Vasudeva — Son of Vasudeva, the All-Pervading Lord

"Vasudeva" means the son of Vasudeva, and also the Supreme who dwells in all beings. The twelve-syllable mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" is built on this name.

The name "Vasudeva" works on two levels. Historically, Krishna is the son of Vasudeva and Devaki, so he is called Vasudeva, the son of Vasudeva. After the Lord's birth in Kamsa's prison, it was Vasudeva who carried the newborn across the flooded Yamuna to Gokul. Philosophically, "vasu" means to dwell, so Vasudeva is the Supreme Being who pervades the whole world and in whom the whole world dwells.

In the Bhagavad Gita the Lord himself says that after many births the wise one surrenders to him, knowing that "Vasudeva is everything", and that such a great soul is very rare (7.19). In the tenth chapter he says that among the Vrishnis he is Vasudeva. At the close of the Gita, Sanjaya too uses this name when he speaks of the wondrous dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna.

In devotion, the twelve-syllable mantra "Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya" is held to be supremely sacred. According to the Shrimad Bhagavatam, the sage Narada gave this mantra to the child Dhruva, and by chanting it Dhruva was blessed with the vision of the Lord. To this day many devotees chant it daily on their japa beads.

Name Sa

वासुदेव

Name Roman

Vasudeva

Meaning

son of Vasudeva; the one who dwells in all beings

Source

Bhagavad Gita 7.19, 10.37 (spoken by Krishna); Shrimad Bhagavatam, Canto 4 (Dhruva)