Sri Krishna’s Family
The residents of Vraja are actually Sri Krishna’s family members. This family of His consists of three groups:
1) the herdsmen (pasu-palas),
2) the priestly class (vipras)
3) the artisans (bahisthas).
1. Herdsmen (pasu-palah)
The herdsmen are further divided into three groups:
a) vaisyas,
b) abhiras and
c) gurjaras.
They are descendants of the Yadu dynasty and are known by such appropriate names as Gopa and Ballava.
a) vaisyas (vaisyah)
The vaisyas generally maintain themselves by taking care of cows. They are considered to be superior to the abhiras and gurjaras. The vaisyas whose father belongs to a higher social class and mother to a lower are also known as abhiras.
b) abhiras
The abhiras are similar to the vaisyas in customs and behaviour. They belong to the sudras and maintain their life by taking care of cows, buffaloes and other animals, and are also known by the name Ghosha. The abhiras are considered slightly inferior to the aforementioned vaisyas.
c) gurjaras
The gurjaras are herdsmen who live at the outskirts of the pasturing grounds and who take care of goats and other animals. They are somewhat inferior to the abhiras and are often physically strong and robust.
2. The priestly class
The brahmanas know all the Vedas and are engaged in the following six duties:
performing sacrifices,
engaging others in performing sacrifices,
studying,
teaching,
giving charity and
accepting charity.
3. Craftsmen
Craftsmen, who maintain their lives by various kinds of trades and crafts, are known as bahisthas.
The aforementioned groups are further divided into eight:
These five groups within Sri Krishna’s family (vaisyas, abhiras, gurjaras, vipras and bahisthas) are further divided into eight.
They are:
honourable elders,
brothers-and-sisters and so forth,
messengers,
servants,
craftsmen,
maidservants,
friends of the same age and
beloveds.
Personalities honoured by Sri Krishna
The brothers of Krishna, the Crown Prince of Vraja; His friends, servants and so forth, and His beloved gopis are all respected by Him.
Sri Krishna’s paternal and maternal grandfathers, the brahmanas and other such elders are worshipful to Him.
Krishna’s paternal grandfather (Parjanya)
The name of Sri Krishna’s paternal grandfather is Parjanya because he showers torrents of auspicious nectar. His bodily complexion resembles molten gold and both his hair and clothing are of white colour.
Grandfather Sri Parjanya is the object of veneration to all in Vraja.
In bygone times, Parjanya lived in the area of Nandisvara . He wished to beget illustrious offspring, so following the instructions of Devarsi Narada he worshipped Narayana, the husband of Lakshmi-devi. After performing austerities for a long time, Parjanya Maharaja heard a most pleasant divine voice from the heights of the sky. The voice said,
“O Parjanya, five sons will be born to you as a result of your most excellent austerities. The best of them will be the middle one. He will be famous by the name Nanda. The son of this Nanda will be victorious in the entire world and bestow joy in the land of Vraja. Both the demigods and the demons will worship His lotus feet with the jewels decorating their heads.”
With a happy heart Parjanya resided in the area of Nandisvara for some time, but when he heard about the Kesi demon’s arrival there, he became fearful and moved to Mahavana (Gokula) with his entire family.
Krishna’s paternal grandmother (Variyasi)
Sri Krishna’s paternal grandmother is Variyasi.
She is most revered throughout Vraja-mandala. Her bodily complexion resembles the colour of the orange-red kusumbha flower (safflower) and her garments are green. She is short and her hair is completely white as milk.
Krishna’s two paternal uncles (Urjanya and Rajanya)
Sri Krishna’s father, Sri Nanda Maharaja, has two paternal uncles named Urjanya and Rajanya.
They are both cowherd men by occupation.
Nanda Maharaja paternal aunt (Suverjana)
Suverjana, who is expert in the art of dance and therefore is famous by the name Nati , is the sister of Sri Krishna’s paternal grandfather. She is, in other words, Sri Nanda Maharaja’s paternal aunt.
Suverjana’s husband is named Gunavira, and they reside at Surya-kunda.
Krishna’s father (Nanda Maharaja)
Sri Krishna’s father is Sri Nanda Maharaja.
He is worshipped throughout the world and is the source of happiness to the residents of Vraja. He has a big belly, his bodily complexion is like candana , and his dress resembles the colour of the yellowish red bandhujiva flower. He is tall and his beard resembles the colour of sesame seeds mixed with rice, or in other words, a mixture of white and black.
Sri Nanda is the younger brother of Upananda and a close friend of Vasudeva . Goparaja Nanda and Yasoda are Sri Krishna’s father and mother, and they are also widely known as the King and Queen of Vraja.
Vasudeva
Sri Nanda Maharaja’s friend is called Vasudeva because he is radiant with piety, jewels and wealth, which are all denoted by the word vasu.
Visuddha sattva-guna, or the transcendental platform of pure existence, is also called vasudeva, and according to this meaning his name is Vasudeva because he is endowed with this visuddha sattva-guna. He is a partial manifestation of a Vasu called Drona and is also well known by the name Anaka Dundubhi .
A description of these names is found in the Mathura- mahatmya of the Garuda Purana. The renowned Sri Vrisabhanu Maharaja of Vraja is Sri Vasudeva Maharaja’s most dear friend.
Yasoda (Krishna’s mother)
Because she gives (da) fame (yasa) to the society of the cowherds, Sri Krishna’s mother is called Yasoda.
Her bodily complexion is blackish blue (syamala). She is the very personification of parental love and her attire is colourful like the rainbow.
Sri Yasoda’s body is of medium size – neither plump nor thin. Her hair is quite long and black. Her best friends, who are as dear to her as her own life, are Aindavi and Kirttida.
She is well known as the wife of the ruler of Gokula, Vraja-raja Sri Nanda Maharaja; as Yasoda; as a friend of Sri Vasudeva’s wife Sri Devaki; as Gopesvari (the Queen of the cowherds); as Goshtharani (the Queen of Vraja) and as the mother of Sri Krishna.
According to the Adi Purana:
“Sri Nanda Maharaja’s wife has two names: Yasoda and Devaki. Devaki, the wife of Sauri Sri Vasudeva, has the same name as Yasoda, and therefore they naturally have a special friendship .”
Rohini (Krishna’s elder mother)
Sri Rohini-devi is known as the elder mother of Sri Krishna. She is an embodiment of ever-increasing joy. She even feels millions of times greater affection for Sri Krishna than for Sri Balarama .
Nanda Maharaja’s brothers
Sri Nanda Maharaja has two elder brothers –
Upananda and Abhinanda
– and two younger –
Sananda and Nandana.
The four of them are Sri Krishna’s paternal uncles.
Nanda Maharaja brothers (Upananda)
The eldest of the brothers, Sri Upananda, has a pinkish bodily complexion like that of the mixture of white and the reddish colour of dawn. His beard is long and he wears green clothes.
His wife’s name is Tungi. Both her complexion and the colour of her sari are similar to that of the cataka bird.
Nanda Maharaja brothers (Abhinanda)
The second eldest brother, Sri Abhinanda, has a fair complexion resembling the colour of a conch shell and his beard is long. He wears black clothes.
His wife, Pivari, has blue clothing and a pinkish complexion.
Nanda Maharaja brothers (Sananda)
Sananda is also called Sunanda. His bodily complexion is pale whitish yellow and his garments are black. Only a few of his hairs have turned white. He is extremely dear to Kesava.
His wife, whose name is Kuvalaya, wears clothes of a mixed colour of blue and light red (kuvalaya), and her body also bears the same complexion.
Nanda Maharaja brothers (Nandana)
The bodily complexion of Nandana is like the colour of the throat of the peacock and his clothes resemble the colour of a candata . Sri Nandana lives together with his father, Sri Parjanya Maharaja, and has gentle love for Krishna.
His wife’s name is Atulya. Her complexion resembles lightning and her clothes are like the blackish blue colour of rain clouds.
Nanda Maharaja two sisters (Sananda and Nandini)
Sri Krishna’s father, Vrajaraja Nanda, has two sisters named Sananda and Nandini.
They wear many different types of colourful clothes. They do not have many teeth and their bodily complexions are whitish like foam.
Sananda’s husband is Mahanila and Nandini’s is Sunila. Mahanila and Sunila are thus Sri Krishna’s uncles.
Upananda two sons
Sri Krishna’s eldest paternal uncle, Sri Upananda, has two sons named Kandava and Dandava.
They both gladly stay in Subala’s company and their attractive faces are as beautiful as lotus flowers.
Nanda Maharaja has two cousins
Sri Nanda Maharaja has two cousins, who are sons to his uncle Rajanya. Their names are Catu and Vatuka.
Catu’s wife is Dadhisara and Vatuka’s is Havihsara.
Krishna’s maternal grandfather (Sumukha)
Sri Krishna’s maternal grandfather is called Sumukha.
He is energetic and enthusiastic by nature. His long beard is white like a conch shell and his bodily complexion resembles a ripe jamun fruit .
Krishna’s maternal grandmother (Patala)
The name of Sri Krishna’s maternal grandmother is Patala. She is well-known as the Queen of Vraja. Her hair looks yellowish just like yoghurt made from cow milk, her complexion is pale pinkish like a patala flower , and her clothes are green.
Mukhara
Mukhara, who by caste belongs to the cow herders, is a dear friend of Grandmother Patala.
Mukhara has so much affection for her friend that sometimes, when Patala was busy, she even used to breast-feed Patala’s daughter, Vrajesvari Yasoda.
Sumukha’s younger brother
Grandfather Sumukha’s younger brother is Carumukha. His bodily complexion is like kajala .
His wife is a gopi named Balaka. Her complexion can be compared to one kind of deep blue gram or to kajala.
Patala’s brother (Gola)
Grandmother Patala’s brother is called Gola. His clothes and complexion are of a greyish purple colour. When his brother-in-law Sumukha makes fun of him and laughs, he becomes mad with anger.
He received the good fortune of taking birth in an illustrious family of Vraja by worshipping Sri Durvasa.
Gola’s wife (Jatila)
Gola’s wife is called Jatila . She has a big belly and her complexion resembles that of a crow.
More maternal uncles
Yasodhara, Yasodeva, Sudeva and others are Krishna’s maternal uncles.
They all have a complexion that resembles an atasi and wear clothes that are white mixed with a tinge of pale yellow.
Their wives – Rema, Roma and Surema – are Pavana’s cousins from his father’s side. These three blessed ladies wear clothes of greyish purple colour and their complexion is like the colour of the flower of the silk-cotton tree .
Yasoda’s two sisters
Yasodevi and Yasasvini are the sisters of Yasoda, Krishna’s mother. They are also known by the names Dadhisara and Havihsara.
The elder sister Yasodevi has a blackish blue (syama) complexion and the younger sister Yasasvini’s complexion is like molten gold. They both wear clothes of the colour resembling a mixture of white, yellow and red (hingula).
The wives of Catu and Vatuka
Dadhisara and Havihsara are the wives of the previously mentioned Catu and Vatuka, who are the sons of Rajanya.
Carumukha (Sumukha’s brother) has a handsome son called Sucaru.
Sucaru’s wife (Tulavati)
Gola’s niece Tulavati is Sucaru’s wife.
Like Sri Krishna’s paternal grandfathers
Tundu, Kutera, Purata and others are like Sri Krishna’s paternal grandfathers .
Like Krishna’s maternal grandfathers
Kila, Antakela, Tilata, Kripita, Purata, Gonda, Kallotta, Karanda, Tarishana, Varishana, Viraroha, Vararoha and others are just like maternal grandfathers to Sri Krishna .
Like paternal grandmothers
Silabheri, Sikhambara, Bharuni, Bhangura, Bhangi, Bharasakha, Sikha and other elder ladies are just like paternal grandmothers to Sri Krishna.
Like maternal grandmothers
Bharunda, Jatila, Bhela, Karala, Karavalika, Gharghara, Mukhara, Ghora, Ghanta, Ghoni, Sughantika, Cakkini, Condika, Cundi, Dindima, Pundavanika, Damani, Damari, Dumbi, Danka and other elder ladies are like Krishna’s maternal grandmothers.
Just like fathers to Krishna
Mangala, Pingala, Pinga, Mathara, Pitha, Pattisa, Sankara, Sangara, Bhringa, Ghrini, Ghatika, Saragha, Patira, Dandi, Kedara, Saurabheya, Kalankura, Dhurina, Dhurva, Cakranga, Maskara, Utpala, Kamvala, Supaksha, Saudha, Harita, Harikesa, Hara, Upananda and other gopas are just like fathers to Sri Krishna.
Parjanya and Sumukha
Parjanya (Sri Krishna’s paternal grandfather) and Sumukha (Sri Krishna’s maternal grandfather) are best friends.
In their youth, these two companions promised each other that other cowherd men could give their children the same names as they both would give their sons, like Nanda. For this reason, in Sri Vrindavana there are also other gopas who are called by names such as Nanda.
Like mothers to Sri Krishna
Tarangakshi, Taralika, Subhada, Malika, Angada, Vatsala, Kusala, Tali, Medura, Masrina, Kripa, Sankini, Bimbini, Mitra, Subhaga, Bhogini, Prabha, Sarika, Hingula, Niti, Kapila, Dhamani-dhara, Pakshati, Pataka, Pundi, Sutunda, Tushti, Anjana, Visala, Sallaki, Vena, Varttika and other cowherd ladies are like mothers to Sri Krishna.
The two wet nurses
Ambika and Kilimba are Sri Krishna’s wet nurses, and they breast-feed Him.
Ambika, who is a dear friend to Yasoda Mayi, is senior to Kilimba.
Brahmanas (mahisurah)
The brahmanas living in Gokula are divided into two classes.
One is under the shelter of Sri Krishna’s paternal family and the others belong to the priestly class.
Brahmanas sheltered
Vasatkara, Svadhakara, Praghara and others belong to those brahmanas sheltered in the family.
Their wives are Samadheni, Mahakavya, Vedika and others.
Brahmanas belonging to the priestly class
Vedagarbha, Mahayajva, Bhaguri and others are purohitas .
Gautami, Sarvi, Gargi and others are the wives of these priests.
Brahmana ladies
Kubjika, Vamani, Svaha, Sulata, Sandili, Svadha, Bhargavi and other elder brahmana ladies are venerable in the entire Vraja-mandala.
Yogamaya
Paurnamasi is Yogamaya, who arranges all Sri Krishna’s pastimes very skilfully. Her clothes are the colour of red ochre . Her complexion is golden, and her hair is white like the flower of kasa grass. She is quite tall.
Nanda and all the residents of Vraja worship Paurnamasi. She is Devarshi Sri Narada’s dear disciple.
Following the instruction of her guru she left her beloved son Sandipani Muni in Avantikapuri (Ujjain) and came to reside in Gokula, being overwhelmed in love for her treasured Lord, Sri Krishna.
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