Garga Bhagavatham : Golok Khanda : Chapter 17
Description of the Krishna's Bala Leela where he steals curds
Sri Narada says:- King! After that, both the boys Balaram and Sri Krishna, who
were fair and dark-skinned respectively, were making the mansion of Nanda
beautiful and attractive with their playful acts. King of Mithila! Both of
them, very soon started moving around here and there in Vraj, crawling with
their hands and knees stammering sweetly. Being loved by their mothers Yashoda
and Rohini, sometimes would be sitting on their mothers' waists and then get
down and crawl away, and again they would climb onto their mother's waists. The
brothers, Ram and Shyam who had taken the form of boys by Maya(divine magical
power), and who could attract the three worlds, were moving around making
sounds with bells attached to their anklets and the cords tied around their
waists. Mother Yashoda would carry her son and wash and clean him whenever he
made himself dirty while playing with other children of Vraj.
Sri Krishna would again crawl back to
the courtyard and again come back and climb on to his mother. Like a lion-cub,
he was playing in Vraj. Mother Yashoda dressed him in a yellow silk dress
embroidered with small golden gems; and on his head, she would put a shining a
crown studded with precious gems. She would decorate him like this, by which he
was looking most attractive and bright. Seeing him like this she would
experience great joy.
The Gopis were enjoying witnessing such playfulness
of Balamukund. Those happy Gopis would leave their houses and come to Nanda's
house and all of them would forget about their own homes. King! looking at the
statues of lions at the entrance of Nand's home, Sri Krishna would act as if he
was scared and run back. At that time, Yashoda would carry her son inside. Then
the Gopis with melting hearts would tell Yashoda thus
Gopis started saying:- Dear! your son is very much interested in playing. His
hair is very beautiful. Be careful, someone's evil eyes may befall on him.
Hence, you do not let this dark-colored, milk-drinking boy go out of this
courtyard. Look his two front teeth have come out first, which is harmful to
his mama( maternal uncle)
Sri Yashoda! your son has no uncle, hence to overcome this bad
omen you have to give donations. You have to offer prayers to cows, Brahmins,
Devas, saints, scholars and Vedas.
Sri Narada says:- King! from then onwards Yashoda and Rohini started
donating clothes, gems newly cooked foods every day for the well being of their
sons. After some time the two boys Ram and Krishna who looked like lion-cubs
grew up started and walking on their legs. Along with their friends, Sridaama,
Subaahu, and others, they would go to the banks of the Yamuna river, which was
full of swaying trees. Ram and Shyam moved around excitedly in the dense garden
on the banks of Kalindi river.
Sri Hari was making Gopas and Gopis happy wth his
childish acts. He began going into others' houses and stole butter and curds.
One day Upananda's wife, a Gopi named Prabhavati went to Nanda's house and told
Yashoda thus
Prabhavati said:- Yashomati! Butter, ghee, milk, curds in our houses are not
differentiated as this is yours and this is ours. In my house, everything is
prepared by your kindness only. I do not want to tell you that your son has
learned to steal from somewhere. He goes around stealing butter. You never
teach him not to do it. One day when I tried to advise him, your naughty son
scolded me and ran away from my courtyard. Sri Yashoda! being the son of the
king of Vraj, it is not good, but out of respect for you, I have never talked
about this.
Sri Narada says:- King! after listening to Prabhavati, Yashoda scolded her
son and told Prabhavati lovingly and calmly thus
Yashoda said:- There are crores of
cows in my house, this house is always full of milk. I do not know why this boy
steals curds from your house. Here he never likes to eat anything. Prabhavati!
you please take from me whar ever he has stolen from your house. There is no
difference between your son and my son. If you catch him stealing and eating
butter, bring him to me with butter in his mouth then I will scold him, beat
him and tie him up in my house.
Sri Narada says:- King! listening to the words of Yashoda, gopi Prabhavati
returned to her house happily. One day Krishna along with boys of his age,
again went to her house to steal curds. Holding one another’s hands the boys
went into her house quietly. Curds kept on the attic could not be reached by
the boys. Looking at this, Sri Hari kept a stool and asked some boys to stand
atop the stool and he himself climbed on top of them. Even then the curds kept
on top of the attic could not be reached by them. Then with the help of
Sridaama and Subala, he hit the pot with a stick. The pot containing curds
broke and all the curds flowed on the floor. Then along with Balaram and other
boys, Madhav consumed the curds to his heart's content. Hearing the sound of
the breaking pot, Prabhavati came there. All the other boys ran away from there
but she caught hold of Krishna's hand and he started weeping and was shedding
tears profusely. Prabhavati carried him towards Yashoda's house. But Nand was
standing in front of her, so she covered her face with the edge of her sari.
Sri Hari thought "If I go like this mother will surely punish me."
Then that all-powerful Lord took the form of Prabhavati's son. Angrily Prabhavati
went quickly to Yashoda and told her "This boy has broken my pot with
curds and stole all the curds."
Yashoda saw that the boy Prabhavati was
carrying was her own son and laughingly told the gopi '"First remove your
face covering and then complain about the boy. If you want to give false
complaints go away from my town. Do you want to blame my son for your son's
stealing?" Feeling ashamed in front of others, Prabhavati removed her face
covering and saw that she was carrying her own son. She was surprised and said
'You useless, how did you come here? I had the whole essence of Vraj in my
hands". Murmuring like this she left the mansion of Nand and went back to
her house. Yashoda, Rohini, Nand, Balaram, and other Gopas and Gopis started
laughing and said, "Oh! in Vraj a lot of injustice is being seen."
After reaching the outer lane the Lord came back to His form, gave her a sample
of His powers and with the blinking of his eyes and laughing aloud told her
Sri Bhagawan said:-Gopi! if you catch me again, then at that time I will take the
form of your husband. There is no doubt about it.
Sri Narada says:- King! hearing this the Gopi was surprised and went away to
her house. From that day, out of shame no other Gopi ever caught the hand of
Sri Hari.
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