The Lord’s Naming Ceremony

Illustrated by Rashi

None except the most trusted of servants were allowed into Rohini’s chamber, which was tucked away in a remote corner of Nanda’s palace. It was mainly Yashoda who personally managed the affairs of Rohini and her son. Nanda had been very cautious about keeping the news about Rohini’s son a secret. Kamsa was already suspicious about the supposed miscarriage of Devaki when she was pregnant with her seventh child. His spies had been sniffing around the land of Braj. Keeping Rohini and her son safe was Nanda’s topmost priority, and this had dissuaded him until now from allowing the two children to meet.

The Lord had turned a hundred days old, and according to tradition, his naming ceremony ought to be performed on the same day. Nanda was aware that Rohini’s son, whose existence had not yet been revealed to the people, was also waiting for his naming ceremony. He had sent a messenger to Vasudev earlier about it. Vasudev had responded that it would be arranged for at an opportune time. Only the family priest of the Yadava clan, Gargacharya Muni, could perform the naming ceremony, and today of all the days, he had arrived in Gokul. He entered Nanda’s heavily guarded palace and sought him out in his cow shed.  

Nanda was overwhelmed at seeing him and welcomed him in ways befitting the welcome of a Brahmin of a very high order. Nanda eulogized his arrival, proclaiming that it was indeed most fortunate that such a highly accomplished Brahmin had chosen to grace the occasion of his son turning a hundred days old. Nanda offered him the customary welcome gifts and stood in front of him with folded hands. He realized that only by God’s grace could someone like Gargacharya come to his palace on the day of his son’s naming ceremony.

Not wanting to miss the golden opportunity, Nanda entreated Gargacharya to do the naming ceremony for both children. Gargacharya declined, as this would attract Kamsa’s attention and fuel his imagination, especially because he was the family priest of the Yadava clan. Kamsa was also well aware of the strong ties of friendship between Nanda and Vasudev. He could, in his foolhardiness, put two and two together and may even assume Nanda’s son to be the eighth son of Devaki and march to Gokul with his army to destroy his nemesis.

Nanda, crestfallen at first, soon devised a plan to hold the naming ceremony in total secrecy in the cow shed. Garga Muni agreed to the plan. He had, in fact, come to Gokul at the request of Vasudev for the same purpose. Both children were brought forth by their respective mothers. Garg Muni stood transfixed as he saw the Lord in Yashoda’s arms. He ruminated, “What is it that I am witnessing? Is it the omnipresent ‘Brahman’ that has coalesced himself into a little being? Or has that source of eternal bliss known as ‘Paramatman’ taken the shape of a child? Or is the Great Lord, called ‘Bhagwaan,’ reposing in his mother’s arms? Aha! I know now the real identity of Nanda’s son. He’s none other than the supreme Lord who takes birth in every Yuga for the sake of his devotees”. He tried to hold back his tears, but his eyes betrayed his commands and would not shut and stem the torrential outpouring of tears that ensued. His eyes stubbornly remained open, relishing the Lord’s countenance, submerging him in an irrepressible wave of devotion. He felt unmoored, his emotions swaying between his desire to prostrate and his craving to tightly embrace the exceedingly enchanting baby. Though bound by the ethics of being the clan priest, he felt at risk of behaving in an unfettered way, being thus overwhelmed. He fought back his urges and somehow managed to remain poised, just enough to preside over the naming ceremony.

It was the Lord’s and his elder brother’s naming ceremony, but only a few fortunate could attend it. Gargacharya named the elder brother ‘Ram’ for he would provide solace to his loved ones and also be called ‘Balaram’ for his immense strength. Naming the Lord, he said, “This child incarnates in each of the four yugas. In the present age, he would be called ‘Ksrna’ for assuming a black form. He would also be called ‘Vaasudev,’ for he was born to Vasudev in his previous incarnation”. The time had not yet come for Gargacharya to reveal that Nanda’s son was actually born to Vasudev. He went on and said, “This child has innumerable names born out of his innumerable leelas, and I am telling his two such names.”

Gargacharya related to Nanda the horoscope of the Lord, who had chosen the highly auspicious time when the zodiac of Taurus was rising in the east. The day was Wednesday, ‘Rohini’ constellation, the eighth lunar day of the dark fortnight of the month of ‘Bhardapada’. All planets were situated in the most promising manner. He tells Nanda, ” Now listen attentively to my predictions about this child of yours. He’s going to make all your troubles vanish. Your child has an innate quality that anyone who loves him and considers his own soon vanquishes all his troubles, and trampling upon the head of the insurmountable Maya goes across the ocean of ‘Samsara’. Anyone who is attached to him will never face defeat at the hands of his enemies, and whosoever dwells upon his name and form unceasingly will reach Goloka, the highest of the eternal worlds”.

Nanda offered many cartloads of gold and precious gems, but Gargacharya refused. He prayed to the Lord to be given the honor of naming him again and again in all his incarnations. With teary eyes, he paid homage to the Lord and took his leave. Nanda’s happiness knew no bounds as he called out his son by the name ‘Ksrna’, for the very first time.