Chapter Eleven
The Childhood Pastimes of Krishna
1. Sukadeva Gosvami continued: O Maharaja Pariksit, when the yamala-arjuna trees fell, all the cowherd men in the neighborhood, hearing the fierce sound and fearing thunderbolts, went to the spot.
2. There they saw the fallen yamala-arjuna trees on the ground, but they were bewildered because even though they could directly perceive that the trees had fallen, they could not trace out the cause for their having done so.
3. Krishna was bound by the rope to the ulukhala, the mortar, which He was dragging. But how could He have pulled down the trees? Who had actually done it? Where was the source for this incident? Considering all these astounding things, the cowherd men were doubtful and bewildered.
4. Then all the cowherd boys said: It is Krishna who has done this. When He was in between the two trees, the mortar fell crosswise. Krishna dragged the mortar, and the two trees fell down. After that, two beautiful men came out of the trees. We have seen this with our own eyes.
5. Because of intense paternal affection, the cowherd men, headed by Nanda, could not believe that Krishna could have uprooted the trees in such a wonderful way. Therefore they could not put their faith in the words of the boys. Some of the men, however, were in doubt. “Since Krishna was predicted to equal Narayana,” they thought, “it might be that He could have done it.”
6. When Nanda Maharaja saw his own son bound with ropes to the wooden mortar and dragging it, he smiled and released Krishna from His bonds.
7. The gopis would say, “If You dance, my dear Krishna, then I shall give You half a sweetmeat.” By saying these words or by clapping their hands, all the gopis encouraged Krishna in different ways. At such times, although He was the supremely powerful Personality of Godhead, He would smile and dance according to their desire, as if He were a wooden doll in their hands. Sometimes He would sing very loudly, at their bidding. In this way, Krishna came completely under the control of the gopis.
8. Sometimes mother Yasoda and her gopi friends would tell Krishna, “Bring this article” or “Bring that article.” Sometimes they would order Him to bring a wooden plank, wooden shoes or a wooden measuring pot, and Krishna, when thus ordered by the mothers, would try to bring them. Sometimes, however, as if unable to raise these things, He would touch them and stand there. Just to invite the pleasure of His relatives, He would strike His body with His arms to show that He had sufficient strength.
9. To pure devotees throughout the world who could understand His activities, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, exhibited how much He can be subdued by His devotees, His servants. In this way He increased the pleasure of the Vrajavasis by His childhood activities.
10. Once a woman selling fruit was calling, “O inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, if you want to purchase some fruits, come here!” Upon hearing this, Krishna immediately took some grains and went to barter as if He needed some fruits.
11. While Krishna was going to the fruit vendor very hastily, most of the grains He was holding fell. Nonetheless, the fruit vendor filled Krishna’s hands with fruits, and her fruit basket was immediately filled with jewels and gold.
12. Once, after the uprooting of the yamala-arjuna trees, Rohinidevi went to call Rama and Krishna, who had both gone to the riverside and were playing with the other boys with deep attention.
13. Because of being too attached to playing with the other boys, Krishna and Balarama did not return upon being called by Rohini. Therefore Rohini sent mother Yasoda to call Them back, because mother Yasoda was more affectionate to Krishna and Balarama.
14. Krishna and Balarama, being attached to Their play, were playing with the other boys although it was very late. Therefore mother Yasoda called Them back for lunch. Because of her ecstatic love and affection for Krishna and Balarama, milk flowed from her breasts.
15. Mother Yasoda said: My dear son Krishna, lotus-eyed Krishna, come here and drink the milk of my breast. My dear darling, You must be very tired because of hunger and the fatigue of playing so long. There is no need to play any more.
16. My dear Baladeva, best of our family, please come immediately with Your younger brother, Krishna. You both ate in the morning, and now You ought to eat something more.
17. Nanda Maharaja, the King of Vraja, is now waiting to eat. O my dear son Balarama, he is waiting for You. Therefore, come back to please us. All the boys playing with You and Krishna should now go to their homes.
18. Mother Yasoda further told Krishna: My dear son, because of playing all day, Your body has become covered with dust and sand. Therefore, come back, take Your bath and cleanse Yourself. Today the moon is conjoined with the auspicious star of Your birth. Therefore, be pure and give cows in charity to the brahmanas.
19. Just see how all Your playmates of Your own age have been cleansed and decorated with beautiful ornaments by their mothers. You should come here, and after You have taken Your bath, eaten Your lunch and been decorated with ornaments, You may play with Your friends again.
20. My dear Maharaja Pariksit, because of intense love and affection, mother Yasoda, Krishna’s mother, considered Krishna, who was at the peak of all opulences, to be her own son. Thus she took Krishna by the hand, along with Balarama, and brought Them home, where she performed her duties by fully bathing Them, dressing Them and feeding Them.
21. Sri Sukadeva Gosvami continued: Then one time, having seen the great disturbances in Brhadvana, all the elderly persons among the cowherd men, headed by Nanda Maharaja, assembled and began to consider what to do to stop the continuous disturbing situations in Vraja.
22. At this meeting of all the inhabitants of Gokula, a cowherd man named Upananda, who was the most mature in age and knowledge and was very experienced according to time, circumstances and country, made this suggestion for the benefit of Rama and Krishna.
23. He said: My dear friends the cowherd men, in order to do good to this place, Gokula, we should leave it, because so many disturbances are always occurring here, just for the purpose of killing Rama and Krishna.
24. The child Krishna, simply by the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, was somehow or other rescued from the hands of the Raksasi Putana, who was determined to kill Him. Then, again by the mercy of the Supreme Godhead, the handcart missed falling upon the child.
25. Then again, the demon Trnavarta, in the form of a whirlwind, took the child away into the dangerous sky to kill Him, but the demon fell down onto a slab of stone. In that case also, by the mercy of Lord Visnu or His associates, the child was saved.
26. Even the other day, neither Krishna nor any of His playmates died from the falling of the two trees, although the children were near the trees or even between them. This also is to be considered the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
27. All these incidents are being caused by some unknown demon. Before he comes here to create another disturbance, it is our duty to go somewhere else with the boys until there are no more disturbances.
28. Between Nandesvara and Mahavana is a place named Vrndavana. This place is very suitable because it is lush with grass, plants and creepers for the cows and other animals. It has nice gardens and tall mountains and is full of facilities for the happiness of all the gopas and gopis and our animals.
29. Therefore, let us immediately go today. There is no need to wait any further. If you agree to my proposal, let us prepare all the bullock carts and put the cows in front of us, and let us go there.
30. Upon hearing this advice from Upananda, the cowherd men unanimously agreed. “Very nice,” they said. “Very nice.” Thus they sorted out their household affairs, placed their clothing and other paraphernalia on the carts, and immediately started for Vrndavana.
