The Meeting of Nanda Mahārāja

and Vasudeva
As described in this chapter, Nanda Mahārāja very gorgeously
performed the birth ceremony for his newborn child. Then he
went to Kaṁsa to pay taxes due and met his intimate friend
Vasudeva.

There was great jubilation all over Vṛndāvana due to Kṛṣṇa’s

birth. Everyone was overwhelmed with joy. Therefore the King
of Vraja, Mahārāja Nanda, wanted to perform the birth
ceremony for his child, and this he did. During this great festival,
Nanda Mahārāja gave in charity to all present whatever they
desired. After the festival, Nanda Mahārāja put the cowherd men
in charge of protecting Gokula, and then he went to Mathurā to
pay official taxes to Kaṁsa. In Mathurā, Nanda Mahārāja met
Vasudeva. Nanda Mahārāja and Vasudeva were brothers, and
Vasudeva praised Nanda Mahārāja’s good fortune because he
knew that Kṛṣṇa had accepted Nanda Mahārāja as His father.
When Vasudeva inquired from Nanda Mahārāja about the
welfare of the child, Nanda Mahārāja informed him all about
Vṛndāvana, and Vasudeva was very much satisfied by this,
although he expressed his grief because Devakī’s many children
had been killed by Kaṁsa. Nanda Mahārāja consoled Vasudeva
by saying that everything happens according to destiny and that
one who knows this is not aggrieved. Expecting many
disturbances in Gokula, Vasudeva then advised Nanda Mahārāja
not to wait in Mathurā, but to return to Vṛndāvana as soon as
possible. Thus Nanda Mahārāja took leave of Vasudeva and
returned to Vṛndāvana with the other cowherd men on their
bullock carts.