Introduction
Once, while Lord Shiva was in deep meditation, he discovered that the Supreme Lord, Krishna, had appeared in Vraja, at the house of Nanda Maharaja. Intrigued and eager to see the Lord, Shiva decided to visit Gokul. His wife, Parvati, wished to accompany him, but Shiva insisted it was too far for her to travel. Parvati, understanding her husband’s determination, asked him to bring back some of the famed butter of Gokul.
Shiva’s Journey to Gokul
Lord Shiva arrived in Gokul, where the young Krishna was performing His pastimes in the lap of Mother Yasoda. Knowing Nanda Maharaja’s reputation for generosity towards Brahmanas, Shiva disguised himself as a Brahmana and approached Yasoda’s house. However, upon touching the dust of Vraja, he realized he should present himself in his true form, as the Lord would recognize him.
Encounter with Mother Yasoda
In his natural, fearsome form, Lord Shiva, with three eyes, matted hair, and adorned with a tiger skin and a garland of snakes, knocked on Yasoda’s door. He requested to see the child Krishna, but Yasoda, not recognizing him, refused, fearing his appearance would frighten her son. Despite her refusal, Shiva persisted, expressing his willingness to wait as long as necessary.
Krishna, aware of the conversation, began to cry loudly, causing concern among the Gopis and Gopas. A clever Gopi named Lalita, upon hearing about Shiva’s visit, convinced Yasoda to call him back, stating that a Sadhu should never leave unsatisfied.
Shiva’s Darshan of Krishna
When Lord Shiva returned, Yasoda handed the crying Krishna to him. Krishna immediately stopped crying and smiled, recognizing His devotee. Overwhelmed with devotion, Shiva chanted the Gopala Sahasra Nama Stotra, glorifying Krishna. Seeing this, Yasoda warned Shiva to be careful with his snakes around her child.
After the divine encounter, Yasoda offered butter to Shiva, fulfilling Parvati’s request. Lost in thoughts of Krishna, Shiva accidentally consumed all the butter on his way back to Kailash.
Conclusion
Upon reaching Kailash, Shiva recounted his visit to Krishna and his beauty to Parvati. However, Parvati pointed out that the butter container was empty. Realizing his mistake, Shiva understood Parvati’s playful curse: since he didn’t bring prasadam for her, traditionally, people do not eat Shiva’s prasadam.
Morals of the Story:
- Remember Important Requests: Always remember and fulfill important requests from loved ones.
- Desire for Devotion: Have a strong desire to see and serve the Lord, as exemplified by Shiva.
- Respect Sadhus: Serve sadhus and be careful not to offend them.
- Divine Play: Understand the playful nature of divine interactions and their deeper meanings.
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 these moral/instructive stories so that everyone can benefit from hearing about Krishna and His dear devotees.
