The
royal palace of Brajaraj Nanda Maharaj is situated in Nandagaon.
Nanda
maharaj an his brothers, Upananda, Abhinanda, Sunanda and Nandana all
lived here.
Mahadev
Sankara pleased his worshipable deity Sri Krsna and asked for the
boon to have darsan of Sri Krsna”s childhood pastimes. Svayam
Bhagavan Sri Krsna ordered him to situate himself in Nandagao in the
form of a hill. He then waited for the arrival of his worshipable
deity.
"Because
of your pious austerities you will obtain five sons. Of these sons
the middle one, named Nanda, will be the best. Nanda's glorious son
will delight the residents of Vraja. He will defeat all oppositions.
Both the demigods and demons will worship Him, touching the jewels of
their crowns to His lotus feet."
Parjanya Maharaj:
At
the end o dvapara yuga, there lived a muni named Devamidha. He had
two wives, one from a ksatriya family and the other form a gopa
family. Surasena was born fron the ksatriya wife, and parjanya
Maharaj from his gopa wife.
Krsna's
fair-complexion, white-haired and white-attired grandfather is named
Parjanya Maharaja, because he is like a great cloud (parjanya)
showering the nectar of auspiciousness. He is the best of all the
residents of Vraja.
Desiring
a worthy descendant, he followed the advice of Devarsi Narada and
engaged in the worship of Lord Narayana, the husband of Laksmi. As he
was worshiping Narayana at Nandisvara-pura, a pleasant voice spoke
the following words from the sky:
Hearing
this, Parjanya Maharaja became happy and decided to reside at the
place. He lived there until he saw the Kesi demon arrive and at that
time he became frightened and fled with all his associates to
Mahavana.
Variyasi
(paternal grandmother)
Krsna's
grandmother Variyasi is respected in the land of Vraja. She is short
in stature and her complexion is the colour of a kusumbha flower. She
is attired in green garments and her hair is the color of milk.
Nanda
Maharaja:
Krsna's
father is Nanda Maharaja. Nanda delights the residents of Vraja and
he is worshiped by all the worlds. He has a protuberant belly, his
complexion is the colour of sandalwood, he is tall in stature and his
garments are the colour of a bandhujiva flower. His beard is a
mixture of black and white hairs, like rice and toasted sesame seeds
mixed together.
Nanda
is the king of the cowherd men, the younger brother of Upananda and
the intimate friend of Maharaja Vasudeva. Nanda and his wife Yasoda
are the king and queen of Vrajabhumi and the parents of Lord Krsna.
Because
he possesses the splendor (deva) of great wealth (vasu), Nanda
Maharaja is also known as Vasudeva. He is also famous by the name
Anakadundubhi and it is known that in his previous birth he was named
Drona. These names of Maharaja Nanda are described in the
Mathura-mahima section of the Garuda Purana. Nanda's most intimate
friend is named Maharaja Vrsabhanu.
Nanda
Maharaja's elder brothers are Upananda and Abhinanda and his younger
brothers are Sannanda and Nandana. These are the names of Lord
Krsna's parental uncles.
Krsna's
father has two sisters, Sananda-devi and Nandini-devi. They both
dress in garments of many different colors. They have beautiful teeth
and their complexions are the color of white foam. Sananda-devi's
husband is Mahanila and Nandini's husband is Sunila.
Catu
and Batuka are Nanda Maharaja's two ksatriya cousins born in Vasudeva
Maharaja's dynasty. Catu's wife is Dadhisara and Batuka's wife is
Havihsara. Mangala, Pingala, Pinga, Mathura, Pitha, Pattisa, Sankara,
Sangara, Bhrngaq, Ghrni, Ghatika, Saragha, Pathira, Dandi, Kedara,
Saurabheya, Kala, Ankura, Dhurina, Dhurva, Cakranga, Maskara, Utpala,
Kambala, Supaksa, Saudha, Harita, Harikesa, Hara and Upananda are
among the contemporary associates of Krsna's father, Nanda Maharaja.
Nanda
Maharaja
.
Yasoda
Krnsa's
mother is named Yasoda because she bestows (da) fame (yasah) on the
cowherd residents of Vraja. She is like the personification of
parental love for Krnsa. Her complexion is dark and her garments are
like a rainbow. Mother Yasoda's body is of a medium size, neither
large nor small. She has long black hair. Her closest friends are
Aindavi and Kirtida.
Yasoda
is the wife of Nanda, the king of Gokula. She is the queen of the
cowherd men in Vraja, the friend of Devaki and the mother of Lord
Krsna.
The
friendship of Yasoda is described in the following statement of the
Adi Purana: "The wife of Maharaja Nanda was known by two name
Vatsala,
Kusala, Tali, Medura, Masrna, Krpa, Sankini, Bimbini, Mitra, Subhaga,
Bhogini, Prabha, Sarika Hingula, Niti, Kapila, Dhamanidhara, Paksati,
Pataka, Pundi, Sutunda, Tusti, Anjana, Tarangaksi, Taralika, Subhada,
Malika, Angada, Visala, Sallaki, Vena and Vartika are among the
contemporary associates of Krsna's mother, Yasoda-devi.
s,
Yasoda and Devaki. Partly because they share the same name (Devaki)
the wife of Maharaja Nanda and the wife of Maharaja Vasudeva were
great friends."
Yasodevi
and Yasasvini are the sisters of Krsna's mother Yasoda. Yasasvini's
husband is named Malla. Yasodevi is elder. Her complexion is dark and
she is also known by the name Dadhisara. Yasasvini is younger. Her
complexion is fair and she is also known by the name Havihsara. Both
dress in vermillion-colored garments. Yasoda's sisters married the
two ksatriyas Catu and Batuka. Yasoda's uncle Carumukha has one son
who is named Sucaru.
Shani dev in nanda hill
the main gate of Nanda palace
Rohini
(Balarama's mother)
Lord
Balarama's mother is named Rohini, because she is filled with a
constantly rising (arohini) flood of transcendental bliss. Although
she dearly loves her son Balarama, she loves Krsna millions of times
more.
Upananda
(paternal uncle)
Upananda's
complexion is pink. He has a long beard and wears green garments.
Tungi-devi is his dear wife. Both her complexion and garments are the
colour of a cataka bird. Kandava and Dandava are the two sons of
Upananda. Their faces are as beautiful as lotus flowers and they
become especially happy in the association of their friend Subala.
Abhinanda
(paternal uncle)
Abhinanda
wears dark garments and his long beautiful beard is like a great
conchshell. Pivari-devi is his wife. She wears blue garments and her
complexion is pink.
Sannanda
(paternal uncle)
Sannanda
is also known as Sunanda. His complexion is white and he wears
dark-colored clothing. He has two or three white hairs and he is very
dear to Lord Kesava. Kuvalaya-devi is Sannanda's wife. Her complexion
is the colour of a blue lotus flower and she wears red garments.
Nandana
(paternal uncle)
Nandana
wears garments the color of a candata flower and his complexion is
like the color of a peacock. Nandana lives in the same house with his
father, Parjanya Maharaja. He is full of love for his yound nephew
Krsna. Atulya-devi is Nandana's wife. Her complexion is like
lightning and her garments resemble a dark cloud.
Sumuka
(maternal grandfather)
Krsna's
energetic and enthusiastic maternal grandfather is named Sumukha. His
long beard is like a great conchshell and his complexion is the color
of a ripe jambu fruit.
Carumukha
is Sumukha's younger brother. His complexion is the color of black
eye-cosmetics and his wife Balaka-gopi was raised by her stepparents.
Kila, Antakela, Tilata, Krpita, Purata, Gonda, Kallota, Karanda,
Tarisana, Varisana, Viraroha and Vararoha are among the contemporary
associates of Krsna's maternal grandfather.
Patala
devi (maternal grandmother)
Queen
Patala-devi is Krsna's maternal grandmother and she is very famous in
Vrajabhumi. Her hair is the white color of yogurt, her complexion is
the pink color of a patala flower and her garments are green.
Patala-devi's
dear friend is named Mukhara-gopi. Out of intense affection for her
friend, Mukhara used to feed the infant Yasoda with her own breast
milk. Bharunda, Jatila, Bhela, Karala, Karabalika, Gharghara,
Mukhara, Ghora, Ghanta, Ghoni, Sughantika, Dhvankarunti, Handi,
Tundi, Dingima, Manjuranika, Cakkini, Condika, Cundi, Dindima,
Pundavanika, Damani, Damari, Dambi and Danka are among the
contemporary associates of Krsna's maternal grandmother.
Parjanya
Maharaja's brothers are named Urjanya and Rajanya and his sister is
an expert dancer named Suverjana. Her husband is named Gunavira and
they live in the town named Surya-kunja.
Having
taken a vow of friendship in their youth, Parjanya and Sumukha
(Krishna's maternal grandfather) always remain the best of friends.
Nanda Maharaja and many other of the cowherds are descended from
their families.
33.
The poets praised him with these verse:
“
Parjanya
is glorious like a monsoon cloud. He is like a cloud filled with
bliss. Accompanied by his sons headed by Upananda, he delights
people.”
Nanda Maharaj is crowned king
(from Gopal Campu)
43.
All glorious Parjanya filled everyone with joy. He himself was
always joyful. He was devoted to his family and always intent on
serving Lord Krishna’s lotus feet. He desired to make his eldest
son the tilaka mark of his family. Thus he asked his eldest son,
Upananda, to call an assembly of Vasudeva and the kings and Garga
Muni and the brahmanas.
44.
Thus commanded by his father, fortunate Upananda called Vasudeva and
the others to the assembly. In that assembly Upananda embraced his
middle younger brother, Nanda, made him the tilaka mark of the
family, crowned him king of Gokula and worshipped him.
45.
The younger brother, Nanda, shyly withdrew. Everyone was surprised.
Parjanya, the affectionate father, looked on with glistening eyes.
Upananda said, “I do not act thoughtlessly. I am conquered by my
brother’s love. He has all virtues. Therefore what I do now is
right. I am not his equal. We are all his subordinates He should
control us.
46.
“Furthermore, even Lord Narayana, the Supersoul who stays in the
hearts of all, accepts this arrangement. Look. In this assembly
every eye is like a black bee hovering at the lotus flower of Nanda’s
face. This arrangement is right. Therefore it is right that I bear
the name Upananda (Nanda’s follower). It is appropriate because
Nanda is our king.”
47.
At that moment flowers fell, and from the sky came calls of “Glory!
Glory!” Gazing with wide-open eyes, everyone in the assembly also
called, “Glory! Glory!
Nanda Maharaj Yasoda Devi Krsna Nd Balaram Pournamasi Devi and Gopas
the
riddle:
48.
Then Snigdhakantha said, “O sweet-voiced Madhukantha, whom all the
worlds want to hear, between the eldest Upananda and the youngest
Nanda, three brothers stand. Who is the middle one of these three
brothers. What is his nature? Please describe him.”
49.
Madhukantha said, “In this verse I will speak a glorious riddle, a
riddle that will fill your thoughts with happiness.”
50.
Snigdhakantha said “Please say that riddle.”
51.
Madhukantha said: "Which person, even though he gave me the
greatest treasure by accepting me as his son, still does not stop
treating me as a friend?"
52.
Eagerly and happily, Snigdhakantha at once said, "The answer is:
Nanda Maharaj.
Sri Nandisvar Mahadev