Sports of the Child
(Bala Lila)
1. After a short time passed, both brothers, Rama and Krsna, began to crawl on the ground of Vraja with the strength of Their hands and knees and thus enjoy Their childhood play.
2. When Krsna and Balarama, with the strength of Their legs, crawled in the muddy places created in Vraja by cow dung and cow urine, Their crawling resembled the crawling of serpents, and the sound of Their ankle bells was very charming. Very much pleased by the sound of other people's ankle bells, They used to follow these people as if going to Their mothers, but when They saw that these were other people, They became afraid and returned to Their real mothers, Yasoda and Rohini.
3. Dressed with muddy earth mixed with cow dung and cow urine, the babies looked very beautiful, and when They went to Their mothers, both Yasoda and Rohini picked Them up with great affection, embraced Them and allowed Them to suck the milk flowing from their breasts. While sucking the breast, the babies smiled, and Their small teeth were visible. Their mothers, upon seeing those beautiful teeth, enjoyed great transcendental bliss.
4. Within the house of Nanda Maharaja, the cowherd ladies would enjoy seeing the pastimes of the babies Rama and Krsna. The babies would catch the ends of the calves' tails, and the calves would drag Them here and there. When the ladies saw these pastimes, they certainly stopped their household activities and laughed and enjoyed the incidents.
5. Within a very short time both Rama and Krsna began to walk very easily in Gokula on Their legs, by Their own strength, without the need to crawl.
6. Thereafter, Lord Krsna, along with Balarama, began to play with the other children of the cowherd men, thus awakening the transcendental bliss of the cowherd women.
7. Observing the very attractive childish restlessness of Krsna, all the gopis in the neighborhood, to hear about Krsna's activities again and again, would approach mother Yasoda and speak to her as follows.
8. "Our dear friend Yasoda, your son sometimes comes to our houses before the milking of the cows and releases the calves, and when the master of the house becomes angry, your son merely smiles. Sometimes He devises some process by which He steals palatable curd, butter and milk, which He then eats and drinks. When the monkeys assemble, He divides it with them, and when the monkeys have their bellies so full that they won't take more, He breaks the pots. Sometimes, if He gets no opportunity to steal butter or milk from a house, He will be angry at the householders, and for His revenge He will agitate the small children by pinching them. Then, when the children begin crying, Krsna will go away.
9. "When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Krsna and Balarama cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They pick holes in it. While the elderly gopis go about their household affairs, Krsna and Balarama sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing.
10. "When Krsna is caught in His naughty activities, the master of the house will say to Him, `Oh, You are a thief,' and artificially express anger at Krsna. Krsna will then reply, `I am not a thief. You are a thief.' But now, our dear friend Yasoda, this expert thief is sitting before you like a very good boy." Sometimes all the gopis would look at Krsna sitting there, His eyes fearful so that His mother would not chastise Him, and when they saw Krsna's beautiful face, instead of chastising Him they would simply look upon His face and enjoy transcendental bliss. Mother Yasoda would mildly smile at all this fun, and she would not want to chastise her blessed transcendental child.
Comments
Radhe! radhe!
Very nice
Wonderful Pastimes.... very sweetly described!! Hari Hari Bol!!