Shloka 63
Parīkṣit’s Questions and the Prelude to Kṛṣṇa’s Advent
Earth’s Burden, Viṣṇu’s Order, and Kaṁsa’s Fear
नन्दाद्या ये व्रजे गोपा याश्चामीषां च योषित: । वृष्णयो वसुदेवाद्या देवक्याद्या यदुस्त्रिय: ॥ ६२ ॥ सर्वे वै देवताप्राया उभयोरपि भारत । ज्ञातयो बन्धुसुहृदो ये च कंसमनुव्रता: ॥ ६३ ॥
nandādyā ye vraje gopā yāś cāmīṣāṁ ca yoṣitaḥ vṛṣṇayo vasudevādyā devaky-ādyā yadu-striyaḥ
The inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, headed by Nanda Mahārāja and including his associate cowherd men and their wives, were none but denizens of the heavenly planets, O Mahārāja Parīkṣit, best of the descendants of Bharata, and so too were the descendants of the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, headed by Vasudeva and Devakī and the other women of the dynasty of Yadu. The friends, relatives and well-wishers of both Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva and even those who externally appeared to be followers of Kaṁsa were all demigods.
As previously discussed, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, informed Lord Brahmā that Lord Kṛṣṇa would personally descend to mitigate the suffering on the earth. The Lord ordered all the denizens of the heavenly planets to take birth in different families of the Yadu and Vṛṣṇi dynasties and in Vṛndāvana. Now this verse informs us that all the family and friends of the Yadu dynasty, the Vṛṣṇi dynasty, Nanda Mahārāja and the gopas descended from the heavenly planets to see the pastimes of the Lord. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (4.8) , the Lord’s pastimes consist of paritrāṇāya sādhūnāṁ vināśāya ca duṣkṛtām — saving the devotees and killing the demons. To demonstrate these activities, the Lord called for devotees from different parts of the universe.
FAQs
This verse states that Nanda and the Vraja residents, along with Vasudeva, Devakī, and the Vṛṣṇis/Yadus, were “devatā-prāya”—nearly like celestial beings—indicating their extraordinary spiritual fortune and closeness to the Lord.
He emphasizes that within the same social circle there were relatives and well-wishers on both sides, including those who outwardly complied with Kaṁsa—setting the tense atmosphere around Krishna’s advent while showing how widely connected these families were.
Keeping saintly association and serving the Lord elevates one’s character and consciousness; the verse inspires devotees to cultivate purity, goodwill, and devotion so their life becomes “godly” through bhakti.