Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 5:1-14

Book 10: Fifth Chapter (First Half)

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 5: Verses 1-14 Festivities connected with the Birth of Lord Sri Krsna at Gokula Sri Suka resumed : Calling in Brahmanas, well-versed in the art of fortune-telling and having made them repeat benedictory hymns, the high-souled Nanda, on the other hand, who was rejoiced at the thought of a son having been born to him (in his ripe old age), and who had just bathed and attained purity (thereby) and was (duly) adorned, had the Jatakarm ceremony actually performed with respect to the Babe according to precept and (also) caused the manes and gods (in the form of Nandi-Sraddha and so on) to be worshipped. He gave away to the Brahmanas two lakhs of newly calved and richly adorned cows as well as seven mountain-like piles of sesamum seeds studded with a vast number of precious stones and covered with a piece of gold cloth. Material substances get purified through passage of time, bath and washing, sacraments, asceticism, sacrificial performances, charitable gifts and contentment; while the soul is purified through Self-knowledge (alone). Brahmanas as well as Sutas, Magadhas and Vandis uttered benedictory words; songsters sang songs, while kettledrums and larger drums sounded again and again. Vraja had its doorways, courtyards and interiors of houses well swept and duly sprinkled with water, and was decorated with flags and buntings of various colours as well as with arches made of wreaths, textiles and leaves. Cows, bulls and grown up calves were daubed with oil mixed with termeric, painted with minerals of various colours and decked with peacock plumes, wreaths, cloth and gold necklaces. Cowherds dressed in costly loin-cloths, coats and turbans and adorned with valuable jewels flocked (in the house of Nanda), carrying presents of various kinds in their hands, 0 Pariksit ! Rejoiced to hear of the birth of a son to Yasoda, cowherd women too beautified their person with clothes, ornaments, collyrium and so on. The charm of their lotus face heightened by (decorations of) fresh saffron paste, corresponding to the filaments of a lotus, they despite their bulky buttocks walked hurriedly with presents (in the shape of gold-rings, necklaces of jewels, raiments, fruits and blades of panic grass etc.,) their breasts shaking (on account of their rapid movement). Adorned with well-polished bejewelled ear-rings and a string of gold coins worn about their neck as well as with bangles, and clad in raiments of various colours, the cowherd women shone brightly while proceeding to the palace of Nanda, flowers fallen from their braids being strewn in a shower on the way, and looked graceful with the ear-rings and the necklaces, hanging on their breasts, swinging about rapidly. Invoking (divine) blessings on the boy in the words "May You protect the babe for long (O Lord !)" and sprinkling the multitude with water mixed with turmeric powder and oil, they sang in a high pitch. Now that the immortal Lord Sri Krsna, the Ruler of the universe, had come down to Vraja, musical instruments of various kinds were played upon on that occasion of great rejoicing. Spraying with curds, milk, clarified butter and water and besmearing (the face of) one another with handfuls of fresh butter, the merry cowherds threw one another of the feet (in mirth).