Shloka 9

Śakaṭa-bhañjana, Naming by Garga, Dāmodara and Yamala-arjuna, and the Move to Vṛndāvana

Devanagari script

ज्येष्ठं च रामम् इत्य् आह कृष्णं चैव तथापरम् गर्गो मतिमतां श्रेष्ठो नाम कुर्वन् महामतिः

Transliteration

jyeṣṭhaṃ ca rāmam ity āha kṛṣṇaṃ caiva tathāparam gargo matimatāṃ śreṣṭho nāma kurvan mahāmatiḥ

Translation

Then the great sage Garga—foremost among the wise, and of profound understanding—while bestowing names, declared the elder child to be “Rāma,” and likewise named the younger one “Kṛṣṇa.”

Word by Word

• ज्येष्ठम्: the elder
• ज्येष्ठम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: ज्येष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘रामम्’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• रामम्: Rāma
• रामम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: राम (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्म (object of ‘आह’)

• इति: thus
• इति: Sambandha (Quotative/इति)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: इति (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (उद्धरण/वाक्यसमाप्तिसूचक) — quotative ‘thus’

• आह: said
• आह: Kriya (Verb/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अह्/ब्रू (धातु; √अह् ‘to say’)
• Form: लिट् (परोक्षभूत/Perfect), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन — ‘आह’ (he said)

• कृष्णम्: Kṛṣṇa
• कृष्णम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: कृष्ण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — कर्म (object of naming/‘आह’)

• च: and
• च: Sambandha (Conjunction/समुच्चय)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (समुच्चय)

• एव: indeed
• एव: Sambandha (Particle/अवधारण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (अवधारण)

• तथा: thus/so
• तथा: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial/क्रियाविशेषण)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (प्रकारवाचक) — ‘thus/so’

• अपरम्: the other (younger)
• अपरम्: Karma (Object-Qualifier/कर्मविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: अपर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd), एकवचन — विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘कृष्णम्’: ‘the other/younger’)

• गर्गः: Garga
• गर्गः: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: गर्ग (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — subject

• मतिमताम्: of the wise
• मतिमताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मतिमत् (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th), बहुवचन — सम्बन्ध (genitive)

• श्रेष्ठः: the best
• श्रेष्ठः: Karta (Subject-Qualifier/कर्तृविशेषण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: श्रेष्ठ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — विशेषणम् (qualifying ‘गर्गः’)

• नाम: by name/as the name
• नाम: Sambandha (Particle/निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: नाम (अव्यय-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: अव्यय (निपात) — ‘as name/by name’ (naming particle)

• कुर्वन्: assigning (names)
• कुर्वन्: Karta (Agent-participle/कर्तृ)
• Type: Verb
• Root: कृ (धातु)
• Form: शतृ-प्रत्ययान्त वर्तमानकृदन्त (present active participle), पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — ‘कुर्वन्’ (doing/assigning)

• महामतिः: the great-minded one
• महामतिः: Karta (Subject-Apposition/कर्तृ)
• Type: Noun
• Root: महा-मति (प्रातिपदिक; महा + मति)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन — उपाधि/विशेषणरूपेण (epithet of ‘गर्गः’)

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (narrating to Maitreya)

Avatara Context

Avatara: Krishna

Purpose: He descends to enact divine līlā and remove adharma, while his very names reveal his nature—dark-hued all-attractive Krishna and the elder Rama/Balarama who delights and strengthens.

Leela: Bala

Dharma Restored: Establishing auspicious identity and protection through nāma-saṃskāra within dharmic tradition.

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Divine names are not mere labels but vehicles of recognition and devotion, disclosing the Lord’s qualities and inviting remembrance.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Cultivate nāma-smaraṇa—daily repetition and contemplation of Krishna’s names as a steady devotional discipline.

Vishishtadvaita: Nāma and nāmin (the named Lord) are inseparable in devotion; the personal Brahman is approached through attributes and names (saviśeṣa-brahman).

Vaishnava Theology

Vishnu Form: Krishna

Bhakti Type: Vatsalya

Characters & Entities

• Garga
• Rama (Balarama)
• Krishna

FAQs

What is the significance of Garga naming the brothers “Rāma” and “Kṛṣṇa” in the Vishnu Purana?

It formally reveals their identities within the sacred narrative: the elder is established as Rāma (Balarāma) and the younger as Kṛṣṇa, marking them as extraordinary figures whose lives will uphold dharma.

How does Sage Parāśara explain this episode in the dialogue structure of the Vishnu Purana?

Parāśara recounts to Maitreya how Garga, renowned for wisdom, performs the authoritative act of naming—an outward sign that the divine plan is unfolding through the Yādava household.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Within the Vishnu Purana’s Vaishnava theology, Kṛṣṇa is presented as the Supreme’s purposeful manifestation; even a simple act like naming becomes a narrative seal of Vishnu’s sovereignty operating in human history.