Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 1.11.16-17

nisamya preshtham ayantam

vasudevo maha-manah

akruras cograsenas ca

ramas cadbhuta-vikramah

pradyumnas carudeshnas ca

sambo jambavati-sutah

praharsha-vegocchasita-

sayanasana-bhojanah

SYNONYMS

nisamya -- just hearing; preshtham -- the dearmost; ayantam -- coming home; vasudevah -- Vasudeva (the father of Krishna); maha-manah -- the magnanimous; akrurah -- Akrura; ca -- and; ugrasenah -- Ugrasena; ca -- and; ramah -- Balarama (the elder brother of Krishna); ca -- and; adbhuta -- superhuman; vikramah -- prowess; pradyumnah -- Pradyumna; carudeshnah -- Carudeshna; ca -- and; sambah -- Samba; jambavati-sutah -- the son of Jambavati; praharsha -- extreme happiness; vega -- force; ucchasita -- being influenced by; sayana -- lying down; asana -- sitting on; bhojanah -- dining.

TRANSLATION

On hearing that the most dear Krishna was approaching Dvarakadhama, magnanimous Vasudeva, Akrura, Ugrasena, Balarama (the superhumanly powerful), Pradyumna, Carudeshna and Samba the son of Jambavati, all extremely happy, abandoned resting, sitting and dining.

PURPORT

Vasudeva: Son of King Surasena, husband of Devaki and father of Lord Sri Krishna. He is the brother of Kunti and father of Subhadra. Subhadra was married with her cousin Arjuna, and this system is still prevalent in some parts of India. Vasudeva was appointed minister of Ugrasena, and later on he married eight daughters of Ugrasena's brother Devaka. Devaki is only one of them. Kamsa was his brother-in-law, and Vasudeva accepted voluntary imprisonment by Kamsa on mutual agreement to deliver the eighth son of Devaki. This was foiled by the will of Krishna. As maternal uncle of the Pandavas, he took active parts in the purificatory process of the Pandavas. He sent for the priest Kasyapa at the Satasringa Parvata, and he executed the functions. When Krishna appeared within the bars of Kamsa's prison house, He was transferred by Vasudeva to the house of Nanda Maharaja, the foster father of Krishna, at Gokula. Krishna disappeared along with Baladeva prior to the disappearance of Vasudeva, and Arjuna (Vasudeva's nephew) undertook the charge of the funeral ceremony after Vasudeva's disappearance.

Akrura: The commander in chief of the Vrishni dynasty and a great devotee of Lord Krishna. Akrura attained success in devotional service to the Lord by the one single process of offering prayers. He was the husband of Sutani, daughter of Ahuka. He supported Arjuna when Arjuna took Subhadra forcibly away by the will of Krishna. Both Krishna and Akrura went to see Arjuna after his successful kidnapping of Subhadra. Both of them presented dowries to Arjuna after this incidence. Akrura was present also when Abhimanyu, the son of Subhadra, was married with Uttara, mother of Maharaja Parikshit. Ahuka, the father-in-law of Akrura, was not on good terms with Akrura. But both of them were devotees of the Lord.

Ugrasena: One of the powerful kings of the Vrishni dynasty and cousin of Maharaja Kuntibhoja. His other name is Ahuka. His minister was Vasudeva, and his son was the powerful Kamsa. This Kamsa imprisoned his father and became the King of Mathura. By the grace of Lord Krishna and His brother, Lord Baladeva, Kamsa was killed, and Ugrasena was reinstalled on the throne. When Salva attacked the city of Dvaraka, Ugrasena fought very valiantly and repulsed the enemy. Ugrasena inquired from Naradaji about the divinity of Lord Krishna. When the Yadu dynasty was to be vanquished, Ugrasena was entrusted with the iron lump produced from the womb of Samba. He cut the iron lump into pieces and then pasted it and mixed it up with the sea water on the coast of Dvaraka. After this, he ordered complete prohibition within the city of Dvaraka and the kingdom. He got salvation after his death.

Baladeva: He is the divine son of Vasudeva by his wife Rohini. He is also known as Rohini-nandana, the beloved son of Rohini. He was also entrusted to Nanda Maharaja along with His mother, Rohini, when Vasudeva embraced imprisonment by mutual agreement with Kamsa. So Nanda Maharaja is also the foster father of Baladeva along with Lord Krishna. Lord Krishna and Lord Baladeva were constant companions from Their very childhood, although They were stepbrothers. He is the plenary manifestation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and therefore He is as good and powerful as Lord Krishna. He belongs to the vishnu-tattva (the principle of Godhead). He attended the svayamvara ceremony of Draupadi along with Sri Krishna. When Subhadra was kidnapped by Arjuna by the organized plan of Sri Krishna, Baladeva was very angry with Arjuna and wanted to kill him at once. Sri Krishna, for the sake of His dear friend, fell at the feet of Lord Baladeva and implored Him not to be so angry. Sri Baladeva was thus satisfied. Similarly, He was once very angry with the Kauravas, and He wanted to throw their whole city into the depths of the Yamuna. But the Kauravas satisfied Him by surrendering unto His divine lotus feet. He was actually the seventh son of Devaki prior to the birth of Lord Krishna, but by the will of the Lord He was transferred to the womb of Rohini to escape the wrath of Kamsa. His other name is therefore Sankarshana, who is also the plenary portion of Sri Baladeva. Because He is as powerful as Lord Krishna and can bestow spiritual power to the devotees, He is therefore known as Baladeva. In the Vedas also it is enjoined that no one can know the Supreme Lord without being favored by Baladeva. Bala means spiritual strength not physical. Some less intelligent persons interpret bala as the strength of the body. But no one can have spiritual realization by physical strength. Physical strength ends with the end of the physical body, but spiritual strength follows the spirit soul to the next transmigration, and therefore the strength obtained by Baladeva is never wasted. The strength is eternal, and thus Baladeva is the original spiritual master of all devotees.

Sri Baladeva was also a class friend of Lord Sri Krishna as a student of Sandipani Muni. In His childhood He killed many asuras along with Sri Krishna, and specifically He killed the Dhenukasura at Talavana. During the Kurukshetra battle, He remained neutral, and He tried His best not to bring about the fight. He was in favor of Duryodhana, but still He remained neutral. When there was a club-fight between Duryodhana and Bhimasena, He was present on the spot. He was angry at Bhimasena when the latter struck Duryodhana on the thigh or below the belt, and He wanted to retaliate the unfair action. Lord Sri Krishna saved Bhima from His wrath. But He left the place at once, being disgusted at Bhimasena, and after His departure Duryodhana fell to the ground to meet his death. The funeral ceremony of Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, was performed by Him, as He was the maternal uncle. It was impossible to be performed by any one of the Pandavas, who were all overwhelmed with grief. At the last stage, He departed from this world by producing a great white snake from His mouth, and thus He was carried by Seshanaga in the shape of a serpent.

Pradyumna: Incarnation of Kamadeva or, according to others, incarnation of Sanat-kumara, born as the son of the Personality of Godhead Lord Sri Krishna and Lakshmidevi Srimati Rukmini, the principal queen at Dvaraka. He was one of those who went to congratulate Arjuna upon his marrying Subhadra. He was one of the great generals who fought with Salva, and while fighting with him he became unconscious on the battlefield. His charioteer brought him back to the camp from the battlefield, and for this action he was very sorry and rebuked his charioteer. However, he fought again with Salva and was victorious. He heard all about the different demigods from Naradaji. He is one of the four plenary expansions of Lord Sri Krishna. He is the third one. He inquired from his father, Sri Krishna, about the glories of the brahmanas. During the fratricidal war amongst the descendants of Yadu, he died at the hand of Bhoja, another king of the Vrishnis. After his death, he was installed in his original position.

Carudeshna: Another son of Lord Sri Krishna and Rukminidevi. He was also present during the svayamvara ceremony of Draupadi. He was a great warrior like his brothers and father. He fought with Vivinidhaka and killed him in the fight.

Samba: One of the great heroes of the Yadu dynasty and the son of Lord Sri Krishna by His wife Jambavati. He learned the military art of throwing arrows from Arjuna, and he became a member of parliament during the time of Maharaja Yudhishthira. He was present during the Rajasuya-yajna of Maharaja Yudhishthira. When all the Vrishnis were assembled during the time of Prabhasa-yajna, his glorious activities were narrated by Satyaki before Lord Baladeva. He was also present along with his father, Lord Sri Krishna, during the Asvamedha-yajna performed by Yudhishthira. He was presented before some rishis falsely dressed as a pregnant woman by his brothers, and in fun he asked the rishis what he was going to deliver. The rishis replied that he would deliver a lump of iron, which would be the cause of fratricidal war in the family of Yadu. The next day, in the morning, Samba delivered a large lump of iron, which was entrusted with Ugrasena for necessary action. Actually later on there was the foretold fratricidal war, and Samba died in that war.

So all these sons of Lord Krishna left their respective palaces and leaving aside all engagements, including lying down, sitting and dining, hastened toward their exalted father.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness