Vision of the Universal Form 57

and by the result of such activities one may enjoy or suffer in this life.

Nanda Maharaja also addressed Gargamuni as the “best of the brah-
manas.”’ A brahmana is one who is expert in the knowledge of the Supreme.
Without knowledge of the Supreme Absolute, one cannot be recognized as
a brahmana. The exact word used in this connection is brahmavidam,
which means those who know the Supreme very well. An expert
brahmana is able to give reformatory facilities to the sub-castes—namely
the ksatriyas and vais yas. The sidras observe no reformatory performances.
The brahmana is considered to be the spiritual master or priest for the
ksatriya and vaisya. Nanda Maharaja happened to be a vaisya, and he
accepted Gargamuni as a first class brahmana. He therefore offered his two
foster sons—namely Krsna and Balarama—to Him to purify. He agreed that
not only these boys, but all human beings just after birth should accept a
qualified brahmana as spiritual master.

Upon this request, Gargamuni replied, ‘‘Vasudeva has sent me to see to
the reformatory performances of these boys, especially Krsna’s. I am their
family priest, and incidentally, it appears to me that Krsna is the son of
Bevaki.”” By his astrological calculation, Gargamuni could understand that
Krsna was the son of Bevaki but that He was being kept under the care of
Nanda Maharaja, which Nanda did not know. Indirectly he said that Krsna,
as well as Balarama, were both sons of Vasudeva. Balarama was known as
the son of Vasudeva because His mother Rohini was present there, but
Nanda Maharaja did not know about Krsna. Gargamuni indirectly disclosed
the fact that Krsna was the son of Bevaki. Gargamuni also warned Nanda
Maharaja that if he would perform the reformatory ceremony, then Kamsa,
who was naturally very sinful, would understand that Krsna was the son
of Bevaki and Vasudeva. According to astrological calculation, Bevaki
could not have a female child, although everyone thought that the eighth
child of Bevaki was female. In this way Gargamuni intimated to Nanda
Maharaja that the female child was born of Yagoda and that Krsna was
born of Devaki, and they were exchanged. The female child, or Durga,
also informed Kamsa that the child who would kill him was already born
somewhere else. Gargamuni stated, “If I give your child a name and if He
fulfills the prophecy of the female child to Karnsa, then it may be that the
sinful demon will come and kill this child also after the name-giving
ceremony. But I do not want to become responsible for all these future
calamities.”

On hearing the words of Gargamuni, Nanda Maharaja said, “If there is
such danger, then it is better not to plan any gorgeous name-giving cere-
mony. It would be better for you to simply chant the Vedic hymns and
