After discussing topics which occurred for many days, with the word atha the beginning of a very important but hard to understand topic is introduced. Krsna, hiding his identity as son of Devaki, being bhagavan, endowed with great power to reconcile the two identities, then approached Nanda (sam = samyak asadya), identifying himself as the son of Nanda. At the name giving ceremony Garga muni said, "Because this child will attract the two families (identifying both Vasudeva and Nanda as his father) his name will be Sankarsana." By mentioning the name Sankarsana, Krsna indicates this derivation of the name, and thus indicates the relationship with two fathers. He embracing his father (parisvajya), as there was no opportunity for offering pranama. The reason for this is that just on seeing Krsna and Balarama, Nanda Maharaj became so overcome with bliss that with his two strong arms he raised both boys at once and held them tightly to his chest. Though it was Nanda who embraced them, the embrace is attributed to them in this verse. When Nanda sat down, still embracing them, they began to speak humbly to comfort him, after answering many questions and with hesitation revealing their offenses against the Yadus.

In describing Nanda’s departure from Mathurā, Śukadeva, though speaking according to Parīkṣit’s desires on seeing his face, after he had seen Parīkṣit’s joyful face when he referred to Kṛṣṇa as Bhagavān, the son of Devakī. While calling out to Parīkṣit “O best of kings!” he establishes his own desires through the arrangement of words of Kṛṣṇa himself. After the condition of the Yadus was settled as described above (atha), Kṛṣṇa thought “We must send Nanda back to Vraja this evening.” But evening had already come. “We should send him back tomorrow morning.” But there was a delay of a few days because of performing necessary duties to respect the citizens and console the Yadus. “If I suddenly return to Gokula, Jarāsandha will attack Mathurā. The people here are not protected.” In this way Kṛṣṇa worried, as part of his acceptance of human pastimes, and thus did not return to Vraja. Then one day, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma met Nanda in a private place. They embraced him with a manifestation of emotions befitting children, after performing proper actions such as offering respects suitable for sons. Śukadeva in three verses then speaks their words, which were befitting affectionate sons. Who is Kṛṣṇa? You, Parīkṣit, recognize his as Bhagavān, appearing as the son of Devakī, but he is actually independent, being endowed with all powers. And he who appeared by birth as the son of Devakī is Saṅkarṣaṇa. By derivation of his name, he is called Saṅkarṣaṇa (pulled from Devakī’s womb to Rohiṇī’s womb), the son of Vasudeva. The two boys then spoke to Nanda. Parīkṣit, you should know that what they spoke to Nanda was their true feelings. It is not like their dealings with Vasudeva and Devakī (identifying themselves as their children), by which the two boys made them more affectionate. Those dealings were contrary to the truth. The truth is shown in Śukadeva’s previous statement: nandas tv ātmaja utpanne jātāhlādo mahā-manāḥ When Kṛṣṇa appeared as his son, Nanda Mahārāja, fully devoted, was overwhelmed by jubilation. SB 10.5.1 For Vasudeva and Devakī he spread māyā: pitarāv upalabdhārthau viditvā puruṣottamaḥ mā bhūd iti nijāṁ māyāṁ tatāna jana-mohinīm Understanding that his parents were becoming aware of his powers the Supreme Lord thought that this should not be allowed to happen. Thus he expanded his yogamāyā, which bewilders his devotees. SB 10.45.1 It is not mentioned that he spread māyā for Nanda in the present situation. The bhāva of Nanda and others in Vraja is praised by Brahmā, Śukadeva and Uddhava as natural and most rare. aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyaṁ nanda-gopa-vrajaukasām yan-mitraṁ paramānandaṁ pūrṇaṁ brahma sanātanam How greatly fortunate are Nanda Mahārāja, the cowherd men and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhūmi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because Kṛṣṇa gave them prema, which is the highest bliss, eternal and complete. SB 10.14.32 nemaṁ viriñco na bhavo na śrīr apy aṅga-saṁśrayā prasādaṁ lebhire gopī yat tat prāpa vimuktidāt Neither Brahmā, nor Śiva, nor even the goddess of fortune, who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Lord, the deliverer from this material world, such mercy as received by mother Yaśodā. SB 10.9.20 yuvāṁ ślāghyatamau nūnaṁ dehinām iha māna-da nārāyaṇe ’khila-gurau yat kṛtā matir īdṛśī O respectful Nanda, certainly you and mother Yaśodā are the most praiseworthy persons in the entire world, since you have developed such a loving attitude toward Nārāyaṇa, the spiritual master of all living beings. SB 10.45.30 Śukadeva addresses Parīkṣit, “O best of kings!” You are fixed in a relationship with Kuntī and thus with Vasudeva, among the great kings. But being a lowly beggar, I have no taste for such things.

Kṛṣṇa was delayed a few days in Mathurā to respect the city and console the Yadus, saying each day that he would the next morning. Thus, after some time (athaḥ) Kṛṣṇa directly approached Nanda, going to the place where they left the carts along with Vasudeva. Or he spoke when Nanda came to Vausdeva’s house. hatvā kaṁsaṁ raṅga-madhye pratīpaṁ sarva-sātvatām yad āha vaḥ samāgatya kṛṣṇaḥ satyaṁ karoti tat Having killed Kaṁsa, the enemy of all the Yadus, in the wrestling arena, Kṛṣṇa will now surely fulfill his promise to you by coming back. SB 10.46.35 Thus he approached Nanda afterwords, not in the arena where he had killed Kaṁsa. He approached Nanda because he was filled with qualities like gratitude (bhagavān) and because he had appeared in this world as the son of Devakī, the avatarī. Or appearing as the son of Devakī, he manifested the highest qualities. Or though he was the son of Devakī, now he disregarded this identity, because he was bhagavān. Balarāma was considered non-different from the Yadus (SB 10.8.12) thus, though Balarāma was the son of Vasudeva, he never considered himself separate from Nanda. O best of kings! You understand such dealings between friends. He embraced Nanda out of natural affection and to pacify him at this time particularly. For a moment he was stunned, since he could not immediately state his intentions, since it would give suffering.