Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Madhya 5.32
Honor Words Spoken Before the Deity
“Coming before Gopāla, the elderly brāhmaṇa said, “My dear Lord, please witness that I have given my daughter to this boy.””
What the purport teaches
- The elderly brāhmaṇa asks Gopāla to witness that he has given his daughter to the young man.
- The purport calls a verbal marriage commitment vāg-datta. By the honest words of her father or guardian, the daughter is reserved for marriage to a particular man.
- The purport explains that a promise made before the Deity is honored and cannot be canceled. In village disputes, words spoken before the Deity are taken as true, for no one would dare lie there.
Try this today
Take one small step today toward fulfilling a promise you have already made.
Ask yourself
How carefully do I honor the words I give before the Lord?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.