Yashoda’s Instruction
One day Yashoda told Krishna, “It’s Your birthday today. Go and bring a female calf here and worship her.”
Krishna became very happy.
He went out and chose a very beautiful she-calf. She was as white as a swan.
The calf was very healthy, stout, and strong, and was jumping here and there.
Krishna’s Struggle
Krishna wanted to catch her, but couldn’t because she was jumping so much.
After a great struggle, He managed to catch hold of her, intending to bring her into the courtyard. He tried to tie up her four legs, but the calf refused to let Him, and they had another wrestling match.
Somehow or other, Krishna managed to bring her into the courtyard.
The Temptation
As He was doing so, He noticed a pot hanging from a rope.
He immediately understood that this pot was full of sweet butter.
In an instant, His intense greed for the butter made Him forget that He was supposed to bring the calf in.
But how could He reach the butter? It was hanging high up in the rafters, and there was no ladder or anything to stand on.
Krishna’s Solution
When He was with His friends, He would climb on their backs, one by one, higher and higher, until He could reach the butter. However, none of His friends were with Him, and He had no stick. What to do?
After considering carefully, Krishna thought, “I can reach the butter very easily if I stand on this calf.”
He climbed up on the calf’s back, and when He stood upright He was just high enough to put His hand into the pot.
The Calf’s Jump
At that moment, the calf suddenly jumped away.
Krishna had put His whole arm into the pot, so when the calf ran away, He was left dangling there.
Now He called out fearfully, “O Mother! Mother! Mother!” and cried bitterly.
Mother Yashoda was churning butter, and when she heard Krishna weeping and crying for her, she smiled and ran out to help Him.
As soon as she saw Him hanging high above the ground, she understood what had happened.
Yashoda’s Reaction
“You stay like that!” she told Him. “I’m not going to touch You. And I’ll punish You for being naughty. I’ll never help You!”
Krishna began to weep more loudly: “Mother! Mother! Mother!”
Of course, Yashoda brought Him down.
Krishna was charmingly mischievous in His boyhood, and that is why He garnered so much love and affection from all the gopis, especially His mother.
Moral of the Story
Do not steal butter while standing on the back of a calf!
The playful and mischievous nature of young Krishna is beautifully illustrated in this story, showcasing his endearing charm and the boundless love of his mother, Yashoda.
