Chapter Five Gopa-vivāda The Dispute Among the Gopas

Śrī Nārada said: Having seen Kṛṣṇa wonderful and surprising pastimes, the gopas and gopīs said to Nanda and Yaśodā:

O king of the gopas, no one in your family could lift a hill. O Yaśodā, you could not hold even a single rock for seven days.

What is the strength of a seven-year-old boy? How strong must one be to lift Govardhana Hill, the king of mountains? We have begun to doubt the identity of your unnaturally strong boy.

With one hand He playfully held up the greatest of mountains as an elephant holds up a lotus flower or a child holds up a mushroom.

O Yaśodā, your complexion is fair. O Nanda, your complexion is also fair. This boy is very dark. He is different from the rest of the family.

This boy is like a kṣatriya. For Balarāma a kṣatriya's nature is not unexpected. He was born in a kṣatriya family descended from the moon-god.

If you don't tell us the truth, we will leave the community. Was this boy really born in a family of gopas? If you don't tell us, there will be a great quarrel.

Śrī Nārada said: As she heard the gopas' words, Yaśodā became gripped with fear. Then King Nanda spoke to the angry gopas.

Śrī Nanda said: O gopas, I will carefully tell you what Garga Muni said. O gopas, by his words you wil be quickly free of your anxiety. Garga Muni said to me:

In the word "Kṛṣṇa" the letter "k" means "the lover of the goddess of fortune", "ṛ" means Lord Rāmacandra", "ṣ" means "the Lord of six opulences" or "the Lord who resides in Śvetadvīpa".

"Ṇ" means "Lord Nṛsiṁha", "a" means "the eternal one" or "the Lord who enjoys what is offered in the sacrifical fire", and "ḥ" means "the Nara-Nārāyaṇa Ṛṣis".

These six letters combine to form the name of the original Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is perfect and complete. That is why this boy is named Kṛṣṇa.

In the other yugas He is white, red, or yellow, but at the end of Dvāpara-yuga and the beginning of Kali-yuga, this boy becomes dark-complexioned (kṛṣṇa).

vasavaś cendriyāṇīti tad devaś citta eva hi tasmin yaś ceṣṭate so 'pi vāsudeva iti smṛtaḥ tasmāt—therefore; kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa; iti—thus; khyātaḥ—named; nāmnā—by the name; ayam—He; nanda-nandanaḥ—the son of Nanda; vasavaś—the Vasus; ca—and; indriyāṇi—the senses; iti—thus; tat—that; devaś—Lord; citta—in the heart; eva—indeed; hi—indeed; tasmin—in that; yaś—who; ceṣṭate—acts; saḥ—He; api—indeed; vāsudeva—vāsudeva; iti—thus; smṛtaḥ—remembered. That is why Nanda's son has the name Kṛṣṇa. Because He is the Lord (deva) that rules over the eight vasus (the heart, mind, intelligence, and the five senses), He is also called Vāsudeva.

vasavaś cendriyāṇīti tad devaś citta eva hi tasmin yaś ceṣṭate so 'pi vāsudeva iti smṛtaḥ tasmāt—therefore; kṛṣṇa—Kṛṣṇa; iti—thus; khyātaḥ—named; nāmnā—by the name; ayam—He; nanda-nandanaḥ—the son of Nanda; vasavaś—the Vasus; ca—and; indriyāṇi—the senses; iti—thus; tat—that; devaś—Lord; citta—in the heart; eva—indeed; hi—indeed; tasmin—in that; yaś—who; ceṣṭate—acts; saḥ—He; api—indeed; vāsudeva—vāsudeva; iti—thus; smṛtaḥ—remembered. That is why Nanda's son has the name Kṛṣṇa. Because He is the Lord (deva) that rules over the eight vasus (the heart, mind, intelligence, and the five senses), He is also called Vāsudeva.

Because He is the husband (pati) of King Vṛṣabhānu's daughter Rādhā, who was born in the palace of Kīrti-devī, He is also called Rādhā-pati.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is perfect and complete. He is the master of countless universes. In the transcendental abode of Goloka He shines with transcendental glory.

In order to relieve the earth of its burden, kill the demons headed by Kaṁsa, and protect the devotees, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead has now become your son.

O descendent of Bharata, His names are endless. His names are hidden even from the Vedas. His transcendental pastimes will show what His names are. Do not be surprised by them.

When I heard Garga Muni say this about my son, I did not doubt his words. The words of the Vedas and the words of a brāhmaṇa are the final proof of what is true in this world.

Ther gopas said: If the great sage Garga Muni actually came to your home and performed the name-giving ceremony, why did you not call your relatives to come and witness it?

You kept the name-giving ceremony a secret even when it was performed in your own home!

Śrī Nārada said: Their bodies filled with anger as they spoke these words, the gopas left Nanda's palace and went to King Vṛṣabhānu.

Filled with anger for their kinsman Nanda, all the gopas spoke to Nanda's friend, King Vṛṣabhānu.

The gopas said: O King Vṛṣabhānu, you have a noble heart. You are the best person in our community. O king, O leader of the gopas, you should sever your ties of friendship with King Nanda.

Śrī Vṛṣabhānu said: What wrong has King Nanda done that I should sever my ties of friendship with him? King Nanda is worshiped by the gopas. He is the crown that gloriously decorates our community. He is my dear friend.

The gopas said: O king, if you do not sever your ties of friendship with him, we, the people of Vraja, will sever our ties of friendship with you. O thoughtful one, in your home you have a grown-up daughter of marriageable age.

If you, the first person in our community, who have now become maddened with your wealth and opulences, find yourself unable to give Her in marriage to a suitable bridegroom, the fault will be yours alone.

If you do not for a long time sever your ties of friendship with King Nanda, we will ostracize you from our community. O noble-hearted one, reject, reject King Nanda.

Śrī Vṛṣabhānu said: O gopas, I will repeat for you Garga Muni's words. Those words will make you free of all these anxieties. Garga Muni said:

The boy that was born in Nanda's home is the master of countless universes. He is the master of Goloka. He is greater than the greatest. No one is greater than Him.

On the demigod Brahmā's request, Kṛṣṇa came to this universe to remove the earth's burden and kill the demons headed by Kaṁsa.

Śrī Rādhā, who in the realm of Goloka is Śrī Kṛṣṇa's first queen, has taken birth in your home. You do not know how exalted She is.

I will not arrange the marriage of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa. They will be married in Bhāṇḍīravan forest by the Yamunā's shore.

In a beautiful secluded place near Vṛndāvana forest the demigod Brahmā will perform their wedding.

O best of the gopas, please understand that, in the palace of Goloka, Rādhā is the first queen of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the crest jewel of the worlds.

From Goloka all you gopas have come to the earth. The gopīs and cows have also come, by Rādhā's wish from Goloka.

After speaking these words, the great sage Garga Muni left. From that day I have not doubted Rādhā's exalted position.

The words of the Vedas and the words of a brāhmaṇa are the final proof of what is true in this world. O gopas, now I have explained all this to you. What more do you wish to hear? .pa