Chaitanya's Life And Teachings: From his contemporary Begali biography the Chaitanya-charit-amritaKṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmi
Religion
Chaitanya's Life And Teachings: From his contemporary Begali biography the Chaitanya-charit-amrita
Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmi
Chaitanya, 1486-1534; Hinduism
One day the younger Brahman visited him, bowed reverently, and said with
folded hands, "You promised me your daughter, but are now silent on the
point! Is this your sense of justice?" The old man remained silent; but
his son ran with a stick to beat the visitor, crying, "Wretch! you want
to wed my sister! Dwarf, you wish to catch the moon!" The youth fled,
but another day he called all the villagers together, who summoned the
old man. Then the younger Brahman spoke, "This man promised his daughter
to me. Ask him why he does not give her up now." On being questioned by
the people, the elder Brahman replied, "Listen, friends, I do not
remember what I said so long ago." At this his son got the chance to put
in his words boldly, "My father had much money with him during his
pilgrimage. This villain, his only companion, coveted the money,
intoxicated him with _dhuturá_, robbed him and said that thieves had
taken away his money, and then spread the tale that he had promised his
daughter to him. Judge ye all, whether he is a worthy match for my
sister." The assembled people were filled with suspicion, as greed often
makes men commit sin. The younger Brahman pleaded, "Hear, my masters, he
is lying to win the case. His father, pleased with my attendance,
promised me his daughter voluntarily, and when I declined alleging my
unworthiness and our disparity in wealth, learning and _kul_, he
repeatedly pressed me to accept her, and at my suggestion called Gopal
to witness his promise. I conjured the god to bear testimony for me,
should this Brahman break his word. He is my witness, whose word is held
true in the three worlds." The old man replied, "This is good. If Gopal
appears here and bears testimony, I shall certainly give you my
daughter." His son agreed to it. The old man only thought, "Kind is
Krishna. Surely he will bear my word out." His son was confident that
the image would not come to act as a witness. So thinking diversely they
agreed. At the younger Brahman's request both parties signed a written
deed of agreement to abide by this test, to prevent future disputes. It
was left with an umpire. The young man continued, "Listen, all ye here!
This Brahman is pious and true of speech, never wishing to retract his
word. It is only his fear of the suicide of his kinsfolk that has made
him tell a lie. Thanks to his piety, I will bring Krishna as a witness
and enable Hm to keep his word." At this the sceptics laughed; some
said, "God is good, He may come."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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