The birth of Lord Krishna caused a tremendous deal of celebration across Vrindavana. Everyone was filled with happiness. As a result, Maharaja Nanda, the king of Vraja, decided to conduct a festival to celebrate the birth of his kid. Nanda Maharaja generously donated to everyone present all they asked for during this wonderful occasion. Read more about the Nandotsava birth ceremony of Lord Krishna.
How did Nanda Maharaja celebrate the birth of Lord Krishna?
Nanda Maharaja was very magnanimous by nature; therefore, when Lord Sri Krishna revealed Himself as his son, he was overcome with joy, according to Sukadeva Gosvami. He, therefore, invited Brahmanas, who were adept at reciting Vedic mantras after bathing, purifying, and dressing appropriately. He set up the Vedic birth ritual for his newborn child to be celebrated by the rules and regulations, and he also set up the worship of the demigods and forefathers after having these trained Brahmanas read auspicious Vedic hymns.
As a gift to the Brahmanas, Nanda Maharaja offered 200,000 cows that had been lavishly decked with jewellery and fabric. Additionally, he gave them seven hills of grain that were adorned with jewels and wrapped in material with golden embroidery.
The Brahmanas performed sacred Vedic chants, whose vibrations cleansed the atmosphere of the surroundings. Those who had the skill of reciting ancient histories like the Puranas, those who had the skill of reciting the histories of royal families, and general reciters all sang and played a variety of musical instruments, including bheris and dundubhis, in accompaniment.
The wives and daughters of the cowherd men wished Krishna well, saying, “Dear child, may you live long just to protect us.” They prayed and poured a mixture of water, oil, and turmeric powder on the birthless Supreme Lord.
Different musical instruments resounded to commemorate the grand festival as the all-pervading, limitless Lord Krishna, the master of the cosmic manifestation, entered the divine realm of Vraja.
Also Read: ISKCON Krishna Janmashtami 2023
What is the significance of the words ‘nandas tu’?
A verse in Shrimad Bhagwatam describes how Maharaja Nanda, after preparing himself by taking a sacred bath, conducted the birth ceremony of Lord Shri Krishna by inviting various learned Brahmanas:-
Nandas tu ātmaja utpanne
Jātāhlādo mahā manāh
āhuya viprān veda-jñāh
snātah sucir vlankrtah
(SB 10.5.1)
The meaning of “nandas tu” has been explored by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. He asserts that the word ‘tu’ is not necessary to complete the phrase because it is already complete without it. As a result, the term “tu” has a different meaning. Devaki and Vasudeva did not take pleasure in the jata-karma, the celebration of the birth ceremony, even though Krishna seemed to be Devaki’s son. Instead, as indicated below, Nanda Maharaja enjoyed this ritual (nandas tv atmaja utpanne jatahlado maha-manah). Vasudeva could not tell Nanda Maharaja, “Your son Krishna is my son.” In a spiritual sense, you are His father differently. Vasudeva was unable to attend the festival commemorating Krishna’s birth because of his fear of Kamsa; Nanda Maharaja, however, made the most of the chance.
When the cord separating the fetus from the placenta is severed, the jata-karma ceremony can begin. However, where was the chance for this, given that Vasudeva took Krishna to Nanda Maharaja’s home? In this regard, Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura seeks to establish through evidence from numerous sastras that Yogamaya, who is referred to as the Lord’s younger sister, was born before the birth of Krishna as the daughter of Yasoda. Even if there may be questions about the severing of the umbilical cord, and even though it’s probable that it didn’t happen, such events are taken as truth when the Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests.
Brahma is referred to as Varahadeva’s father since Varahadeva manifested as Krishna from Brahma’s nose. Nanda Maharaja did not notice whether the chord was cut or not since he was so ecstatic over the arrival of his son. He executed the event admirably as a result. Some sources believe that Krishna was truly born as Yasoda’s son. In any event, we can believe that Nanda Maharaja’s celebration of the rite of Krishna’s birth was appropriate without respect to material understanding. As a result, everyone is familiar with this rite as the Nandotsava birth ceremony of Lord Krishna.
How did Nanda Maharaja decorate different places?
Nanda Maharaja’s home, Vrajapura, was entirely decked with various festoons and flags, and several gates were constructed out of flower garlands, scraps of fabric, and mango leaves. Everything inside the interiors of the houses was meticulously swept and water-washed, including the courtyards, the gates near the roadways, and the interior spaces.
He liberally covered the cows, bulls, and calves in a paste of turmeric, oil, and several minerals. They were garlanded, clothed in cloth, and adorned with golden trinkets. Peacock feathers also adorned their heads.
The Vrajvaasis welcome the son of Maharaja Nanda.
When all the ecstatic cowherd men heard that Nand Maharaj, the father of Krishna, was celebrating the birth ceremony of his son, they became spontaneously joyful. They dressed themselves with very costly garments, ornamented their bodies with different kinds of earrings and necklaces, and wore great turbans on their heads. After dressing themselves in this gorgeous way, they took various kinds of presentations and approached the house of Nanda Maharaj. They also dressed themselves with various kinds of costly garments and ornaments and smeared scented cosmetics on their bodies. As the dust on the lotus flower exhibits the exquisite beauty of the flower, all the gopis or cowherd women applied the dust of Kumkum on their Lotus-like faces. These beautiful gopis took their different presentations and very soon reached the house of Maharaj Nanda. Overburdened by their heavy jewellery, the gopis could not proceed very quickly towards the house of Nanda Maharaj, but out of ecstatic love for Krishna, they proceeded as quickly as possible. As they were passing over the stone road, the flower garlands that were decorating the bodies fell to the ground, and it appeared that a shower of flowers was falling from the sky. Finally, when they reached the house of Nanda Maharaj to bless the child, they also offered a mixture of turmeric powder, oil, yoghurt, milk and water. They sprinkled it on all the other persons who were present there. When the cowherd men saw this pastime of cowherd women, they became very joyful and in response, they also began to throw yoghurt, milk clarified butter and water upon the bodies of gopis. Then, both parties began to throw butter on each other’s bodies. Nanda Maharaj was also very happy to see the pastimes of cowherd men and women, and he became very liberal in giving charity to the different singers who were present there.
Conclusion:- The Significance of performing charity.
In the whole pastime of Nandotsava birth ceremony of Lord Krishna, we can see Nand Maharaj donating lavishly to the Brahmanas and the inhabitants of Vraja. He also liberally donates to all the singers and reciters assembled in the birth ceremony of Krishna. According to Vedic injunctions, giving charity is important to purify one wealth. In this world, we accumulate wealth for our sustenance, but sometimes, it is not done in a very honest and pious way because that is the very nature of accumulating wealth. In this material world, it is understood that we are always living in a contaminated state. The Duration of our lives and our possession of wealth can be purified by austerities, worship of the Lord and by the distribution of charity. So, if you also want to purify your wealth by engaging it in service of the Lord and for the cause of society, you may visit our website to do the same.
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