The Butter-Stealing Leelas of Yashodanandan / How did 2-year-old Balgopal Steal the Hearts of the Gopis? // 01/10/2026

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — to hear the full discourse, watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

Vrindavaneswari, your lotus feet, the nectar of love fills the heart, honeybee, remembering, the supremely cool, supremely cool, supremely cool, supreme consciousness, the embodied form of bliss love, new nikunj majesty, supremely pure Shri Vrindavan Dham, Shri Vrindavan Dham, the beloved of all the divine couples Shri Shyama Shyam, all the sakhi companions, birds, deer, animals, birds, trees, Yamuna the river queen, all Braj residents, offer millions of salutations, millions of bows. When worship joins the worshipper to the six waves, then their intensity, their power, removes itself from him.

If it has not removed itself by now, then surrender is not firm. The mind has not yet joined in worship. Shripad Prabodhanand Ji Maharaj is saying: Radha Madhav, in this Braj, the radiance of millions of moons is illuminated with the light of his eyes, liberated from afar, full of love, many streams and streams and mountain streams, serve, great joy in the play of shank bird and deer, sakhi, friend, O friend, if you sincerely place your mind in your Vrindavan Dham, take shelter in Vrindavan Dham, then Radha Madhav play in Braj, this earth where Vrindavan is situated, it radiates with the light of millions of moons, capable of making even crores of moons, because here Radha Madhav play, they sport here.

The worshipper who takes shelter in Vrindavan illuminated by the beauty of Shri Priya's divine form becomes liberated from these six waves. Whoever places their mind, sincerely accepts surrender and worships the Lord. The first is grief. Concerning any object, person, circumstance that is calamitous, that is destructive, that is harmful, the worshipper will have no grief in their heart. Even if the greatest wealth is destroyed or a beloved object is separated, they will have no grief. Or if the inner condition is not right, still there will be no grief.

Contentment is when the worshipper does not let anyone sense their inner condition. The inner condition may be very troubled, but outwardly they maintain a serious demeanor, remain indifferent. O heart, keep the mind's pain in the mind, for the mind conceals things. People will share everything. If you tell anyone of your inner condition, they will mock you, they will not help you, they will mock you. So even if the inner condition is not right, then Radha Radha Radha, maintain contentment in every circumstance and when the outer condition deteriorates, there should be no concern at all.

Today much loss has occurred. Tomorrow God will give such great gain that exceeds the loss many times over. In any circumstance, one devoted to the Lord should not grieve. They conquer these six waves. When will there be no grief? When obtaining any object, person, place does not bring you joy. If joy arose, then grief will come. If attachment arose, then aversion will come. If pleasure came, then suffering will come. There should be no joy—it is the Lord's will. Today there is a palace, yesterday there was not. Tomorrow there will not be. This is the cycle of creation. What is created is maintained.

What is maintained is also destroyed, and He does it. He is the doer. Therefore, whoever is surrendered, just as the magician's assistant Jamura knows every trick of the magician, is not affected by them. Similarly, the devotee knows every play of the Lord. Therefore they do not grieve. They do not rejoice. They are beyond joy and grief. Joy and grief and fear—not in the mind, O noble one, such a person's heart is occupied by me alone. How can a greedy heart hold wealth? Just as a devotee's heart does not feel joy, there is bliss. That bliss belongs to God; joy belongs to nature. Nature's status, nature's glory, nature's wealth, nature's pleasures, the natural person, the natural temperament—from these comes joy. And whoever experiences joy must experience grief. A devotee's heart does not feel joy.

Therefore their heart never experiences grief. The greatest position, the greatest wealth and prosperity—to the Lord, all this appears to be worthless rubbish. Because they are endowed with divine servitude. There is no station greater than servitude to Hari. Lord Shankara himself, to taste this essence, to embrace servitude, grasps the feet of Ram in the form of Hanuman. They are the teacher of servitude. O Vaishnava name, as much as possible, grief itself is destroyed from the devotee's heart. The second is old age, the suffering of old age. The devotee does not suffer from old age.

Because they are free from bodily attachment. Even in the most terrible suffering of the body, the Supreme Bliss Lord plays with them. They do not experience even a trace of suffering. In old age, in sickness, the various pains that come—these come to the mind, but the mind is immersed in the joy of the Supreme Conscious Lord. Therefore there is absolutely no suffering. There is pain but not the pain of pain. There is no anguish. There is suffering but not the suffering of suffering. Perhaps this can penetrate our understanding. There is suffering but not the suffering of suffering.

There is pain but not the pain of pain. Old age comes but not the suffering of old age, because they remain absorbed in the happiness of their beloved. The surrendered one and in old age when service is needed—how can I tell you, those who took shelter of the Lord were made to rest in the lap, not in a bed, they were made to rest in this way. Such is the hundred-fold joy in serving their people, many saints who spent their life in devotion—the Lord Himself in various forms serves them. A mother cannot give such affection, because all the affection of one mother, when added to the affection of infinite mothers, would be but a drop compared to the ocean of affection of our Lord, the one who is the shelter of the Lord.

If you are dependent on your sons, you may be lying in a room rotting and not get water, but if you are dependent on God, then a thousand hands are ready to serve you. When you have taken shelter in God, you do not experience any sorrow, and there is no anxiety in your heart about "what will happen now" in any circumstance. The arrangements come ahead of you, and at every step the Lord's love is spread before you. Our sinful deeds want to destroy us, but surrender to God bestows supreme happiness in every way. Sripad Prabodhanand Ji says: the sorrow of old age does not come to one who is in God's shelter.

And hunger cannot trouble them. For many years they had no food in their mouth, for many years they lived on whatever the village offered. There were apples, oranges, grapes, and bananas, though little of them. A farmer might give potatoes with jaggery. Sometimes if someone had milk, they would give a little milk. Many days passed like this—whatever was obtained, they drank Ganga water. For many years, many days went by without food, yet they were never discouraged, never missed home, never cried "Lord, why is this?"—nothing like that ever happened. With one aim—attaining God—the surrendered devotee conquers these six waves: hunger, thirst, old age, and death.

Not even a trace of moha (attachment) exists in their heart. They have love for all. They have no attachment to anyone. The display of attachment is performed. What you understand as attachment is their pure love. There is no such thing as moha in the hearts of saints. Through surrender to God, they have conquered these six waves: sorrow, attachment, old age, death, hunger, and thirst. The devotee of the Lord conquers all six. Therefore, conquer these six. When good food is before you, eat less. When you are very thirsty, try to hold back for a few hours. Hunger, thirst, old age, death, attachment, and sorrow—all these are overcome by the power of God.

Therefore, if a worshipper does not abandon the remembrance of God in any circumstance, then without effort they will conquer all six. Just as fear comes when we hear of death, we feel joy. We will embrace our Shri Ji. When this body falls away, we are not separate from them like Narad Ji—once a devotee told him that we are indebted to you because you have reminded us of our God Narayana. Where were we until now? We were in them, we were always in them. How can we say we are separate from our Beloved even for a moment? Without them, our very existence has no meaning. Without them, whether we are standing, sitting, walking, eating, or sleeping—waking, dreaming, or in deep sleep—whatever the teaching of the Acharya says, that alone manifests for the surrendered one. Whether you are awake, sleeping, or dreaming, the Maharani's grace never leaves your side. But in the external, obstacles do come, don't they? You are speaking with us, but speak only with them, only with them. No other form is before you. Speak only with them. Serve only them. So death brings fear, thinking "I will die." Why this fear? Because our loved ones will be lost. Our house will be lost, wealth and property will be lost, our beloved body will be lost. Or if we had not become dear to these in the first place, then there is no fear of death. Nothing is ours, and nothing is foreign either. Understand: nothing is ours, and nothing is foreign. Why? Because the Supreme Beloved Lord plays in all forms.

Therefore, nothing is foreign. And this form is not ours. Therefore, there is no attachment to it. So keep watch over these six waves: attachment, sorrow, old age, death, hunger, and thirst. Victory must be gained over them. If the worshipper conquers these six, they will conquer the next six: lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy. If victory is gained over these, then victory will be gained over the next six: the mind and the five senses of knowledge. The Lord is attained. Victory over the mind and the five senses of knowledge, victory over lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride, and envy—without deceit, without illusion, without fear, without greed, without shine, without hatred, no deception in their heart—in the hearts of such ones, Lord Raghu is manifest. Sripad says: the form and beauty of Radha Madhav shine in their eyes. Through various wondrous pools, rivers, mountains, creeping vines, shrubs, and trees, our Divine Couple plays with great joy amid birds, beasts, and deer. You will see it with your eyes. If you worship with surrender from the heart and keep your gaze on these six waves—"I must conquer these: sorrow, attachment, old age, death, hunger, and thirst"—they are restless and fickle. Krishnaya Vasudevaya Devaki Nandanaya cha Nanda Gopa Kumarya Govindaya Namo Namah. Just two years old and already surpassing even the youth in his leelas. Such are his plays. The two-year-old child is the life, the wealth, the entire Braj circle of the gopis, the honey-bee of the pollen of this blue lotus's love. Throughout all of Braj, word spread that Hari, the cowherd boy, in the company of friends, plays stealing butter, eating it. Throughout Braj, in every house, this news spread. The gopis say: see how Hari steals butter—as much as Shyam eats, he steals. As much as Shyam eats, the gopis call out: "Butter thief, spare this!" "Rope holder, tie him!" "I cannot bind him!" Throughout Braj, in every house, this news spread. The hearts of all the gopis of Braj have been stolen by Shri Lal, the Maharaj.

Whether old or young, in childhood or youth, truly Lord Krishna, the treasure of Braj, plays with the children of Braj. The gopis gathered in the morning time at the courtyard of Yashoda Maiya. How did this come to be, ji? Where is there any fault? Now making an excuse, brother, what is this in your house? Yes, we have seen this in your house too. And casting a glance—where is Nand Nandan, where? For some reason or other, on some pretext or another, crowds gather at the door of Yashoda Maiya to have a glimpse of the Lord.

Surdas says: the mind-enchanting, beautiful one has bestowed his splendor upon all. Whatever the gopis see, they offer their entire selves—body, mind, and life—to him. And how many years old is he? Two years old. Whether he is in the home, there is a gathering of gopis. By the Yamuna's sacred shore at the water's edge, there is a gathering of gopis discussing Sri Krishna. The playfulness of Sri Krishna, his sidelong glance, his gentle smile—all have stolen the hearts of the gopis.

One says, "Neelaman came to my house today and did such and such a leela." Another says, "He came to my house too and did such and such." Another says, "He came to my house as well." They all speak of such things. Another says, "He came to your house, but why didn't he come to mine? Am I so unfortunate that he will never come to my house?" Another says, "Friend, do not lose hope. He has incarnated to give joy to all of us Braj dwellers. He will certainly come to your house." One breaks curds by churning; everywhere the sound spreads. As she churns, she thinks, "The Lord has received great service from the cows.

I have made very sweet milk, very fine curds. I have made beautiful butter. Lord, please come, we shall hide, and you may enjoy the butter according to your wish. Play with your friends and companions. I shall watch you, and then I shall catch you and see your frightened form." Here the young one woke at dawn and saw that Maiya had lit lamps everywhere. He extinguished all the lamps and went to where the butter was stored in earthen pots. Contentedly he ate the butter and broke all the pots. Maiya felt great joy. She never grew angry. "My boy is becoming so playful. My boy is growing so strong."

*The sounding churn at dawn, the Lord entering with gentle steps, his lotus mouth savoring the fresh butter, little Krishna extinguishing the lamps, going inside and breaking all the pots, butter dripping from his small hands. Yashoda Maiya beholds this form and becomes blissful. The beautiful gopis gather together, ten or five at a time. They say to each other, "Sister, this boy Krishna's leela has stolen our very lives so completely that we understand nothing all day long." Another says, "He came to my house one morning." Another says, "He did not come to my house in the morning, but at dusk. It was twilight. Darkness had fallen over Braj. This Yashoda Nandan came to my house. His Shyam beauty—I stood as if bewildered, fixed in place. I saw him at the door and come inside, that much I could see. But then, friend, I know not what enchantment he cast on my eyes, that the door became Shyam Sundar, the wall Shyam Sundar, wherever I looked Shyam Sundar alone, Shyam Sundar appeared. Even to the extent that I saw Shyam Sundar in Delhi, in the courtyard Shyam Sundar, in the window Shyam Sundar, in the pillar Shyam Sundar."

And when I looked carefully, even my own sari was Shyam Sundar. I thought I had gone mad. Wherever I looked, there was only Shyam Sundar, Shyam Sundar. Everything became Shyam Sundar. There is some enchantment in this Yashoda Nandan. Then how could the gopis find Shyam Sundar?

*The cowgirls went to the temple at dusk in the dark of twilight, and there his dark form was found hidden. His splendor could not be perceived; his form and beauty could not be described. My body too became Shyam Sundar, my house too Shyam Sundar. Wherever I look, everything is suffused with Shyam. But there came into my heart a thought: if I light a lamp to search for him, where would he be? Taking the lamp, I went to the butter storage. At dusk, he was sitting there, and on his broad chest, while eating butter, tiny droplets. O, what beauty! Drops on the fair breasts—such beauty cannot be described anywhere, as if stars had fallen into the waters of the Yamuna.

The Yamuna-colored vast chest, the blue-hued form, and drops of butter like stars. I was completely lost in that vision.* The third gopi spoke: "Friend, listen to my story. I was engaged in my household duties. I heard that gentle sound of his ankle bells, and when I saw it was Yashoda Nandan, I became anxious about what he would do. I looked around and hid at the door. He went to the butter storage—he somehow knows where the butter is. He reached there, ate the butter, broke the pots, and emerged with butter in his small palm. I quickly caught his hand and gazed into his moon-like face. I wanted to say something, but I know not what enchantment those eyes cast, that I could neither call him mother nor scold him. I simply stood there like a stone, and my body began to tremble, and he smiled and laughed and said, 'Sister, are you going to take me to Maiya? There she loves me so much—O my Lala, will you eat butter? O my Lala, will you do this?' And when I ate butter here, you held my wrist so tightly that I shall tell Maiya. I thought, if I go to your house, eat butter, then you will be happy."

You grabbed my wrist so forcefully here without even showing me affection first. When I heard his sweet, honeyed words, my eyes began to overflow with tears. For a moment I felt as though I had drowned in an ocean of divine taste and beauty. The dark-complexioned, radiant beauty of Shri Krishna's face merged into my very soul. Is this Shri Krishna Chandra? He is truly an ocean of bliss. My eyes closed. The tears flowed. I could have wrenched my hand free and run away, but he just stood there, exactly as he was. I gathered my courage and opened my eyes again, and there he stood with his head bent, smiling with a sidelong glance - he is just a two-year-old child in the butter-stealing leela. Then I found the strength to speak. With my choked throat I said, "Shyam Sundar, you are saying that I grabbed your wrist. But I wanted to touch you. Truthfully, this is exactly what I wanted - that you would come to my house someday and eat butter."

"Alright, sit down. Let me avert evil from you and ward off any evil eye. Such a beautiful form should never be harmed. And you went to the old butter house. Let me bring fresh butter instead." I went to the new butter store. I took out a pot and brought it outside. I saw he had already fled. And since then my heart has been yearning.

When he took out the butter from the house, then he came, then laughing he gazed upon my face, he spoke sweet words, he deceived me with his playfulness.

"Sit down. Let me take an oath and bring curd, yogurt, and whey for dark Krishna, for the cowherds and the wise maidens of the household."

The fourth gopi said, "You have told your story, now listen to mine. It was midday. A cool breeze was blowing. I was sitting in the shade of an ashoka tree, thinking of him. Just then I saw Shri Krishna Chandra coming to my doorstep - completely composed, very serious. Then I noticed - he was not standing alone and quiet. He was waiting. With the mighty, resplendent divine companions - Virabhanu, Varuthap, Milind - these friends of God - he made a gesture, and one group arrived. From another direction he gestured, and Dama, Sudama, Kinkini, and other followers came. We saw he was not standing there seriously at all. He was calling for his friends. He gestured a third time. Subal, Arjun, Gandharv, Basant, Ujjwal, Kokil and other friends arrived. Then not a single moment passed in stillness - they all came and stood there. He gestured a fourth time. Madhumangal, Pushpang, Hans and all these friends came. Now with a slow gesture he moved toward the house.

I followed behind him, hidden. He moved with slow, measured steps - like a thief, cautiously looking around on all sides, moving slowly - what a beautiful sight the Lord was! Looking both ways, moving forward slowly, gesturing to his friends as they went - they reached the inner chambers. The gopa children and his friends were with him. The house was empty - only I was there alone, outside. Shri Krishna looked through the entire house. No one was there. All the friends freely entered the house where all the butter pots were kept. Taking butter from the blue-stone pots, they began to offer it to all the friends. He himself placed butter on his hands and applied it on each other's faces - they played and laughed, and with fearful eyes, with thief-like glances, they kept looking around cautiously.

In between, they would send the gopa child to keep watch at the door. With his head tilted, I watched from behind the pillar. Moving their eyes playfully, they enjoyed the butter. Giving it to all the friends. What can I say, sister? I was completely captivated by that graceful, three-fold bending posture of his. I was hidden, watching. Shri Krishna did not know I was there. So seeing such beauty, I became lost in bliss. A flood of joy overwhelmed me. Our hearts pulsated with the force of joy. Shyam Sundar's beautiful face, his eye movements, his thief-like glances - I have no power of speech to describe them.

That beauty and sweetness still dwell in my heart. I have become useless for any task. Like a picture drawn and placed, I sit in my house. I only meditate on that. The gopi's story had not ended when another gopi spoke and said, "Listen, listen - he takes less butter but steals more from our hearts. Beautiful one, prepare a seat nearby.. These all rest in our hearts. This is why the bhakti of we Brajvasis is the steadfast bhakti of relationship. God loved the Brajvasis more than his own life, loves them, and will continue to love them.

The gopis are discussing among themselves and are absorbed in this discussion, because the discourse of God is amrita - nectar. The katha amrita, the leela amrita, the charana amrita, the rupa amrita - all of these are nectar.

Yasmin sat-karna-payushya yashastirthvare srita shrota-rupa sparshya dhunte karma-vasana

One who drinks the discourse of the Lord through one's ears - all his accumulated karma is burned to ashes. The actions become fruitless. The prarabdha becomes powerless. There is great glory in the discourse of the Lord. The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the sages and seers - through the power of God, they grant all living beings the supreme abode.

What is the nature of Shri Krishna Chandra Ji? They will tell the complete story. From the doorway it became clear which room the butter was kept in and how he could take it and go. The beautiful women of Braj had not finished their story. They said, "You are all savoring the playful antics of Shri Krishna Chandra. He has incarnated precisely to immerse us in bliss. But even now, Mother Braj does not know. Mother Braj thinks he is very innocent. Come, let us all go. We will tell Mother Braj how clever he is, how playful, and how much mischief he causes."

Brajrani should also know how her Lala is doing. The gopi girls encourage each other, gathering courage to go to Brajrani and tell her. So one sakhi says, "Oh sakhi, why are you striking your own feet with an axe? Gopal himself gives butter to eat. Listen, sakhi, stay silent. Butter will smear the body. Gopal himself gives butter, oh sakhi. Why will you destroy your own joy? Maia will complain. Maia will not let Lala go out. This happiness will be lost. Oh, Gopal comes and eats butter in our house, spreads it all over his body. That beauty which brings us joy when we see it, you will destroy it all. Don't go. Stay silent. Don't complain. Oh, how much joy we get when we take him in our arms. When our eyes are burning with longing, when we hold his arm and press him to our heart, we see with our eyes and say, 'Come, let's go to Maia.' Then his heart cools our burning. The heat of endless births turns to coolness, oh sakhi. Don't go complaining. Don't do it." Some of the gopis said, "Don't go. We will go. We will tell Maia. He is causing so much mischief." And sakhi, by way of blame, you will see—at that moment, what transformation happens in Shyamsundar's form and beauty when Maia scolds him? How will he look then?

Brajeshwari is churning butter. In the sound of that churning, mixing with the sound of her ankle bells and small bells, the Lal is dancing. In every house, just like this, the bells and small bells are ringing, and the Lal is dancing. Yashoda Maia is churning butter. From the face of Shri Krishna Chandra flows a river of beauty. Yashoda Maia sees in between, the Lal is dancing.

The more Mohan dances, the more the sound swells like the churning wheel. The jingling of the bells moves with the dance. The golden bells on soft feet dance in natural sweetness with the play of delight. The pearl in the heart remains, looking and looking but words don't come. There is no comparison, oh! Gazing and gazing at the face of Nanda's son brings joy to the gods. The darkness of the heaven of the gods is dispelled. The mother is overwhelmed. Yashoda is devoted entirely. The Lal dances, and she churns butter.

Yashoda Maia was in complete surrender to the dancing, and the butter churning had finished, but his dance was still continuing, in that same overwhelming ecstasy of dancing.

Brajrani Yashoda Maia took fresh butter in her hand and went to give it to Nilamani. But at that moment, Nilamani was dancing. There was one image reflected in the jeweled pillar, and another direct reflection. Seeing this, Maia says, "This is Shyamsundar, this is Shyamsundar," and she stops. And the reflection is so beautiful that she cannot decide which one is real—this one or that one? The Krishna dancing in the pillar, so beautiful to behold. The Krishna in the pillar's reflection, the deer-eyed one gazing, the real Krishna confusing, holding the butter.

Which one should I give the butter to? Both are my dear Shyamsundar.

One is equally lifeless, one equally beautiful. She decided that the pillar is forgotten. This is Shyamsundar. Going forward with the butter.. Then the Nilamani laughed. "Oh Maia, you are giving butter to the reflection!" Maia came to her senses. "Oh, so you have your reflection in the stone pillar. My Lala, my heart has gone mad. Wherever I look, you appear to me everywhere, just you." This conversation between Maia and Lala was happening when many gopi girls came to blame and uplift her. But seeing the love between Maia and Lala, they all stood speechless. In Maia's hand is fresh butter, and in Lala's mouth is the reflection of it.

The gopi girls looked at each other. In such great joy, how can we complain? They all became weak, overpowered by love, because all are greatly blessed souls, having become gopis. Nilamani's gaze went—will all of us complain to you now? Meanwhile, Yashoda Maia said, "Oh come, sisters, come. How long have you been standing here? I didn't even notice you. Nilamani has made me lose my mind." The gopis were also absorbed in bhava samadhi. They had come to complain, but they looked at each other's faces. "You speak first." "No, you speak first." "Nobody is speaking." One said, "I bow to you, Yashoda Maia." Then she started speaking: "He is causing so much mischief. Look, yesterday we took him to the cowherd's place to wash him. Before the time of washing in the cowshed, as many calves as there were, he went with the friends and opened them all. All the milk was drunk by the calves. Not a single drop of milk was left. Now how can we tell you? Maia said, 'Take from here. Why are you upset? This is nothing. Why did you open the calves? Because if the calves were opened and drank milk, then we would all bathe the calves. Here he goes into the house and steals all the butter. And on that side, the milk is gone. Here, butter—Yashoda Rani, this big ascetic is sitting here pretending. He is very fickle.'" Maia is filled with bliss. Maia is filled with supreme bliss. Anger is also coming. My Lal is doing such things now. The Braj beauties complain early in the morning from the time of bathing. The gathering comes to the Nand Bhavan.

Groups and groups of the gopis complain about Shri Krishna Chandra. In Braj Rani's heart, maternal affection wells up. She picked him up in her lap. "Why, Lal? Why do you cause such mischief? Well, Maia, can I do such a thing? All of this is a lie. They only came to see me under the pretext of this. Maia, all of this is lies. Look, Maia, I am so small in your lap. How can I open the calves? How can I steal the pots?" Hearing Shri Krishna Chandra's words, the gopi women said to Yashoda Maia, "Oh Braj Rani, the feeling of motherhood is so vast and quick, a boy so clever, holding two forms and wealth, the play of mental actions, the play of actions, the character of the Lord's speech." Braj Rani, this Nilamani appears small to see, he is a boy, but he defeats even the adults. He has so much intelligence, so much strength, so much cleverness that it seems to us that in the future he will not let the people of Braj rest. Look, even now he is just a small sprout, just beginning to grow, with only two leaves, two little leaves, and he has already shaken the entire Braj. And when he becomes older, what will happen? She had hardly finished speaking when another gopi, laughing, said, "Yashoda Rani, I am not reciting poetry to you. Listen very carefully. This Nilamani and the Lord—look, look how he is sitting with his head bowed down."

She wanted to stop laughing but couldn't. Let me tell you—putting my finger to my lips—how naughty he is. You'll be amazed when you hear this. In so many homes throughout Braj, the cows haven't been milked for many days. He is so clever that in many cowheds, the milk hasn't been drawn for days. Going about with all his friends, at times when it's not time for milking, he releases the calves and makes them run. And when we get angry, he just laughs, claps his hands, and runs away.

Brijeshwari Shri Krishna Chandra looks toward her and smiles. She asks him through her speech, "Well, tell me—why do you do this, little one? What is your purpose in doing this?" Without waiting for an answer, he'll make up such a story that you'd think, "My little one is so innocent!" Yes, he is a thief—he steals hearts, he steals sins, countless stolen things. I bow to the thief of Braj. The Braj Queen laughed and said, "Sister, see—by all your blessings, we have received him. Never be angry with us. Whatever loss you've had, take double from our house. Only, never speak harsh words to our little one. We know you've suffered loss—take double from us. He is still a child, just a boy. Boys are playful by nature."

Hearing this, one gopi spoke up: "A child? He is a child. Nand's Queen, you don't understand. In your lap sits Bhola Baba himself. He has become a sadhu. This is no child. What has he done to you? My little one is so innocent. He eats butter and gains health—he doesn't trouble anyone. He doesn't eat the butter alone either."

He distributes it to the monkeys, gives it to his friends. Yashoda—how she tilts her shoulders and turns toward the gopis, smiling with a sidelong glance. There's nothing he can spoil. Let them complain as much as they want. Now the Braj Queen bursts out laughing. And, carrying him on her hip, she says, "Have you really become so playful? Shri Krishna has such innocent eyes. Mother, do you believe their words? Don't you believe me?" Yashoda said, "No, no, I believe you. I don't believe them."

"Don't you be upset. The mother can't believe that so many gopis would lie. He does such playful things." The Braj Queen said, "You haven't even heard about our house. Monkeys follow him about, and in whichever house he goes, he finds butter, milk, and yogurt for the monkeys. Some friends get some, the monkeys get some, and the ground gets some—he breaks everything and scatters it all over. The cowherd girls discuss all these matters. One gopi didn't know why the son of Nand was being complained about so much.

Listen, Mother—I'll tell you about that day. This one who looks like a great ascetic, calm and peaceful—when we asked him, "Why do you feed the monkeys?" he said, "They're my old friends." We asked him, "Old friends? You're only two years old. How can they be old friends?" He said, "Look, when Rama was alive, the monkeys worked very hard in the war. At that time, in the forest, there was only what was available—roots and fruits to eat. So I promised them then, 'Later, I will give you much happiness.' So they are also my friends. They are my companions. So now I feed my friends. Monkeys are our friends. Who knows what forgotten things he says! When I was a forest dweller, they served me greatly. Now I will serve them." Brother, he speaks like this—your sapphire sometimes says such things that I don't understand who this is. He's very clever.

One day I hung a pot very high in my house. Now he took the mortar from below, put a step on it, put his friend on the step, and jumped onto his friend's shoulder—and there he was eating! I was hidden in my house watching. When I saw he'd gotten some, fed his friends some, I went closer and said, "Nand Nandan, you're stealing!" At that, he gave me a look with those lotus eyes and said, "Why am I a thief? Why am I a thief? This is my own house. Isn't it?" I said, "It's not your house; it's mine." "Oh, then it's your house—I forgot. I thought it was my house." I said, "If you thought it was your house, then why did you need to do this? You could have just asked." "Oh gopi, don't you understand? I was hungry. I thought Mother would come and feed me, and I looked up and there were ants, so I thought I'd remove the ants first, and then Mother would feed me." "So ants reached all the way up that high pot?" "That's why I climbed onto the mortar and did this service—to get the ants out. There were so many, my hands got tired from removing the ants." "What happened to your hands there?" "The ants were coming down, so I got them out. There were one or two flies constantly buzzing around, so we did this and that, and it stuck." She said, "You're quite the thief!"

The Braj Queen is very clever. He is not simple. Another gopi said, "Sister, you've been tricked by the ant story."

Absolutely, the same thing happened in my house. I also hung it high on a shelf. I said, "What are you doing?" Someone said he was looking for a calf. He said, "I'm looking for the calf here." I said, "Yes, let me show you," and he pulled out a tiny calf figurine stuck in his waist—a toy calf—and said, "Look, it came out from your mat!" This calf was brought by our baba from Mathura, and mine had gone missing. I was sure it would be at your place, which is why I was searching. So look, from this pot came the calf. How can I tell you? When I saw this leela, I couldn't stop laughing. How could I be angry?

When his hand doesn't reach, he breaks a hole with a stick and then all of them drink peacefully. The third gopi said, "Yashoda Rani, listen to what happened in my house. I placed a pot of milk on a high shelf and tied a bell right next to the pot so that if he touched the pot even slightly, the bell would ring. And if the bell rang, I would catch him and bring him to you. This is a very unusual player. He stacked the churning stick on the mortar, the bench on the mortar, and his friends, and first he caught the bell and filled the bell with butter. After that he ate butter, but the bell never rang.

And I was sure the bell would ring if there was thievery. When he ate and drank and left, I thought he had come but the bell never rang. I looked and the whole bell was filled with butter. Now, if the bell is filled with butter, what will Nand Rani say?" After this, one gopi spoke: "We didn't even speak about butter. My matter was about fresh milk. Our grandmother was the mother-in-law back then, in those days the pots were old. You can give new pots, but these thoroughly worn pots—he broke them all. When I arrived, his mouth was full of milk. We said, 'You've stolen in our house! I'm going to catch you now,' and made a gesture. When I came closer, he sprayed all the milk from his mouth in my face. He ran away, I couldn't catch him. When all the milk falls in the eyes, who can catch him? With the force of that milk spray, my eyes were completely filled.

I couldn't see anything in my eyes. And right then he jumped and ran away." One gopi laughingly said, "Gop Sundari, Yashoda Ji, you're smiling." This is an old story. Neelamaṇi came to my house. He put his hand in the pot of butter. So we said, "Hey, who are you?" He said, "I'm Balrama's younger brother." "Then why have you come here?" In response he said, "If I don't come to my own house, then where will I come?" I laughed and said, "You're confused. It's not your house, it's my house," and he had his hand in the pot of butter. This gesture—gopi, forgive me—I thought it was my house. For a moment, let me think. Well, I went to play. I got hungry. Why should I wait for mother? So I was taking it. It's your house. I won't come again from now on. In this way, he creates such pastimes. The beloved younger brother creates leelas in the heart.

One Brajvasi woman said, "I tried every method and kept the butter in a dark room so he wouldn't find it. But I was shocked—he finds it by the fragrance. And there's another thing: he doesn't need light. His indigo-blue Neelamaṇi body is such that wherever he goes, light spreads before him."

The radiance of jewels, the host of jewels—what can all darkness do before this? After this, a young gopi spoke: "You're talking about jewels and ornaments, but the light in his limbs is such that it destroys the darkness of the heart. Never mind the darkness of the room."

One gopi said, "Yashoda Mother, first of all, his face is so charming with its smile. Second, his nectar-like speech. Third, when he bows his head and looks. Fourth, his limbs have such grace that all of us cowherd women, as many as we are, have all been enchanted.

So shall we tell you the complaint? We came to see. Yashoda Mother tells all the gopis: 'Please, sit down, enjoy the beautiful dishes and food with us.' One said, 'You mentioned food and dishes, so I remembered something. It was yesterday. We performed a ritual of worship at our house. We all offered food to the deity and closed our eyes. Just then, he came with his friends and started receiving gifts. I asked, 'Why, why are you taking the food offering of the deity?' He said, 'I'm the greatest deity. I'm the greatest deity and all are my lesser deities, my friends.'

I and the friend obtained your offering. Your wish is fulfilled. Brother, look, isn't what we're saying true?' She said, 'You became a deity. You insulted our deity.' 'Well, if I, such a great deity, am insulted, then friends, show him the consequences.' So all the friends said, go, to the place of worship—dust, leaves, and the little shrines, all the small friends. Yashoda Mother and contemplation, beautiful things, we threw dust and leaves and on the sacrifice altar and bathed it. This great deity was insulted. Friends, make him taste the fruit. The children held him, really held him, delighted him with fine dust.

I cleaned and swept and made a very beautiful courtyard with beautiful designs. The courtyard was very beautiful and complete. So they threw dust, brought leaves and threw them, and his friends even defecated there. Our entire deity was completely insulted. When the gopi was saying this, the Lord was in a very serious posture, fearing that Mother's stick might rise. So when he looks toward Mother, he immediately becomes straightened. When he looks toward the gopi, it moves. In this way, holding his posture, the Braj beauties described Sri Krishna's boyish playfulness. Inside, Mother was very pleased, thinking, 'My darling is doing something. He's growing. He's moving.' In this way, the women also see through their eyes. The Sri-faced one with the explanation, the meaning, the head, Nepal the lip. All the gopis are drinking from the beauty of the form of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.

Mother observed that Braj's beautiful gopis had become upset, and fearing some harm to her dear child, she offered food from the Lord's table to all the Braj gopis, applied tilak to them, adorned them with fragrant garlands, and with folded hands said: "What Mother has spoken is wonderful. Mother, please do not send any snake, do not let any harm come to our dear child. Do not curse this poor one who must depart. We have pleaded so much that our Indra Mani has become weary. Please do not curse. Do not think any harm to my dear child. Show mercy on this poor one."

"Let no harm come to my dear child—yet she does not know that her child destroys all harm. Who can harm him? The sentiment of maternal affection does not allow divine love to arise. In maternal affection, my dear child is there. Do not curse me, poor as I am. Whatever I have damaged, say it yourself—I have not caused you sorrow in any way. O gopis, do not speak of any harm to my dear child. Whatever you wish, we have never refused you—take all you wish. If anyone has suffered a loss, take double. Take the pot of milk, lay it in the courtyard, and measure it out. Whatever you desire, take it all. Surdas—the Lord, dear to us, is not separate even for a moment, as a son receives through past merit."

Kanhaiya—such a dear child comes through great fortune. Yashoda Mother satisfies all the gopis of Braj. She pleads with everyone: never let any harm come. At once, take double from us, but never speak of any harm. Great joy and auspiciousness are flowing. The second anniversary is being celebrated. At dawn, early this morning, roll in Gokul, joy and auspicious sounds. The drums—beautiful, beautiful drums are playing. Mridang, veena—for dear Lal, the anniversary! Ah, the Lord is there—where he is, there are all eight perfections, all treasures swaying. The Braj women have emerged, beautiful in their ears. The anniversary comes, the rains come. They sing auspicious songs. Sweet melodies, the tones of heavenly music. Joy and great delight. Gold-set jeweled vessels shine. The grandfather showers flowers there for the Lord to meet him. The anniversary comes, his beauty shines, piercing the hearts of the divine beings. The Braj gopis' crowd comes, adorning the Lord.

The anniversary festival is celebrated with great ceremony. Brahmins are worshipped, guests received, worship performed. The entire household feasts. Yashoda Queen and Nanda Baba do this together. They seat the child, tell him not to go play—today is your anniversary. After feeding everyone at noon, now Nilmani wants to go play. "Until now I have been confined to the house as if imprisoned. It was very difficult to stop him. Yashoda Mother knew the child was very restless and would run away. So she gathered an entire army of maidservants so he would not leave. 'Today is your anniversary. Mother will give you affection. I will bring you a peacock from Mathura—a golden, jewel-studded peacock to play with. You will dance it. Then I will give you a cowherd too, also golden and jewel-studded. You sit quietly and play with this first. Today is your anniversary.' In this way, through temptation, Nilmani was held back."

Now understand this: a two-year-old child's stealing? The Lord of truth-consciousness is, in two years, providing great joy to all the Braj gopis of the entire Braj mandal. Is this stealing? What knowledge has a two-year-old child? The Lord performed the butter-stealing leela at the age of two. Now Lord Shri Krishna saw that the guards had become weak. The midday meal was finished. Breaking through the fence, near the door, the cowherd friends who were waiting—they ran, and the Lord played with them. "Where has Nanda's son gone?" Yashoda Mother became anxious.

"Listen, let no disaster happen. Today is the anniversary. Sometimes in excessive affection, there is fear." Shri Krishna is the teacher of all pastimes. So he went to a cowherd woman's house. Which cowherd woman's house? In the anniversary celebration, everyone had come. There was a newly-married bride. She had been told to stay in the house, not to go. This new bride, having just arrived, was weeping: "Nanda's son, until now we have not seen you properly. How are you? I thought the anniversary would be an occasion to see you today, but all the family members left and abandoned me in the house." She sat inside, while he jumped and leapt about with his friends. They went to that same gopi's house. How compassionate he is! He entered the house and said, "O bride, where are you?" She was thinking of Krishna and weeping: "The anniversary would give me the chance to see you fully, but the family left me alone in the house and went away." "Listen! This voice—" "Like nectar—" She turned and saw his feet with jingling anklets, a small dhoti, one arm resting to the side, his chest adorned with garland-strings. Because of the anniversary celebration, a peacock feather on his crown, a flute at his side, tilted sweetly. She whose meditation he was—he himself came to her house. Imagine—how much joy, how much joy must she feel! She was meditating to meet him; the Lord himself came! See how the Lord gives joy to his devotees.

All the friends stood at the door with hands on their hips in a graceful tribhang pose, like they had wounded her and struck her with arrows, giving her his desired Krishna in her own home. She wondered: Am I dreaming or is this true? The gopi could not decide if she was awake or in a dream state. I was only thinking of him—was that thought not mine? Just then Shri Krishna said, "Why, beloved? All came home for the anniversary—why didn't you come? You didn't come to my house for the anniversary." Now the cowherd bride was convinced that this was not a dream—she was truly seeing him face to face.

Then laughing she spoke, "You're not listening. Tears are flowing from her eyes, and she said that her family members did not let her go. Everyone else is there, but I am kept here to guard the house."

Shri Krishna Chandra went near and held her hand. It is only her second year now, and her family was celebrating this anniversary. The joy of the divine touch entered her heart, and she kept saying, "I don't know what a great celebration my Maiya arranged for me, again and again. Oh, won't you give me something for my anniversary celebration? What a blessed moment this is! Oh, there's a delay, and she's not answering anything."

He is laughing. Now she gently held Shyamsundar's hand and said, "Let go. Okay, if you can't give me anything, let me go and play."

The gopi held Shyamsundar tightly, and perhaps she wanted to embrace him from her heart. But this clever one made such a move with one hand and grabbed the pearl necklace on her chest and broke it. All the pearls scattered on the ground.

The gopi came to her senses. She let go of Shri Krishna's hand to gather the pearl necklace. The gopi managed to pick up a few pearls and place them on her veil.

She watched Shri Krishna run away. She was thinking that in all this commotion over the pearls, she had lost the jewel—how much boundless joy she was receiving! Now she thought that if she kept this matter hidden, it would not be right. Since he broke her pearl necklace, she should get an opportunity to go to Nand's house and complain.

So this gopi, who was leaving the anniversary celebration, went there and approached Yashoda Maiya and said, "Maiya, I have come to complain that today your Lala broke my pearl necklace. I was sitting alone. He came, held my hand, and then broke my pearl necklace. Normally I wouldn't come to tell, but because of this family matter, I have come to complain."

Maiya said, "When he comes, I will scold him. You take my pearl necklace," and she removed it and gave it to her. The gopi was delighted. What are those pearls from the merchant compared to Yashoda Maiya's pearls! She was thrilled in every fiber of her being and left.

When Maiya came and Lala arrived, she asked, "Why did you break her pearl necklace?" She had to give her own pearl necklace to pacify her.

Lalaji said, "Then I will farm pearls."

For your necklace, Maiya said, "Yes, you will farm them. I will show by farming."

One day a pearl merchant who sells pearls came to the young Lala. Lalji ran to him. The merchant set down his box and looked at the mansion. "Oh, this Lala is from a very great household."

He said, "Show me pearls. I want to buy them." The merchant looked and thought, "What should I do? The boy wants pearls. Will he farm pearls? But does pearl farming exist anywhere?"

"Father, I want pearls." Seeing the royal mansion, the merchant thought, "Such profit! I should make in this one sale what I would normally make selling throughout the whole village." He looked at the boy, looked at the mansion, and quoted a very high price for the pearls.

The merchant said, "Pearls are not that expensive. Come on, take these away. There are heaps of pearls here. This is just a boy." "Move aside. No, father, I want pearls."

The boy moved aside.
Nirakha nain rujho man mohan ratat dehu kar barbar.

The merchant looked at Nand Nandan with unwavering eyes and took out a beautiful pearl and said, "If you want to pay the price, I am asking for millions. Otherwise, I can give it to the boy for free. Either way, if you don't pay the price, the boy will be hurt, so I will give it to him for free."

The greatly-blessed boy was delighted and thrilled. She placed one pearl in his small palm.
Dirgha mol kaho vyapari rahe the ghe sab kautuk har kar parle raakh rahe hari de tan mukta param sudhar.

The merchant said, "This is quite a trickster. Pearls aren't worth that much. No, I will take this one."

The merchant gave the gift. Lalji Maharaj Gokulanath went into Yasumati's courtyard. "Maiya, that gopi took your necklace, didn't she? Look, I have brought a pearl and today I will farm it."

Maiya said, "Okay Lala, bring the soil from the banks of the Yamuna." The boy played along as if content and did so. Regarding that soil and the pearl, Maiya said, "Okay, this will sprout."

Maiya understood it was play. Laughing, Yasomati Mata said to Mohan, "He doesn't know the matter. He does this—with one resolve he creates infinite universes."

"Maiya, that gopi took your necklace. I will make such a necklace of pearls that will grow by themselves."

In that Braj, he planted one pearl. "Maiya, bring Yamuna water."

Maiya brought Yamuna water. He poured it on the pearl like that and said, "Sprout."

"Sprout? Oh Lala, do pearls sprout? Is it grain?" But she saw that the pearl had sprouted! The pearl sprouted. After a while, two leaves appeared. After a while, it became a small plant. Then huge branches grew. The entire courtyard was filled with nothing but pearls.
Kartum akartum anyatha kartum jitni manjriya sab mein sundar ras.
Ras ke moiti shaakha patr bhae jal melt fult phart na lagi bar.

Yashoda Maiya was amazed on seeing this. She said to the merchant, "Look, look! The boy has created a pearl plant!"

O eternal, indestructible, Sat-Chit-Ananda! By whose gesture the sun and moon are illuminated.

The God under whose control death itself lies—what can He not do? What is impossible for Him? The one who created infinite universes in a single instant is that God. [The text here appears corrupted in transcription] The supremely skilled Sat-Chit-Ananda Lord Shri Krishna, whom Mother Yashoda considers her baby. He is all-pervading in dharma, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation—the master of all these, and that is why He is God. Don't consider anything impossible or surprising for Him. By the play of His eyebrows, creation and dissolution happen—the infinitely powerful Lord.

Father came—"Mother, my dark beloved, my baby! Oh my Lala, my Lala—how mighty He is! Nothing but pearls, just pearls!" Lal Ji shook the tree and pearls fell scattered on His yellow garment. And He said, "Mother, look—these are not fake, they are real! He made a garland from them and said, 'You wear it.'"

The world is His play; it appears and disappears as He desires.

The gopis recognized the real pearls, and Nanda Baba and all the gopa boys recognized them. The Lord distributed pearls to everyone, to all the Braj residents. And then He said, "Mother, your garland is now complete." After that, He said to that pearl tree, "Now be still, be still—finish." And just like that, the tree vanished. Only pearls remained scattered in the courtyard.

In Braj, the young maidens, Nanda Baba, Mother Yashoda—they don't know the secret. The gods, humans, sages, and Brahma himself cannot fathom this. Surdas sings of this divine play of the Lord. The women of Braj cry out in amazement. All the girls of Braj placed those pearls in their garlands, saying, "These were manifested through our Nanda's son." Mother Yashoda also saw this with her own eyes. Thus the childhood pastimes of God are happening. The rest of the story continues. Glory to Shri Radhavallabh Lal.

This text is from the auto-generated captions of the video—there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic words.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)