Three Reasons Krishna Is Known As Gopala

“Nondevotees cannot give any nomenclature for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, yet the Lord is known as Shyamasundara and Giridhari. Similarly, the Lord is known as Devaki-nandana and Yashoda-nandana because He accepted the role of son for mother Devaki and mother Yashoda, and He is known as Gopala because He enjoyed the sport of maintaining the cows and calves.” (Shrila Prabhupada, Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.2.36 Purport)