Sages & Others
Nanda
नन्द
Chief of the Cowherds
Who was Nanda?
Nanda (नन्द): Chief of the Cowherds, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. The chieftain of Gokula who raised Krishna as his own son, sheltering the child from Kamsa's killers among the herds and pastures of Vraja.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | नन्द |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | Chief of the Cowherds |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | protective, simple-hearted, generous |
| Featured in | 6 stories |
About Nanda
The chieftain of Gokula who raised Krishna as his own son, sheltering the child from Kamsa's killers among the herds and pastures of Vraja.
In Their Words
The boy was given to my keeping, and no demon shall touch him.
Nanda
Traits
- protective
- simple-hearted
- generous
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Nanda
5 further tales on this site name Nanda, in canonical reading order.
- The Divine ChildThe Divine descends whenever dharma declines and adharma rises. Krishna's childhood miracles remind us that God...
- The Divine ChildKrishna's life is the Mahabharata's answer to the question: What does God look like when God walks among us? The answer...
- The Sea God and the Wives at the FireTwo Small Mercies of Vrindavan
- The Goddess on the Road to MatsyaA king with nothing left prays walking
- Yashoda's Second FarewellThe mother of the heart at Syamantapanchaka
Places in Nanda's Story
Drawn from the stories Nanda appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.