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KB 1970-1-8 / Vision of the Universal Form
8 / Vision of the Universal Form
After this incident, Vasudeva asked his family priest
Gargamuni to visit the place of Nanda Maharaja in order to
astrologically calculate the future life of Krsna. Gargamuni
was a great saintly sage who underwent many
austerities and penances and was appointed priest of the Yadu
dynasty. When Gargamuni arrived at the home of Nanda
Maharaja, Nanda Maharaja was very pleased to see him and
immediately stood up with folded hands and offered his
respectful obeisances. He received Gargamuni with the
feeling of one who is worshiping God or the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. He offered him a nice sitting place, and when he
sat down, Nanda Maharaja offered him a warm reception.
Addressing him very politely, he said: "My dear brahmana, your
appearance in a householder's place is only to enlighten. We
are always engaged in household duties and are forgetting our
real duty of self-realization. Your coming to our house is to
give us some enlightenment about spiritual life. You have no
other purpose to visit householders." Actually a saintly
person or a brahmana has no business visiting householders who
are always busy in the matter of dollars and cents.
If it is asked, "Why don't the
householders go to a saintly person or a brahmana for
enlightenment?" the answer is that householders are very poor-
hearted. Generally householders think that their engagement in
family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or
enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of
compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to
householders' homes.
Nanda Maharaja addressed Gargamuni as one of the great
authorities in astrological science. The foretellings of
astrological science, such as the occurrence of solar or lunar
eclipses, are wonderful calculations, and by this particular
science, a person can understand the future very clearly.
Gargamuni was proficient in this knowledge. By this
knowledge one can understand what his previous activities
were, and by the result of such activities one may enjoy or
suffer in this life.
Nanda Maharaja also addressed Gargamuni as the "best of
the brahmanas." A brahmana is one who is expert in the
knowledge of the Supreme. Without knowledge of the Supreme
Absolute, one cannot be recognized as a brahmana. The exact
word used in this connection is brahmavidam, which means
those who know the Supreme very well. An expert brahmana is
able to give reformatory facilities to the sub-castes --
namely the ksatriyas and vaisyas. The sudras observe no
reformatory performances. The brahmana is considered to be the
spiritual master or priest for the ksatriya and vaisya. Nanda
Maharaja happened to be a vaisya, and he accepted Gargamuni
as a first class brahmana. He therefore offered his two
foster sons -- namely Krsna and Balarama -- to Him to purify.
He agreed that not only these boys, but all human beings
just after birth should accept a qualified brahmana as
spiritual master.
Upon this request, Gargamuni replied, "Vasudeva has sent
me to see to the reformatory performances of these boys,
especially Krsna's. I am their family priest, and incidentally,
it appears to me that Krsna is the son of Devaki
." By his astrological
calculation, Gargamuni could understand that Krsna was the
son of Devaki but that He was being kept under the care of
Nanda Maharaja, which Nanda did not know. Indirectly he
said that Krsna, as well as Balarama, were both sons of
Vasudeva. Balarama was known as the son of Vasudeva because His
mother Rohini was present there, but Nanda Maharaja did not
know about Krsna. Gargamuni indirectly disclosed the fact
that Krsna was the son of Devaki. Gargamuni also warned
Nanda Maharaja that if he would perform the reformatory
ceremony, then Kamsa, who was naturally very sinful, would
understand that Krsna was the son of Devaki and Vasudeva.
According to astrological calculation, Devaki could not have a
female child, although everyone thought that the eighth child
of Devaki was female. In this way Gargamuni intimated to
Nanda Maharaja that the female child was born of Yasoda and
that Krsna was born of Devaki, and they were exchanged. The
female child, or Durga, also informed Kamsa that the child
who would kill him was already born somewhere else. Gargamuni
stated, "If I give your child a name and if He fulfills
the prophecy of the female child to Kamsa, then it may be that
the sinful demon will come and kill this child also after the
name-giving ceremony. But I do not want to become responsible
for all these future calamities."
On hearing the words of Gargamuni, Nanda Maharaja said, "
If there is such danger, then it is better not to plan any
gorgeous name-giving ceremony. It would be better for you to
simply chant the Vedic hymns and perform the purificatory
process. We belong to the twice-born caste, and I am taking
this opportunity of your presence. So please perform the name-
giving ceremony without external pomp." Nanda Maharaja wanted
to keep the name-giving ceremony a secret and yet take
advantage of Gargamuni's performing the ceremony.
When Gargamuni was so eagerly requested by Nanda Maharaja,
he performed the name-giving ceremony as secretly as possible
in the cowshed of Nanda Maharaja. He informed Nanda Maharaja
that Balarama, the son of Rohini, would be very pleasing to His
family members and relatives and therefore would be called Rama.
In the future He would be extraordinarily strong and therefore
would be called Balarama. Gargamuni said further, "Because
your family and the family of the Yadus are so intimately
connected and attracted, therefore His name will also be
Sankarsana." This means that Gargamuni awarded three names
to the son of Rohini -- namely Balarama, Sankarsana, and
Baladeva. But he carefully did not disclose the fact that
Balarama also appeared in the womb of Devaki and was
subsequently transferred to the womb of Rohini. Krsna and
Balarama are real brothers, being originally sons of Devaki.
Gargamuni then informed Nanda Maharaja, "As far as the
other boy is concerned, this child has taken different bodily
complexions in different yugas [millennia]. First of all He
assumed the color white, then He assumed the color red,
then the color yellow and now He has assumed the color black.
Besides that, He was formerly the son of Vasudeva; therefore
His name should be Vasudeva as well as Krsna. Some people will
call Him Krsna, and some will call Him Vasudeva. But one thing
you must know: This son has had many, many other names and
activities due to His different pastimes."
Gargamuni gave Nanda Maharaja a further hint that his
son will also be called Giridhari because of His uncommon
pastimes of lifting Govardhana Hill. Since
he could understand everything past and future,
he said, "I know everything about His activities and name,
but others do not know. This child will be very pleasing to
all the cowherd men and cows. Being very popular in Vrndavana,
He will be the cause of all good fortune for you. Because of
His presence, you will overcome all kinds of material
calamities, despite opposing elements."
Gargamuni continued to say, "My dear King of Vraja, in His
previous births, this child many times protected righteous
persons from the hands of rogues and thieves whenever there was
political disruption. Your child is so powerful that anyone who
will become a devotee of your boy will never be troubled by
enemies. Just as demigods are always protected by Lord Visnu,
so the devotees of your child will always be protected by
Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This child will
grow in power, beauty, opulence -- in everything -- on the
level of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore I would advise that you protect Him very carefully so
that He may grow without disturbance."
Gargamuni further informed Nanda Maharaja that because he was a
great devotee of Narayana, Lord Narayana gave a son who is
equal to Him. At the same time he indicated, "Your son will be
disturbed by so many demons, so be careful and protect Him." In
this way Gargamuni convinced Nanda Maharaja that Narayana
Himself had become his son. After giving this information,
Gargamuni returned to his home. Nanda Maharaja began to think
of himself as the most fortunate person, and he was very
satisfied to be benedicted in this way.
A short time after this incident, both Balarama and Krsna began
to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like
that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist
and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very
pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary children, They would
be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their
mothers for protection. Sometimes They would fall into the clay
and mud of Vrndavana and would approach Their mothers smeared
with clay and saffron. They were actually smeared with saffron
and sandalwood pulp by Their mothers, but due to crawling over
muddy clay, They would simultaneously smear Their bodies with
clay. As soon as They would come crawling to Their mothers,
Yasoda and Rohini would take Them on their laps and, covering
the lower portion of their saris, allow Them to suck
their breasts. When the babies were sucking their breasts, the
mothers would see small teeth coming in. Thus their joy would
be intensified to see their children grow. Sometimes the
naughty babies would crawl up to the cowshed, catch the tail of
a calf and stand up. The calves, being disturbed, would
immediately begin running here and there, and the children
would be dragged over clay and cow dung. To see this fun,
Yasoda and Rohini would call all their neighboring friends,
the gopis. Upon seeing these childhood pastimes of Lord Krsna,
the gopis would be merged in transcendental bliss. In their
enjoyment they would laugh very loudly.
Both Krsna and Balarama were so restless that Their mothers
Yasoda and Rohini would try to protect Them from cows, bulls,
monkeys, water, fire and birds while they were executing their
household duties. Always being anxious to protect the children
and to execute their duties, they were not very tranquil. In a
very short time, both Krsna and Balarama began to stand up and
slightly move on Their legs. When Krsna and Balarama began to
walk, other friends of the same age joined Them, and together
they began to give the highest transcendental pleasure to the
gopis, specifically to mother Yasoda and Rohini.
All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty
childish activities of Krsna and Balarama in Vrndavana. In
order to enjoy further transcendental bliss, they all assembled
and went to mother Yasoda to lodge complaints against the
restless boys. When Krsna was sitting before mother Yasoda, all
the elderly gopis began to lodge complaints against Him so that
Krsna could hear. They said, "Dear Yasoda, why don't you
restrict your naughty Krsna? He comes to our houses along with
Balarama every morning and evening, and before the milking of
the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all
the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find
no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn
Krsna and Balarama about doing this, They simply smile
charmingly. We cannot do anything. Also, your Krsna and
Balarama find great pleasure in stealing our stock of yogurt
and butter from wherever we keep it. When Krsna and Balarama
are caught stealing the yogurt and butter, They say, 'Why do
you charge us with stealing? Do you think that butter and
yogurt are in scarcity in our house?' Sometimes They steal
butter, yogurt and milk and distribute them to the monkeys.
When the monkeys are well fed and do not take any more, then
your boys chide, 'This milk and butter and yogurt are useless --
even the monkeys won't take it.' And They break the pots and
throw them hither and thither. If we keep our stock of yogurt,
butter and milk in a solitary dark place, your Krsna and
Balarama find it in the darkness by the glaring effulgence of
the ornaments and jewels on Their bodies. If by chance They
cannot find the hidden butter and yogurt, They go to our little
babies and pinch their bodies so that they cry, and then They
go away. If we keep our stock
of butter and yogurt high on the ceiling, hanging on a swing,
although it is beyond Their reach, They arrange to reach it by
piling all kinds of wooden crates over the grinding machine.
And if They cannot reach, They make a hole in the pot. We think
therefore that you better take all the jeweled ornaments from
the bodies of your children."
On hearing this, Yasoda would say, "All right, I will take all
the jewels from Krsna so that He can not see the butter
hidden in the darkness." Then the gopis would say, "No, no, don'
t do this. What good will you do by taking away the jewels? We
do not know what kind of boys these are, but even without
ornaments They spread some kind of effulgence so that even in
darkness They can see everything." Then mother Yasoda would
inform them, "All right, keep your butter and yogurt carefully
so that They may not reach it." In reply to this, the gopis
said, "Yes, actually we do so, but because we are sometimes
engaged in our household duties, these naughty boys enter our
house somehow or other and spoil everything. Sometimes being
unable to steal our butter and yogurt, out of anger They pass
urine on the clean floor and sometimes spit on it. Just
see your boy now -- He is hearing this complaint. All day
They simply makes arrangements to steal our butter and yogurt,
and now They are sitting just like very silent good boys.
Just see His face." When mother Yasoda thought to chastise her
boy after hearing all the complaints, she saw His pitiable face,
and smiling, she did not chastise Him.
Another day, when Krsna and Balarama were playing with Their
friends, all the boys joined Balarama and told mother
Yasoda that Krsna had eaten clay. On hearing this,
mother Yasoda caught hold of Krsna's hand and said, "My dear
Krsna, why have You eaten earth in a solitary place? Just see,
all Your friends including Balarama are complaining about You.
" Being afraid of His mother, Krsna replied, "My dear mother,
all these boys, including My elder brother Balarama, are
speaking lies against Me. I have never eaten clay. My elder
brother Balarama, while playing with Me today, became angry,
and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain
against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you
will be angry and chastise Me. If you think they are truthful,
then you can look within My mouth to see whether I have taken
clay or not." His mother replied, "All right, if You have
actually not taken any clay, then just open Your mouth. I shall
see."
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna was so ordered by
His mother, He immediately opened His mouth just like an
ordinary boy. Then mother Yasoda saw within that mouth the
complete opulence of creation. She saw the entire outer space
in all directions, mountains, islands, oceans, seas, planets,
air, fire, moon and stars. Along with the moon and the stars
she also saw the entire elements, water, sky, the
extensive ethereal existence along with the total ego and the
products of the senses and the controller of the senses,
all the demigods, the objects of the senses like sound,
smell, etc., and the three qualities of material nature.
She also could perceive that within His mouth were
all living entities, eternal time, material nature, spiritual
nature, activity, consciousness and different forms of the
whole creation. Yasoda could find within the mouth of her child
everything necessary for cosmic manifestation. She also saw,
within His mouth, herself taking Krsna on her lap and having
Him sucking her breast. Upon seeing all this, she became struck
with awe and began to wonder whether she were dreaming or
actually seeing something extraordinary. She concluded that she
was either dreaming or seeing the play of the illusory energy
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She thought that she had
become mad, mentally deranged, to see all those wonderful
things. Then she thought, "It may be cosmic mystic power
attained by my child, and therefore I am perplexed by such
visions within His mouth. Let me offer my respectful obeisances
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead under
whose
energy bodily self and
bodily possessions are conceived." She then said, "Let me offer
my respectful obeisances unto Him, under whose illusory energy
I am thinking that Nanda Maharaja is my husband and Krsna is my
son, that all the properties of Nanda Maharaja belong to me and
that all the cowherd men and women are my subjects. All this
misconception is due to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord.
So let me pray to Him that He may protect me always."
While mother Yasoda was thinking in this high philosophical way,
Lord Krsna again expanded His internal energy just to bewilder
her with maternal affection. Immediately mother Yasoda forgot
all philosophical speculation and accepted Krsna as her own
child. She took Him on her lap and became overwhelmed with
maternal affection. She thus began to think, "Krsna is
not understandable to the masses through
the gross process of knowledge, but He can be
received through the Upanisads and the Vedanta
or mystic Yoga system and Sankhya philosophy."
Then she began to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
as her own begotten child.
Certainly mother Yasoda had executed many, many pious
activities as a result of which she got the Absolute Truth,
Supreme Personality of Godhead, as her son who sucked milk
from her breast. Similarly, Nanda Maharaja also must have
performed many great sacrifices and pious activities for Lord
Krsna to become his son and address him as father. But
it is surprising that Vasudeva and Devaki did not enjoy the
transcendental bliss of Krsna's childhood pastimes, although
Krsna was their real son. The childhood pastimes of Krsna are
glorified even today by many sages and saintly persons, but
Vasudeva and Devaki could not enjoy such childhood pastimes
personally. The reason for this was explained by Sukadeva
Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit as follows.
When the best of the Vasus of the name Drona along with his
wife Dhara were ordered to increase progeny by Lord Brahma,
they said unto him, "Dear father, we are seeking your
benediction." Drona and Dhara then took benediction from Brahma
that in the future -- when they would take birth again within
the universe -- the Supreme Lord Krsna in His most
attractive feature of childhood would absorb their whole
attention. Their dealings with Krsna would be so powerful
that simply by hearing of Krsna's childhood activities with
them, anyone could very easily cross over the nescience of
birth and death." Lord Brahma agreed to give them the
benediction, and as a result the same Drona appeared as Nanda
Maharaja in Vrndavana, and the same Dhara appeared as mother
Yasoda, the wife of Nanda Maharaja.
In this way, Nanda Maharaja and his wife, mother Yasoda,
developed their unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, having gotten Him as their son. And all the gopis
and cowherd men who were associates of Krsna naturally
developed their own different feelings of love for Krsna.
Therefore, just to fulfill the benediction of Lord Brahma, Lord
Krsna appeared along with His plenary expansion, Balarama, and
performed all kinds of childhood pastimes in order to increase
the transcendental pleasure of all residents of Vrndavana.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Eighth Chapter of
Krsna, "Vision of the Universal Form."
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KB 8: Vision of the Universal Form
CHAPTER EIGHT
Vision of the Universal Form
After this incident, Vasudeva asked his family priest, Garga
Muni, to visit the place of Nanda Maharaja in order to
astrologically calculate the future life of Krsna. Garga
Muni was a great saintly sage who had undergone many
austerities and penances and been appointed priest of the Yadu
dynasty. When Garga Muni arrived at the home of Nanda
Maharaja, Nanda Maharaja was very much pleased to see him and
immediately stood up with folded hands and offered his
respectful obeisances. He received Garga Muni with the
feeling of one who is worshiping the Supreme Personality
of Godhead. He offered him a nice sitting place, and when he
sat down, Nanda Maharaja offered him a warm reception.
Addressing him very politely, he said, "My dear brahmana, your
appearance in a householder's place is only to enlighten. We
are always engaged in household duties and are forgetting our
real duty of self-realization. Your coming to our house is to
give us some enlightenment about spiritual life. You have no
other purpose in visiting householders." Actually, a saintly
person or a brahmana has no business visiting householders, who
are always busy in the matter of dollars and cents. The only
reason saintly persons and brahmanas go to the place of a
householder is to enlighten him. If it is asked, "Why don't the
householders go to a saintly person or a brahmana for
enlightenment?" the answer is that householders are very poor-
hearted. Generally householders think that engaging in
family affairs is their prime duty and that self-realization or
enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of
compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to
householders' homes.
Nanda Maharaja addressed Garga Muni as one of the great
authorities in astrological science. The foretellings of
astrological science, such as the occurrence of solar or lunar
eclipses, are wonderful calculations, and by this particular
science a person can understand the future very clearly.
Garga Muni was proficient in this knowledge. By this
knowledge one can also understand what his previous activities
were that are causing him to enjoy or
suffer in this life.
Nanda Maharaja also addressed Garga Muni as "the best of
the brahmanas." A brahmana is one who is expert in the
knowledge of the Supreme. Without knowledge of the Supreme
Absolute, one cannot be recognized as a brahmana. The exact
word used in this connection is brahma-vidam, which means
those who know the Supreme very well. An expert brahmana is
able to give reformatory facilities to the subcastes --
namely the ksatriyas and vaisyas. The sudras observe no
reformatory performances. The brahmana is considered to be the
spiritual master or priest for the ksatriya and vaisya. Nanda
Maharaja happened to be a vaisya, and he accepted Garga
Muni as a first-class brahmana. He therefore offered his two
foster sons -- namely Krsna and Balarama -- to him to purify.
Nanda stated that not only these boys but all human beings
just after birth should accept a qualified brahmana as
spiritual master.
Upon this request, Garga Muni replied, "Vasudeva has sent
me to see to the reformatory performances of these boys,
especially Krsna's, but if I do so
it may incidentally appear that Krsna is the son of Devaki,
since I am Vasudeva's family priest." By his astrological
calculation, Garga Muni could understand that Krsna was the
son of Devaki
, which Nanda did not know. Indirectly Garga Muni
said that Krsna and Balarama were both sons of
Vasudeva. Balarama was known as the son of Vasudeva because His
mother, Rohini, was present there, but Nanda Maharaja did not
know about Krsna. Garga Muni indirectly disclosed the fact
that Krsna was the son of Devaki. Garga Muni also warned
Nanda Maharaja that if he would perform the reformatory
ceremony, then Kamsa, who was naturally very sinful, would
understand that Krsna was the son of Devaki and Vasudeva.
According to astrological calculation, Devaki could not have a
female child, although everyone thought that the eighth child
of Devaki was female. In this way Garga Muni intimated to
Nanda Maharaja that the female child was born of Yasoda and
that Krsna was born of Devaki and they were exchanged. Also,
the female child, Durga, had informed Kamsa that the child
who would kill him was already born somewhere else. Garga
Muni stated, "If I give your child a name and if He fulfills
the prophecy of the female child to Kamsa, then it may be that
the sinful demon will come and kill this child also after the
name-giving ceremony. But I do not want to become responsible
for all these future calamities."
On hearing the words of Garga Muni, Nanda Maharaja said, "
If there is such danger, then it is better not to plan any
gorgeous name-giving ceremony. It would be better for you to
simply chant the Vedic hymns and perform the purificatory
process. We belong to the twice-born caste, and I am taking
this opportunity of your presence. So please perform the name-
giving ceremony without external pomp." Nanda Maharaja wanted
to keep the name-giving ceremony a secret and yet take
advantage of Garga Muni's performing the ceremony.
When Garga Muni was so eagerly requested by Nanda Maharaja,
he performed the name-giving ceremony as secretly as possible
in the cowshed of Nanda Maharaja. He informed Nanda Maharaja
that the son of Rohini would be very pleasing to His
family members and relatives and therefore would be called Rama.
In the future He would be extraordinarily strong and therefore
would be called Baladeva. Garga Muni said further, "Because
your family and the family of the Yadus are so intimately
connected and attracted, His name will also be
Sankarsana." This means that Garga Muni awarded three names
to the son of Rohini -- namely Balarama, Sankarsana and
Baladeva. But he carefully did not disclose the fact that
Balarama had also appeared in the womb of Devaki and was
subsequently transferred to the womb of Rohini. Krsna and
Balarama are real brothers, being originally sons of Devaki.
Garga Muni then informed Nanda Maharaja, "As far as your
son is concerned, this child has taken different bodily
complexions in different yugas [millennia]. First of all He
assumed the color white, then the color red, and
then the color yellow, and now He has assumed the color black.
Besides that, He was formerly the son of Vasudeva; therefore
His name should be Vasudeva as well as Krsna. Some people will
call Him Krsna, and some will call Him Vasudeva. But one thing
you must know: this son has had many, many other names and
activities due to His different pastimes."
Garga Muni further hinted to Nanda Maharaja that his
son would also be called Giridhari because of His uncommon
pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill. Since Garga Muni was an
astrologer, he could understand everything past and future, and
thus he said, "I know everything about His activities and names,
but others do not know. This child will be very pleasing to
all the cowherd men and cows. Being very popular in Vrndavana,
He will be the cause of all good fortune for you. Because of
His presence, you will overcome all kinds of material
calamities, despite opposing elements."
Garga Muni continued to say, "My dear King of Vraja, in His
previous births this child many times protected righteous
persons from the hands of rogues and thieves whenever there was
political disruption. Your child is so powerful that anyone who
will become a devotee of your boy will never be troubled by
enemies. Just as demigods are always protected by Lord Visnu,
the devotees of your child will always be protected by
Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This child will
grow in power, beauty, opulence -- in everything -- on the
level of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Therefore I would advise that you protect Him very carefully so
that He may grow without disturbance." In other words, Garga
Muni informed Nanda Maharaja that because he was a great
devotee of Lord Narayana, the Lord had given Nanda a son equal
to Him. At the same time, Garga Muni indicated that this son
would be disturbed by so many demons and that Nanda should
therefore be careful and protect Him. In this way, Garga Muni
convinced Nanda Maharaja that Narayana Himself had become his
son. In various ways he described the transcendental qualities
of his son. After giving this information, Garga Muni returned
to his home. Nanda Maharaja began to think of himself as the
most fortunate person, and he was very satisfied to receive
such a benediction in this way.
A short time after this incident, both Balarama and Krsna began
to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like
that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist
and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very
pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary children, They would
be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their
mothers for protection. Sometimes They would fall into the clay
and mud of Vrndavana and would approach Their mothers smeared
with clay and saffron. They were actually smeared with saffron
and sandalwood pulp by Their mothers, but due to crawling over
muddy clay, They would simultaneously smear Their bodies with
clay. As soon as They would come crawling to Their mothers,
Yasoda and Rohini would take Them on their laps and, covering
Them with the lower portion of their saris, allow Them to suck
their breasts. When the babies were sucking their breasts, the
mothers would see small teeth coming in. Thus their joy would
be intensified to see their children grow. Sometimes the
naughty babies would crawl up to the cowshed, catch the tail of
a calf and stand up. The calves, being disturbed, would
immediately begin running here and there, and the children
would be dragged over clay and cow dung. To see this fun,
Yasoda and Rohini would call all their neighborhood friends,
the gopis. Upon seeing these childhood pastimes of Lord Krsna,
the gopis would be merged in transcendental bliss. In their
enjoyment they would laugh very loudly.
Krsna and Balarama were so restless that Their mothers,
Yasoda and Rohini, would try to protect Them from cows, bulls,
monkeys, water, fire and birds while they were executing their
household duties. Always being anxious to protect the children
and to execute their duties, they were not very tranquil. In a
very short time, Krsna and Balarama began to stand up and
slightly move on Their legs. When Krsna and Balarama began to
walk, other friends of the same age joined Them, and together
They gave the highest transcendental pleasure to the
gopis, specifically to Mother Yasoda and Rohini.
All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty
childish activities of Krsna and Balarama in Vrndavana. In
order to enjoy further transcendental bliss, they all assembled
and went to Mother Yasoda to lodge complaints against the
restless boys. When Krsna was sitting before Mother Yasoda, all
the elder gopis began to lodge complaints against Him so that
Krsna could hear. They said, "Dear Yasoda, why don't you
restrict your naughty Krsna? He comes to our houses along with
Balarama every morning and evening, and before the milking of
the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all
the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find
no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn
Krsna and Balarama about doing this, They simply smile so
charmingly that we cannot do anything. Also, your Krsna and
Balarama find great pleasure in stealing our stock of yogurt
and butter from wherever we keep it. When Krsna and Balarama
are caught stealing the yogurt and butter, They say, ‘Why do
you charge Us with stealing? Do you think that butter and
yogurt are in scarcity in Our house?' Sometimes They steal
butter, yogurt and milk and distribute them to the monkeys.
When the monkeys are well fed and do not take any more, then
your boys chide, ‘This milk and butter and yogurt are useless --
even the monkeys won't take it.' And They break the pots and
throw them hither and thither. If we keep our stock of yogurt,
butter and milk in a solitary dark place, your Krsna and
Balarama find it in the darkness by the glaring effulgence of
the ornaments and jewels on Their bodies. If by chance They
cannot find the hidden butter and yogurt, They go to our little
babies and pinch their bodies so that they cry, and then They
go away. If out of fear of these naughty boys we keep our stock
of butter and yogurt high on the ceiling, hanging on a swing,
although it is beyond Their reach They arrange to reach it by
piling all kinds of wooden planks over the grinding machine.
And if They cannot reach, They make a hole in the pot. We think
therefore that you'd better take all the jeweled ornaments from
the bodies of your children."
On hearing this, Yasoda would say, "All right, I will take all
the jewels from Krsna so that He cannot see the butter
hidden in the darkness." Then the gopis would say, "No, no, don'
t do this. What good will you do by taking away the jewels? We
do not know what kind of boys these are, but even without
ornaments They spread some kind of effulgence so that even in
darkness They can see everything." Then Mother Yasoda would
inform them, "All right, keep your butter and yogurt carefully
so that They may not reach it." In reply to this, the gopis
said, "Yes, actually we do so, but because we are sometimes
engaged in our household duties, these naughty boys enter our
house somehow or other and spoil everything. Sometimes, being
unable to steal our butter and yogurt, out of anger They pass
urine on the clean floor and sometimes spit on it. Now just
see how your boy is hearing these complaints. All day
He simply makes arrangements to steal our butter and yogurt,
and now He is sitting just like a very silent good boy.
Just see His face." When Mother Yasoda thought to chastise her
boy after hearing all the complaints, she saw His pitiable face,
and smiling, she did not chastise Him.
Another day, when Krsna and Balarama were playing with Their
friends, all the boys joined Balarama and complained to
Mother Yasoda that Krsna had eaten clay. On hearing this,
Mother Yasoda caught hold of Krsna's hand and said, "My dear
Krsna, why have You eaten earth in a solitary place? Just see,
all Your friends, including Balarama, are complaining about You.
" Being afraid of His mother, Krsna replied, "My dear mother,
all these boys, including My elder brother, Balarama, are
speaking lies against Me. I have never eaten any clay. My elder
brother, Balarama, while playing with Me today, became angry,
and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain
against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you
will be angry and chastise Me. If you think they are truthful,
then you can look within My mouth to see whether I have eaten
clay or not." His mother replied, "All right, if You have
actually not eaten any clay, then just open Your mouth. I shall
see."
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krsna was so ordered by
His mother, He immediately opened His mouth just like an
ordinary boy. Then Mother Yasoda saw within that mouth the
complete opulence of creation. She saw the entire outer space
in all directions, mountains, islands, oceans, seas, planets,
air, fire, moon and stars. Along with the moon and the stars
she also saw all the elements -- water, sky and the
extensive ethereal existence, along with the total ego and its
products, namely the senses, the controllers of the senses,
all the demigods and the objects of the senses like sound
and smell. Within His mouth
she also saw the three qualities of material nature,
all living entities, eternal time, material nature, spiritual
nature, activity, consciousness and different forms of the
whole creation. Yasoda could find within the mouth of her child
everything necessary for cosmic manifestation. She also saw,
within His mouth, herself taking Krsna on her lap and having
Him suck her breast. Upon seeing all this, she became struck
with awe and began to wonder whether she were dreaming or
actually seeing something extraordinary. She concluded that she
was either dreaming or seeing the play of the illusory energy
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She thought that she had
become mad, mentally deranged, to see all those wonderful
things. Then she thought, "It may be cosmic mystic power
attained by my child, and therefore I am perplexed by such
visions within His mouth. Let me offer my respectful obeisances
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is beyond the
expression of consciousness, mind, work and philosophical
speculation, and whose different energies produce everything
manifested and unmanifested. Under His energy, bodily self and
bodily possessions are conceived." She then said, "Let me offer
my respectful obeisances unto Him under whose illusory energy
I am thinking that Nanda Maharaja is my husband and Krsna is my
son, that all the properties of Nanda Maharaja belong to me and
that all the cowherd men and women are my subjects. All this
misconception is due to the illusory energy of the Supreme Lord.
So let me pray to Him that He may protect me always."
While Mother Yasoda was thinking in this high philosophical way,
Lord Krsna again expanded His internal energy just to bewilder
her with maternal affection. Immediately Mother Yasoda forgot
all philosophical speculation and accepted Krsna as her own
child. She took Him on her lap and became overwhelmed with
maternal affection. She thus began to think of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is understood through
the processes of cultivating knowledge
derived from the Upanisads and the Vedanta-sutra,
practicing mystic yoga and studying Sankhya philosophy,
as her own begotten child.
Certainly Mother Yasoda had executed many, many pious
activities, as a result of which she got the Absolute Truth,
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, as her son who sucked milk
from her breast. Similarly, Nanda Maharaja also must have
performed many great sacrifices and pious activities for Lord
Krsna to become his son and address him as "Father." But
it is surprising that Vasudeva and Devaki did not enjoy the
transcendental bliss of Krsna's childhood pastimes, although
Krsna was their real son. The childhood pastimes of Krsna are
glorified even today by many sages and saintly persons, but
Vasudeva and Devaki could not enjoy such childhood pastimes
personally. The reason for this was explained by Sukadeva
Gosvami to Maharaja Pariksit as follows.
When the best of the Vasus, named Drona, and his
wife Dhara were ordered to increase progeny by Lord Brahma,
they said unto him, "Dear Father, we are seeking your
benediction. When we
take birth again within
the universe, may the Supreme Lord Krsna in His most
attractive feature of childhood absorb our whole
attention. May our dealings with Him be so powerful
that simply by hearing of these childhood activities of
His, anyone will very easily cross over the nescience of
birth and death." Lord Brahma agreed to give them the
benediction, and as a result the same Drona appeared as Nanda
Maharaja in Vrndavana, and the same Dhara appeared as Mother
Yasoda, the wife of Nanda Maharaja.
In this way, Nanda Maharaja and his wife, Mother Yasoda,
developed their unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality
of Godhead, having gotten Him as their son. And all the gopis
and cowherd men who were associates of Krsna naturally
developed their own different feelings of love for Krsna.
Therefore, just to fulfill the benediction of Lord Brahma, Lord
Krsna appeared along with His plenary expansion, Balarama, and
performed all kinds of childhood pastimes in order to increase
the transcendental pleasure of all the residents of Vrndavana.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Eighth Chapter of
Krsna, "Vision of the Universal Form."
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