshṇa shook his head hard. “No, Mother! These children are lying. Look in my mouth if you do not believe me.”

Yaśodā was half amused and half worried. She took his face in her hands and said: “Open your mouth, then!” Kṛshṇa opened his mouth.

What Yaśodā saw inside was beyond all understanding. In the open mouth of her child she saw the whole universe. She saw the earth with its mountains, rivers and oceans, and the sky with its stars. She saw the six directions, the sun, the moon, the wind and the fire, and all things, moving and still. She saw the whole brahmāṇḍa (the egg of the universe). Inside it was Gokula, and inside Gokula she saw herself and the child, and herself looking into the child’s mouth.

The vision lasted only a moment. Then the child closed his mouth and smiled at her with complete innocence. Yaśodā stood still, amazed. Then she felt the māyā of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa settle on her mind like a gentle veil. The experience faded, and she was once again a mother looking at her small son.

Nanda as Droṇa, Yaśodā as Dharā

The Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa tells that Nanda is in truth the great being Droṇa and Yaśodā is Dharā. The Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa also tells this in this chapter.

These two had done tapas (austerity) for ten thousand years to gain one thing: the experience of being parents to Bhagavān Kṛshṇa. They wished to feed him, hold him, scold him and love him as parents love a child. Bhagavān Kṛshṇa granted this vara (boon). Their love for Kṛshṇa is therefore not an ordinary human attachment. It fulfils an old longing of the heart, one that went beyond the wish for moksha (liberation). They wished to love Bhagavān Kṛshṇa in the closest of all relationships, as his parents.

The fruit-seller

The eighth chapter also records an act of Bhagavān Kṛshṇa’s grace. A woman carrying fruits went through Gokula calling out her wares. The small Kṛshṇa, barely steady on his feet, took some grains from the store to trade with her. By the time he reached her, most of the grain had fallen through his tiny cupped hands, and he arrived with almost nothing.

The fruit-seller was charmed by the child. She filled his hands with fruits anyway and asked for nothing in return. When she looked into her basket, she found that all her fruits had turned into jewels.

Sources

• Bhāgavata Mahā Purāṇa, 10th Skanda, Chapter 8
• Brahma Vaivarta Purāṇa (named for Nanda as Droṇa and Yaśodā as Dharā; no chapter given)