This chapter describes the festivities at Krsna’s birth, going to Mathura to pay tax and the conversation between Nanda and Vasudeva. Though Vasudeva’s son was born in Mathura , Vasudeva, though overjoyed, could not celebrate the birth with jata karma, out of fear of Kamsa. But (tu) when Nanda’s son was born, in great joy he celebrated the birth with svasti vacana and other auspicious ceremonies. The use of the word "tu" indicates the difference in the birth celebration, but also indicates that Krsna was born in Nanda’s house as well as in Mathura. The proof is in the Hari vamsa: "In the eighth month on the eight tithi, before the pregnancy was complete, both Devaki and Yasoda gave birth at the same time." The word tu is not used merely to complete the meter. The meaning of the sentence is complete without the word "tu", and the meter is also complete without tu. Nor should it be argued that "tu" is a meaningless purposeless word, with the word atmaja, meaning son, to be used in the same way as that used in describing Mayadevi as the daughter of Devaki, though she was actually the daughter of Yasoda. It is natural to conclude that tu does have a function here, meaning that Krsna was born from Yasoda’s womb as the son of Nanda. The jata karma takes place only after cutting the umbilical cord. How could there be a child born with umbilical cord already cut (which would be the case if he were Vasudeva’s child)? Also it is not that Krsna’s being the son of Nanda is stated in one place only. Rather it is mentioned in many places. It should not be claimed that these statements do not represent the real meaning of the words. For instance in 4.9, Mayadevi is mentioned as the younger sister of Krsna., in other words, being born to Yasoda after Krsna. In 8.34 Garga,speaking to Nanda says that previously Nanda’s son was born in Vasudeva’s house.. In 14.1 Brahma says that Krsna was born from the limb of Nanda.. And in scriptures other than Bhagavatam, Krsna is addresseed as the son of a cowherd woman. For instance Gautamiya Tantra calls Krsna the son of Yasoda, Yasoda nandana. Krama Dipika calls Krsna "nanda gopa tanaya", and in poetry he is called Nanda putra.. The opponents can argue that just as these are names expressing prema: nanda nandana, subala sakha, gopi kanta etc express Krsna’s dear submission to Nanda .There are also names such as vasudeva nandana, arjuna sakha, rukmini kanta, expressions mixed prema with aisvarya. These are mere usages to express different degrees of love. Otherwise varahadeva should be well known as the son of brahma, and Krsna as the son of Uttara. Thus people give Krsna names, not based on his being born of Yasoda, but to suit the mood of love of the devotee. Thus calling Krsna Yasoda nandana does not indicate that they believe he is their son. One cannot say however that Nanda and Yasoda thinking of Krsna as their son out of love alone gives rise to the names, because such thinking cannot overpower the actual facts. It cannot be that causeless prema is caused simply by causal thinking (of things which are not true). If one thinks of the Lord as jiva, that does not make the Lord become a jiva. And speaking what appears to be false, as in the lila of Krsna denying eating earth, can give rise to the highest truth for the devotee—Krsna had millions of universes in his mouth. Krsna’s words, though apparently lies, actually become the highest truth. This is most praiseworthy, worshipable, and love-inspiring for the spiritualist. Jata ahlada: along with the birth of the son there was birth of joy. This is sahokti ornament, a metaphor. Because of the birth of the child, joy also took birth. Nanda had others perform the rites because he was unable to do so, due to the confusion arising from his joy.

This verse illustrates how Nanda’s name really means “he who gives joy to the universe.” The word tu (but) indicates that the fortune of Nanda with his pure parental affection was superior to that of Vasudeva with conceptions of Kṛṣṇa’s powers. This description continues till verse 19. Parīkṣit also praises him in two verses. nandaḥ kim akarod Brahman śreya evaṁ mahodayam yaśodā ca mahā-bhāgā papau yasyāḥ stanaṁ hariḥ O learned brāhmaṇa, mother Yaśodā’s breast milk was sucked by the Supreme Lord. What past auspicious activities did she and Nanda Mahārāja perform to achieve such perfection in ecstatic love? pitarau nānvavindetāṁ kṛṣṇodārārbhakehitam gāyanty adyāpi kavayo yal loka-śamalāpaham Although Kṛṣṇa was so pleased with Vasudeva and Devakī that he descended as their son, they could not enjoy Kṛṣṇa’s magnanimous childhood pastimes, which are so great that simply chanting about them vanquishes the contamination of the material world. Nanda Mahārāja and Yaśodā, however, enjoyed these pastimes fully, and therefore their position is always better than that of Vasudeva and Devakī. SB 10.8.46-47 The word ātmaja with utpanne can only mean “born as his son.” The words must be connected sensibly as with the word nīlotpala (blue lotus). Other meanings cannot be given. It was said: bhagavān api viśvātmā bhaktānām abhayaṅkaraḥ āviveśāṁśa-bhāgena mana ānakadundubheḥ Thus the Supreme Lord, who is the Supersoul of all living entities and who vanquishes all the fear of his devotees, entered the mind of Vasudeva in full opulence. SB 10.2.16 tato jagan-maṅgalam acyutāṁśaṁ samāhitaṁ śūra-sutena devī dadhāra sarvātmakam ātma-bhūtaṁ kāṣṭhā yathānanda-karaṁ manastaḥ Thereafter, accompanied by plenary expansions, the fully opulent Supreme Lord, who is all-auspicious for the entire universe, was transferred from the mind of Vasudeva to the mind of Devakī. Devakī, became beautiful by carrying Kṛṣṇa, joy to all beings, appearing on his own, just as the east becomes beautiful by carrying the rising moon. SB 10.2.18 In this manner he appeared in Nanda and Yaśodā as well. For the Lord to appear as the highest goal complete absorption in the Lord is necessary, with intense prema, as the following quotations illustrate. yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśānte mahātmanaḥ The meaning of scripture is revealed to the person who has devotion to guru as much as he has devotion to the Lord. Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23 bhaktir evainam nayati bhaktir evainaṁ darśayati Bhakti brings one to the Lord and shows the Lord. Brahma-sūtra 3.3.58 commentary of Madhva, Māthara śruti bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ: only by bhakti with full faith can the devotees obtain me. SB 11.14.21 This is shown in Nārada’s previous life and the histories of Dhruva and Prahlāda. According to tat-kratu-nyāya, what one thinks one becomes. Similarly Gītā says ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: as all surrender unto me, I reward them accordingly. (BG 4.11) Thus a particular manifestation of the Lord will depend upon a particular type of worship. Nanda and Yaśodā’s particular type of bhakti will be described in Brahmā’s praises later. Nanda is described as mahāmanā, “one whose mind was in Kṛṣṇa to an extreme degree.” Or it can mean “one whose mind fully capable of meditating on Kṛṣṇa.” It is said: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā mano-rathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure. SB 5.18.12 According to this statement, Nanda’s absorption in Kṛṣṇa was his main quality, and all other qualities like generosity were included in it. The description also represents the nature of Yaśodā: nandaḥ kim akarod brahman śreya evaṁ mahodayam yaśodā ca mahā-bhāgā papau yasyāḥ stanaṁ hariḥ O learned brāhmaṇa, mother Yaśodā’s breast milk was sucked by the Supreme Lord. What past auspicious activities did she and Nanda Mahārāja perform to achieve such perfection in ecstatic love? SB 10.8.46 Though both Nanda and Yaśodā and Vasudeva and Devakī gave birth to Kṛṣṇa, one can judge the nature of the cause by the results (phalena phala-kāraṇam anumīyate). Vasudeva and Devakī saw the four-armed Lord and Nanda and Yaśodā saw the two-armed Lord. The words “being born” describe an external appearance. The Lord is never born like a material person. This aspect was the same in both couples. But there is a difference in his appearing as their son. He appeared to Nanda and Yaśodā in the form of their son, but he did not appear in this manner to Vasudeva and Devakī. That was suitable because Nanda and Yaśodā’s love was pure parental affection and was very strong. That is indicated by the word tu in the present verse. Later also it will be shown. However Vasudeva and Devakī were covered by knowledge of the Lord’s greatness. This is revealed in their previous statement: vidito ’si bhavān sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ kevalānubhavānanda- svarūpaḥ sarva-buddhi-dṛk I know you directly as the Supreme Person beyond material existence, as the impersonal Brahman, as Paramātmā and Bhagavān. SB 10.3.13 Without that parental affection the Lord cannot be called a son. Varāha came from Brahmā’s nostril but is not called his son. Kṛṣṇa came out of Uttarā’s womb after protecting Parīkṣit, but is not called her son. Similarly Vasudeva and Devakī did not regard the four armed form as their son. However Kṛṣṇa appeared with all his expansions as the son of Nanda. This conception is shown in Nanda’s actions, as he called the brāhmaṇas to perform ceremonies. Garga also states that Kṛṣṇa is principally Nanda’s son when he says prāg ayaṁ vasudevasya kvacij jātas tavātmajaḥ: previously he was sometimes the son of Vasudeva.” (SB 10.8.14) Brahmā also praises Kṛṣṇa saying paśupāṅgajāya: I offer respects to Kṛṣṇa born from the body of the cowherd Nanda. (SB 10.14.1) Śukadeva describes Kṛṣṇa as gopikā-sutaḥ: son of Yaśodā. (SB 10.9.21) Also it is said: sakala-loka-maṅgalo nanda-gopa-tanayo devatā Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda, is auspiciousness for the whole world. Gautamīya-tantra The verse says ātmaja utpanne: when the son was born. It does not say when Nanda thought of him as a son. Therefore the birth of māyā from Yaśodā was for deceiving Vasudeva, produced by Kṛṣṇa’s potency. Māyā stayed in Yaśodā’s womb and Kṛṣṇa stayed in her heart. Thus, because Yaśodā was the mother of both children, māyā is called Kṛṣṇa’s younger sister (SB 10.4.9). When Devakī desired that he cover his four-armed form, the two-armed form residing in Yaśodā’s heart then covered that four-armed form and appeared in front of her. Though Garga says “Previously he was the son of Vasudeva” he resolves the issue by then saying, “Your son has been born with many forms and names previously.” (SB 10.8.15) (He was the son of Vasudeva in previous yugas.) Thus Garga’s words, as well as Nanda and Yaśodā’s recognition of Kṛṣṇa as their son and the statements of scripture, establish that Kṛṣṇa is principally the son of Nanda and Yaśodā. Nanda and Yaśodā accepted that māyā was created by Kṛṣṇa for deception, while Vasudeva and Devakī accepted māyā as Yaśodā’s real child and therefore embraced her when Kaṁsa tried to snatch her away. Fixed in this truth the couple thought, “We will broadcast it with a festival.” With the birth of a son, Nanda became joyful (jāta-hlādaḥ). Not only was a son born, but joy was born. Joy was born on the pretext of the son. It appeared spontaneously with the appearance of the son. This indicates the deep nature of their bliss. This became the cause of a great festival. He called the vipras—those who can excellently (vi) fulfill (prāṇti) all desires. They were knowledgeable of the birth rites and rules of the Vedas. Śruti says yāvatīr vai devatāḥ sarvās tā vedavidi bṛahmaṇe vasanti: all the devatās reside in the brāhmaṇa having knowledge of the Vedas. He purified himself with ācamana and Vaiṣṇava tilaka. He had the brāhmaṇas chant mantras like bhūyas tvapi and perform the ceremony for giving intelligence to his son. Karma-phalam prayoktari: the result of action goes to the performer. Vai indicates completion of the action. They performed the ceremonies according to the rules (vidhinā). Another version has vidhivat. Then they performed worship of the Pitṛs. Nanda did not perform the nāndīmukha-śraddha personally (which is the custom) since he was stunned with bliss. Tathā can mean “and.” They had to perform those rites because he was repeatedly stunned.

This verse illustrates how Nanda’s name really means “he who gives joy to the universe.” The word tu (but) indicates that the fortune of Nanda with his pure parental affection was superior to that of Vasudeva who had awareness of Kṛṣṇa’s powers. This description of Nanda’s glory continues till verse 19. This was actually his son. The son was the cause of his affection. The phrase ātmāja is repeated in the second verse to confirm this. Though, Vāsudeva, being affection to the lord, who was his son, was anxious to protect him, and thus brought back māyā in exchange for his son, he is lesser in stature than Nanda in terms of pure bhakti, since he saw Kṛṣṇa as the supreme Lord. Or giving up his nature as son of Vasudeva, the Lord identified himself as the son of Nanda. Thus he is called ātmaja. Some devotees explain as follows. The one Lord was born in Vasudeva’s house and also was born along with māyā in Nanda’s house. Because this fact is most confidential it is not revealed. In placing his son in exchange for the girl, the two became one. Thus Brahmā says paśupāṅgajāya: I offer respects to the son of the cowherd. (SB 10.14.1) kṛṣṇo ‘nyo yadu-sambhūto yaḥ pūrṇaṁ so’ sty ataḥ paraḥ Vṛndāvanaṁ parijyajya sa kvacin naiva gacchati Kṛṣṇa born in the Yadu dynasty, who is complete, is different from this Kṛṣṇa. He never gives up Vṛndānana to go elsewhere. Rudra-yamala By nature Nanda was generous (mahāmanāḥ). When the son was born he became blissful. This became the cause of a great festival. He called the vipras—those who can excellently (vi) fulfill (prāṇti) all desires. They were knowledgeable of the birth rites and rules of the Vedas. Śruti says yāvatīr vai devatāḥ sarvās tā vedavidi bṛahmaṇe vasanti: all the devatās reside in the brāhmaṇa having knowledge of the Vedas. He purified himself with ācamana and Vaiṣṇava tilaka. He had the brāhmaṇas chant mantras like bhūyas tvapi and perform the ceremony for giving intelligence to his son. Karma-phalam prayoktari: the result of action goes to the performer. Vai indicates completion of the action. They performed the ceremonies according to the rules (vidhinā). Another version has vidhivat. Then they performed worship of the Pitṛs. Nanda did not perform the nāndīmukha-śraddha personally (which was the custom) since he was stunned with bliss. Tathā can mean “and.” They had to perform those rites because he was repeatedly stunned.