When they attained to the age when the sports of boys become attractive to women to see, the damsels of Vraja witnessed how both of them, holding the tails of calves, were dragged behind them hither and thither. Forgetting their household duties, they burst out laughing and were transported with joy.When their mothers found it impossible to restrain their extremely active and playful sons from horned beasts, fire, animals of sharp teeth, sharp lethal weapons, water, (carnivorous, cruel) birds and thorns or even to attend to their household duties, they experienced a great mental (strain of) distraction.
After a short time, Oh royal sage, Rāma and Kṛṣṇa began to move about easily on feet, in Gokul, without rubbing their knees (against the floor).Then, in course of time, the glorious Lord Kṛṣṇa accompanied by Balarama began to play with boys of his own age, enhancing the joys of the women of Vraja.Observing the charming boyish pranks of Kṛṣṇa, the cowherd-women came to his house and actually spoke (complained) as follows within the hearing of his mother. “Sometimes he untethers the calves untimely (before the milking time of cows allowing the calves to drink up all the milk). If scolded, he (derisively) laughs. Inventing novel ways of stealing, he drinks up the sweet and tasty curds and milk stolen by him. Sometimes he distributes it to the monkeys. If the monkey does not partake of it, he smashes the jar (or milk or curds). If he gets no material (to eat), he gets angry with the infants (people in the) house and goes away, setting the infants (in the house) crying.
If the jar of milk, curds or butter is kept hanging beyond the reach of his hands, he constructs contrivance with the help of wooden seats and mortars. Knowing the contents of the pots suspended in slings, he strikes holes into the pots. In a dark room he uses like a lamp his own person, decorated profusely with jewels-he does all this at a time when the Gopa women have their minds fully engrossed in performing their household duties.In this way, he commits acts of nuisance such as passing urine and leaving excretions in our cleansed houses. Having perpetrated such mischiefs and using all devices of stealing, he sits near you like an innocent boy of good behaviour”. Even though such complaints were lodged by women who gazed at his beautiful face with terrified eyes, Yasoda, full of smiles, did not feel inclined to chastise him.
On one occasion, while cowherd-boys headed by Balarama were playing, they complained to the mother Yasoda that Kṛṣṇa had eaten earth (Soil).Thereupon, Yasoda who was anxious about his well being and health, caught Kṛṣṇa by his hand and rebuking him, while his eyes assumed bewildering look (as if) through fear, she spoke : You naughty boy! Why did you eat soil secretly? These your playmates tell me and this your elder brother also says the same.’ Krishna says : ‘No mother, I did not eat earth. All these are liars. If you still think that they tell the truth, you look into my mouth personally.’
If that be the case, open your mouth.’ Thus ordered, the glorious Lord Hari of unlimited supreme powers, and who, out of sport, had assumed the form of a human child, opened his mouth. She (Yasoda) beheld therein the universe consisting of mobiles and immobiles, the ethereal dome, the cardinal points, the sphere of the earth along with the mountains, continents and oceans, the wind, the fire (of lightning), the moon, the stars, the (whole of the) planetary system, (elements like) water, fire, wind and the sky, (the presiding deities of) the senses and the mind, subtle elements and the three gunas.
Seeing in the body, nay in the gaping mouth of her child, this marvellous universe consisting of a variety of orga nisms produced by (factors like Souls, Time, Nature, Destiny and Mind as well as the whole of Vraja including herself, she was seized with terror. (She bemused) “Is this a dream or an illusion created by the Lord? Or is it a fantasy-a delusion of my own mind? Or is it the innate divine power of this very child of mine? Hence I bow down to the feet of the Supreme Lord, which are extremely difficult to comprehend and the real nature of which cannot be grasped easily by the intellect, mind, deeds and words; which are the basis of the universe and through the instrumentality of which and from out of which the universe is manifested.
He (that Supreme Lord) is my refuge by whose deluding potency (Maya) arise perverse notions such as ‘I am (Yasoda)’, ‘This is my husband’, ‘This (Kṛṣṇa) is my son’, ‘I am that chaste lady who protect the whole property of Nanda (the Lord of Vraja)’, ‘All the cowherds-men and women along with the wealth of cattle-are mine”.” The Omnipotent Supreme Lord cast over the Gopa lady who had thus realized the truth, his deluding divine charm which filled her with maternal affection for (her) son. Instantly the Gopa-lady lost her memory (regarding the real nature of the Lord). She placed her son on her lap. Her heart overflowed with intense affection as before. She began to look upon Hari as her own son-Hari whose glory is being sung by the three Vedas, Upanisads, Sankhya and Yoga systems and by Satvatas (or votaries of the Lord).
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Categories: Bhagwat Puran, Krishna Avataar, Lord Krishna
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