Vasudeva
Sri Nanda Maharaja’s friend is called Vasudeva because he is radiant with piety, jewels and wealth, which are all denoted by the word vasu.
Visuddha sattva-guna, or the transcendental platform of pure existence, is also called vasudeva, and according to this meaning his name is Vasudeva because he is endowed with this visuddha sattva-guna. He is a partial manifestation of a Vasu called Drona and is also well known by the name Anaka Dundubhi[1].
A description of these names is found in the Mathura- mahatmya of the Garuda Purana. The renowned Sri Vrisabhanu Maharaja of Vraja is Sri Vasudeva Maharaja’s most dear friend.
Yasoda (Krishna’s mother)
Because she gives (da) fame (yasa) to the society of the cowherds, Sri Krishna’s mother is called Yasoda.
Her bodily complexion is blackish blue (syamala). She is the very personification of parental love and her attire is colourful like the rainbow.
Sri Yasoda’s body is of medium size – neither plump nor thin. Her hair is quite long and black. Her best friends, who are as dear to her as her own life, are Aindavi and Kirttida.
She is well known as the wife of the ruler of Gokula, Vraja-raja Sri Nanda Maharaja; as Yasoda; as a friend of Sri Vasudeva’s wife Sri Devaki; as Gopesvari (the Queen of the cowherds); as Goshtharani (the Queen of Vraja) and as the mother of Sri Krishna.
According to the Adi Purana:
“Sri Nanda Maharaja’s wife has two names: Yasoda and Devaki. Devaki, the wife of Sauri Sri Vasudeva, has the same name as Yasoda, and therefore they naturally have a special friendship[2].”
Rohini (Krishna’s elder mother)
Sri Rohini-devi is known as the elder mother of Sri Krishna. She is an embodiment of ever-increasing joy. She even feels millions of times greater affection for Sri Krishna than for Sri Balarama[3].
[1] You find the full story of how Vasudeva and his wife Devaki became Krishna’s parents in the 10th Canto of the Srimad-Bhagavatam
[2] Krishna’s name as Devakinandana refers to Yasoda. Of course He is also very dear to Devaki the wife of Vasudeva, but this name refers mainly to Mother Yasoda.
[3] Krishna and Balarama grew up together in Vraja because Rohini took shelter of Nanda Maharaja while her husband Vasudeva was imprisoned in Mathura.
This is a section of the book “Sri Sri Radha Krishna Ganoddesa Dipika”.
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