Bal Gopal's Braj Dust Consuming Leela / Ukhal-Bandhan (Damodar) Leela // 04/10/2026

Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj's satsang — see the video above to listen to the complete discourse.

Complete Discourse

O Vrindavaneshwari, your lotus feet are filled with the nectar of divine love, fully complete. O Lord of the Bees, remembering you removes all sorrow. Supreme coolness, O Mother, supreme coolness. O Mother, supreme consciousness, bliss incarnate in the form of divine love, in the new nikunj's glory, most sacred Sri Vrindavan Dhaam, Sri Vrindavan Dhaam, the beloved of Sri Vrindavan Dhaam, the worshipped life, the beloved divine couple Sri Priya Pritam, who are adored by all the sakhi maidens, birds, deer, animals, birds, trees, the Yamuna the queen of waters, the dust the queen of dust, all the residents of Braj and their retinues, countless prostrations, countless bows, countless salutations to Priya Pritam Ji. By their immeasurable grace, the soul is given time to worship. But maya entangles us so much in its web of illusion that we don't even have time to chant the name or think of the Divine. Our entire lives are wasted in worthless talk, worthless entertainment, and worthless deeds.

There are some fortunate ones who respect the Divine's grace and decide to attain God in this very life, to free themselves from the cycle of birth and death. Enough wandering—now I must attain the eternal consciousness. This is rare, one in millions. Going to temples, accepting some form of worship of the Divine—this may be found. But even in that there is desire: may this work of mine be completed, or may God protect me, and so on. But true sadhana for attaining God—very few do this, one in millions. And among those who teach, very few indeed have the goal of attaining God.

They don't teach to gain wealth, honor, name, fame, and reputation—all this is great illusion. A rare few take refuge in the pure path to God and wish to attain Him. This is why Shripad Prabodhananda Maharaj is saying: "I have destroyed myself, I have destroyed myself with these senses, with this mind. My time has been wasted." Tell me, all of you sitting here—you who are 30, 40, 50 years old—what have you gained so far? When will death come? Do you know? Have you gained any victory over death? You don't know when, in what moment, in what form the event of death will come and separate you from this body.

Then you cannot practice sadhana. In any of the 8,399 wombs you cannot practice attaining God. You cannot gain the fortune of freedom from the bonds of action. You cannot destroy your accumulated karma, your destiny karma, and your current karma and attain God. What have you gained? Your bank balance—how much money will you take from here? Not a single coin. What have you gained from this world? Your family, your relatives, your loved ones—your body is not yours. Then why do you take pride in false ego?

"All this is mine. Everything is under my control." But your body is not under your control. You cannot even hold back a single hair on your body. You are so enslaved, yet you think yourself free. Whichever sense desires, it makes you a slave and makes you act accordingly. You think yourself a hero. I have destroyed myself. To be free from the slavery of the senses and mind, human life exists. This is why he is saying:

he Vrindavan nav nikunjeshwari kripam kuru
O Vrindavan, new nikunj's sovereign, grant me grace

O Vrindavaneshwari, O sovereign of the new nikunj, O sovereign of the rasa, O my divine Mother, O beloved Radha, now grant me grace. In my helplessness, weeping, caught in worldly dealings, I am crying again and again that I don't have the strength to escape from this swamp of maya and worldly illusion. O beloved, have mercy on me, grant me the chance to worship you.

May my taste in the name of Radha increase. May my life be filled with enthusiasm to attain my Beloved. Grant me grace, free me from attachment. I am crying so much saying this, weeping, O compassionate One, O merciful divine Mother, have mercy on me. Caught in worldly dealings, my entire life has been spent. I have gained nothing. Now only tears remain. O gracious One, O merciful divine Mother, have mercy on me.

trikalam shri vrinda vipin vrindach namaskriti naam sarvang kur cha pur tat prem valita
Three times daily to Sri Vrinda's forest, Vrinda, prostrate with all limbs, filled with divine love

Whoever lives in a distant land and has joy in Vrindavan, and prostrates with all eight limbs toward Vrindavan, who bows fully toward Vrindavan, then by the grace of the great Queen, three times—morning, noon, and evening—with full prostration toward Vrindavan and with this prayer to Sri Ji: "Grant me the taste for worship, give me time," the beloved will fulfill his life. This is what Shripad Prabodhananda Ji Maharaj is saying.

First, we accept that we have committed sins, we have made mistakes. I have destroyed myself. Yes, O Vrindavan, O sovereign of the new nikunj, grant me grace. O Vrindavaneshwari, O sovereign of the new nikunj's pleasures, O Shyama, have mercy on me. I have destroyed my life. Helpless, weeping, I am crying today. I have spent my life only in worldly dealings, never embraced spiritual purpose. Now the solution is being given: yes, call out "Vrindavan" three times—morning, noon, and evening—bow toward Vrindavan and see your own faults, knowing that I have made mistakes, cry to Sri Ji, pray to Sri Ji. Sri Ji will fill his life with divine love, completing it with Her own love.

Oh, the weeping, the shedding of tears, rolling in the dust of the earth, eyes flowing with streams—what happens then? If you cannot reach Vrindavan in this body, you will be brought to Vrindavan in a divine body. Because you have taken refuge in Vrindavan and called out to Radha, Radha—you have chanted the naam of Radha—and if by good fortune you gain the opportunity to dwell in Vrindavan even in this body, what kind of love awakens! The one who weeps, who gives away everything, who rolls in the dust of Vrindavan's earth, whose eyes stream with tears at every step—in Vrindavan's soil they roll, weeping in a loud voice: "O my beloved! O my beloved! O dark one, O Krishna! O shameful one! Shri Vrindavan! The sorrow of separation spreads outward. Here is Vrindavan—why do you keep me so far away?" And in that separation they writhe. "O Vrindavan, when will you show mercy so that I may dwell in you? So that I may hear satsang every day, see darshan every day, perform naam kirtan of your name, and remain immersed in you at every moment?"

When one pines in the sorrow of Vrindavan's separation, they become blessed—both their lives become blessed. There is a Vrindavan vasi who worships Shri Ji all eight watches of the day. Vrindavan fills such a one with so much love that rolling in Vrindavan's soil, crying "O my beloved, O my dear"—what a state that is! Only one whose heart is illuminated by it knows. All the limbs become weak. It seems one should not see anyone, no one should speak. Just recently we were saying to some sadhaks: "My friend, the Lord's leela is very mysterious.

Those who have time cannot focus their mind on bhajan. And those whose mind wants to be immersed in bhajan are not given time. It is a very strange game of the Lord's. When one in Vrindavan's separation—one who lives outside Vrindavan—bows three times to Vrindavan with full prostration and meditates on the beloved and the Lord, the sorrow of Vrindavan awakens in their heart. Such a one's fame spreads all the way to Brahmaloka.

That is, even Brahma bows to them. Such a one attains the love of the beloved. This Vrindavan that stands on earth is the wish-fulfilling tree itself. Whatever you desire, you will receive it. Serve Vrindavan. If continuous dwelling is not possible, then when you get a day off, when you find time, come away for one night or two nights. See Vrindavan. Circumambulate it. Sit in the dust of Shri Ji's lotus feet and perform naam kirtan. Chant the naam. Stay even for one or two days. Do not commit any offense. Some people have the notion that the rickshaw drivers here harass people.

The priests and pujaris here harass people. They harass you. What harassing do they do? How would you know? That person drives a rickshaw all day. After that they are making Vrindavan their dwelling, maintaining their family. How expensive a time it is, and this is the most expensive place. If that rickshaw driver earns two or four hundred, makes Vrindavan their dwelling, performs bhajan with their family—do you look on with a fault-finding eye? How do you know? The people of Braj have no fields. Not everyone has a business. How do they sustain themselves there? How would you know?

Come now—see God in these Braj children. These ones who are dwelling in Braj. If your rupee gets spent a little more, consider it support. These ones who are in service to God are showing you the darshan of the sacred place. What do you understand? They live day and night in the Lord's dhaam. They serve the Lord. They sing the glory of the Lord. Earn fifteen hundred rupees in fifty days and sustain their family. Look in your own heart at the dishonesty—you commit dishonesty worth lakhs. You commit sins. Then you do not feel guilt. But when you go to the dhaam and pilgrimage sites and someone overcharges you ten or twenty rupees, you see everyone as fraudulent.

You see everyone as guilty. Come now—put your mind right. Dwelling in Vrindavan is difficult in delusion. These people are bringing their entire family and making Vrindavan their home. One is mopping. One is driving a vehicle. How are they dwelling in Vrindavan? With great hardship. What do you understand? The people of Braj—whenever we went to their homes begging, their whole life has been lived in begging. You might eat dry bread—the Baba does not have ghee-spread bread. We have seen this. And in those pujaris' homes, those who have served for many days became servants and showed darshan. "O Baba, wait a moment, let us get some sweet prasad from the Lord."

How do you know? Hundreds of saints are sustained by your money. If one rupee more reaches them, they serve the saints. So our prayer is: do not look on the dhaam-dwellers with a fault-finding eye. If someone is arguing with you, asking for one rupee more, give it to them. If you do not have it, fold your hands and request humbly: "Brother, I had twenty-five, here are twenty-five—let me go now on your blessing." There is no need to argue. There is no need to criticize. If a doctor takes one lakh rupees, no one complains. But when you come to the dhaam and pilgrimage site and your sins are being destroyed, if someone takes ten, twenty, or fifty rupees more, you will go away from here and slander—in one word you will slander the priests and pujaris of Braj and destroy yourself. Do you know what you are doing? There are such priests of the Lord—tears flow day and night from their eyes. We have seen such ones. You have seen one or two incidents and are judging with such a fault-finding eye. No, you cannot understand. This is the land where even great rishis and munis cannot understand. Do not try to understand Vrindavan's leela. A guru once came—here the rishis and munis went and stood defeated. "Radhe, Radhe"—one great bhajan-blissful saint was chanting when he came to Braj. He called out for alms. Two children were eating khichdi from a plate. They took the khichdi from the plate and said, "Take it, Baba." He said, "This is spoiled—did you come from outside?" He said, "Yes, did you understand? I came from outside." He went away and returned with a fruit, offered it to him, and said, "Forgive me, Baba." His bhajan stopped, his meditation stopped, and great lamentation arose.

What is this? Where was the offense? Upon searching, it seemed—what fault have the Braj dwellers committed? What? A great soul was deeply moved by God. They were true saints. Greatly moved by God, they prayed. "Lord, where is the fault?" Then in meditation it became clear—Krishna and Balaram were being served on a plate. Mother Yashoda was serving them. Here, every Braj child is the form of God. The next day they went and said, "Give me alms." They said, "Bring me fruit, dear one." They said, "Not fruit. Where is that boy? I want his leftovers." Oh no, sir, you are a great ascetic, a pure saint. We Braj dwellers—our mother—please forgive us.

Falling on their knees, pressing their foreheads to the ground, then when they received those leftovers, that is when the worship began. The venerable Pandit Gaya Prasad Ji Maharaj, the saint of Giriraj, used to say: "Wherever five or ten Braj children are playing, take the dust from their feet, put it on your forehead. Among them, someone's beloved is playing, someone's beloved little Krishna is playing. Believe truly, toward these Braj dwellers, toward the dwellers of the sacred place—as much as is possible, we say to you: keep a faultless attitude. Think a little positively. You have come to the Lord's sacred abode—let go of negative thinking. Yes, we speak truly to you. We bow to these rickshaw-wallahs. After serving—singing the Chaurasi, doing all the service—then for two or three hours they pull the rickshaw, then in the evening they sit for the reading of the vani. The deity in the home is their service, and with whatever hundred, two hundred, five hundred rupees they receive, their whole family is maintained. Do you know how expensive it is to live here? Those who come here and stay—they know how expensive it is. This is the most venerable place in the world. Here, someone opens just a small shop and the whole family runs on it. How much profit will they make? Now, it's not as if they can sell something that costs 10 rupees for 50. No, the price is written, and it's written with just a few rupees marked up, so they will only sell at that price. So it seems to us that when we come to the sacred place, first let us prepare our minds that we will not find faults in anyone. We also don't say that the sacred place is filled only with saints and sages. Those who have transcended the three qualities—rajas, tamas, and sattva—they are the dwellers of the divine abode. And those who are within the three qualities, they are seeing the play of the natural abode. So in the natural sphere, there is desire, there is anger, there is greed, there is delusion.

Protect yourself and protect them as well. If you feel that someone is not right, abandon their company at that very moment. We don't say that all saints are by nature saintly. But as much as possible, keep an innocent attitude, and where it appears that there is deception and trickery, bow in reverence. Protect yourself, protect them. Don't speak ill of them and remove yourself from them. Keep distance. Very carefully consider this—it is the Lord's sacred abode. Without the Lord's beloved, without the grace of Sri Ji, who can come here? Without the grace of Sri Radhika, all are bound in the snare of birth and death.

For this reason, keep a faultless attitude toward the dwellers of the sacred place. This is our prayer. Protect yourself. Protect yourself. Don't speak ill of them. Don't punish them. This is the land of love. When the great Lord Chaitanya Deva would send someone to this sacred place, he would say: "Toward the Braj dwellers, keep the attitude that they are God Himself." When you go to ask for alms, if a Braj dweller wears sandals, don't think that the sandals are holy—they are the form of God. For this reason we speak: mostly outsiders come to the sacred place and develop such thoughts, so we are trying to correct that attitude, because your welfare will be interrupted.

Go to their homes. There is no home that doesn't have the deity. The Braj dwellers tend to the deity with such tenderness. We have gone to the homes and seen this. Mira Ji is saying: "In every home the tulsi and the deity receive service and worship—O mother, I am entranced by Vrindavan. In every home the deity receives service." The money you spend goes to the worship of the deity, the service of the saints, the service of the Lord, the nourishment of the family. This Pandit Ramakrishna Baba—when an outsider would bring him something like fruit or some preparation, he was a very accomplished saint. Now he would say, "I have a great longing to offer fruit to Baba." So he said, "Take these fruits and give them to Baba in the homes of these, these Braj dwellers." The next day he went and gave that same fruit. Now a disciple says, "Baba, this is the same fruit you gave back yesterday." He said, "It has become nectar received through the Braj dwellers." Once a large quantity of food was brought to Baba. Baba sent it back. Then another time a Braj dweller brought it, and Baba accepted it with reverence. The dust from the feet of the Braj dwellers, the leftovers of the Braj dwellers, the blessings of the Braj dwellers—we speak from the heart: you will receive supreme benefit. Never find faults in the Braj dwellers, in the dwellers of the Braj region. In their harsh words and speech, the accomplished saints have written treasures.

Their calling out is a calling unto Him. "Hey! Oh Baba, listen!" You will think they speak very harshly. The venerable Maharaj Ji here does not speak like that. They are Braj dwellers. "Hey! Oh Baba! No matter how great the accomplished saint, 'Come, take, take the bread!' They speak like that and then they quickly bow—'May the beloved bless you! May Bihari bless you!' Oh, how can we tell you—in every fiber of our being, the Braj dwellers are our deity. Our Master says: 'Even if I served you for ages, even if I took many births, still, O people of Braj, O gopis, we cannot equal you. By your grace, grant us—' We have attained servitude to the Braj dwellers. If you ask the truth truly, in one word we'll say: We are slaves of the Braj dwellers.

They are our beloved deity. We are their servants. Going to beg alms—"Oh Baba, I don't know if I'll get anything today." Sit quietly, you'll receive it. Sit quietly. One day you don't go, the next day—"Oh Baba, you didn't come yesterday." Such is their love, as if they were a close beloved, a family relation. All your life you might not ask about them. This is the Braj dweller. For this reason we say to you: what you are hearing today, what you are seeing today, what benefit you are receiving—in this body, in this blood, is the salt of the Braj dwellers, the food of the Braj dwellers. By the strength of that, we speak to you from the heart: These are lovers of Sri Krishna. Behold their glory.

Do not criticize them. Whatever wealth of yours goes away will go away in some form, but it will always be auspicious. Your destruction cannot happen. Therefore, the prayer is: come to Braj. Never look for faults in anyone. And if you can, serve the Brajwasis. Think of it this way—if you have touched the feet of one Brajwasi, you have done the puja of a hundred saints. Oh child, he carried the padukas—the very padukas that even the Lord of countless universes, the ruler of all creation, keeps on his head and carries. Listen to the tales told by that Brajwasi. That Brajwasi and this one—there is no difference. Whoever makes a difference between them remains caught in that difference.

Do not think of the Brajwasis as ordinary. They have done great tapasya, great bhajan, and only then have they become Brajwasis. Great acharyas have offered their pranama to them. Great acharyas have said: "Taking refuge at the feet of every bird, animal, and creature." The beauty of Vyasasvaini in the palace, jai. The Lord of lila, Shri Brindavan's son, Yashoda's son, Shri Lal—the Maharaj whose sacred and pure lila gives bhagavat by merely listening to it. It is the early morning time. Mother woke Shri Lal Maharaj and fed him first.

Makhana is mixed, Lal Maharaj had slept through the night. She washed his face and fed him, then said, "Come, let us bathe." So Shri Lal Maharaj, like a small child, went for his bath. He did not just stand; he sat down for the bath. Mother brought a little golden pitcher of suitable water quietly and poured it from above while he sat on a stool. Just as a small child does—it is very beautiful. His curling locks, the stream of water from the golden pitcher that Mother pours, his eyes, cheeks, shoulders, and belly are all being bathed. Shri Krishna Chandra was bathed with just one pitcher—because he ran away. Then Mother caught and brought him back. "Now I will not pour. I will not pour water, but at least let me ask: your body is wet." She then dried Shri Lal's delicate body with very soft cloth. One little pitcher of water caused such trouble. And the same one who split through the great waters and went into the netherworld, holding the entire earth on the tip of his teeth in the form of the Varaha, brought it back. This is what makes him unique. No other is like this. Splitting through the immeasurable waters with his tusks and holding the earth, with one blow he gave the supreme position to Hiranyaksha. The mighty Hiranyaksha, against whom no one in the three worlds could fight. After bathing, she dried his limbs and then adorned him.

Ati saras basan tan poche, lekar mukh kamal angoche. He is so beautiful in his child form. Now, the more bhajan you do, the more that bhava will come. If you close your eyes, you will see darkness. No—do bhajan. Whether your eyes are open or however you wish, that same beauty, that same lotus feet—have that feeling. Now she dressed him in garments: yellow cloth, the peetambar, a little shirt, a small dhoti, a girdle, anklets—jingling, jingling. There are little bells on the girdle too. Mother puts collyrium in his eyes. He has very large eyes.

Do drig bhar deeno bhoo, charu chakhota kino. She puts a tilak so no evil eye falls. She adorns him with ornaments. She dresses him gradually, holding his hand so he won't run away. "Now play a little." She finished adorning him and said, "Lal, do you have a taste for food? Come, various dishes are ready." And here is the special thing: Mother does not have any maidservant make it. The shastras say there are maidservants.

In fact, the padmagandhia and others who serve Shri Lal—Mother gives them food herself. She is their maid. She herself curdles the yogurt. She herself churns the butter. The servants and maids whom Lal likes, she does not even let them touch him. For Lal, the food is already prepared. This is the essence of seva. As long as there is life in the body, do not have anyone else serve your own body, nor have anyone serve your Lord. Amarish herself, with her own hands, does the wiping, does the anointing—this was in the protection of Sudarshan Chakra. If seva to the Lord were done by giving money, the Lord would just give more money.

The Lord is not obtained that way. Understand the matter. Vishvapati, Vishvambhar, the Lord—Yashoda Mother held his hand, spread out a beautiful seat, set out a low stool in front, arranged it all very delightfully. Ta sath mirich ruch nayi, d doodh bara darori so khat amrit ek kori. D yah murabba yah amuk sut saras jalebi bori. This sweet, juicy jalebi. Ye ras bhari jalebi ji, jeevat ruchi na thori. Lal khurma, beautifully arranged. Te paras dhare hain nyare. Sugar candy. Sad paage te jeevat param sabhage. Sev, laddoos, delightfully arranged. Je mukh melet sukumar. Moti laddoos, so sweet. Ve khat na kabahu ubaithe. Kheer, laddoos with clove and cardamom, made with great care. Gujha bahu puran pure bhari hui, gujhiya bhari bhari, kapur ras chure ar taissi daal masuri. Those who eat this have all their suffering removed. Ar he sam saras savari, ati svad param sukhkari. Babar, pappadam, various dishes. Soft malpua. Je turat tapt kar garam garam badhiya malpua. So beautiful. To get such prasad, the mouth should fill with water. Now such wonderful bhoga is being served, so delightful. Saras andar se te ghrit dad, madhumil sarse se ghevar, ati ghirat chore le khan saras ras bore. Madhuri, so delicious. Ati saras khajuri, sad pars dhari ghit puri. Mother fed Shri Lal this bhoga with such devotion, with such longing.

Some people—they think they are not giving the Lord to the Lord; they think they are giving to an idol. Some people—if they keep something, they think they are not giving to the Lord. How are we servants then? With her own hands, she fed her dear one. Then, fanning him like this, kaval kaval bayen hath se pankha karte ja rahe. She cared for and cherished her beloved. Look—if tears do not come, you have not seen it. If tears come while feeding, then know that the Lord has received the bhoga. Now, yatha mam prapadyte ta, whatever way you do bhajan—in that very way he will tell you, in that very way he will signal to you. He will sit in your mind and speak to you. The Lord has received the bhoga. Mother, take it, take it. Let it be like a rain of nectar. In Yashoda's ears, he said, "Mother, I am full. I have eaten enough. I am satisfied." "Why are you asking? Are you going to go elsewhere and cause trouble in someone else's home?" "No." "And not eat?" "I am satisfied." When the full story was heard, then Hari was pleased. Then she turned her mind to food. Yashoda Mother, the brother said, "Look, there is one more excellent thing that has been made—kalhari."

The vegetables are fresh, so fresh. Bringing more and feeding him—why is he doing this? Lest some gopi complain. Coming here, what if he goes hungry? And going to someone's house, he's satisfied. Lala, in the dining hall, serving one beautiful dish after another in order, and asking all the while, "Are you satisfied now? Will you have more?" Brother Balaram—Dau is calling you! Hearing this, Balaram came. "Brother Balaram, come and eat too. The nectar-like food, Mother is serving." Then she performs ablutions for him. Then she puts betel in his mouth. And then she bows. "Mother, can I go play now? Not alone—Dau, Balaram, you must go with him. Don't let him go to anyone's house."

"Go with him—Shri Ram, Sudam, Vasdam, and other friends." The friends were all standing outside. Balaram said, "Mother, don't worry. I'm with him. No one will cause trouble." Mother was very frightened. Lest somewhere, in some mischief.. The restless one runs off, and Balaram holds his hand and runs with him. They're bigger. There was a crowd of friends outside the house, outside Nand's palace. All were delighted—some hugging him, some pinching his cheeks, some putting a hand on his shoulder. "My Kanhai, my Kanhai! Obeisances to these Braj cowherd boys! The Lord of infinite universes, the Supreme God Shri Krishna, is being served by these Braj boys.." [Sanskrit verse in Devanagari about the Lord's beautiful play through the realm] Balaram doesn't leave him for a moment—holding his hand. Through gestures with his friends, asking—"How are you? Are you all right?" The Lord asked all the friends. "Father appeared ahead—we got a bit nervous. Don't let Father stop us." The Braj children are bowing to Father. The little one gestures—"Go play, Father." Father said, "Yes, go ahead." Receiving the signal from the Lord of Braj, what was the delay? Then off they ran. Now Shri Krishna Chandra is playing with all the boys.

Where? At Brahman Ghat. In Gokul there is Brahman Ghat. The friends are making a village. In small handfuls, they bring sand. Some making small pillars, some building houses—all playing like this. Shri Ram built a very beautiful structure. The Lord is building, but it won't come together. Again and again he gets frustrated. He says to Balaram, "Dau, Dada, why won't my house build? Look, his is built. Look at who this is—the one who creates infinite universes in the blink of an eye. This is called nimesh—in that instant, creation is done. Yet this creator of infinite universes cannot build a mud house with the cowherd boys."

The other boys clap and laugh. Shri Krishna becomes downcast. Then he brings wet clay and tries building. But it still won't come together. He worked very hard. It got built, but it came out crooked. Balaram says, "Don't worry. I'll build it." And joining him, Balaram builds it. Making the clay so smooth that it even seems like you should taste it—like cream itself. [Sanskrit verse in Devanagari] Look at their power—in one second of intention, infinite universes are created.

Yet that Lord cannot build a mud house. In such isolation, he took some clay. Going into solitude, by the Yamuna river, at Brahman Ghat, he sat at ease. Braj dust is sacred. Thakur got the Braj dust. Dau's eyes found him. "Where did he go? I can't see him." Now watching the waves of the Yamuna like someone finding a sieve, so he's getting Braj dust. "Look! Thakur has got Braj dust!" Balaram came running, took his hand. "What's this? You've eaten mud?" He denied, saying nothing. "I didn't eat it. Why are you lying? Because you ate mud. Don't infinite universes dwell in his belly? Didn't you eat everything? Everything is within him, everything is residing within him. That mud too is him. Among the five elements, earth is also him. Everything is of God's nature. 'All this is Brahman, nothing is separate.' Everything is Vasudev, so what did the Lord eat?" He said, "No, Dau." Dada said, "Now you're definitely getting beaten!" Sanaka, Sanandan, Sanatan, Sanat Kumar—the Yogeshvars move in invisible form.

Dau holding his hand or not—he's secretly watching this beauty. Pujya Radha Baba is writing: Sanaka, Sanandan, Sanatan, Sanat Kumar, at five years old, secretly watching. "O Lord of infinite universes! What kind of leela is this? Dada, Dada, today you'll be beaten! Today you've eaten.." In fear, his mouth is filled with Braj dust. Wet mud—"No, I haven't eaten it. I haven't found it." Sanaka, Sanandan, Sanatan, Sanat Kumar are thinking—if just this one Dau catches him and takes him away, then we can place his feet-dust on our foreheads. "Grace, grace ocean, Shri Krishna Chandra!" He understood and let go, and ran upward. Dau, mighty Balaram, ran and caught him. The game is over. All friends, go to your homes! Today for this mistake, he'll get mud in his belly. Worms will form. He'll suffer pain. Today we'll have Mother beat him.

They caught his hand and dragging him, all the friends took the little one home. "Mother, mother, didn't I tell you to watch him carefully? One moment of carelessness and look—he's swallowed so much mud from Brahman Ghat!" His brother said, "Chanchala, you mischievous, wicked one! You did something improper! Why did you eat mud, something not meant to be eaten? Why did you eat mud?" Pressing his mouth from both sides, he said, "Mother, I didn't do anything. He's lying like this." "You ate mud."

"Who says this? All the boys your age say so!" The Lord said, "No, I didn't eat anything. It's all lies, all false stories. I didn't eat mud." They're all lying. They're all lying. "Your older brother, Balaram, is saying this. Isn't he also lying?" "If the truth is before your face—if you believe Dau's words, the words of all the cowherd boys—then look at my mouth. It's right here before you. If you don't believe me, look at my mouth."

Very well. Open your mouth so I can see whether you are truthful or whether it is your friends and older brothers. Yashoda set out to test the mouth of Lord Shri Krishna Chandra. The infinite Brahman, Lord Shri Krishna, obedient to his mother's command, opened his divine mouth. When he opened his mouth, in that small child's mouth Yashoda saw how the Lord Hari displayed his supremacy through divine play. The child Krishna, who appeared as a human boy among the cowherd children, opened his mouth and what did she see? In that small mouth of the son of Nanda, the seven realms, the ten directions, the entire world, the earth, the mountains, islands and oceans with all their geography, the celestial lights, the wheel of stars, water, fire, the deities, the organs, the mind, the elements — Yashoda saw in the Lord's mouth everything that exists.

She saw the entire earth with wind, lightning, fire, the moon and stars, the sphere of light, radiance, wind, water, the presiding deities of the subtle elements, the mind, the five organs of perception, the senses and sense objects — all were present in Lord Krishna's mouth. She saw the living beings, time, nature, karma, their desires, forms in different manifestations, the entire world, Braj itself, and in Braj the Brajraj (King of Braj), and she even saw herself in the child's mouth. She fell into great doubt and began to wonder: is this a dream or illusion, or has the Lord's maya confused my mind? No, I saw this with my own eyes in my child's mouth. How could I not see? But why is my own child showing such divine wonders from birth onwards?

It seems like a perfect yogi, by mind, thought, action and speech, can deduce what cannot normally be grasped by inference — the entire universe depends on him, he is the cause of it, and by his existence it is perceived. His nature is entirely beyond thought. To that Lord I bow. This is I. This is my husband Brajraj. This is my son. I am the mistress of all the wealth of Brajraj. These gopis, the cattle, all are under my authority. This is my delusion. So Yashoda was thinking: my Lord is my only refuge, and I take shelter in him alone.

Oh, the one I consider my son — he is verily God himself! When Yashoda Maiya began to understand the nature of Shri Krishna, maternal affection instantly scolded her: Knowledge power and majesty power — you must leave here at once! This is our kingdom. How did you enter here? Immediately that vision vanished and maternal affection overwhelmed everything. "Oh my darling child! Oh my dear little one!" — she began to caress him. And it seemed to her that it was only some defect in her ignorant eyes, that something was wrong with her vision and she was seeing strange things. She clasped her Krishna to her heart.

Maharaj Parikshit asked: "O foremost of paramahansas, what such sadhana or austerity did Nanda Baba and Yashoda Maiya perform that they receive such bliss from the Supreme Being himself? The Lord is nursing at her breast. She is scolding him — open your mouth! The Lord is frightened. He from whom even time trembles, from whose fear the sun shines, the wind blows, and Yama performs his duty — that very Lord is afraid of Yashoda! What such tapasya did she perform? The childhood leelas of Lord Shri Krishna, which he performs among the cowherd boys while concealing his majesty and powers, are so sacred that merely by hearing these narratives, all sins and suffering are destroyed. Seers and accomplished masters who are all-knowing across the three times listen to and sing of the Lord's leelas.

But Devaki and Vasudeva were never granted the sight of these leelas, while Nanda and Yashoda are enjoying boundless joy. What is the reason for this?" Shri Shukdev Ji answered: "Parikshit, in his previous birth Nanda Baba was one of the greatest Vasus named Dron. His wife's name was Dhara. Following the command of Brahma Ji, they performed intense austerities for a long time. Brahma Ji had ordered them to participate in the creation. So they said: when we take birth on earth, may our son be the Supreme Being himself, Sat-Chit-Ananda. With such severe austerity they sought this blessing.

And may we be endowed with unique, love-filled devotion that delivers worldly beings from downfall and grants them supreme love and joy. Brahma Ji said: 'It shall be so.' That glorious Dron became Nanda Baba in Braj, and his wife Dhara became Yashoda. Now in this birth, the Lord Janardhan, who liberates from the cycle of birth and death, became their son. With special grace he is immersed in supreme love for them. To fulfill Brahma Ji's words, Lord Shri Krishna and Balram, by dwelling in Braj and performing their childhood leelas, bring joy to all the Brajvasis.

At one time, Mother Yashoda would engage the maidservants of the house in other tasks, and she herself would prepare Krishna's offerings. With her own lotus hands, she would churn curds to feed butter to her Lala. This is the leela of Damodar month — this is Kartik month. This month is called Damodar month. Perhaps today was the full moon or tomorrow will be the full moon. Yes, the full moon has arrived. So this is the Lord's great leela of being controlled by his devotees, a vision of the mighty power of devotion — that those whose very name pierces through the distinction between matter and spirit, who are the Supreme Being Sat-Chit-Ananda, are bound by the maternal bonds through devotion.

You began churning butter for Lalaji to produce fresh butter, and you continued to contemplate all the divine plays of the Lord Krishna that had been sung so far. While churning butter in the manner of child Krishna, while remembering His divine plays, while singing His songs—this is the method of service that Mother was describing. The method of service: the body is performing the physical act of churning butter as service, while the remembrance of His name and His divine plays happens. With the voice, they are singing the stories of child Krishna. This is pure devotion to the Lord: service through the body, contemplation through the mind, and singing through the voice. We have even seen great souls do this—like in the kitchen of Sri Ji, hands are serving, and from the voice some pad or bhajan is always flowing, the body is serving. They are immersed in it. But if only the body performs service, only the body is working and the mind is thinking of worldly things and not chanting His name, then service will start to feel like a burden to you. Oh, service is such a great thing!

If the mind engages in contemplating that very service and the voice is chanting His name, then see—divine grace will come to your service. Mother is performing service with her own hands for Lalaji. This is great blessing. Those who have the feeling that something may be offered to the Lord through our hands, that some service to Thakur Ji might happen through our hands—if you have such a feeling, then establish Thakur in your own home, serve Him with all eight limbs, caress Him, sleep with Him, wake with Him, feed Him, give Him drink. Your Thakur Ji—tend to Him every day. On the outside He wears silken garments, Mother has a shawl draped over. Mother is so full of maternal affection that her chest is always wet.

Sometimes with tears, sometimes with milk—maternal affection, a mother's love. The chest remains wet from milk. In her affection, sometimes tears flow, so Mother is wiping them with the edge of her dupatta. She has become exhausted, her hands grow weary and she stops, then Krishna resumes pulling. The bangles on her wrists shake, the earrings on her ears move, beads of sweat glisten on her face, flowers of jasmine fall from her braid. Beautiful-browed Yashoda Maiya, while thinking of Lalaji, churns the butter. Now if you contemplate Him, then see—He will become present! He has come. Mother, nurse me with your milk. But I have grown so big, and still I want to nurse! Mother, give me your milk! Although in the mother's heart there is immense maternal affection and joy—"No child, wait. First finish churning the butter, put down the churning rod. The practice has become complete. The sadhana has been accomplished. Stop now. Now enjoy the fruit of your sadhana with the beloved by nursing Him and tasting that joy."

Now taste the sweetness of the beloved. In the heart is the memory of the joy of divine play, in the hands is the churning of butter, from the mouth is the singing of the divine play. Then the child calls out "Mother, Mother!" and comes near. Mother, you are so restless, so fickle! Come now, put down the churning rod. He climbed into her lap. He won't be comforted. With his nectar-like breast He began nursing, and smiling and smiling, looking at Lalaji's face—blessed, blessed! Even Brahma has not attained the joy that Yashoda Maiya attains when Lalaji smiles at her in between. Mother, your face—He would kiss your cheeks. My Lalaji, such a subject of joy was flowing.

I was nursing Lalaji. Again and again Lalaji was smiling. My Lalaji, you are my life, my beloved! In the meantime, her glance fell. The milk that was on the brazier—it was milk from the cow named Padmvandha, which is very dear to Lal Ji. She saw that the milk was boiling over. She set Lalaji down on the ground and rushed toward the milk. The Padmvandha cow's milk was overflowing. She thought that if I satisfy my Lalaji by nursing him with my milk, then he won't drink the other milk. That's why he was trying to get it—knowing that I also exist, Mother, give your milk. Mother thought the milk will overflow, the milk will spill out. Stopping the nursing and placing the Lord on the ground, with irritation and anger trembling. My life, my beloved—and pushed me onto the ground and rushed toward the milk. There is a teaching here too: the beloved's precious thing is more precious than the beloved themselves. Someone asked us the other day, "You love Sri Ji so much. What do you know of Lal Ji? What do you know of the matters of our heart? We love Lal Ji more than Sri Ji. Why? Because He is the precious object of my beloved."

What is Laadli saying as she is enchanted? "For me, what place is in the eyes of my beloved? And what is my beloved saying? I am the body, mind and soul of my beloved. When my beloved becomes mine from my Mistress's body, mind and soul, when from my Mistress's body, mind and soul, my beloved becomes my beloved, my Mistress's beloved Lal becomes more precious to me than my own beloved. For in my Mistress's joy is my essence, and in that maternal affection, in her ultimate joy—you are my life-giver."

What do you understand, Maharaj? Yashoda Maiya, by placing Lalaji on the ground, protected the milk that was Lalaji's beloved. Because that milk is the joy of my Lala. The object of the Mistress's joy is more precious to us than the Mistress herself. But Maharaj's lips trembled. Lalaji's lips trembled, Maharaj's anger arose with fury and rage. His little fists clenched.

Mother says, "My life, my beloved, my treasure—my Lalaji!" And having left me, she went to protect the milk. The Lord lifted up the churning rod, the implement of churning, raised it up and struck it fully. It shattered completely. And false tears, artificial tears—tears weren't even coming out. This kind of tears. And going into another house alone, he began eating butter as if he were very hungry. From another house's butter store he began eating, as if I am so very hungry. The gopis saw the cowherd's son, and looking about with his eyes, throwing aside the rope. Yashoda Ji lifted that milk and returned, came into the courtyard. Once she began laughing—how restless he is, how fickle! Look, in one moment he got to it and broke everything!

He took it—did you see? He pulled and started looking. Then on an upside-down mortar stood taking butter in handfuls, and from every window they were throwing butter to the monkeys. And like a thief looking cautiously around—just as a thief glances about—they were watching. Mother saw it; she was alert, and it came into view. Seeing this, Yashoda Ji—the Lord immediately jumped from the mortar. In one hand is a stick. With words like yashti prasam—great yogis, those whom people cannot catch, when He saw the stick in her hand—

He thought then, running will bring blows, so let me run now. Look, the Supreme Brahman, the Almighty, is afraid to jump from the mortar! Quickly He jumped and ran in fear. Paramhansa Shri Sukhdeva Ji says: great yogis through tapasya make their minds extremely subtle and pure, yet cannot enter Him. But He runs after the Lord, and Yashoda Ji wants to catch Him and runs after Him. Now the material body has grown old and worn, and this is still a young child. She ran with the stick raised. "Mother, stop! Stop, dear!" And she is also panting—sweat is also coming—and see, if He runs too much and gets caught, I will beat Him more severely.

"Stop now, stop now. Mother is threatening. Looking back, Shri Krishna sees. How extraordinary is the Lord's spectacle! Since He committed an offense there is fear. "Mother, don't hit me"—so He has spread all the kohl completely. The kohl is all smeared. He is not crying at all—it is a complete act of crying. In this way, in that way, spreading the kohl. From fear-stricken eyes He looks, and again and again wipes His eyes. The fear that kohl's darkness will hit His cheeks is complete. So think—think of the fear of being hit. Distress is being shown. What an extraordinary spectacle! Pujya Shri Radha Baba describes this spectacle: Hari ko lallit badan niharu, nipt hi daant nithur ja lakut karte daru, manjujan sahit jalkan lochan charu Shyam, saras mag mano sash shravat sudha shringaruu—the kohl is spread completely.

Here and there one or two tears flow with the kohl. How beautiful is the splendor of the Lord's form! Mother holds the stick and runs after. This is a very beautiful form. Once in Vrindavan, once the splendor, one glimpse—Mother holds the stick. Brother Ram, in satsang from the house of learning, contemplating and meditating, Mother holds the stick, and that beautiful form, the Child, which that same beautiful form Surdas Ji Maharaj saw facing him, which Surdas Ji Maharaj was singing in verse before the Lord listening. That beautiful form, exactly that condition, that same beautiful form. How should we describe such a beautiful form of the Lord? The Supreme Sat-Chit-Ananda Lord—even the Vedas say neti neti beyond that, that we do not have the ability to speak. Holding the stick in hand, showing the Child in this way and like this—those fear-stricken eyes of the Lord. "Mother, this mischievous naughty one will soon be caught, won't he? See, agree, stop, Lord!" The Lord saw that here is a very important matter: sweat on Mother's forehead, Mother becoming exhausted, and the Child becoming bound with compassion.

Here an inner practice comes in. When the seeker makes effort and becomes exhausted. When he puts all his capacity into bhajan. At that very moment, the Sat-Chit-Ananda Lord Himself becomes a bhajan and springs forth in the seeker's heart. Then bhajan happens—it is not necessary to do it. Once the Lord wants to see your effort, your capacity—how much do you seek comfort, how much do you crave pleasures? If you are renouncing comfort and pleasure and making effort in bhajan day and night, then seeing that effort the Lord—just as Yashoda Mother is making effort to catch, the material body is becoming aged, growing tired, sweating—this Child turned and looked, His pace became slow. Mother saw the Child was tired, and the Child saw that Mother was tired, so He slowed His pace, and Mother thought the Child was tired. Running, Mother

caught Him. Now when Mother held one hand, what a sight was Krishna's fear! Mother also became frightened seeing the Child's terrified form, threw the stick away. So terrified was the Lord that now Mother will wave the rope, now she will wave the stick. So terrified He became. It is written kilatum bum damanath, far to depart. Now Yashoda Mother thought, He has become so terrified that if I let Him go, perhaps He runs away and never comes back, or something happens to Him. Before that, for a while I should bind Him, then we will console Him with affection and pacify Him. Tatva yashti sutam bhitam, filled with infinite compassion, the ocean of supreme love—Yashoda Mother threw the stick away.

Holding His hand, she said, "Today I will bind you, because you have become too restless. All the gopis complained. I did not listen. Dau, grandfather also complained. You ate mud. Now it has gone too far. You broke all the household vessels. You cause trouble. Today I will bind you, and I will bind you in such a way that no one will be able to release you. You will never cause mischief again."

Becoming innocent, completely calm, He stood there, because He did commit an offense. In every play of the Lord there is mystery. This binding play is for someone's liberation. This binding—He is preparing to free someone. Mother began to bind Him. Na chantar na bahisya na purvam na picha, param purva param bahish—those gods who are outside and also inside, who have no distinction of outside, no distinction of inside, who have no beginning and no end, who are infinite, who were before the world, exist as the world, and will remain after the world. Sha un bhagwan ko matd avyaktam—to bind that Lord who is unmanifest, Gopikal khale damannabandh prakritam yatha prakrit—just as a natural child, Yashoda Mother is binding the Sat-Chit-Ananda Lord Shri Krishna in the mortar.

Oh, the great yogis—those whose meditation even the munis cannot hold steady in their minds. Yashoda Maia is binding Krishna to the mortar with a rope. The mischievous, playful child is so restless. Now he won't cooperate, and the entire rope is two fingers short; the knot won't even tie.

The Lord who unties the knots in everyone's hearts—how can the binding of maya possibly take hold in Him? The rope made a sound. We'll have to bring another rope and tie them together. Damodar has eaten butter and made his belly so large that he won't be bound. Bring another rope. Another rope—even that became two fingers short. And then another—that one too was two fingers short. Bhaiya is thinking, what is happening? In such a small belly, where does all this rope keep disappearing? Even then it is two fingers short. She knotted the first rope, then two fingers short again. Still another rope was needed. She kept trying, but the whole household's rope was used up. From Nanda Baba's side, rope after rope came down to the mortar, and still two fingers—still two fingers short. Yad yad api tan nyunam (even then it is too short).

How much rope must Nanda Baba's house have had? They must have had cartloads of it—rope used for extracting butter from all those pots, rope for binding all the animals, rope for all sorts of binding. It all ran out. But tadapi dvi angulam nyunam (even then two fingers short). Yadi yada datah bandhanam (whatever binding was given).

The objects and senses of the world have the power to bind the world. Vishnuvant iti visheya (objects are called visheya—that which has a Lord). But the inner Self, the Supreme Lord, cannot be bound by anything in the world—not gold, not silver, not money, not wealth, not enjoyments, nothing at all. Only devotion—only sincere love—has the power to bind Him. Only guna—only the good qualities—can bind Him.

In the scriptures, the word guna encompasses sattva guna, rajas guna, and tamas guna. Worship of the Lord begins with sattva guna, but it is perfected when transcending the three gunas. So how can rajas and tamas bind the Lord? When the Lord looks upon someone with His grace and complete gaze, there is never any binding in them. So when the Lord looks at the very rope itself, no knot forms in it. It becomes two fingers short. The mother picks up the rope, and the Lord sees it. That binding becomes freed. It falls short. The knot does not form. See how the Lord keeps looking toward all of us who dwell in Vrindavan so that no binding remains in us. Truly He is watching, and He has seen us, and so this fortune has come to us.

Liberation and welfare! Oh, chant Radhe Radhe, and liberation itself will be transcended. Here, dwelling from house to house, wild liberation tells everyone. Here all are filling with water. Karma and dharma here are distributed like jewels, and liberation fills where there is water—this is the glory of that Queen. The Lord is served by the pure, sattvic ones.

This is why the rope becomes two fingers short. Not by rajas and tamas. The Lord considered: wherever My name is, there is no binding. So where I am, how can there be binding? How can there be binding in Me? The grace of the Lord liberates from duality and binds in love. Maia wanted to bind with the rope using the qualities, which is why He was not bound. Now see—as Maia kept trying and finally became exhausted, she was astonished.

The Lord Shri Krishna saw that His mother was tired and distressed. This is what He wants to show us: that we too must reach that point of exhaustion and distress. Not dishonestly, but honestly. When you do bhajan and become exhausted, then that Lord Himself will be revealed in your heart. This is a sure thing. This is certain. There is absolutely no doubt in this. And if you try to maintain balance and keep calculating, you will not get the vision. Every day we are getting such fine prasad. Khub vyasa bharose kunvar ke sovet pav pasaar khub chakra aram se dinarya kut rahi (By the grace of the Guru, those whom I love sleep peacefully with their feet stretched out; all their daily affairs are moving smoothly).

No troubles at all. By the Guru's grace, our people's daily lives have been such that the Lord alone is running everything. Otherwise it could not run. You can be certain of this. Even if we lie down, in our work we have never experienced such a thing in all of life—such restful sleep. When we are restless, our devotion should be like that of a miser engaged in earning, counting every single coin, rupee by rupee. Similarly, toward Radhavallabh Shri Harivansh—what is accumulating in the Divine Bank of Radhavallabh Shri Harivansh? How much are we spending? Where is the shortfall? Where is the mistake? Watch over all of it in the bank balance. And when you have become rich, then all these shall be yours—your beloved, your sweetheart. See what wealth you have gained! The service of the kunj palace, comfort, and the wealth of companionship have been gained. These have become our wealth—our beloved, our sweetheart.

When the Lord saw that His mother was utterly exhausted, no remedy remained. Understand this too: no remedy remained, because there was no rope left in the house. So the Lord Himself submitted to His mother's binding. The devotee's wish became the Lord's command. The Lord became dependent on the devotee. The Lord gave His word—what great glory! Kah kah drishti parishraram, Krishna kripa aasit, the Lord graciously accepted His own binding. The Lord is ultimately absolutely free.

The entire world—Brahma, Indra, and all—is within the control of the Lord. Yet He showed that I am under the control of My loving devotee. I am in his power. And regarding the colour of Radha, who can ever bind Krishna? But He showed—the devotee showed—that I am under the control of My own chosen people. Naimam virincyo na bhav na shri-rupam shanshaya. Paramahamsa Shri Sukadev Ji says: this grace and mercy that Yashoda received—Naimam virincyo na bhav na shri-rupam shanshaya prasad. Listen, O gopi, you have obtained what Yashoda obtained. Yashoda, the gopi, received such indescribable grace and mercy from Krishna the giver of liberation that even Brahma, though he is the son of Brahma, and even Shankar, though he is the soul of Brahma, could not obtain it though He sits on the chest of Lakshmi as His half-spouse. Neither Brahma nor Shankar nor Lakshmi could obtain what Yashoda obtained. Nayam sukhapol bhagavan dehal naam gopi sutal. In bhakti philosophy, this gopi's son, the Lord Krishna, is as easily accessible to His sole devoted and loving devotees as—He is easily accessible. For those with pride in body, for ritualists, for ascetics, and for those of knowledge, He remains very difficult to attain.

Even for great ritualists, great ascetics, and great scholars, He is difficult to attain. But for His devoted servant, His bhakti servant, He is easily accessible. The Lord is accessible to His own servant for bhakti. Krishno gateshul vrigyai maatprabhul adrakshi. Seeing the mother bind the child so well, she tied him with rope and placed a small wooden bench beside him, and put milk, butter, yoghurt and milk within his reach. "Damodar, I have tied your hands. If you get hungry, you can eat this. Now you will remain bound. Then you will understand." And she herself became engaged in the household work and other duties.

Now the Lord thought: "Dear mother, you have made all the arrangements perfectly. Now I am going to free myself. I am going to free the two arjun trees." These are the sons of Yaksha-raj Kubera. Nalakubar and Manigriva had unlimited wealth, beautiful forms, and opulence, and became arrogant with pride. They committed such an offense that Devarshi Narada cursed them, and they became the two arjun trees. And right near Nanda Baba's own house, the Lord is going to free them. By binding Himself, He is going to free them. Further discussion follows. Shri Radha Vallabh Lal.

This text is taken from the automatic 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)