ॐ श्री कृष्णः शरणं ममः
Sri Krishnah Sharanam Mamah
Lord Krishna Is My Refuge
Baby Krishna could not be brought up by his own parents King Vasudev and Queen Devaki because the terrible King Kamsa had threatened to kill any male child born to his sister Devaki. Krishna’s foster parents Nanda and Yashoda adored him and he had a very happy childhood. His foster parents loved him so much that often Yashoda would have tears in her eyes when she had to punish little Krishna for his naughtiness. This did not stop Krishna from being mischievous. He loved playing pranks on the Gopis, breaking their earthen pots with a stone from his catapult and stealing their freshly made butter. When punished he would escape or create even more of a ruckus much to Yashoda’s exasperation.
Krishna started his antics even while in the cradle. Nanda was the chief of Gokul, a land of simple cowherds. The Gopalas (men) and the Gopis (women) of Gokul were simple folk who looked after cows and earned their living from the milk that they got from the cows and the curd, butter and buttermilk that they made from the milk.
The village folk were celebrating a festival in the open green meadow. Yashoda and all the other Gopis set about cooking the afternoon meal. Once the prayers were completed the Gopis served the food to the whole village. The delicious lunch was a huge success. Everyone in the village had enjoyed the meal, especially the sweet, creamy, rich kheer. However, after a busy morning cooking and a heavy afternoon meal, Yashoda began to feel a little drowsy. She decided to take a short nap. She placed the sleeping baby Krishna on a soft cloth under an empty bullock cart to shelter him from the hot sun and lay close to the cart herself. As the bulls had been tethered the cart could not be moved. Yashoda felt it would be a safe quiet place for the baby.
The village folk of Gokul were a jovial bunch. Once the prayer ceremonies and lunch were over they began to dance and sing and enjoy themselves. Hearing the singing and the accompanying instruments baby Krishna woke up. His big black eyes brightened up with joy. He smiled as he listened. He was enjoying the music. In fact he enjoyed it so much that he began to kick his little legs in time to the beats of the music. Kick, kick, his little legs flapped up and down. One kick to the left, one kick to the right. Oh! this was so much fun for the happy baby. That was till the wheels of the cart displaced from its moorings collapsed with a loud thud. Yashoda leapt up. Now she was wide awake. Her heart pounding with fear for her darling, baby boy - Krishna. Everyone stopped singing and dancing and rushed to the now broken bullock cart. They peered under the fallen cart. To their astonishment lying perfectly content was the cherub - smiling to himself and still kicking in time to a beat that could no longer be heard.
As he grew a little older Krishna, who was a very observant child, would sit out in the porch of his house and watch other young boys take their cattle out to graze every day. He longed to go out into the fields with all the other children. So one day he went up to his mother and requested, “Ma may I go out to the fields like all the other children? ”
Ma Yashoda knowing her son to be always up to some mischief or the other, felt it was safer for Krishna to stay home close to her. So she said, “Krishna you are still too young to be going out to the fields with the others. All of them are older than you.”
Krishna could be very persuasive. He said “Mother, I will go only with my elder brother Balaram and I promise I will not get into any trouble. I too want to go outdoors like the other children.”
Now Yashoda thought about it. She found it hard to refuse Krishna anything. She thought to herself, “With Balaram to watch over him it’s unlikely that Krishna can get into any trouble. Balaram will always sensibly caution him and prevent him from being naughty.”
So she relented and said to a delighted Krishna, “Fine, you may go with your elder brother but remember to do exactly as Balaram tells you. If you don’t listen to him I will not let you go out to the fields with the other boys.”
Krishna squealed in excitement. Holding Balaram’s hand tightly, he tugged at him. “Come on quick. Let’s go”, said Krishna.
They were out of the house in a jiffy. When they reached the fields they found all the children running hither and thither trying to keep their cows together. The cows would wander off and refuse to return to their owners. The young boys were puffing and panting. This went on all day long. The boys were getting really exhausted. Krishna stopped one boy and asked, “Why are you all running around like this?”
The boy answered, “These cows don’t obey us at all. We have to keep a watchful eye on them at all times and even then they wander off. If we call them back they are unmindful and run off even further.”
“Yes”, added another boy, “one of my cows wandered so far that I lost him in the neighbouring forest. When I got home, my parents were so angry with me for losing one of the herd that I was punished.”
Krishna who had imagined that it would be fun to be out with the boys began to think, “If these boys are spending all day chasing cows it doesn’t look like it’s much fun to be here.”
Krishna as a baby, a child and later as a grown up always believed that life was to be lived with joy and laughter. These children didn’t seem to get much joy in running after the truant cows. They seemed fed up and tired. Krishna decided to change all this. Taking out his flute which he always tucked away in his waist band he started playing it. Notes so sweet emanated that all the children turned towards Krishna mesmerised by the music. Then to their astonishment the misbehaving cows suddenly began walking back to where Krishna was playing his flute. The boys sat down and their herd of cattle too settled down to hear the mellifluous music.
The wind carried Krishna’s beautiful music to the village. Adults who were busy at work, set aside whatever they were doing and started walking towards the music. No one could resist the soft, sweet notes that Krishna was playing on his flute. Yashoda too reached the open field curious to know where the music was coming from. She was incredulous when she saw it was her young Krishna who was playing the music.
Everyone stood around listening to Krishna play. Then all of a sudden out of nowhere a huge black bull with his nostrils flared came charging at the crowd. This was the monstrous bull, Hastin. All the children and villagers began to run as fast as they could. Everyone feared the angry Hastin except Krishna.
“Run Krishna run,” they cried. But Krishna unmindful of the warning and the chaos stood quietly and watched Hastin. The big black bull kicked his back legs into the mud, snorted in anger and charged at the terrified villagers.
Once they were safe the villagers said to Krishna, “This bull Hastin has caused havoc in our village. No-one has been able to ride or control him. He attacks us with his large horns. Many of us have been tossed by this mighty bull. You too should be careful if you see him.”
One of the villagers said, “He is so vicious. He has injured so many of us and destroyed our crops too. I think we should kill him.”
“Yes, Yes, “ shouted the other villagers, “Let us decide on a plan to kill this awful bull. That is the only way we will be rid of this menace.”
Krishna who had been listening to the villagers discussion got up and firmly said, “No. No one should kill this bull. It is wrong to kill him. Are you saying that he should be killed just because none of you have been able to control him? I promise you that by the next Purnima (full moon) I will tame him and even ride him. He will not thereafter be of any danger to village.”
“That’s just wishful thinking, Krishna,” said another villager, “So many of us have tried to tame Hastin and failed. What makes you think you will succeed?”
Krishna replied, “Please give me time till the next Purnima.”
The villagers dispersed muttering to themselves, “What nonsense. How can this child tame that treacherous bull?”
“Exactly,” said another one of them, “I did try and lived to regret it, as I broke my legs and a few other bones too.”
“So many of us have tried and failed. How can such a chit of a boy think he will succeed where we strong, grown men have failed?” added another.
Balaram too tried to talk some sense into his younger brother. But Krishna was adamant. He confidently declared, “Brother by the next Purnima I would have trained and tamed this violent bull.”
Balaram fearing for his younger brother informed their mother of Krishna’ s plan to train Hastin. Yashoda immediately went into panic and forbade Krishna to go any where near the bull.
But, once Krishna had made up his mind nothing could stop him. So from that day on Krishna would visit Hastin everyday. Some days he would find Hastin out in the fields and on others he would be resting in his shed. Krishna would sit a little distance away and play his flute for the bull. Each day he ventured a little closer to Hastin. He would bring jaggery and add it to straw and feed him. At first he would feed him from afar. Gradually he would come closer and closer to the huge bull. Slowly Hastin got accustomed to having Krishna near him, The music soothed him and the food made him happy. It was not long before Krishna was able to feed Hastin with his hands. The bull would come close and gently take the food from Krishna. Hastin was slowly getting more docile.
The day of the full moon had arrived. Yashoda cautioned Krishna, “Now son, don’t you go around trying to ride that vicious bull. I could not bear it if anything happened to you.”
Balaram too said to Krishna, “Don’t take up these ridiculous challenges Krishna. Too many have tried to ride Hastin and failed miserably. Please don’t do it.”
Krishna was not one to break his promise. On that full moon night as all the villagers were celebrating, Krishna went to Hastin’s shed. Calmly he climbed on the back of the bull and began to ride him.
The villagers were stunned. Here was this young boy riding on the vicious, mean, angry bull. They could not believe what they were seeing. The bull had allowed the young boy to climb on his back and ride him. Krishna was in full control and kept riding. He rode Hastin all around the village. Hastin carried Krishan all over and finally exhausted all his aggression. He was so calm and docile that he even allowed the other villagers to pat him and feed him.
Krishna had proved what he had set out to prove - that with kindness one can win over the worst of living beings. People, animals and all living things respond to kindness and can change when shown some love and care.
No matter how difficult life got, Krishna would cheerfully face difficulties.
He is the embodiment of joy, love, laughter, kindness and generosity .
LIFE LESSONS
1. Krishna lived life playfully. Let us also take life as a wonderful game. A game of challenges and successes.
2. Krishna brought joy and happiness wherever he went. Let us also try to keep our family, friends and those close to us happy.
3. Krishna’s kindness saved the bull. Let us also try to be kind to all living creatures.
4. Krishna intelligently faced the challenge of taming Hastin. Let us also plan carefully before taking action.
5. Remember Krishna is everyone’s friend. If ever you need help just call out to him and he will be there.