Thus the childhood of Krishna was full of what were considered wonderful
miracles by His family and the populace, but which, to the Lord of the
Universe, were but divinely natural. The strength of the baby hands was
colossal. The beauty of the baby face was entrancing.
His flesh gave forth a lustre' and Radiance that filled a darkened room
with glory. The wisdom that peered from His wondrous eyes was full of
loving mystery, and the touch of His breath brought to the heart a love
that was ecstasy.
O Babe, that came to a desert of life, to make it a garden of lilies and
roses! O Babe, that brought to a weakened heart the Love that conquered
the world by its might!
O Babe, that came with a light on Thy brow that filled the eye like the
glow of the sun, and brought on Thy breath the promise of Bliss which
came to all those who breathed where Thou dwelt!
All these Thou wert, yet a helpless babe in the arms of those who reared
Thee Thou lay!
And naughty Thou wert and full of mischief, too, stealing the golden
butter, that stood in shining rows, the pride of the dairymaids, the
Gopis, and feeding the same to the saucy monkeys, that crowded around
Thee, to help Thee in Thy pranks!
Oh, wonder of Love and Might, Incomprehensible One! Thou Omnipotence,
who the all-pervading energy of all art, and yet, with eyes aslant,
didst play the child to suit Thine only sweet fancy, and in the midst of
men didst come to teach men Love and save the world that was steeped in
sin! Thou who wert Lord of the Lords of Yoga, this Thy Yoga-power did
startle the world when in it Thou wert as a child!
On one occasion the Child became impatient and fretful, because the
mother failed to suckle Him at His cry, and running amidst the pots and
chums where she had been working the butter, He cast them down to the
earth, breaking them into pieces and dividing the sweet butter with the
pets that followed the Child wherever He went.
The mother, on being told of His mischief, sought to punish Him by tying
Him with a cord to the husking-stand that stood near by.
The cord lacked two inches in its reach to the bench; more cord she
sought, and fastening it end to end, found still the two inches missing.
Cord after cord she added thereto, but she could not make the two ends
reach.
Amazed and startled she gazed at the Child, her hair dishevelled, her
face flushed with excitement, a great fear looking from her eye, for
what was this miracle, that prevented her from spanning the reach of two
inches?
The Child, on seeing the troubled face of His mother, allowed himself to
be fastened.
And thus in disgrace he stood for a time, till two trees in the distance
attract His eye, and walking: away in the reach of the cords and drawing
the husking-stand behind Him, He stood between two huge arjuna trees
and, casting the cord about the trees, He tore them up by the roots.
Down they came with a crash to the ground, carrying with them all that
was in their way. And lo! from the trees two fiery spirits appeared, and
saluting the Child, they prayed and disappeared in a cloud of light.
For list! in the days of yore, when the Saint Narada walked the earth,
he passed the stream where maid and youth made merry in the waves.
At the passing by of the Saint, the youths failed to salute him, but
instead in bold arrogance laughed and called unto him, and reverence had
they none.
In the heart of the Saint a prayer arose, that the youths who knew not
respect towards the saints that walked on earth to make men holy, should
be reborn as trees, yet as trees to remember their past offence and
dwell on the folly thereof. But the Saint also prayed that when He who
was God came on earth. He would remember the trees and sanctify and free
them by His Love-touch.
So when the Babe's eye spied the trees, He uprooted them both, to make
good that prayer. And by His touch the souls of the youths into high
heavens did rise, while He, the Child, the great Deliverer of all souls
that are born, looked on and smiled, and the populace wondered at the
fall of the trees, and marvelled how the Child had been saved from death
as they crashed down beside him.
Blinded ones, who know not Love in its mightiness and nearness!
Again, one day, little Krishna, romping with the playfulness of His
earth years, heard the weak voice of a woman begging to sell her wares
of fruits. Lean were her hands and shrunken her features, and her
clothes were poor and thin because of the length of time they had been
worn. Faint and quivering the voice reached the ear of Krishna.
With the glance of Love that warmed her heart. He bounded to her side,
asking for fruits and giving her paddy instead, when lo! at the touch of
His hand the face of the woman beamed with the light of beauty, her
voice as with joy rang out, and her basket was heavy and filled with
gems that blazed and glittered in the noonday sun.
And laughing, the Child ran to his playmates and pets and divided the
fruits with them all.