Text 20] The Meeting of Nanda Maharaja and Vasudeva 337

pointed the local cowherd men to protect Gokula and then went to
Mathura to pay the yearly taxes to King Karnsa.

PURPORT

Because the killing of babies was going on and had already become
known, Nanda Maharaja was very much afraid for his newborn child.
Thus he appointed the local cowherd men to protect his home and child.
He wanted to go immediately to Mathura to pay the taxes due and also to
offer some presentation for the sake of his newborn son. For the protec-
tion of the child, he had worshiped various demigods and forefathers and
given charity to everyone’s satisfaction. Similarly, Nanda Maharaja
wanted not only to pay Karnsa the yearly taxes but also to offer some pre-
sentation so that Karnsa too would be satisfied. His only concern was how
to protect his transcendental child, Krsna.

TEXT 20

TI GAT Bat ACAMTAY |
MN TAR TS WH ATTA Roll

vasudeva upasrutya
bhrataram nandam dgatam

Jnatva datta-karam rajne
yayau tad-avamocanam

vasudevah— Vasudeva; upasrutya—when he heard; bhraétaram—that
his dear friend and brother; nandam—Nanda Maharaja; dgatam—had
come to Mathura; j/idtva—when he learned; datta-karam—and had
already paid the taxes; rdjrie—unto the King; yayau—he went; tat-
avamocanam—to the residential quarters of Nanda Maharaja.

TRANSLATION

When Vasudeva heard that Nanda Maharaja, his very dear friend
and brother, had come to Mathura and already paid the taxes to
Karnsa, he went to Nanda Maharaja’s residence.
