Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.8.14
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
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vasudevasya
—
of Vasudeva
Genitive. The biological father in Mathurā. The name itself means 'son of Vasudeva', so calling Kṛṣṇa Vāsudeva is calling Him 'Vasudeva's son' — yet Garga must whisper this to Nanda, who knows Him as his own.
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ātmajaḥ
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Kṛṣṇa, who has taken birth as your child
Ātma (self) + ja (born). 'Born of one's own self' — the Sanskrit word for son retains the philosophical claim that the child IS the father's ātmā taking another body. Used here twice: Kṛṣṇa is ātmaja to both Vasudeva and Nanda.
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vāsudevaḥ
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Vāsudeva (one given the name Vāsudeva)
Patronymic of Vasudeva. Also a vyutpatti: vasati sarvatra iti vāsudevaḥ — 'He in whom all beings dwell and who dwells in all beings'. Both etymologies are valid; the second is the metaphysical reading the Vaiṣṇava-Purāṇas favor.
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abhijñāḥ
—
those who are learned
Abhi (towards, fully) + jña (knower). 'Those who know upward', those who know with discrimination. The verse signals that not all will catch this name; only abhijñas trace it back to Vasudeva-putra without confusing Kṛṣṇa with the foster-relation.
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śrīmān
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very beautiful, possessed of śrī
Śrī (beauty, opulence, Lakṣmī) + mān (possessor). The epithet locates Kṛṣṇa in the Lakṣmī-pati lineage even while He plays in Nanda's house. Gauḍīyas: Rādhā is His śrī here; Yoga-māyā keeps the link veiled.
Garga Muni indirectly disclosed, “This child was originally born as the son of Vasudeva, although He is acting as your child. Generally He is your child, but sometimes He is the son of Vasudeva.”
Garga informed Nanda that in a previous life (prak) his son was born in a solitary place from Vasudeva and was called Vasudeva. Not only Garga, but the knowledgeable persons say this. In this way he indicates that it is a fact.
The literal meaning is as follows. Somewhere, your son was born from Vasudeva. How was that? It was in a previous birth of Vasudeva and your son. Nanda understood that in a previous life Vasudeva was also called Vasudeva. The secret meaning is as follows. Previously in this life, in Kaṁsa’s prison, he was born from Vasudeva but he is also your son. This is according to the conclusion that Kṛṣṇa was born in Yaśodā’s mind and thus was Nanda’s son. O Nanda, filled with greatest fortune, because o f having such a son (śrīman)! Another version has śrīmān, which modifies ayam (this child). Your child is endowed with the greatest fortune and beauty. Abhijñāḥ indicates persons in knowledge of the real meaning of “being born to Vasudeva” rather than those who are ignorant of the facts.
Garga calls him “your son” to destroy the doubt that Kṛṣṇa is Vasudeva’s son, the astonishing supreme Lord. This term is used later also to reinforce the meaning. O Garga, endowed with the treasure of the highest fortune (śrīman)! Another version has śrīmān: your son is most beautiful. Your son is called Vāsudeva, since he is the presiding deity of citta. Again he hides that fact by explaining that he was previously born as the son of Vasudeva. The hiddening mean is expressed by the affix sam. Those in knowledge call him in truth (sam) Vāsudeva because he is born as the son of Vasudeva.
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- Notice when you reduce Kṛṣṇa to a single role in your life — friend, refuge, judge — and remember He simultaneously holds all relationships with His devotees.
- When chanting today, address Him as both Vāsudeva (the majestic son of Vasudeva) and as the intimate child of Yaśodā, and feel the same Person in both moods.
- Refuse to flatten the learned (abhijñāḥ) tradition's multiple names for Kṛṣṇa into one generic label — speak His specific names with the precision Garga Muni models here.
An emperor visits one country and is called by one royal title there, another country by a second; one Person, distinct names according to which throne He occupies. Kṛṣṇa, born once before to Vasudeva, carries the name Vāsudeva even when seated on Yaśodā's lap — one Person, multiple sambandhas.
After leaving Vraja, Kṛṣṇa is addressed throughout the rest of Canto 10 — and across the Mahābhārata — as Vāsudeva. The Bhagavad-gītā's vāsudevaḥ sarvam iti (7.19) crystallizes the name's metaphysical scope: He is everything, and the name Vāsudeva carries that everything.
Garga's verse plants the name into Kṛṣṇa's biography while He is still in Yaśodā's house — a foreshadowing of the Mathurā-Dvārakā life to come. The abhijñāḥ already know.
My note
Source: vedabase.io