Some Meansings of Holy Names of Lord Krishna

from Mahabharata (Ganguly translation)
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Dhritarasthra said: "I request you, o Sanjaya, to tell me again of the lotus-eyed Krishna, for by being acquainted with the import of His names, I may, O son, obtain that most exalted of male beings."

Sanjaya' reply (summarized):

Vasudeva- One who envelops all creatures with the screen of illusion, or of His glorious splendor, or of His being the support and resting place of the gods.

Vishnu- all-pervading

Madhava � because of His practicing as a muni concentration of mind on truth and yoga-absorption

Madhusudhana � for slaying asura Madhu and also because of His being the substance of the twenty-four objects of knowledge.

Krishna �  because He uniteth in Himself what are implied by the two words *Krishi *which signifieth "what existeth" and *na *which signifieth "eternal peace".

Pundarikaksha � from *Pundarika* implying His high and eternal abode, and *Aksha *implying " indestructible".

Janardana � because He striketh fear into the hearts of all wicked beings

Sattwata � because the attribute of sattva is never dissociated from Him and also because He is never dissociated from it.

Vrishabhakshana � from Vrishabha implying the Vedas and ikshana implying the eye, the union of the two signifying that the Vedas are His eyes, or the Vedas are the eyes through which He may be seen.

Aja � unborn, because He hath not taken His birth from any being in ordinary way.

Damodara � because unlike the gods His effulgence is increate and His own, and also because He hath self-control and great splendor.

Hrishikesa � from Hrishika meaning "eternal happiness" and Isa meaning "the six divine attributes", the union signifying one having joy, happiness, and divinty.

Mahavahu � he upholdeth the earth and the sky with his two arms.

Adhakshaja � because he never falleth down or suffereth any deterioration,

Narayana - from his being the refuge of all human beings.

Purusottama � Puru implying "he that createth and preserveth" and so meaning
"he that destroyeth, the union signifying one that createth, preserveth, and
destroyeth the universe."

Sarva � possesseth a knowledge of all things

Satya  - because Krishna is always in truth and truth is always in him and
Govinda is truth's truth

Vishnu � because of his prowess

Jishnu � because of his success

Ananta � because of his eternity

Govinda � from his knowledge of speech of every kind.

He maketh the unreal appear as real and thereby beguileth all creatures. Possessed of such attributes, ever devoted to righteousness, and endued with divinity, the slayer of Madhu. That mighty-armed one incapable of decay, will come hither for preventing the slaughter of the Kurus.

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