PLATE SEVEN

Nanda Maharaja was naturally very magnanimous, and when Lord Sri
Krsna appeared as his son, he was overwhelmed by jubilation. Therefore,
after properly bathing and purifying himself and dressing himself prop-
erly, he invited brahmanas who knew how to recite Vedic mantras. After
having these qualified brahmanas recite auspicious Vedic hymns, he ar-
ranged to have the Vedic birth ceremony celebrated for his newborn
child according to the rules and regulations, and he also arranged for the
worship of the demigods and forefathers. The experts in reciting old
histories like the Purdnas, the experts in reciting histories of royal
families, and general reciters all chanted, while singers sang and many
kinds of musical instruments, like bheris and dundubhis, played in ac-
companiment. All the cowherd men, dressed very opulently with valu-
able ornaments, coats and turbans, approached the newborn Krsna with
various presentations in their hands. The beautiful gopi wives of the
cowherd men were very pleased to hear that mother Yasoda had given
birth to a son, and after decorating themselves very nicely with proper
dresses, ornaments, black ointment for the eyes, and so on, they hurried
to Nanda Maharaja’s house. Offering blessings to the newborn child, the
wives and daughters of the cowherd men said, “May You become the
King of Vraja and long maintain all its inhabitants.’’ They then sprinkled
a mixture of tumeric powder, oil and water upon the birthless Supreme
Lord Krsna and offered their prayers. (pp. 320-330)
