Vrajesvara Maharaja Nanda would regurarly sit here with his elder and younger brothers, as well as with elderly gopas, priests and so on, to discuss Krsna's well-being. It is called a baithaka because they would sit here together for discussions.
Seven-year-old Krsna held Giriraja-Govardhana for seven days on His little finger and thus smashed the pride of Indra. The astonished elderly gopas called an assembly. Upananda, the eldest brother of Nanda Maharaja, was the chairman of this meeting to which Nanda baba had also been called. The elderly gopas expressed their opinion that Sri Krsna was not an ordinary boy. "Soon after taking birth, He killed the terrible raksasi Putana, as if He were simply playing," they said. "Afterwards He killed Sakatasura, Trnavarta, Aghasura and many other demons. He subdued the terrible snake Kaliya and sent him out of Kali-daha. Just a few days ago, He held the huge mountain Giriraja on His little finger for seven days and saved Vraja from the heavy downpour of the rain and raging storms. These are not the activity of an ordinary boy. It seems to us that He must be a perfected, liberated soul, a demigod or Narayan himself. It is not proper for us to consider Him to be the son of Nanda and Yasoda, to chastise or threaten Him, or to address Him with words such as 'thief', 'wilful' and 'impertinent'. Nanda, Yasoda and other gopas and gopis should always deal with Him lovingly and respectfully." All the gopas present heard this statement with much gravity and together they cautioned Nanda baba.
Nanda baba laughingly dismissed their words. "Respected gentlemen," he said. "I have heard your statements, but I do not see even the slightest demigod-like symptom in Him nor any symptom of supreme godliness. I have known Him from His very birth. Does Bhagavan feel hunger or thirst? This boy cries fifty times a day for bread and butter. Does Bhagavan steal and tell lies? This boy goes to the homes of the gopis and steals their butter, speaks lies and makes so much mischief. The neighbouring gopis play games with Him and make Him dance for a hand-full of buttermilk and a laddu. Whoever He is, He has taken birth in our home as our son; therefore it is our duty to raise Him to become an ideal man of excellent conduct who possesses all good qualities. That said, there is one thing we should remember. At the time of Krsna's name-giving ceremony, Maharsi Gargacarya predicted that this child of ours would have qualities like those of Bhagavan Narayana. This explains everything."
Such assemblies were held here to discuss Krsna's well-being, His betrothal and other such matters.
Comments
Where do you get your passtimes from Mataji?
Hare Krishna!