The Dispute Among the Gopas
Having seen Krishna’s wonderful and surprising pastimes, the gopas and gopis said to Nanda and Yashoda: “O king of the gopas, no one in your family could lift a hill. O Yashoda, 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 Govardhan 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 Yashoda, 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 Kshatriya. For Balarama, a kshatriya’s nature is not unexpected. He was born in a Kshatriya family descended from the moon-god.”
“If you don’t tell us the truth, we will leave the community. Was this boy really born into a family of gopas? If you don’t tell us, there will be a great quarrel.”
As she heard the gopas’ words, Yashoda became gripped with fear. Then King Nanda spoke to the angry gopas.
Shri Nanda said: “O gopas, I will carefully tell you what Garga Muni said. O gopas, by his words you will be quickly free of your anxiety.”
“Garga Muni said to me: In the word “Krishna” the letter “K” means “the lover of the goddess of fortune”, “ri” means Lord Ramachandra”, “sh” means “the Lord of six opulences” or “the Lord who resides in Shvetadvipa”, “n” means “Lord Narasimha”, “a” means “the eternal one” or “the Lord who enjoys what is offered in the sacrificial fire”, and “h” means “the Nara-Narayana Rishis”. 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 Krishna.”
“In the other yugas He is white, red, or yellow, but at the end of Dvapara-Yuga and the beginning of Kali-yuga, this boy becomes dark-complexioned (Krishna). That is why Nanda’s son has the name, Krishna. Because He is the Lord (deva) that rules over the eight vasus (the heart, mind, intelligence, and the five senses), He is also called Vasudeva.”
“Because He is the husband (pati) of King Vrishabhanu’s daughter Radha, who was born in the palace of Kirti-devi, He is also called Radha-pati.”
“Shri Krishna 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 Kamsa, and protect the devotees, the original Supreme Personality of Godhead has now become your son. O descendant 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 brahmana are the final proof of what is true in this world.
The 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!”
Their bodies filled with anger as they spoke these words, the gopas left Nanda’s palace and went to King Vrishabhanu.
Filled with anger for their kinsman Nanda, all the gopas spoke to Nanda’s friend, King Vrishabhanu.
The gopas said: “O King Vrishabhanu, 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.”
Shri Vrishabhanu 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.”
Shri Vrishabhanu 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 Brahma’s request, Krishna came to this universe to remove the earth’s burden and kill the demons headed by Kamsa.”
“Shri Radha, who in the realm of Goloka is Shri Krishna’s first queen, has taken birth in your home. You do not know how exalted She is. I will not arrange the marriage of Radha and Krishna. They will be married in Bhandiravana forest by the Yamuna’s shore. In a beautiful secluded place near Vrindavana forest, the demigod Brahma will perform their wedding.”
“O best of the gopas, please understand that, in the palace of Goloka, Radha is the first queen of Shri Krishna, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the crest jewel of the worlds. From Goloka, all you gopas have come to the earth. The gopis and cows have also come, by Radha’s wish from Goloka.”
After speaking these words, the great sage Garga Muni left. From that day I have not doubted Radha’s exalted position.
The words of the Vedas and the words of a brahmana are the final proof of what is true in this world. O gopas, now I have explained all this to you.
After hearing King Vrishabhanu’s words, the surprised people of Vraja became peaceful and free of all doubts.