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Vaishnavism / Krishna Bhakti
देवकीनन्दन गोपाल
Devakinandana Gopala
Devakinandana Gopala
"Krishna, beloved son of Devaki, protector of the cows"
Word by Word
- Devaki
- Krishna's mother, imprisoned by the tyrant Kamsa when Krishna was born
- Nandana
- son, delight, joy — "the joy of Devaki"
- Gopala
- protector of the cows (go = cow, pala = protector) — Krishna as the cowherd boy of Vrindavan
Full Translation
Two names of Krishna woven into one flowing chant: Devakinandana, "the joy of Devaki" — the divine child born to his imprisoned mother against all odds — and Gopala, "protector of the cows," the playful cowherd boy of Vrindavan. Together they hold both the miracle of Krishna's birth and the sweetness of his childhood, inviting the singer into an intimate, familial love of the divine.
Pronunciation Tips
day-vah-kee-NAHN-dah-nah go-PAH-lah — flowing and unhurried, the names melting into one another