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5 / Meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva

Although Krsna was the real son of Vasudeva and Devaki, because of
Kamsa’s atrocious activities Vasudeva could not enjoy the birth ceremony
of his son. But Nanda Maharaja, the foster father, celebrated the birth
ceremony of Krsna very joyfully. The next day, it was declared that a male
child was born of Yasoda. According to Vedic custom, Nanda Maharaja
called for learned astrologers and brahmanas to perform the birth cere-
mony. After the birth of a child, the astrologers calculate the moment of
the birth and make a horoscope of the child’s future life. Another cere-
mony takes place after the birth of the child: the family members take
baths, cleanse themselves and decorate themselves with ornaments and
garlands; then they come before the child and the astrologer to hear of the
future life of the child. Nanda Maharaja and other members of the family
dressed and sat down in front of the birth place. All the brahmanas who
were assembled there on this occasion chanted auspicious mantras, ac-
cording to the rituals, while the astrologers performed the birth ceremony.
All the demigods are also worshiped on this occasion, as well as the fore-
fathers of the family. Nanda Maharaja distributed 200,000 well decorated,
dressed and ornamented cows to the brahmanas. He not only gave cows in
charity, but hills of grains, decorated with golden-bordered garments and
many ornaments.

In the material world we possess riches and wealth in many ways, but
sometimes not in very honest and pious ways, because that is the nature of
accumulating wealth. According to Vedic injunction, therefore, such wealth
should be purified by giving cows and gold in charity to the brahmanas. A
newborn child is also purified by giving grains in charity to the brahmanas.
In this material world it is to be understood that we are always living in a
contaminated state. We therefore have to purify the duration of our lives,
our possession of wealth and ourselves. The duration of life is purified by

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