Nanda Baba

For other uses, see Nanda (disambiguation).
Nanda and Yashoda pushing baby Krishna on a swing.

Nand (also known as Nanda Gopa or Nanda Baba), according to the Harivamsha and the Puranas, was the head of the Gopas, a tribe of cowherds referred as Holy Gwals. He is popularly known as the foster-father of Krishna.[1]
Nanda was the Chief or Mandaladhish of Gokul Mandal that was one of the most powerful branches of Yadavas.[2] Vasudeva, took his new-born son Krishna to Nanda on the night of the child's birth so that Nanda could raise him. Nanda, who was married to Yasoda, brought up both Krishna and Balarama. Krishna derives his name Nandanandana (meaning son of Nanda) from him.[3][4]
Nanda was brother of King Vasudeva.[2][5]

Nanda Mythology

King Nanda

Nanda, also identified as King Nanda in many scriptures[6][7] was a kinsman and great friend of King Vasudeva.[8]

Krishna Legend

According to Bhagavata Purana, King Nanda of Gokul Kingdom was stepbrother of King Vasudeva.[9]

king Vasudeva married Devaki, the niece of King Ugrasena of Mathura. Devaki's cousin, an evil tyrant named Kamsa, who had imprisoned Ugrasena and usurped the throne. Owing to the divine prediction that Kamsa would be slain by the eighth son of devaki, Kamsa arranged that all Devaki's sons should die at birth.[6] Six children thus perished. But the seventh child was magically inserted in to the womb of Rohini,[10] Vasudeva's another wife living under care of King Nanda, and the child so born was Balrama, Krishna's elder brother. Krishna himself was placed by Vasudeva into the hands of Nanda. Both Krishna and Balrama were brought up by Nanda, the cowherd chief and his wife Yashoda.[11][12]

Nanda Gopeshwar

Nanda Gop once came to visit Shuklatirth. On the way back, he worshiped Koteshwara Shiva daily with ten crore crown flowers. After sone time, Shiva was pleased and admitted Nanda into the ranks of his Gana and he became Gopeshwara.[13]

Nanda Memorials

Nandagaon

Nandagaon is one of the religious places near Barsana in Braj. It was capital of feudal Nanda Baba, where he resided with his followers and the cowherds.[14]

Nanda Bhawan (Chaurasi Khamba Mandir)

The residence of Nanda, known as Nanda Bhawan, where Krishna grew up and spent first three years of his childhood is main and most famous temple in Mahavan. This yellow coloured building having lots of wall paintings depicting pastimes of Krishna has 84 pillars inside. It is believed that there are 84,00,000 species in this material world and each pillar is said to symbolise 100,000 species, thus representing all the life in the universe.[15]

Nanda Ghata

Nanda Ghata is situated on the bank of sacred river Yamuna. The Ghata (River bank) is related to the rescue of Nanda Baba's abduction by the followers of God Baruna, while Nanda was taking bath in holy river Yamuna.[16]

See Also

Gokul
Nandvanshi
Yaduvanshi Ahir
Yashoda
Krishna
Mahavan
Barsana

References

  1. ↑ His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupad. Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead- Chepter-5. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. ISBN 9789171495587.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Gopal Chowdhary (2014). The Greatest Farce of History. Partridge Publishing. p. 119. ISBN 9781482819250.
  3. ↑ John Stratton Hawley (2014). At Play with Krishna: Pilgrimage Dramas from Brindaran. Princeton Legacy Library: Princeton University Press. p. 316. ISBN 9781400859122.
  4. ↑ Charles Barnett (2014). Blazing Sadhus or Never Trust a Holy Man Who Can't Dance. Charles Barnett,. pp. III. ISBN 9781632958624.
  5. ↑ Lok Nath Soni (2000). The Cattle and the Stick: An Ethnographic Profile of the Raut of Chhattisgarh. Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, Delhi: Anthropological Survey of India, Government of India, Ministry of Tourism and Culture, Department of Culture, 2000 Original from the University of Michigan. p. 16. ISBN 9788185579573.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Renu Saran (2014). Lord Krishna: Gods & Goddesses in India. Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd. ISBN 9798128819741.
  7. ↑ Carl Woodham (2011). A God Who Dances: Krishna for You. Torchlight Publishing. pp. 95,99,103,104. ISBN 9780981727363.
  8. ↑ Prem ságar; or, The ocean of love. Oxford University. 1867. p. 18.
  9. ↑ Carl Woodham (2011). A God Who Dances: Krishna for You. Torchlight Publishing. p. 96. ISBN 9780981727363.
  10. ↑ Carl Woodham (2011). A God Who Dances: Krishna for You. Torchlight Publishing. p. 84. ISBN 9780981727363.
  11. ↑ Carl Woodham (2011). A God Who Dances: Krishna for You. Torchlight Publishing. pp. 103–121. ISBN 9780981727363.
  12. ↑ Winthrop Sargeant, Christopher Key Chapple (1984). The Bhagavad Gita: Revised Edition. SUNY Press. pp. 9, 14. ISBN 9780873958318.
  13. ↑ Jürgen Neuß (2012). Narmad?parikram? - Circumambulation of the Narmad? River: On the Tradition of a Unique Hindu Pilgrimage Volume 42 of Brill's Indological Library. BRILL. p. 265. ISBN 9789004228573.
  14. ↑ Trilochan Dash (2012). Krishna Leeela in Brajamandal a Retrospect. Saudamini Dash. p. 196.
  15. ↑ Dev Prasad (2010). Krishna: A Journey through the Lands & Legends of Krishna. Jaico Publishing House. ISBN 9788184951707.
  16. ↑ Trilochan Dash (2012). Krishna Leeela in Brajamandal a Retrospect. Saudamini Dash. p. 211.