Part 50 (1/2)

PRANKS OF THE BOY.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 8.*

With growing childhood, Krishna became very naughty. Once the Gopa women made the following complaints. Krishna would untie their calves before the milking time. He would steal their milk and curds and divide the remnants, after eating, among the monkeys. If they did not eat, he would break the pot. If he did not get the things he wanted, he would curse the inmates and other boys. If the pots were out of reach, he would raise himself on seats or husking stools and bear those hanging pots away to get at their contents. He would illumine the dark room by the glitter of his own body and that of his jewels, to serve his purpose. He would talk insolently, and spoil the ground. The Gopa women exclaimed: - ”But now how innocent he looks before you.” Krishna betrayed fear in his eyes. Yasoda would not beat him. So she only smiled.

One day Rama and other boys complained to Yasoda that Krishna had eaten earth. The mother remonstrated. ”They have lied” exclaimed Krishna ”Or if they have spoken the truth, then examine my mouth.” ”Open it,” said Yasoda. But what did she find within that mouth? The Seven Dvipas, the planets, the stars, the three Gunas and all their transformations, even Vrindavana and herself. ”Is this dream or delusion or is this all the power of my own son? If Thou art then the Unknowable, my salutations to Thee. I take the shelter of Him, by whose Maya I seem to be Yasoda, this Nanda my husband, this boy my son, the Gos (cows) Gopas and Gopis to be mine.” She had the true knowledge, but it was soon eclipsed by the Maya of Vishnu and Yasoda again knew Krishna to be her own son.

Raja Pariks.h.i.+t asked: -

”What did Nanda do that Krishna would be his foster son? And what did Yasoda do, that Krishna should suck her breast? Even his own parents did not witness the deeds of the child of which poets have sung so much.”

Suka replied: -

”Drona, the chief of the Vasus, with his wife Dhara shewed great obedience to Brahma. 'When born on Earth may we have the highest devotion for Him.'” Such was their prayer to Brahma and it was granted.

Drona was born as Nanda and Dhara as Yasoda.

THE TYING.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 9.*

One day Yasoda was churning curdled milk and singing the deeds of her son. Krishna came up and, desirous of sucking milk, held the churning rod. Yasoda placed him on her lap and gave him milk to suck. But the milk that was boiling on the oven overflowed the pot and she hurriedly left her son. In anger Krishna bit his lips, broke the milk pot with a stone, took the fresh b.u.t.ter to a retired corner and there partook of it. Yasoda came back after a while and found the pot broken. Her son had left the place and she could easily see that it was all his doing. She found Krishna seated on the husk stand, freely dividing the contents of the hanging pots among the monkeys, and she quietly approached him with a stick. Krishna hurriedly got down and ran away as if in fear. Yasoda ran after him and caught him at last. Finding him fear-stricken, she threw down the stick and tried to fasten him to the husking stand. The rope fell short by the breadth of two fingers (say two inches). She added another rope. The gap remained the same. She added rope after rope, as many as she had of her own and of her neighbours, but could not bridge over the distance. She stood baffled at last, amazed and ashamed.

Finding that his mother was perspiring in the effort and that her hair had become dishevelled, Krishna allowed himself to be fastened to the stand.

THE ARJUNA TREES.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 10.*

The Yaksha King Kuvera had two sons - Nalakuvara and Manigriva. They became maddened with power and intoxicated with drink. Narada pa.s.sed by them while they were playing with Gandharva girls stark naked in a river bath and they heeded him not. Narada thought how best he could reclaim them. ”Poverty is the only remedy for those that lose their heads in wealth. These sons of the Lokapala Kuvera are deep in ignorance, insolence and intoxication. Let them become trees. But they shall not lose memory by my favor. After one hundred Deva years, the touch of Sri Krishna shall save them.” These sons of Kuvera in consequence became a pair of Arjuna trees in Vrindavana.

While Krishna was fastened to the husking stand, the pair of Arjuna trees drew his attention. He was bent on making good the words of Narada. So he approached the trees, drawing the husking stand behind him by force and, placing himself between them, uprooted the trees. They fell down with a crash and lo! two fiery spirits came out, illumining s.p.a.ce by the splendour of their bodies. They prayed to Krishna and then rose upwards.

The Gopa women had been engaged all this time in their household duties and the crash attracted the attention of all the Gopas and Gopis. The boys told what they had seen. But some were loath to believe that all this could be done by the boy Krishna.

THE FRUIT SELLER.

*SKANDHA X. CHAP. 11.*

One day Krishna heard a woman crying out ”Come ye buy fruits.” He took some paddy and hastened to her side. The woman filled both his hands with fruits and lo! her basket became full of gems and precious stones.

VRINDAVANA.