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Krṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
as your own children at a time when We were just like orphans. For certain reasons We were rejected by Our father and mother, and you protected Us. My dear father and mother, I know you will be feeling separation by returning to Vṛndāvana and leaving Us here, but please rest assured that I shall be coming back to Vṛndāvana just after giving some satisfaction to My real father and mother, Vasudeva and Devakī, My grandfather, and other relatives and family members.” Krṣṇa and Balarāma satisfied Nanda and Yaśodā by sweet words and by presentation of various clothing, ornaments and properly made utensils. They satisfied them, along with their friends and neighbors who had come with them from Vṛndāvana to Mathurā, as fully as possible. On account of his excessive parental affection for Balarāma and Krṣṇa, Nanda Mahārāja felt tears in his eyes, and he embraced Them and started with the cowherd men for Vṛndāvana.
After this, Vasudeva had his son initiated by sacred thread as the token of second birth, which is essential for the higher castes of human society. Vasudeva called for his family priest and learned  brāhmaṇas , and the sacred thread ceremony of Krṣṇa and Balarāma was duly performed. During this ceremony, Vasudeva gave various ornaments in charity to the  brāhmaṇas  and endowed them with cows decorated with silken cloths and golden ornaments. Previously, during the birth of Krṣṇa and Balarāma, Vasudeva had wanted to give cows in charity to the  brāhmaṇas , but being imprisoned by Kaṁsa, he was able to do so only within his mind. With the death of Kaṁsa the actual cows were given to the  brāhmaṇas . Then Balarāma and Krṣṇa were duly initiated with the sacred thread ceremony, and They repeated the chanting of the  Gāyatrī mantra . The  Gāyatrī mantra  is offered to the disciples after the sacred thread ceremony, and Balarāma and Krṣṇa properly discharged the duties of chanting this  mantra . Anyone who executes the chanting of this  mantra  has to abide by certain principles and vows. Although Balarāma and Krṣṇa were both transcendental personalities, They strictly followed the regulative principles. Both were initiated by Their family priest Gargācārya, usually known as Gargamuni, the  ācārya  of the Yadu dynasty. According to Vedic culture, every respectable person has an  ācārya , or spiritual master. One is not considered to be a perfectly cultured man without being initiated and trained by an  ācārya . It is said, therefore, that one who has approached an  ācārya  is actually in perfect knowledge. Lord Krṣṇa and Balarāma were the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master of all education and knowledge. There was no need for Them to accept a spiritual master or  ācārya , yet for the instruction of ordinary men, They also accepted a spiritual master for advancement in spiritual knowledge.