Meeting of Nanda and Vasudeva 41
her daughter. Nanda Maharaja knew that Balarama was the son of
Vasudeva, although he did not know that Krsna was also Vasudeva’s son.
But Vasudeva was aware of this fact and inquired very eagerly about Krsna
and Balarama.

Vasudeva then addressed him, ‘‘My dear brother, you were old enough
and very anxious to beget a son, and yet you had none. Now by the grace
of the Lord you are fortunate to have a very nice son. I think that this
incident is very auspicious for you. Dear friend, I was imprisoned by
Kamsa, and now I am released; therefore this is another birth for me. I had
no hope of seeing you again, but by God’s grace I can see you.” Vasudeva
then expressed his anxiety about Krsna. Krsna was sent incognito to the
bed of mother Yasoda, and after very pompously celebrating His birth
ceremony, Nanda went to Mathura. So Vasudeva was very pleased and said,
“This is a new birth for me.” He never expected that Krsna would live
because all his other sons were killed by Kamsa. .

Vasudeva continued, “My dear friend, it is very difficult for us to live
together. Although we have our family and relatives, sons and daughters,
by nature’s way we are generally separated from one another. The reason
for this is that every living entity appears on this earth under different
pressures of fruitive activities; although they assemble together, there is no
certainty of their remaining together for a long time. According to one’s
fruitive activities, one has to act differently and thereby be separated. For
example, many plants and creepers are floating on the waves of the ocean.
Sometimes they come together and sometimes they separate forever: one
plant goes one way and another plant goes another. Similarly, our family
assembly may be very nice while we are living together, but after some
time, in the course of the waves of time, we are separated.”

The purport of this expression by Vasudeva is this: although he had
eight sons born in the womb of Devaki, unfortunately they were all gone.
He could not even keep his one son Krsna with him. Vasudeva was feeling
His separation, but he could not express the real fact. “Please tell me about
the welfare of Vrndavana,” he said. “You have many animals—are they
happy? Are they getting sufficient grass and water? Please also let me know
whether the place where you are now living is undisturbed and peaceful.”
This inquiry was made by Vasudeva because he was very anxious about
Krsna’s safety. He knew that Karnsa and his followers were trying to kill
Krsna by sending various kinds of demons. They had already resolved
that all children born within ten days of the birthday of Krsna should be
killed. Because Vasudeva was so anxious about Krsna, he inquired about
the safety of His residence. He also inquired about Balarama and His
