[Advaita-l] An Etymology for the name 'Kṛṣṇa'

[V Subrahmanian]

An Etymology for the name 'Kṛṣṇa'

In the Bhagavadgita Bhashyam 6.34 Shankara has given an etymology to the
name 'Kṛṣṇa':

कृष्ण इति कृषतेः विलेखनार्थस्य रूपम् । भक्तजनपापादिदोषाकर्षणात् कृष्णः,
तस्य सम्बुद्धिः हे कृष्ण ।

The word krsna is derived from the root krs  in the sense of 'uprooting';
He is Krsna because He uproots the defects such as sin etc. of devotees.

There is another popular etymology in a verse form:

कृषिर्भू-वाचकः शब्दो णश्च निर्वृतिवाचकः ।
तयोरैक्यं परं ब्रह्म कृष्ण इत्यभिधीयते ।।

’kṛṣiḥ' connotes Existence, Sat, and 'ṇa' is Bliss. The combination of
these two is Supreme Brahman known by the name 'krṣṇa'.  It is said to be
in the Gopālatāpinyupaniṣat.

The Mahabharata too contains a similar verse:

कृषिर्भूवाचकः शब्दो णश्च  निर्वृतिवाचकः।
विष्णुस्तद्भावयोगाच्च कृष्णो भवति सात्वतः ।। 5-69-5a 5-69-5b

The name 'Kṛṣṇa' occurs in the Śivasahasranāma' too of the Mahabharata.

regards
subbu