Lord Krishna’s pranks are not only charming, they also show His simplicity, said Kidambi Narayanan.
The Lord made the Universe, yet He begs Yasoda for butter. He steals butter and is scolded by Yasoda. Did He come to steal butter, or the hearts of the Gopikas? When Krishna tells Yasoda that He is hungry, she tells Him that she will give Him milk only at night. He pretends that He does not know what night is. The One from whom the world draws its sustenance pretends not to understand what nightfall means.
Yasoda then tells her child that night meant darkness. Krishna then shuts His eyes and tells Yasoda, “It is dark now. That means it is night. So can I have my glass of milk now?” In exhibiting such innocence, the Lord is just like any other child in this world. And yet He made all forms of life.
A woman tells her daughter one day to keep an eye on the milk in the house, for Krishna might come and steal it. If Krishna comes, she is not to talk to Him. If He arrives, the girl is not to tell Him that her mother is away. She is not to tell Him that there is milk in the house. The mother steps out to collect embers to light the fire. But she stays away for a long time talking with her neighbour. While she is away, Krishna arrives, and the girl, forgetting her mother’s instructions, tells Krishna that her mother is away, that there is milk in the house, and that she is not supposed to talk to Him. The result, of course, is that Krishna drinks up the milk!
One day, a Gopika is waiting for Krishna. But He does not turn up. So another Gopika goes to find out why Krishna hasn’t come. Her friend warns her that she should be careful with Krishna, for with His charm, He will enslave anyone who sets their eyes on Him. When caught in the act of stealing butter, Krishna spits the butter in the eyes of the Gopika who has caught Him red-handed and runs away.
At other times, He smears His body with butter, hoping Yasoda will not notice. He is a naughty child. But then, He is not an ordinary child. He is the Supreme One, who manifests His simplicity through such deeds.
