128 Sri Caitanya-caritamrta [Madhya-lila, Ch. 5

TRANSLATION

The younger brahmana replied: ‘If you have decided to give your young
daughter to me, then say so before the Gopila Deity.””

TEXT 32

catia sien feel share arise |
‘gla aia, fra-sai aica ahs fer’ 02 1

gopalera age vipra kahite lagila
‘tumi jana, nija-kanyd ihare ami dila’

SYNONYMS

gopdlera a4ge—in front of the Gopala Deity; vipra—the elderly brahmana;
kahite—to speak; lagila—began; tumi jana—my Lord, please know; nija-kanya—
my own daughter; ihare—to this boy; ami—|; dila—have given in charity.

TRANSLATION

Coming before Gopala, the elderly brahmana said: ‘My dear Lord, please
witness that | have given my daughter to this boy.’

PURPORT

In India it is still the custom for a daughter to be offered to someone simply by
word. This is called vag-datta. This means that the father, brother or guardian of a
girl has given his word that she will be married to a certain man. Consequently,
that daughter cannot be married to anyone else. She is reserved by virtue of the
honest words of the father or guardian. There are many instances in which the
parents of a female child have given someone a verbal promise that their daughter
will be married to his son. Both parties agree to wait until the boy and girl are
grown up, and then the marriage takes place. Following this custom, which is very
old in India, the elderly brahmana promised to give his daughter to the younger
brahmana in charity, and he promised this before the Gopala Deity. In India the
custom is to honor any promise made before the Deity. Such a promise cannot be
canceled. In Indian villages, whenever there is a quarrel between two parties, they
go to a temple to settle the quarrel. Whatever is spoken in front of the Deity is
taken to be true, for no one would dare lie before the Deity. This same principle
was followed in the Battle of Kuruksetra. Therefore in the very beginning of
Bhagavad-gitd it is stated: dharma-ksetre kuru-ksetre.

By not becoming God conscious, human society is deteriorating to the lowest
standard of animal life. This Krsna consciousness movement is very essential to
