The Divine Love of Krishna and the Cows
When Krishna was preparing to leave for cow herding for the first time, Mother Yashoda, concerned for her beloved son’s well-being, approached Krishna with a pair of shoes, saying:
“My dear Krishna, please take this pair of shoes! In the forest, there are so many stones, and walking there will hurt your soft feet.”
Krishna replied, “Mother Yashoda, that is very nice, but I cannot do it. I cannot wear shoes while the cows do not. If you insist that I wear the shoes, then bring shoes for all the cows first.”
Krishna continued, “We have 900,000 cows! If you want me to wear shoes, we will need shoes for all our cows. Each cow has four legs, so how many shoes are required?”
Mother Yashoda realized the impossibility of the task and gave up on the idea of insisting Krishna wear shoes. But she did not give up on protecting her son. She then thought of another idea and suggested:
“Oh! But at least take an umbrella. It’s hot out there!”
Again, Krishna’s condition was the same. “First, get umbrellas for the cows. How many umbrellas would we need? 900,000! And cows have feet but no hands, so we would require someone to carry the umbrella for them. We need 900,000 people walking next to the cows holding umbrellas.”
Mother Yashoda realized she could not manage 900,000 people to carry umbrellas for the cows and gave up on that idea too.
Hearing all this, Krishna’s cows, touched by his love for them, decided to do something very special. All night, the cows went everywhere around Vrindavana, crushing the stones with their own legs. They turned the hard stones into beautiful soft sand. The next morning, when Krishna walked out, he walked on the soft, beautiful sand, and his feet were protected from the harsh stones.
Even today, if you go on the Vraja Mandala Parikrama, you will find this soft, beautiful sand.
(Story narrated by His Holiness Lokanath Maharaja)
Moral of the Story
The love between Krishna and the cows is a beautiful example of selflessness and mutual care. Krishna’s refusal to accept comfort for himself without ensuring the same for his beloved cows shows his deep compassion and equality. The cows, in turn, expressed their gratitude and love by making the ground soft for Krishna.
This story teaches us about the power of love and devotion. When love is pure and selfless, it inspires great acts of kindness and compassion. It also shows the importance of thinking beyond oneself and considering the well-being of others.
Reflection
In our own lives, we can take inspiration from Krishna’s example by:
- Caring for Others: Always consider the needs of others and act with compassion and empathy.
- Selflessness: True love and devotion mean putting the needs of others before our own comfort.
- Gratitude and Action: Show gratitude through actions, just as the cows did for Krishna.
- Community and Cooperation: Understand the importance of working together for the common good.
By embodying these principles, we can create a harmonious and loving environment around us.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
PS: I humbly request all the devotees to please forward and share this moral/instructive story so that everyone can be benefited by hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
