For kRiShNa, for the son of vasudeva, and for the [source of] joy of devakI,
For the boy of the cowherd [chief] nanda, for the benefactor of cattle (cows), salutations.
कृष्णाय वासुदेवाय, देवकी-नन्दनाय च ।
नंद-गोप-कुमाराय, गोविन्दाय नमो नमः ॥
kRiShNAya vAsudevAya, devakI-nandanAya cha |
nanda-gopa-kumArAya, govindAya namo namaH ||
It seems like lot of you like devotional, bhakti mantras rather than the worldly wise neeti sutra. So let me pick some devotional bhakti mantras for simple Sanskrit, starting with one of the most favorite of kRiShNa mantra.
While it is impossible, for a mere mortal like me, to dwell on all the details of the most intricate character of kRiShNa, let me touch on the language aspects of the words.
kRiShNa has many many names. viShNu has even sahasra-nAma i.e. 1000 names, mainly describing the attributes, or mnemonic for stories and incidents from his life and leelAs.
E.g. dAmodara = dAmA (rope) + udara (belly, waist) = reminds of the story when he was tied to the grain-pounder with rope by yashodA.
vArShNeya = of the dynasty of vRiShNi
madhusUdana = slayer of madhu, a dAnava.
giridhara = giri (mountain) + dhara (holder) = one who held the mountain (on his little finger)
