Krishna’s pastimes of crawling about and drinking His mother’s breast milk gradually stopped.

Soon He walked on His lotus feet and started stealing butter.

Is there anyone who did not feel unlimited bliss when the Lord, who is the very source of bliss, enacted His childhood pastimes?

One day when no one was looking, Krishna began His pastimes of stealing fresh butter.

Startled upon seeing His own reflection in a jeweled inlaid pillar, He shivered in fear and said,

“O dear brother, do not tell mother. I will save some butter for You and You may enjoy too.”

Watching her mischievous son from a hidden place, Mother Yasoda heard these sweet broken words with great relish.

Then she innocently appeared before Krishna and Rama.

Pointing to His effulgent reflection, Krishna said,

“O Ma! Being very greedy, this boy came here today in order to steal your butter. Although I forbade Him, He did not listen to Me. And when I got angry with Him, He also got angry. But I am not at all greedy for butter.”

One day while Yasoda was outside the house engaged in some domestic activities, inside the house Krishna stole butter again.

When Yasoda returned and called out,

“O my darling Krishna! Where are You and what are You doing?”

Hearing her, Krishna became afraid and stopped stealing butter.

Pausing for a moment, He answered, “Mother! My hand started burning from the shining effulgence of My ruby bangles, so I stuck it in this butter pot to relieve the pain.”

Pleased by her son’s clever words, Yasoda said,

“Hey Vatsa! Please come sit on my lap. Oh My darling, show me the burns on Your hand.” Then Yasoda kissed Krishna’s hand and consoled Him, saying, “Ahh…ahh… Look, Your hand has been burned. So let me remove these ruby bangles.”

On another day Krishna cried and rubbed His eyes with His flower budlike palms.

In a choked voice He uttered unintelligible phrases.

Even though Yasoda had previously scolded Krishna for stealing butter, this time she wiped the tears from His eyes with the edge of her sari.

While tenderly caressing Krishna, She said,

“Hey Lala, all of our stock of butter actually belongs to You alone.”

This is a section of the book “Vrindavana Lila”.

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