[Advaita-l] Sri Krishna karnamrutam-5

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Sri Krishna Karnamrutam-5



Little Krishna is famous for stealing butter from the houses of Gopis. Although Gopis go and complain to Yashoda mayyaa, they actually want the child to come to their house and steel the butter as they were fascinated by him. They make all the preparations to make sure he comes and steals, so that they can catch him and have fun with him. However Krishna plans in such a way that he does not get caught. There was once this Gopi who makes all careful preparations to make sure she catches him red-handed, while he is stealing the butter. She keeps the butter vessel not too high, but not too low, and in such a way that he can reach by climbing some nearby stool, but once climbed not easy to get out. 

 

Krishna also knows this, in a way. He and his friends slowly walk-in when there is no one is around and climbs a stool and digs into the pot. There was lot of fresh-tasty butter there. Krishna takes a handful and start distributing to his friends one by one. Once they all have had enough, he takes one moor scoop and starts eating. All this was being silently observed by the Gopi who was hiding behind, and she slowly walks behind him and catches hold of Krishna, while all his friends seeing her coming escape from there. Since she is only interested in Krishna and not in his friends, she holds him tight so that he cannot escape. The following sloka depicts an interesting conversation or should I say interesting interrogation of little Krishna - it goes like this, as Leelasuka watches: 

kastvam baala? baalaanujaH, kimihate? manmandiraa shankayaa;
yuktam; tannavaneeta paatre vivare hastam kimartham nyase? 
maataH! kancana vatsakam mRigayitum magaa viShaadam kshaNaat;
ityevam varavallavii prati vacaH Krishnasya puShNaatu naH|| II-82
(Krishna is well known word –not following strict transliteration)
 
Gopi- Little boy who are you?

Krishna: I am the brother of Balarama. Without saying I am Krishna, he is dragging his elder brother into the scene of the crime, who was not at all involved. It reminds me a story of a thief who was caught red-handed and everyone there started beating him, with neighbors also giving a hand without questioning the thief.  A stranger was walking by, looks at the scene and asked what happened, with a contemptuous look at the thief, thinking that he can also join in giving the beating. Anticipating this, the thief replied loud enough that everyone can hear-  Sir, I did exactly what you asked me to do, you escaped but I got caught.  Hearing this, the people around left the thief and caught hold of the other stranger and started beating the ….. out of him. Krishna thought perhaps his punishment will be less if he includes Balarama also into the crime. 

Gopi: What are you doing here?

Krishna: I thought that this is my house, so I came inside – says this very innocently as a matter of fact. 


Gopi and Krishna both know that he was lying. 

Gopi: Oh, I see. OK. But why are you putting your hands into the butter-pot? She must have said this pretending to be angry for the responses he was giving. 

Krishna: Oh! Mother! We have to be quiet here. Your shouting may frighten things here. You see, I am looking for small calf which is frightened and running around here. I am searching for it and checking to see if it has entered into this butter-pot. Please be quiet it may get frightened. 

That Gopi lady must have become quite, not that she will frighten a small calf, but wondering how this little Krishna is confidently answering without any fear, even after getting caught red-handed. 

That little Krishna who is having this funny conversation with the Gopi, may he protect us. 

Butter is symbolic of vaasanaas- the result of our actions. None can remain from acting. Action done with an attitude of doe-ship or kartRitva bhaava, will not only give tangible results but leaves subtle impressions. Vasanaas propel actions and action will give vaasanaas  -one gets caught-up in this never ending cycle –punarapi jananam punarapi maranam - which Vidyaranya says –nadyaam keeTaa iva aavartaat avartaantaramaashu te -– like an insect caught in whirl pool and moving from one whirl pool to the other in the fast moving river of samsaar.  The vicious cycle can only be broken by offering the results of the action to the Lord. For those who have surrendered, Krishna himself will come and take away or neutralize the vaasanaas. 


Let that Krishna who is happy to take away our impurities protect us all. 

Hari Om!

Sadananda