Text 20] The Meeting of Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva
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pointed the local cowherd men to protect Gokula and then went to Mathurā to pay the yearly taxes to King Kaṁsa.
PURPORT
Because the killing of babies was going on and had already become known, Nanda Mahārāja was very much afraid for his newborn child. Thus he appointed the local cowherd men to protect his home and child. He wanted to go immediately to Mathurā to pay the taxes due and also to offer some presentation for the sake of his newborn son. For the protection of the child, he had worshiped various demigods and forefathers and given charity to everyone's satisfaction. Similarly, Nanda Mahārāja wanted not only to pay Kaṁsa the yearly taxes but also to offer some presentation so that Kaṁsa too would be satisfied. His only concern was how to protect his transcendental child, Kṛṣṇa.
TEXT 20
वसुदेव उपश्रुत्य भ्रातरं नन्दमागतम् । 
    ज्ञात्वा दत्तकरं राज्ञे ययौ तदवमोचनम् ॥ २० ॥
vasudeva upaśrutya 
    bhrātaraṁ nandam āgatam 
    jñātvā datta-karaṁ rājñe 
    yayau tad-avamocanam
vasudevaḥ—Vasudeva; upaśrutya—when he heard; bhrātaram—that his dear friend and brother; nandam—Nanda Mahārāja; āgatam—had come to Mathurā; jñātvā—when he learned; datta-karam—and had already paid the taxes; rājñe—unto the King; yayau—he went; tat-avamocanam—to the residential quarters of Nanda Mahārāja.
TRANSLATION
When Vasudeva heard that Nanda Mahārāja, his very dear friend and brother, had come to Mathurā and already paid the taxes to Kaṁsa, he went to Nanda Mahārāja's residence.