One day, thinking it to be a proper time for churning, Nund’s wife
rose very early, and having awakened all the cowherdesses, gave them
an invitation:--they came, and having swept and thoroughly cleaned the
house, and plastered it over, began churning. Upon this, Nund’s wife
also took a large sized new dish, placing it upon a stand, and
spreading a seat for herself; with churning staff and string, she sat
down, and began to churn for Shree Krishnù, after having arranged
fresh, unused vessels for holding the milk. At this time, the sound
made by churning in Nund’s house was like thunder. In the mean while,
Krishnù awoke, and began crying, and calling out for his mother. When
no one heeded his calling out, he came himself to Jusodha, and with
tears in his eyes, in a state of agitation, sobbing and lisping, began
to say, “Mother! how often have I called for you, and you have not
come to give me victuals; is your business not finished yet?” Saying
this, he became cross.
Having taken the churning staff from the large dish, putting both his
hands into it, and taking out the butter, he began to throw it about,
and besmear his body with it; and kicking about his feet, and laying
hold of his dress, he began to cry.
Then Nund’s wife, being frightened and angry, said, “Son! what have
you done?” or “what sort of behaviour is this? Get up, and come along
with me, and I will give you food,” Krishnù said, “I will not take
any now; why did you not give it me at first, mother? For me to take
it now would be a calamity.” At length, with coaxing and kindness,
Jusodha kissed him, and took him in her lap, and gave him thick milk,
and bread and butter to eat. Huri laughed and ate; Nund’s wife,
placing a cloth over him in such a way that no one could see him,
continued to feed him.
In the mean while a cowherdess came, and said, “You are sitting here,
while there all the milk has boiled over the fire-place.” On hearing
this, having quickly put down Krishnù from her lap, she ran off, and
went and saved the milk; whilst Krishnù, having broken the vessels,
containing the curds and buttermilk, destroyed the churning staves;
and having taken a small earthen pot, filled with butter, ran off to
the cowherds’ children. He found a wooden mortar, placed upside down,
upon which he sat, and having seated his companions on four sides,
they began to distribute the butter to each other laughing, and to eat
it.
When Jusodha came back, after having taken off the milk from the
fire-place, she saw that the court-yard and hall were greasy with
curds and buttermilk. Reflecting, and considering upon this, she came
forth with a stick in her hand; and searching about, came to the spot
where Shree Krishnù had formed an assembly, and was eating and
distributing butter. When she went behind, and placed her hand on him,
Huri, seeing his mother, crying and entreating, said to her, “Mother!
I do not know who caused the buttermilk to be spilt; let go of me.”
Hearing him speak with so much humility, Jusodha, laughing and
throwing away the stick, embraced Krishnù with the greatest delight,
though pretending to be angry; and having brought him home, began to
fasten him to the wooden mortar. Shree Krishnù contrived, that
whatever string she fastened him with, should be too short. Jusodha
sent for all the strings in the house; but nevertheless, Krishnù was
not fastened--At length perceiving that his mother was vexed, he
allowed himself to be bound. Nund’s wife having fastened him, and
having exacted an oath from the cowherdesses, that they would not let
him loose, began to occupy herself with domestic matters.