Page 46 - Yearbook 2013update.pub

witness that I have given my daughter to this boy.” Then the young
Brahmin addressed the Deity, saying, “My dear Lord, You are my
witness. I shall call for You to testify if it is necessary later on.”
Weeks passed by, and eventually the two Brahmins arrived back in
Vidyanagara, both going to their respective homes. After a while
the elderly Brahmin remembered his promise, and with some anxie-
ty he called together all his relatives and friends, and related to
them what had taken place in front of the Gopala Deity. They were
all very disappointed. They said, “When people hear of this, they
will make jokes and laugh at you. If you give your daughter to that
boy, we shall give up all connection with you.” Indeed, his wife and
sons even threatened to commit suicide.

The elderly Brahmin said, “How can I undo the promise I made in a
holy place? If I do not give my daughter to the young Brahmin, he
will call Gopala as a witness.”

His son replied, “The Deity may be a witness, but He is in a distant
country. How can He come to bear witness against you? Simply say
that you do not remember what you said, and I shall take care of
the rest.”
The next day the young Brahmin came to the house of the elderly
Brahmin, but his son took a stick and chased him away. The young
Brahmin then called the village people together, and they in turn
summoned the elderly Brahmin to their meeting place. “This gentle-
man promised to hand over his daughter to me in marriage”, ex-
plained the young Brahmin. When the elderly Brahmin told that he
could remember nothing of what had taken place, his son stood up
and said, “While touring various holy places, my father carried
much money. Seeing the money, this rogue decided to take it
away. He gave my father poison to eat, which has made my father
mad. After taking his money, now he claims that my father prom-
ised to give him his daughter!”

Doubt entered the minds of the village people, and the young Brah-
min protested his innocence. “I told this gentleman that I was not a
fit husband for his daughter, but he insisted. He made his promise
in front of the Gopala Deity, and I have asked the Supreme Lord to
be my witness.”