Ominous Threat

Once again, the relatives were unanimous. "If you give your daughter to that boy, we shall give up all connection with you." Indeed, his wife and sons declared, "If such a thing happens, we shall take poison and die."

The elderly brahmana said, "If I do not give my daughter to the young brahmana, he will call Sri Gopalaji as a witness. Thus he will take my daughter by force, and in that case my religious principles will become meaningless."

The old man's son replied, "The Deity may be a witness, but He is in a distant country. How can He come to bear witness against you? Why are you so anxious over this? Besides, you do not have to flatly deny you spoke such a thing. There is no need to make a false statement. Simply say that you do not remember what you said, and I shall take care of the rest. By argument, I shall defeat the young brahmana."

The son of the elderly brahmana was an atheist. Consequently, he did not believe in the spiritual position of the Deity, nor did he have any faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As a typical idol worshiper, he considered the form of the Lord to be made of stone or wood. Thus he assured his father that the witness was only a stone Deity and was not capable of speaking. Besides that, he assured his father that the Deity was situated far away and consequently could not come to bear witness.