After some time, Kṛṣṇa and Balaram began to crawl on their hands and knees. This gave everyone in Vrndavan lots of pleasure as they would see Krsna and Balarama move around the courtyard of Nanda Baba. As they moved around, the bells, that were tied on their waist made a pleasing sound that attracted the hearts of the all in Vrndavan. Mother Yaśodā and Mother Rohini used to dress their sons exactly the same, and smear saffron pulp on their bodies. As the two boys would crawl around the courtyard, their bodies would be covered with mud and saffron pulp. As they ventured further from the house, they would see the calves standing by their mothers. They would crawl to the calves and hold onto their tails. The calves would become afraid and begin to run while Krsna and Balaram still held on to their tails. They would be dragged along the dust of Vrndavan and cow dung. All the Gopis would come to see the fun and would enjoy the pastimes of Krsna and Balarama.
To increase their loving emotions for Krsna, they would go to mother Yaśodā and Mother Rohini and Complain about their sons. They should wait for Krsna to come closer so He could hear what they were saying.
The Gopis would say, “Mother Yaśodā why don’t you restrict your son? Every day, He and Balarama come to our houses and before we milk the cows, They let the calves free and the calves go and drink all the milk. We are left with no milk and must return with empty pots. When we scolded Them, they put on a charming smile, that melted our hearts and we couldn’t do anything.
Sometimes, they come to our house and steal our butter and milk. When we catch Them, they deny it saying that ‘Why do you charge Us with stealing? Do you think that butter and yogurt are in scarcity in Our house? Sometimes They steal butter, yogurt and milk and distribute them to the monkeys. When the monkeys are well fed and do not take any more, then your boys chide, This milk, butter and yogurt are useless—even the monkeys won’t take it. And They break the pots and throw them everywhere. If we keep our stock of yogurt, butter and milk in a solitary dark place, your Krsna and Balarama find it in the darkness by the glaring effulgence of the ornaments and jewels on Their bodies. If by chance They cannot find the hidden butter and yogurt, They go to our little babies and pinch their bodies so that they cry, and then They go away. If out of fear of these naughty boys we keep our stock of butter and yogurt high on the ceiling, hanging on a swing, although it is beyond Their reach, They arrange to reach it by pilling all kinds of wooden planks over the grinding machine. And if They cannot reach, They make a hole in the pot. We think therefore that you’d better take all the jewelled ornaments from the bodies of your children.”
On hearing this, Yaśodā would say, “All right, I will take all the jewels from Krsna so that He cannot see the butter hidden in the darkness.”
Then the Gopis would say, “No, no, don’t do this. What good will you do by taking away the jewels? We do not know what kind of boys these are, but even without ornaments They spread some kind of effulgence so that even in darkness They can see everything.”
Then mother Yaśodā would inform them, “All right, keep your butter and yogurt carefully so that They may not reach it.”
In reply to this, the Gopis said, “Yes, actually we do so, but because we are sometimes engaged in our household duties, these naughty boys enter our house somehow or other and spoil everything. Sometimes, being unable to steal our butter and yogurt, out of anger They pass urine on the clean floor and sometimes spit on it. Now just see how your boy is hearing these complaints. All day He
simply makes arrangements to steal our butter and yogurt, and now He is sitting just like a very silent good boy. Just see His face.”
When mother Yaśodā thought to chastise her boy after hearing all the complaints, she saw His pitiable face, and smiling, she did not chastise Him.
