The Childhood Pastimes of Krishna

Though they could understand from the situation that the boy had caused the two arjuna trees to fall, because of prema (avijnaya) they could not think that it was so. They doubted that such a small boy could do such a thing. They express their doubt in these verses. “Who has done this? For what reason has this amazing accident happened to the boy.” Thinking in this way they were filled with pain. By our good fortune, the boy is protected by the Lord.

The other boys said, “Krsna went between the trees pulling the mortar sideways.” As the boys were filled with fear, they could not tell the complete story—they did not tell that the trees fell down. The elders did not believe this story. Therefore the boys again said, “We saw two men emerge from the trees.”

Nanda and the cowherd men (te) could not believe what the children said (tad uktam), for because of their feelings for Krsna they could not think further about Krsna having great powers. Others, remembering what Garga had said—“Your child will have qualities like Narayana”—with a rise in affection for Krsna, became uncertain. Maybe it was true?

Glancing constantly over all of Krsna’s limbs, Nanda smiled. “Your mother, whose lap you prefer to mine, has bound you up because of your small offense. So how can I release you?” Thinking in this way he was smiling. In the same way that you bind the jivas with maya, you bind your mother and father with prema.

Who can describe the good fortune of Nanda and Yasoda , Krsna’s father and mother? Though he is the controller of Brahma and Siva and others, Krsna is controlled at every step by the inhabitants of Vraja. This is described in three and a half verses. “If you dance I will give a sweet!” Inspired by the gopis (stobhitah), the Lord sometimes danced just a normal boy (balavat). Sometimes without showing his powers because of the gopis’ love (mugdha,innocent) he would sing like a wooden puppet.

8In order to test Krsna’s strength first the gopis would ask Krsna to bring the wooden shoes. Then they would ask him to bring heavier and heavier objects. In this way ordered by the gopis (ajnapta), he would stand up holding the objects over his soft belly. In order to show his expertise, sometime he would raise his hands up. All the relatives (svanam) would become joyful.

9 Not just his relatives but all the inhabitants of Vraja derives bliss form Krsna’s childhood pastimes, because of his coming under their control. This aspect of himself he showed directly to those familiar with his aisvarya aspect–Brahma and Siva, because it cannot be presented by explanations alone.

10He gave joy even to the lowest pulinda caste among the inhabitants of Vraja. Acyuta is full in every respect, but he wanted fruit. Though he is the giver of all fruits, he quickly went out with a handful of grains, as only that was available at the moment.

11The fruit seller did not even get a full handful of grain. The grains fell on the path as he went outside. When he went to exchange the few grains left in his hand for some fruits, saying “Bring some fruit,” the fruit seller pulinda woman, though supposed to sell the fruits, overcome with affection, filled his hands with pilu and other fruit. Because he was greedy for all the fruits, his small hands held them all--by the assistance of his aisvarya sakti. The pulinda woman received all types of wealth up to krsna prema by his power to bestow all fruits.

12To show that Krsna and Balarama were controlled by Yasoda’s affection more than even Rohini’s, another pastimes is presented which occurred after the breaking of the arjuna trees, on the same day. Rohini called Krsna and Balarama, who had gone to play on the bank of the Yamuna. Though the verse does not mention Balarama, the commentary does, because in later verses both boys names are mentioned. Rohini had been sent to call the boys by Yasoda who was attached to boys’ having lunch.

13When they did not come, Rohini sent Yasoda because she felt that Yasoda had more affection for the two boys and could therefore attract them.

14She began to call repeatedly (ajohavit). She called from far off, because she feared that if she came close they would run away.

15 She repeated several times his name from far off, so that he would hear.

“Your father is sitting but without you he cannot eat (bhoksyaman.) Why are you giving your father hunger pangs? All you boys should go to your houses. Your parents are also in difficulty like us. Please make them happy.” She said all this to stop them from playing.

He still did not come. In order to make him give up his enthusiasm for playing she tried to kindle his enthusiasm in giving charity.

19When he still did not come, she tried to generate envy in him by showing the example of the other boys.

20She thought of the crest jewel of Ananta, the source of all avataras (asesa sekharam), as her son. Another meaning is: she considered him not as bhagavan (a- sesasekharam). Actually he was both. Another meaning could be: she thought of her son as the crest jewel of the entirety (asesa) of their family. Taking him to his house (sva batam) she made him bathe, eat and then decorated him (udayan).

21After playing in Mahavana, when Krsna desired to play in Vrndavana, Upananda suggested that they all move to Vrndavana.

22Upananda was Nanda’s elder minister. From the description it is understood that he was wise.

23”Thinking of the welfare of all the inhabitants of Vraja (gokulasya hitaisibhih), we should move.”

25He was taken in the sky (viyat) by Trnavarta (cakravatena) to near death (vipadam). He was saved by Visnu (suresvaraih). This is in the plural form out of respect. Api in the following verse should be understood in this verse also. Though (api) taken in the sky and dropped on a rock, he was saved by Visnu.

Asau refers to krsna.

27”Previously in this village there was so much kirtana, worship and darsana of Visnu. Since Nanda’s son was born, everywhere at every moment the kirtana and darsana has been only about Visnu. Now, where should we worship Visnu so that he will always protect us? We should follow the niti sastra given by Visnu.”

28”We cannot go to Nandisvara, our old capital, because we fled from there and came to Mahavana out of fear of Aristasura. Aristasura is still there. We don’t want to go elsewhere because we don’t like it there. Therefore a place between Mahavana and Nandisvara is most suitable for living.” Considering in this way, he spoke this verse. Vrndavana is beneficial for the cows (pasavyam) and filled with fresh gardens.

29Therefore (tat) we should go to Vrndavana (tatra), if it is pleasing to you (bhavatam).

30Gathering together (samyujan) all the cows and other animals of vraja (vrajan) and loading their household goods on carts (rudha paricchandah), they departed.

31 Yatta means carefully.

33Yasoda and Rohini, holding their sons, sat on one cart, for the two sons could not bear separation from each other.

34They formed a half circle. In the back were stored all the household goods and front portion was wide so that the cows could easily come and go. This is described in the Visnu Purana. On the first day, the formation was made using the carts. Later they surrounded their dwellings with thorn bushes, thorny trees and branches.

37.At the suitable time (three years) (sva kalena), they began to herd the calves.

39-41Sometimes using slings(ksepanayatraih) they would throw (ksipatam) amalaki and bel fruit to a far distance. Sometimes they would kick each other with their bangled feet. Sometimes covering themselves with blankets, they pretended they were bulls, and making bull sounds they would fight each other. They would also imitate other animals like swans and peacocks.

42With a glance of his eye, he informed Balarama (darsayan) and pretending that he did not know (mugdha iva), h close by (asadat).

43Grasping the hind legs of Vatsasura along with his tail, Acyutah (who does not fall), threw the demon high in the kapitha tree to arrange for his fall (cyuta) in the material world. Throwing his body in the tree was useful in their play for making the kapitha fruit fall from the tree. Whirling him around till he was dead (gata jivitam) he threw him in the tree(prahinot).

45The two chief protectors of all people (eka palikau) became that day the protectors of the calves. Taking breakfast (pratar asau) they played while tending the calves.

47The demon looked like the pinnacle of a mountain cut off by a lightening bolt.

49-50Balarama and the other cowherd boys became unconscious. Though Balarama could have killed the asura, his response of fainting is because of brotherly affection. In the stealing of Rukmini Balarama displayed his brotherly affection by protecting Krsna. Just as sugar candy tastes bitter to the tongue for the diseased person, though his touch was as cool as a tender blue lotus, it felt like fire on the palate of the asura. It was the fault of the asura’s palate, not Krsna. Bakasura spit Krsna out. He saw Krsna in an unharmed state (aksata). This hints that Krsna’s body became hard like a thunderbolt.

51Grasping firmly (nigrhya, nitaram completely grhya) his beak (tundayoh), he tore Bakasura apart, like a blade of virana grass, in front the eyes of the boys, giving the devatas great joy (mudavahah).

52They showered flowers everywhere (samkiran). They praised him with ancient verses (samstavaih).

53Getting back Krsna who was like their life (pranam iva), the boys, like enlivened senses, embraced him, and gathering together (praniya) the calves, returned to their homes (sthanam). In loud voices they proclaimed (jaguh) the killing of Vatsasura and Bakasura. Or the meaning can be: setting the descriptions to melody and rhythm so they could sing them on other days also, they sang songs of the incidents.

54The gopas and gopis, honored (adrtah) by seeing their beloved (ati priya), with eyes thirsting to drink the nectar of his beauty (trsata iksana), glanced at him (aiksantah), looking over his whole body, for fear that he was wounded.

55Three verses describe the amazement of the cowherd men in discussing Krsna’s exploits. “The boy has had many causes of death (mrtyavah). Because (yatah) they first caused danger to our innocent boy (bhayam krtam), they were destroyed.”

56”It is not possible that because in previous lives this boy caused trouble to the demons, in this life the demons are causing trouble to him?” This verse answers the question. “If that were true, then they would have been able to destroy Krsna. But they were unable to kill him (enam na abhibhavanti) . Rather, when they desired to kill Krsna, they got killed by him.”

57The reason for the condition mentioned above is now given. Garga said that he had qualities like Narayana. Seated in the meeting room, they discussed again and again about the naughtiness of the boy and his killing of Vatsasura and Bakasura, and they composed songs which they sang again and again (katham kurvantah). They did not know the pain of material existence or pay attention to knowledge of material existence (bhavasya vedanam). Other elderly cowherd men coming from other places informed Nanda about liberation from the material world. “Half your life is gone. Why do you remain immersed in discussing about child, family and wife? Why don’t you concentrate on knowledge, vairagya, austerity and remembrance of Narayan to get deliverance from the material world?” Though requested in this way, Nanda and the other cowherd men did not pay any attention to that (bhavasya vedanam na avindan) . TO interpret the meaning to be “they did not enjoy the pains of material life” is not acceptable. Bhagavatam states the exalted nature of the cowherd men and women: these cowherd men and women are not touched by the material world born of ignorance (10.6.40). As stated before, there is no question that they could be affected by the pains of the material world. In this way, whatever appears as material pains is only nourishing to the pastimes and therefore is called lila maya.

Not only did they speak about Krsna and his past and future pastimes, but they also played with Krsna (ramamanah). Thus they did not know the sufferings of materialistic person (bhava vedanam), though they were living in the material world. When they say “I am suffering from hunger,” that hunger is not related to the material world.