Story of Nandagopa

Foster-father of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

Previous birth.

There are two stories about the previous birth of Nandagopa.

(i) Droṇa, one of the eight Vasus and his wife Dhārā once committed a mistake, not becoming the gods. Brahmā who found it out, cursed the couple to take birth in the family of cowherds. Droṇa and Dhārā prayed for remission. Brahmā told them that Mahāviṣṇu would incarnate as their son as Śrī Kṛṣṇa and that after that birth they would be liberated from the curse. Accordingly Droṇa took birth as Nandagopa and Dhārā as Yaśodā. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).

(ii) Once a King named Candrasena sat in the Mahākāla temple in Ujjayinī to perform penance. Śiva was pleased at his penance and gave him a jewel. That brilliant precious stone fulfilled all his desires. Other kings heard about this jewel and came to war to take possession of the jewel. The King came and took refuge in the temple.

At this time a son named Śrīkara was born to a cowherdess in Ujjayinī. He was god-fearing since childhood. Śrīkara came to Mahākāla temple and sat in worship and meditation and attained the goodwill of Śiva. The Kings who came in chase of Candrasena could not approach the temple because of the unearthly brilliance that radiated from Śrīkara. Not knowing the reason the kings stood staring and Hanūmān instantly appeared before them and said. "Hear this, oh Kings! Śrīkara is not a mere cowherd boy. The God is pleased with him. In his eighth birth from today he will be born in Ambāḍi under the name Nandagopa. Then Mahāviṣṇu will incarnate as the son of Nandagopa under the name Śrī Kṛṣṇa."

Nandagopa was the eighth birth of this Śrīkara. (Śiva Purāṇa, Śanipradoṣamāhātmya).

Varuṇa carried away Nandagopa.

While Śrī Kṛṣṇa was living in Ambāḍi as the foster-son of Nandagopa, Nandagopa went to bathe in the river Yamunā. While he was taking a dip under the water a servant of Varuṇa carried him away to the realm of Varuṇa. As Nandagopa disappeared the people of Ambāḍi ran here and there in grief. At last Śrī Kṛṣṇa jumped into the water and reached the city of Varuṇa, who praised Śrī Kṛṣṇa and said that it was to see Śrī Kṛṣṇa that he had carried Nandagopa away, and requested for pardon. Śrī Kṛṣṇa pardoned Varuṇa and brought Nandagopa to Ambāḍi. (Bhāgavata, Skandha 10).

Nandagopa swallowed by a great mountain-snake.

(See under Kṛṣṇa, Para 21).