SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 10

S'rî S'uka said: 'Garga the family priest of the Yadus, highly elevated in penance, o King, went on the request of Vasudeva to Nanda's cow community.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: O Mahârâja Parîkshit , the priest of the Yadu dynasty, namely Gargamuni, who was highly elevated in austerity and penance, was then inspired by Vasudeva to go see Nanda Mahârâja at his home. (Vedabase)

Text 2

Nanda very pleased to see him stood of worship with folded hands to welcome him knowing him to be someone beyond the senses [adhokshaja] and prostrated to offer his obeisances.

When Nanda Mahârâja saw Gargamuni present at his home, Nanda was so pleased that he stood up to receive him with folded hands. Although seeing Gargamuni with his eyes, Nanda Mahârâja could appreciate that Gargamuni was adhokshaja; that is, he was not an ordinary person seen by material senses. (Vedabase)

Text 3

With the greatest hospitality and the sweetest words he had the sage seated and pleasing him this way he said: 'O brahmin so complete of realization, what can I do for you?

When Gargamuni had been properly received as a guest and was very comfortably seated, Nanda Mahârâja submitted with gentle and submissive words: Dear sir, because you are a devotee, you are full in everything. Yet my duty is to serve you. Kindly order me. What can I do for you? (Vedabase)

Text 4

The moving of the great towards the common people, the simple-minded householders, never must be considered to happen for any other reason but to their best interest.

O my lord, O great devotee, persons like you move from one place to another not for their own interests but for the sake of poor-hearted grihasthas [householders]. Otherwise they have no interest in going from one place to another. (Vedabase)

Text 5

Any person is able to understand his past and future from the knowledge beyond the ken of ordinary man about the course of the luminaries that you've so graciously wrote down to the scrutiny of each [in a book on astrology].

O great saintly person, you have compiled the astrological knowledge by which one can understand past and present unseen things. By the strength of this knowledge, any human being can understand what he has done in his past life and how it affects his present life. This is known to you. (Vedabase)

Text 6

You indeed as the best of all the knowers of the Brahman are the brahmin by birth [*] to be the guru for each; so please perform the name-ceremony [the samskâra] for these two boys [Krishna and Balarâma].'

My lord, you are the best of the brâhmanas, especially because you are fully aware of the jyotih-s'âstra, the astrological science. Therefore you are naturally the spiritual master of every human being. This being so, since you have kindly come to my house, kindly execute the reformatory activities for my two sons. (Vedabase)

Text 7

S'rî Garga said: 'I am, as everyone knows, the teacher of example of the Yadus; always have the sons with me undergone the purification rites, but in your case people might think that we would be doing that for the sake of the son of Devakî.

Gargamuni said: My dear Nanda Mahârâja, I am the priestly guide of the Yadu dynasty. This is known everywhere. Therefore, if I perform the purificatory process for your sons, Kamsa will consider Them the sons of Devakî. (Vedabase)

Text 8-9

Kamsa, that great sinner, with your friendship with Vasudeva in mind and the fact that the eighth child of Devakî can't be a girl, might, having taken notice of the message from Devakî's daughter [Durgâ 10.4: 12], even contemplate to kill it and therefore is it not wise for us to do that.'

Kamsa is both a great diplomat and a very sinful man. Therefore, having heard from Yogamâyâ, the daughter of Devakî, that the child who will kill him has already been born somewhere else, having heard that the eighth pregnancy of Devakî could not bring forth a female child, and having understood your friendship with Vasudeva, Kamsa, upon hearing that the purificatory process has been performed by me, the priest of the Yadu dynasty, may certainly consider all these points and suspect that Krishna is the son of Devakî and Vasudeva. Then he might take steps to kill Krishna. That would be a catastrophe. (Vedabase)

Text 10

S'rî Nanda said: 'Perform without him or with even my own relatives knowing about it right here in a remote place, in the cow shed, the purificatory second birth rites with the benedictory chanting of the classical hymns.'

Nanda Mahârâja said: My dear great sage, if you think that your performing this process of purification will make Kamsa suspicious, then secretly chant the Vedic hymns and perform the purifying process of second birth here in the cow shed of my house, without the knowledge of anyone else, even my relatives, for this process of purification is essential. (Vedabase)

Text 11

S'rî S'uka said: 'With this urgent request performed the man of learning for the two boys in secret seclusion the name-giving ceremony for which he had come.

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: Having thus been especially requested by Nanda Mahârâja to do that which he already desired to do, Gargamuni performed the name-giving ceremony for Krishna and Balarâma in a solitary place. (Ve d abase)

Text 12

S'rî Garga said: 'This indeed is the son of Rohinî who with His transcendental qualities is there to the pleasure of all his folk and thus will he be called Râma; so too will He be known as Bala for His extraordinary strength and will He for the fact that He unites both the families [of Nanda and Vasudeva, see also 10.2: 8] be known as Sankarshana [the unifier].

Gargamuni said: This child, the son of Rohinî, will give all happiness to His relatives and friends by His transcendental qualities. Therefore He will be known as Râma. And because He will manifest extraordinary bodily strength, He will also be known as Bala. Moreover, because He unites two families - Vasudeva's family and the family of Nanda Mahârâja - He will be known as Sankarshana. (Vedabase)

Text 13

There are three colors your son has assumed in accepting forms according the yuga: white, red as well as yellow and now He is Krishna [Blackish see **].

Your son Krishna appears as an incarnation in every millennium. In the past, He assumed three different colors - white, red and yellow - and now He has appeared in a blackish color. [In another Dvâpara-yuga, He appeared (as Lord Râmacandra) in the color of s'uka, a parrot. All such incarnations have now assembled in Krishna.] (Vedabase)

Text 14

Some time before was this child born as the son of Vasudeva and therefore will about this child of yours the ones who know thus also speak as the all-beautiful Vâsudeva.

For many reasons, this beautiful son of yours sometimes appeared previously as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore, those who are learned sometimes call this child Vâsudeva. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Of this son of yours there are many names and forms according the nature of His qualities and activities; These are known to me, but not to the common people.

For this son of yours there are many forms and names according to His transcendental qualities and activities. These are known to me, but people in general do not understand them. (Vedabase)

Text 16

This child will always act to what is most beneficial to you all in being a Nanda-Gokula cowherd; by Him will you all easily overcome all dangers [*3].

To increase the transcendental bliss of the cowherd men of Gokula, this child will always act auspiciously for you. And by His grace only, you will surpass all difficulties. (Vedabase)

Text 17

In times before were by Him, o King of Vraja, the pious who were disturbed by the rogues of a faulty rule protected so that they, with the bad ones defeated, could flourish [see also 1.3: 28].

O Nanda Mahârâja, as recorded in history, when there was an irregular, incapable government, Indra having been dethroned, and people were being harassed and disturbed by thieves, this child appeared in order to protect the people and enable them to flourish, and He curbed the rogues and thieves. (Vedabase)

Text 18

Like the ones close to Vishnu have nothing to fear from the Asuras, will those persons who unto this child are as greatly fortunate as to act in affection not be overcome by enemies.

Demons [asuras] cannot harm the demigods, who always have Lord Vishnu on their side. Similarly, any person or group attached to Krishna is extremely fortunate. Because such persons are very much affectionate toward Krishna, they cannot be defeated by demons like the associates of Kamsa [or by the internal enemies, the senses]. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Therefore, o Nanda, take the greatest care raising this child: in His qualities, opulences, name and fame is this son of yours as good as Nârâyana!'

In conclusion, therefore, O Nanda Mahârâja, this child of yours is as good as Nârâyana. In His transcendental qualities, opulence, name, fame and influence, He is exactly like Nârâyana. You should all raise this child very carefully and cautiously. (Vedabase)

Text 20

S'rî S'uka said: 'After Garga thus in full had informed them about the Supreme Soul [the way He had manifested in the form of the two boys] and had left for his own place, considered Nanda himself, being blessed with all good fortune, most happy.

S'rîla S'ukadeva Gosvâmî continued: After Gargamuni, having instructed Nanda Mahârâja about Krishna, departed for his own home, Nanda Mahârâja was very pleased and considered himself full of all good fortune. (Vedab a se)

Text 21

A little time later were in Gokula Râma and Kes'ava [Krishna] crawling around on their hands and knees enjoying their childhood.

After a short time passed, both brothers, Râma and Krishna, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play. (Vedabase)

Text 22

They, crawling like snakes in the mud of the cowplace, dragging their feet behind them, produced a sweet sound with their ankle bells, but charmed by the sounds enthusiastically following other people, got they afraid and returned they quickly to their mothers.

When Krishna and Balarâma, with the strength of Their legs, crawled in the muddy places created in Vraja by cow dung and cow urine, Their crawling resembled the crawling of serpents, and the sound of Their ankle bells was very charming. Very much pleased by the sound of other people's ankle bells, They used to follow these people as if going to Their mothers, but when They saw that these were other people, They became afraid and returned to Their real mothers, Yas'odâ and Rohinî. (Vedabase)

Text 23

Closing their by the mud charmingly colored bodies in their arms allowed their mothers them to drink from the milk which from the great love for each of their sons flowed from their breasts, and when they, as they were sucking, looked into their mouths were they delighted with the greatest ecstasy to find their teeth growing.

Dressed with muddy earth mixed with cow dung and cow urine, the babies looked very beautiful, and when They went to Their mothers, both Yas'odâ and Rohinî picked Them up with great affection, embraced Them and allowed Them to suck the milk flowing from their breasts. While sucking the breast, the babies smiled, and Their small teeth were visible. Their mothers, upon seeing those beautiful teeth, enjoyed great transcendental bliss. (Vedabase)

Text 24

From within their houses watching the children play outside in Vraja forgot they laughing their household duties amused to see how the both of them catching the tails' ends of the calves were dragged around by them.

Within the house of Nanda Mahârâja, the cowherd ladies would enjoy seeing the pastimes of the babies Râma and Krishna. The babies would catch the ends of the calves' tails, and the calves would drag Them here and there. When the ladies saw these pastimes, they certainly stopped their household activities and laughed and enjoyed the incidents. (Vedabase)

Text 25

In their restless playing engaged with the cows, with fire, with animal beaks, with swords, water, birds and thorns were the mothers put off when they, doing their household duties, couldn't find a way to check them.

When mother Yas'odâ and Rohinî were unable to protect the babies from calamities threatened by horned cows, by fire, by animals with claws and teeth such as monkeys, dogs and cats, and by thorns, swords and other weapons on the ground, they were always in anxiety, and their household engagements were disturbed. At that time, they were fully equipoised in the transcendental ecstasy known as the distress of material affection, for this was aroused within their minds. (Vedabase)

Text 26

Within a short time, o King, began Râma and Krishna in Gokula without the help of their knees with ease to walk around on their legs alone.

O King Parîkshit , within a very short time both Râma and Krishna began to walk very easily in Gokula on Their legs, by Their own strength, without the need to crawl. (Vedabase)

Text 27

Next was by the Supreme Lord, in His together with Balarâma playing with other kids in Vraja, awakened a heavenly bliss with the ladies of Vraja.

Thereafter, Lord Krishna, along with Balarâma, began to play with the other children of the cowherd men, thus awakening the transcendental bliss of the cowherd women. (Vedabase)

Text 28

The gopîs, who with eyes for Krishna were eager just to hear again and again about His childish pranks, assembled in the presence of His mother and said:

Observing the very attractive childish restlessness of Krishna, all the gopîs in the neighborhood, to hear about Krishna's activities again and again, would approach mother Yas'odâ and speak to her as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 29

'Once He untimely released the calves and smiled upon the anger aroused; some or another way He stole and ate from the pots the palatable curd, milk and butter and gave the monkeys each a share to eat; and when they refuse to eat [having enough], He breaks the pot and when He can't find any [food to feed them], He gets angry at the people of the house and goes pinching the babies.

"Our dear friend Yas'odâ, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won't take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Krishna will go away. (Vedabase)

Text 30

[With the pots] hung out of reach He devises a way by piling up things or turning over a mortar and then finds His way to the contents making a hole in the hanging pot. Awaiting the time the gopîs are busy with their household affairs, He knows His way around in a dark room with enough light to see from the shining jewels on His body!

"When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Krishna and Balarâma cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They pick holes in it. While the elderly gopîs go about their household affairs, Krishna and Balarâma sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing. (Vedabase)

Text 31

He's so naughty that He sometimes freely urinates in a clean spot in our houses and that cunning, resourceful thief now sits there like a nice boy!' Being there discussed the gopîs all these things, but seeing Him sitting before them looking afraid with His beautiful face, could the gopîs, who were happy to see Him, with their complaints against Him truly not be angry with Him and only smile and rejoice.

"When Krishna is caught in His naughty activities, the master of the house will say to Him, 'Oh, You are a thief,' and artificially express anger at Krishna. Krishna will then reply, 'I am not a thief. You are a thief.' Sometimes, being angry, Krishna passes urine and stool in a neat, clean place in our houses. But now, our dear friend Yas'odâ, this expert thief is sitting before you like a very good boy." Sometimes all the gopîs would look at Krishna sitting there, His eyes fearful so that His mother would not chastise Him, and when they saw Krishna's beautiful face, instead of chastising Him they would simply look upon His face and enjoy transcendental bliss. Mother Yas'odâ would mildly smile at all this fun, and she would not want to chastise her blessed transcendental child. (Vedabase)

Text 32

One day, when He was a little older, came Balarâma and the other kids of the neighborhood to tell His mother: 'Krishna has eaten earth!'

One day while Krishna was playing with His small playmates, including Balarâma and other sons of the gopas, all His friends came together and lodged a complaint to mother Yas'odâ. "Mother," they submitted, "Krishna has eaten earth." (Vedabase)

Text 33

Yas'odâ anxious about His well-being took Krishna chiding by the hand and looked worried into His mouth to inspect Him and said:

Upon hearing this from Krishna's playmates, mother Yas'odâ, who was always full of anxiety over Krishna's welfare, picked Krishna up with her hands to look into His mouth and chastise Him. Her eyes fearful, she spoke to her son as follows. (Vedabase)

Text 34

'Why, You unruly boy, have You secretly eaten dirt, what is it that I hear from Your older brother and all Your playmates?'

Dear Krishna, why are You so restless that You have eaten dirt in a solitary place? This complaint has been lodged against You by all Your playmates, including Your elder brother, Balarâma. How is this? (Vedabase)

Text 35

'O mother I didn't eat any dirt, they have it all wrong; if that what they say would be true, then look right now into My mouth!

Lord S'rî Krishna replied: My dear mother, I have never eaten dirt. All My friends complaining against Me are liars. If you think they are being truthful, you can directly look into My mouth and examine it. (Vedabase)

Text 36

'If so, then open wide', she ordered Him and He, the Supreme Personality, the Lord to whose opulences there's no limit, then, in His pastime of being a human child, opened His mouth.

Mother Yas'odâ challenged Krishna, "If You have not eaten earth, then open Your mouth wide." When challenged by His mother in this way, Krishna, the son of Nanda Mahârâja and Yas'odâ, to exhibit pastimes like a human child, opened His mouth. Although the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, who is full of all opulences, did not disturb His mother's parental affection, His opulence was automatically displayed, for Krishna's opulence is never lost at any stage, but is manifest at the proper time. (Vedabase)

Text 37-39

Within His mouth she [for the second time, see chapter 10.7: 35-37] saw the entire universe with all beings moving and not moving, the sky in all directions, the mountains, the continents, the oceans, the surface of the earth, the blowing wind, the fire, the moon and the stars. She saw the planetary systems, the waters, the light, the firmament with all of outer space and all [divinities] bound to change, the senses, the mind and the three modes. Seeing the variety of that along with the time of living of each soul, the natural instincts, the karma, what is all desired and the different subtle bodies, including Vraja and herself within in the wide open mouth of the body of her son, was she struck with disbelief:

When Krishna opened His mouth wide by the order of mother Yas'odâ, she saw within His mouth all moving and nonmoving entities, outer space, and all directions, along with mountains, islands, oceans, the surface of the earth, the blowing wind, fire, the moon and the stars. She saw the planetary systems, water, light, air, sky, and creation by transformation of ahankâra. She also saw the senses, the mind, sense perception, and the three qualities goodness, passion and ignorance. She saw the time allotted for the living entities, she saw natural instinct and the reactions of karma, and she saw desires and different varieties of bodies, moving and nonmoving. Seeing all these aspects of the cosmic manifestation, along with herself and Vrindâvana-dhâma, she became doubtful and fearful of her son's nature. (Vedabase)

Text 40

'Is this all a dream, a divine phantasmagoria or maybe a delusion of my own intelligenc, or would otherwise that what I so see be some yogic feat natural to my child?

[Mother Yas'odâ began to argue within herself:] Is this a dream, or is it an illusory creation by the external energy? Has this been manifested by my own intelligence, or is it some mystic power of my child? (Vedabase)

Text 41

Because I, as far as I can see, may not understand what all escapes the consciousness, mind, action and words, do I surrender myself at the feet of Him beyond my range of vision under whose control I live and of whom I may awaken.

Therefore let me surrender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead and offer my obeisances unto Him, who is beyond the conception of human speculation, the mind, activities, words and arguments, who is the original cause of this cosmic manifestation, by whom the entire cosmos is maintained, and by whom we can conceive of its existence. Let me simply offer my obeisances, for He is beyond my contemplation, speculation and meditation. He is beyond all of my material activities. (Vedabase)

Text 42

In the notion of me as having this husband and that son, of being the wife that would have it all with the ruler of Vraja, of being the one entrusted with all the gopas and gopîs with the cows and calves, I have it all wrong since only He is my progress [see 5.5: 8, 7.9: 19 and B.G. 5: 29].'

It is by the influence of the Supreme Lord's mâyâ that I am wrongly thinking that Nanda Mahârâja is my husband, that Krishna is my son, and that because I am the queen of Nanda Mahârâja, all the wealth of cows and calves are my possessions and all the cowherd men and their wives are my subjects. Actually, I also am eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord. He is my ultimate shelter. (Vedabase)

Text 43

This way understanding her reality as it is extended He, the Controller, unto that first lady of the gopîs [again] His special grace as Vishnu to be attracted to the Almighty in her affection for her son,

Mother Yas'odâ, by the grace of the Lord, could understand the real truth. But then again, the supreme master, by the influence of the internal potency, yogamâyâ, inspired her to become absorbed in intense maternal affection for her son. (Vedabase)

Text 44

With the memory [of the vision] abrupt gone seated she, the gopî, touched in her heart her son on her lap with a love restored to what it was before.

Immediately forgetting yogamâyâ's illusion that Krishna had shown the universal form within His mouth, mother Yas'odâ took her son on her lap as before, feeling increased affection in her heart for her transcendental child. (Vedabase)

Text 45

By the three [Vedas] and also by the philosophical exercises [the Upanishads], by yogic analysis [sânkhya-yoga] and by means of the devotees [pañcarâtras] is the Lord glorified in all His greatness, but she simply considered Him as her son.'

The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are studied through the three Vedas, the Upanishads, the literature of Sânkhya-yoga, and other Vaishnava literature, yet mother Yas'odâ considered that Supreme Person her ordinary child. (Vedabase)

Text 46

The honorable king said: 'What were the pious activities [see B.G. 7: 16] o brahmin, performed by Nanda and Yas'odâ, from whose breast the Lord drank His milk, by which they achieved the highest perfection of being so blessed?

Having heard of the great fortune of mother Yas'odâ, Parîkshit Mahârâja inquired from S'ukadeva Gosvâmî: O learned brâhmana, mother Yas'odâ's breast milk was sucked by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What past auspicious activities did she and Nanda Mahârâja perform to achieve such perfection in ecstatic love? (Vedabase)

Text 47

Not even His own father and mother could enjoy the uplifting childhood exploits of Krishna which remove the dirt of the world and which even today are sung by the intelligent!'

Although Krishna was so pleased with Vasudeva and Devakî that He descended as their son, they could not enjoy Krishna's magnanimous childhood pastimes, which are so great that simply chanting about them vanquishes the contamination of the material world. Nanda Mahârâja and Yas'odâ, however, enjoyed these pastimes fully, and therefore their position is always better than that of Vasudeva and Devakî. (Vedabase)

Text 48

S'rî S'uka said: 'Drona, the best of the godly [the Vasus] said with Dharâ his wife in the past to Lord Brahmâ, just to find out what his orders were:

S'ukadeva Gosvâmî said: To follow the orders of Lord Brahmâ, Drona, the best of the Vasus, along with his wife, Dharâ, spoke to Lord Brahmâ in this way. (Vedabase)

Text 49

'May we [as His parents] be born on this earth to be, for the sake of the greatness of God, of devotional service for the Lord, the Controller of the Entire Universe, who is the ultimate goal out here by which we can easily avoid a miserable life?

Drona and Dharâ said: Please permit us to be born on the planet earth so that after our appearance, the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, the supreme controller and master of all planets, will also appear and spread devotional service, the ultimate goal of life, so that those born in this material world may very easily be delivered from the miserable condition of materialistic life by accepting this devotional service. (Veda b ase)

Text 50

''Let it be so' was said to this [by Brahmâ], so that he, the Great One [the Bhagavân to Bhagavân], Drona, that highly distinguished soul, was born in Vraja and became celebrated as Nanda and she, Dharâ, there appeared as Yas'odâ [compare 10.3: 32-45 and see *4].

When Brahmâ said, "Yes, let it be so," the most fortunate Drona, who was equal to Bhagavân, appeared in Vrajapura, Vrindâvana, as the most famous Nanda Mahârâja, and his wife, Dharâ, appeared as mother Yas'odâ. (Vedabase)

Text 51

O son of Bharata, as a consequence of that was there of the husband as well as the wife and all the gopas and gopîs, the continuous [love] of the devotional service unto the Lord, our Well-wisher who had appeared as their son.

Thereafter, O Mahârâja Parîkshit , best of the Bhâratas, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead became the son of Nanda Mahârâja and Yas'odâ, they maintained continuous, unswerving devotional love in parental affection. And in their association, all the other inhabitants of Vrindâvana, the gopas and gopîs, developed the culture of krishna-bhakti. (Vedabase)

Text 52

To substantiate the words of Brahmâ resided Krishna then along with the almighty [or Bala-]Râma in Vraja to perform His pastimes [His 'lîlâ'] to their greater pleasure.'

Thus the Supreme Personality, Krishna, along with Balarâma, lived in Vrajabhûmi, Vrindâvana, just to substantiate the benediction of Brahmâ. By exhibiting different pastimes in His childhood, He increased the transcendental pleasure of Nanda and the other inhabitants of Vrindâvana. (Vedabase)

* The Sanskrit says here 'by birth', but the paramparâ stresses the second birth or initiation. Svâmî Prabhupâda comments: 'No one is born a brâhmana; everyone is born a s'ûdra. But by the guidance of a brâhmana and by samskâra, one can become dvija, twice-born, and then gradually become a brâhmana. Brâhmanism is not a system meant to create a monopoly for a particular class of men. Everyone should be educated so as to become a brâhmana. At least there must be an opportunity to allow everyone to attain the destination of life.' Next to this second birth there is also the third birth one has from one's sacrificial activities: independence is achieved with the internalization of the guru (see also 4.31: 10, 7.11: 35).

** The word 'krishna' means except for 'dark' more. Svâmî Prabhupâda comments: 'If we analyze the nirukti, or semantic derivation, of the word "Krishna," we find that na signifies that He stops the repetition of birth and death, and krish means sattârtha, or "existence." (Krishna is the whole of existence.) Also, krish means "attraction," and na means ânanda, or "bliss." 'His colors are discussed later in Canto eleven under: 11.5: 21, 24, 27 en 34.

*3 One of the mantras the Vaishnavas use to offer their food to Krishna is:

namo brahmanya-devâya
go-brâhmana-hitâya ca
jagad-dhitâya krishnâya
govindâya namo namah

'My obeisances unto the godhead of the brahmins always concerned about the cows, the brahmins and the entire universe; unto Krishna, Govinda, my respects.'

*4 To this difference between the privilege of being the actual parents Vasudeva and Devakî and being His foster parents Nanda and Yas'odâ, explains Prabhupâda that there are two types of siddhas, perfected ones or liberated souls: nitya siddhas and sâdhana siddhas: the ones eternally liberated like Nanda and Yas'odâ who are eternally Krishna's associates or expansions of Krishna's personal body, and those ordinary human beings who acquire a special position by enduring sâdhana, the spiritual practice of executing pious activities and the following of the regulative principles of devotional service.