Srimad Bhagavatam – day 603
Krishna breaks the pot of yoghurt
“Yashoda lovingly breast-fed Krishna till his stomach was full, nevertheless he was not satisfied even after a long time. Suddenly she remembered that the milk kept on the stove was boiling. Leaving Krishna on the floor she hastily rushed to the kitchen to attend to the milk. Krishna, who was not satisfied even after drinking milk for so long, was annoyed that she had left him suddenly”.
We often observe that infants seethe when their mothers leave them midway when they are enjoying being fed.
“Unable to contain his anger, Krishna, who was crying loudly, bit his reddish lower lip such that blood began to ooze from it”.
Unable to control anger some people bite their lips, some bite their tongue, while some clench or grind their teeth to the extent that they damage them. There are some who show their frustration by banging the walls and floor with their clenched fist. Some bang their head against walls. Through different ways people exhibit their anger.
“Taking the stone that was normally used to break jaggery, Krishna broke the pot of yoghurt”.
To pacify any infant who is frustrated or is throwing tantrums is a task that needs extreme patience and energy. It takes long for them to calm down. Dealing with infants in such a way that they do not get frustrated is the wisest approach. Children who are raised such that they do not throw frequent tantrums grow up to be peaceful and good-natured. Children who are abused such that they experience frequent bouts of anger, could turn out to be wicked and violent.
Nevertheless, Krishna’s anger should not be confused with these types of anger. Behind his actions there is always a valid reason.
“After breaking the pot of yoghurt, shedding pretentious tears Krishna went into another room and sitting in a corner ate the butter stored there”.
Whether he ate butter due to hunger or anger no one knows. It is also incorrect to wonder how a tiny boy could eat far beyond his capacity. He is the Lord who retains all the universes in his womb!
“Yashoda who went into the kitchen, picked the pot of boiling milk from the stove, placed it down and then returned to continue churning the yoghurt. She was surprised to see the pot broken. Realizing that it was the mischief of her son, she laughed to herself and began to look for him.”
Although Krishna had broken the pot and spilled the contents, Yashoda, considered it to be his childish prank and was not annoyed with him. She laughed to herself at this mischief.
“She looked for him nearby, but Krishna was not to be found. So, she began to search for him. Then, at a place, she saw Krishna happily seated on a mortar that had be placed upside-down. Sitting pleasantly in padmasana, he was happily feeding butter to a monkey”.
Having had his fill of butter, Krishna, who was sitting in a yogic posture was now engrossed in feeding the same to a monkey.
“Fearing that he would be punished for stealing butter, Krishna was surreptitiously watching his surroundings. Yashoda, who was holding a large baton in her hand, gently tiptoed and approached him from behind.
Krishna observed his mother who was standing behind him with a stick in her hand. Pretending to be terrified of being beaten, in great haste he jumped from the mortar and ran quickly. Great Yogis desire to fix their mind steadily upon Him but yet fail to obtain Him despite concentrated penance and meditation”.
Everyone desires to fix his/her mind upon Lord Krishna. Nevertheless, it is impossible to fix the mind steadily upon Him. Even great Yogis who have performed intense austerities find it impossible to retain to fix their mind exclusively upon Him. Retaining the mind exclusively upon the Lord is itself penance. It is Self-realization. Remember this always! Many times we hear discussions about understanding the Supreme Truth, of obtaining liberation and so on. Retaining the mind exclusively upon the Lord is itself the Absolute Truth. It is the real dharma. It is the true Yoga and real penance.
It is impossible to control the mind. Nevertheless, the moment the mind permanently fixes itself upon the Lord as a result of extensive penance, he/she obtains the fortune of having His vision.
It is impossible to describe the Supreme Lord who pervades through the creation. Although this entire creation is but the size of a tiny mustard seed, the truth is that this creation exists within Him alone!
Narayana