Shloka 2

Nanda Mahārāja Celebrates Kṛṣṇa’s Birth; Vasudeva Warns of Danger

Devanagari script

श्रीशुक उवाच नन्दस्त्वात्मज उत्पन्ने जाताह्लादो महामना: । आहूय विप्रान् वेदज्ञान्‍स्‍नात: शुचिरलङ्कृत: ॥ १ ॥ वाचयित्वा स्वस्त्ययनं जातकर्मात्मजस्य वै । कारयामास विधिवत् पितृदेवार्चनं तथा ॥ २ ॥

Transliteration

śrī-śuka uvāca nandas tv ātmaja utpanne jātāhlādo mahā-manāḥ āhūya viprān veda-jñān snātaḥ śucir alaṅkṛtaḥ

Translation

ສຣີຊຸກເທວ ໂກສະວາມີ ກ່າວວ່າ: ນັນທະມະຫາຣາຊາ ຜູ້ໃຈກວ້າງ ເມື່ອພຣະສຣີກຣິດສະນະປາກົດເປັນບຸດຂອງຕົນ ກໍເຕັມໄປດ້ວຍຄວາມປິຕິ. ຫຼັງຈາກອາບນ້ຳຊຳລະກາຍ ແລະແຕ່ງກາຍໃຫ້ສົມຄວນ ທ່ານໄດ້ເຊີນພຣາຫມັນຜູ້ຮູ້ມົນຕຣາເວດະ ໃຫ້ສວດບົດມົງຄົນສະວັສຕະຍະນ ແລ້ວຈັດພິທີຊາຕະກັມໃຫ້ທາຣົກຕາມຫຼັກພິທີ ພ້ອມທັງຈັດການບູຊາເທວະດາ ແລະບັນພະບຸຣຸດດ້ວຍ.

Synonyms

• वाचयित्वा: having had (them) recite
• वाचयित्वा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √वच् (धातु) → वाचयितृ (णिच् causative)
• Form: क्त्वान्त अव्ययकृदन्त (Gerund) of causative (णिच्); ‘having caused to recite’

• स्वस्त्ययनम्: auspicious benedictions (svastyayana)
• स्वस्त्ययनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: स्वस्त्ययन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• जात-कर्म: the birth-rite (jātakarma)
• जात-कर्म: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जात (कृदन्त-प्रातिपदिक) + कर्म (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: तत्पुरुष (जातस्य कर्म); Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular (understood as rite)

• आत्मजस्य: of (his) son
• आत्मजस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आत्मज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine, Genitive (6th), Singular

• वै: indeed
• वै: Emphasis (निपात)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: वै (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis

• कारयामास: caused to be performed
• कारयामास: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु) (णिच् causative)
• Form: लिट्-लकार (Perfect), परस्मैपद; Third person, Singular; causative sense ‘caused to be done’

• विधिवत्: according to proper procedure
• विधिवत्: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: विधिवत् (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb (क्रियाविशेषण) ‘according to rule’

• पितृ-देव-अर्चनम्: worship of the ancestors and the gods
• पितृ-देव-अर्चनम्: Karma (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक) + देव (प्रातिपदिक) + अर्चन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: द्वन्द्व (पितरश्च देवाश्च) + तत्पुरुष (अर्चनम्); Neuter, Accusative (2nd), Singular

• तथा: also/likewise
• तथा: Kriya-visheṣaṇa (क्रियाविशेषणम्)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: तथा (अव्यय)
• Form: Adverb/particle (क्रियाविशेषण/निपात)

Purport

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has discussed the significance of the words nandas tu. The word tu, he says, is not used to fulfill the sentence, because without tu the sentence is complete. Therefore the word tu is used for a different purpose. Although Kṛṣṇa appeared as the son of Devakī, Devakī and Vasudeva did not enjoy the jāta-karma, the festival of the birth ceremony. Instead, this ceremony was enjoyed by Nanda Mahārāja, as stated here ( nandas tv ātmaja utpanne jātāhlādo mahā-manāḥ ). When Nanda Mahārāja met Vasudeva, Vasudeva could not disclose, “Your son Kṛṣṇa is actually my son. You are His father in a different way, spiritually.” Because of fear of Kaṁsa, Vasudeva could not observe the festival for Kṛṣṇa’s birth. Nanda Mahārāja, however, took full advantage of this opportunity.

Characters & Entities

• Śukadeva Gosvāmī
• Nanda Mahārāja
• Brāhmaṇas

FAQs

What does the Srimad Bhagavatam say about the Jātakarma (birth rite) for Krishna?

In Canto 10, Chapter 5, Nanda Mahārāja arranges the prescribed birth-rites (jātakarma) for his newborn son with Vedic recitations and proper worship, showing dharmic celebration of the Lord’s appearance.

Why did Nanda Mahārāja call the brāhmaṇas after Krishna’s birth?

Because he wished to sanctify the birth with Vedic auspicious invocations (svastyayana) and have the proper rites performed according to injunction, honoring both spiritual tradition and the sacredness of the event.

How can this verse be applied in modern life for devotion and dharma?

It teaches to welcome sacred moments with purity, gratitude, and prayer—seeking blessings through authentic spiritual practice and remembering God at life’s milestones.