After this incident, Vasudeva asked his family priest Garga Muni to visit the place of Nanda Maharaja in order to astrologically calculate the future life of Krsna. Garga Muni was a great saintly sage who underwent many austerities and penances and was appointed priest of the Yadu dynasty. When Garga Muni arrived at the home of Nanda Maharaja, Nanda Maharaja was very pleased to see him and immediately stood up with folded hands and offered his respectful obeisances. He received Garga Muni with the feeling of one who is worshiping God or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He offered him a nice sitting place, and when he sat down, Nanda Maharaja offered him a warm reception. Addressing him very politely, he said: "My dear brahmana, your appearance in a householder's place is only to enlighten. We are always engaged in household duties and are forgetting our real duty of self-realization. Your coming to our house is to give us some enlightenment about spiritual life. You have no other purpose to visit householders." Actually a saintly person or a brahmana has no business visiting householders who are always busy in the matter of dollars and . If it is asked, "Why don't the householders go to a saintly person or a brahmana for enlightenment?" the answer is that householders are very poor-hearted. Generally householders think that their engagement in family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanasgo to householders' homes.
Nanda Maharaja addressed Garga Muni as one of the great authorities in astrological science. The foretellings of astrological science, such as the occurrence of or lunar , are wonderful calculations, and by this particular science, a person can understand the future very clearly. Garga Muni was proficient in this knowledge. By this knowledge one can understand what his previous activities were, and by the result of such activities one may enjoy or suffer in this life.
Nanda Maharaja also addressed Garga Muni as the "best of the brahmanas." A brahmana is one who is expert in the knowledge of the Supreme. Without knowledge of the Supreme Absolute, one cannot be recognized as a brahmana. The exact word used in this connection is brahmavidam, which means those who know the Supreme very well. An expert brahmana is able to give reformatory facilities to the sub-castes--namely the ksatriyas and vaisyas. The sudras observe no reformatory performances. The brahmana is considered to be the spiritual master or priest for the ksatriya and vaisya. Nanda Maharaja happened to be a vaisya, and he accepted Garga Muni as a first class brahmana. He therefore offered his two foster sons--namely Krsna and Balarama--to him to purify. He agreed that not only these boys, but all human beings just after birth should accept a qualified brahmanaas spiritual master.
Upon this request, Garga Muni replied, "Vasudeva has sent me to see to the reformatory performances of these boys, especially Krsna's. I am their family priest, and incidentally, it appears to me that Krsna is the son of Devaki." By his astrological calculation, Garga Muni could understand that Krsna was the son of Devaki but that He was being kept under the care of Nanda Maharaja, which Nanda did not know. Indirectly he said that Krsna, as well as Balarama, were both sons of Vasudeva. Balarama was known as the son of Vasudeva because His mother Rohini was present there, but Nanda Maharaja did not know about Krsna. Garga Muni indirectly disclosed the fact that Krsna was the son of Devaki. Garga Muni also warned Nanda Maharaja that if he would perform the reformatory ceremony, then Kamsa, who was naturally very sinful, would understand that Krsna was the son of Devaki and Vasudeva. According to astrological calculation, Devaki could not have a female child, although everyone thought that the eighth child of Devaki was female. In this way Garga Muni intimated to Nanda Maharaja that the female child was born of Yasoda and that Krsna was born of Devaki, and they were exchanged. The female child, or Durga, also informed Kamsa that the child who would kill him was already born somewhere else. Garga Muni stated, "If I give your child a name and if He fulfills the prophecy of the female child to Kamsa, then it may be that the sinful demon will come and kill this child also after the name-giving ceremony. But I do not want to become responsible for all these future calamities."
On hearing the words of Garga Muni, Nanda Maharaja said, "If there is such danger, then it is better not to plan any gorgeous name-giving ceremony. It would be better for you to simply chant the Vedic hymns and perform the purificatory process. We belong to the twice-born caste, and I am taking this opportunity of your presence. So please perform the name-giving ceremony without external pomp." Nanda Maharaja wanted to keep the name-giving ceremony a secret and yet take advantage of Garga Muni's performing the ceremony.
When Garga Muni was so eagerly requested by Nanda Maharaja, he performed the name-giving ceremony as secretly as possible in the cowshed of Nanda Maharaja. He informed Nanda Maharaja that Balarama, the son of Rohini, would be very pleasing to His family members and relatives and therefore would be called Rama. In the future He would be extraordinarily strong and therefore would be called Balarama. Garga Muni said further, "Because your family and the family of the Yadus are so intimately connected and attracted, therefore His name will also be Sankarsana." This means that Garga Muni awarded three names to the son of Rohini--namely Balarama, Sankarsana, and Baladeva. But he carefully did not disclose the fact that Balarama also appeared in the womb of Devaki and was subsequently transferred to the womb of Rohini. Krsna and Balarama are real brothers, being originally sons of Devaki.
Garga Muni then informed Nanda Maharaja, "As far as the other boy is concerned, this child has taken different bodily complexions in different yugas[millennia]. First of all He assumed the color white, then He assumed the color red, then the color yellow and now He has assumed the color black. Besides that, He was formerly the son of Vasudeva; therefore His name should be Vasudeva as well as Krsna. Some people will call Him Krsna, and some will call Him Vasudeva. But one thing you must know: This son has had many, many other names and activities due to His different pastimes."
Garga Muni gave Nanda Maharaja a further hint that his son will also be called Giridhari because of His uncommon pastimes of lifting Govardhana Hill. Since he could understand everything past and future, he said, "I know everything about His activities and name, but others do not know. This child will be very pleasing to all the cowherd men and cows. Being very popular in Vrndavana, He will be the cause of all good fortune for you. Because of His presence, you will overcome all kinds of material calamities, despite opposing elements."
Garga Muni continued to say, "My dear King of Vraja, in His previous births, this child many times protected righteous persons from the hands of rogues and thieves whenever there was political disruption. Your child is so powerful that anyone who will become a devotee of your boy will never be troubled by enemies. Just as demigods are always protected by Lord Visnu, so the devotees of your child will always be protected by Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This child will grow in power, beauty, opulence--in everything--on the level of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore I would advise that you protect Him very carefully so that He may grow without disturbance."
Garga Muni further informed Nanda Maharaja that because he was a great devotee of Narayana, Lord Narayana gave a son who is equal to Him. At the same time he indicated, "Your son will be disturbed by so many demons, so be careful and protect Him." In this way, Garga Muni convinced Nanda Maharaja that Narayana Himself had become his son. In various ways he described the transcendental qualities of his son. After giving this information, Garga Muni returned to his home. Nanda Maharaja began to think of himself as the most fortunate person, and he was very satisfied to be benedicted in this way.
There Srila Prabhupada did not mention at what age this took place:
Also in his purports to Srimad Bhagavatam Srila Prabhupada has not mentioned this. But Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has mentioned this in his commentaries SB 10 Canto chapter 8 vers 1:
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.8.1
TRANSLATION
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, 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 Mahārāja at his home
Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura writes in his Saratha darsini purports to this vers (translated by Bhanu Swami and published by Mahanidhi Swami ):
"This chapter describes Krsnas name giving ceremony,His crawling and stealing butter.His eating dirt and displaying the universal form.After telling how Krsna killed a series of demons up to Trinivarta, Sukadeva remembered Krsnas name giving ceremony, which took place before the killing of Trinivarta, and the narrated the story."
Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has in previous commentaries to the earlier chapters mentioned how Sakatasura was killed when Krsna was 3 month old and Trinivarta was killed after Krsna turned one.And Putana when was she killed? Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura has not mentioned this but from all descriptions this appeared before Sakatasura was killed and likely within few days of Krsnas transcendental apperance in Gokula.
Kamsa had first send his demoniac soldiers to kill all children in Gokula see SB 10.4.31.. However Krsna and His associates (like the sakhas and Sakhis that appeared around the same time as Krsna) where not killed.Srila Rupa Goswami has also described Putana trying to abduct Radharani ......
So this chapter 8 of 10 canto of Srimad Bhagavatam describing Krsnas Nama karana Samskara took place before the killing of Trinavarta.This is the expert opinion of Srila Visvanath Chakravati Thakura.
Srila Prabhupada has translated this chapter 8 of Srimad Bhagavatam 10.Canto and given us his beautiful purports:
SB 10.8.1: Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, 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 Mahārāja at his home.
SB 10.8.2: When Nanda Mahārāja 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 Mahārāja could appreciate that Gargamuni was adhokṣaja; that is, he was not an ordinary person seen by material senses.
SB 10.8.3: When Gargamuni had been properly received as a guest and was very comfortably seated, Nanda Mahārāja 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?
SB 10.8.4: 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 gṛhasthas [householders]. Otherwise they have no interest in going from one place to another.
SB 10.8.5: 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.
SB 10.8.6: My lord, you are the best of the brāhmaṇas, especially because you are fully aware of the jyotiḥ-śāstra, 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.
SB 10.8.7: Gargamuni said: My dear Nanda Mahārāja, I am the priestly guide of the Yadu dynasty. This is known everywhere. Therefore, if I perform the purificatory process for your sons, Kaḿsa will consider Them the sons of Devakī.
SB 10.8.8-9: Kaḿsa is both a great diplomat and a very sinful man. Therefore, having heard from Yogamāyā, the daughter of Devakī, that the child who will kill him has already been born somewhere else, having heard that the eighth of Devakī could not bring forth a female child, and having understood your friendship with Vasudeva, Kaḿsa, 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 Kṛṣṇa is the son of Devakī and Vasudeva. Then he might take steps to kill Kṛṣṇa. That would be a catastrophe.
SB 10.8.10: Nanda Mahārāja said: My dear great sage, if you think that your performing this process of purification will make Kaḿsa 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.
SB 10.8.11: Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: Having thus been especially requested by Nanda Mahārāja to do that which he already desired to do, Gargamuni performed the name-giving ceremony for Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma in a solitary place.
SB 10.8.12: Gargamuni said: This child, the son of Rohiṇī, will give all happiness to His relatives and friends by His transcendental qualities. Therefore He will be known as Rāma. 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 Mahārāja — He will be known as Sańkarṣaṇa.
SB 10.8.13: Your son Kṛṣṇa 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 Dvāpara-yuga, He appeared (as Lord Rāmacandra) in the color of śuka, a parrot. All such incarnations have now assembled in Kṛṣṇa.]
SB 10.8.14: 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 Vāsudeva.
SB 10.8.15: 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.
SB 10.8.16: 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.
SB 10.8.17: O Nanda Mahārāja, 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.
SB 10.8.18: Demons [asuras] cannot harm the demigods, who always have Lord Viṣṇu on their side. Similarly, any person or group attached to Kṛṣṇa is extremely fortunate. Because such persons are very much affectionate toward Kṛṣṇa, they cannot be defeated by demons like the associates of Kaḿsa [or by the internal enemies, the senses].
SB 10.8.19: In conclusion, therefore, O Nanda Mahārāja, this child of yours is as good as Nārāyaṇa. In His transcendental qualities, opulence, name, fame and influence, He is exactly like Nārāyaṇa. You should all raise this child very carefully and cautiously.
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