Sri Krishna Stories – Episode 16 – Dhenukasura And The Fire Demon

Krishna – The Butter Thief

 Krishna was very active, and frolicsome by nature. As the days rolled by, he became more and more naughty. Every minute a new mischief occurred to him. He would pull the tails of the calves and allow himself to be dragged all over the place. Indeed it was because of this mischievous nature that his childhood was so charming and fascinating. But Yashoda would be full of anxiety and a time came when she could not give her full attention to the house because she had to keep a constant watch over Krishna. She was worried he would hurt himself. Whenever Yashoda tried to advise Krishna, he very cleverly, involved her in his innocent talk. Yashoda could not help but hug him in love.

Curd, Cream, and Butter were Krishna’s favorite food. Of course, living in a town of cow-herds, there was plenty of all of these. All his efforts were directed in procuring these goodies. In the afternoon when the hot sun made everyone doze, he would tiptoe silently into the kitchen, not only his own, but also that of the neighbors.

On one such day Krishna, his brother and friends tip toed into a gopi’s house that made the tastiest butter in Brindavan. They hid themselves in the surrounding and found two gopis get into the store room and leave the butter there. They crept to the store and searched for butter everywhere, but it was not to be found. They searched in the pots on the floor, on the shelves, in the trunk, underground. The gopas were disappointed and one of his friends said “Krishna, Could they have hid it somewhere else? Where has all the treasure (butter) disappeared”. Finally, when they were about to leave, Krishna finds the butter pot swinging from the roof!  They climbed one over the other and managed to bring down the butter pots. Krishna and friends ate the butter to their hearts content. The butter was also shared by some monkeys. However, Krishna was caught red handed and was taken to Mother Yasoda to complain her about the pranks of her beloved son.

When Yasoda caught him by the ear to punish him, like he does every time, Krishna looked at her with such a pathetic mixture of pure innocence and she did not have the heart to punish him. He bowed his head in shame and looked really sorry for what he had done. But the moment his mother had forgiven him, he ran off and got back into all kinds of mischief!