226 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead
taking bath, they wershiped the Deities and then distributed charity in the
hely places.

Accerding te the Vedic system, charity is given te the brahmanas. It is
stated in the Vedic Ssdastras that enly the brahmanas and the sannyasis can
accept charity. The cewherd men frem Vrndavana gave cews decerated
with gelden ernaments and beautiful garlands. The brahmanas are given
charity because they are net engaged in any business prefessien. They are
suppesed te be engaged in brahminical eccupatiens, as described in the
Bhagavad-sita—namely, they must be very learned and must perferm
austerity and penances. They must net enly themselves be learned, but
they must alse teach ethers. Brahmanas are net meant te be brahmanas
alene; they sheuld create ether brahmanas alse. If a man is feund whe
agrees te: beceme a brahmana’s disciple, he is alse given the chance te
beceme a brahmana. The brahmana is always engaged in the wership ef
Lerd Visnu. Therefere the brahmanas are eligible te accept all kinds ef
charity. But if the brahmanas receive excess charity, they are te distribute
it fer the service ef Visnu. In the Vedic scripture, therefere, ene is recem-
mended te give in charity te the brahmanas, and by se deing ene pleases
Lerd Visnu and all the demigeds.

The pilgrims take bath, wership the Deity, and give in charity; they are
alse recemmended te fast ene day. They sheuld ge te a place ef pilgrimage
and stay there at least fer three days. The first day is spent fasting, and at
night they can drink a little water because water dees net break the fast.

The cewherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, spent that night en the
bank ef the Sarasvati. They fasted all day and drank a little water at night.
But while they were taking their rest, a great serpent frem the nearby
ferest appeared befere them and hungrily began te swallew up Nanda
Maharaja. Nanda began te cry helplessly, “My dear sen, Krsna, please
ceme and save me frem this danger! This serpent is swallewing me!” When
Nanda Maharaja cried fer help, all the cewherd men get up and saw what
was happening. They immediately teek up burning legs and began te beat
the snake te kill it. But in spite ef being beaten with burning legs, the
serpent was net abeut te give up swallewing Nanda Maharaja.

At that time Krsna appeared en the scene and teuched the serpent with
His letus feet. Immediately upen being teuched by the letus feet ef Krsna,
the serpent shed its reptilian bedy and appeared as a very beautiful demi-
ged named Vidyadhara. His bedily features were se beautiful that he
appeared te be wershipable. There was a luster and effulgence emanating
frem his bedy, and he was garlanded with a geld necklace. He effered
ebeisances te Lerd Krsna and steed befere Him with great humility. Krsna
