88- Krishna and the Fruit Seller, Gokul to Vrindavan, and the Deliverance of Vatsasura and Bakasura

The all-powerful Bhagwan would sometimes, at the coaxing of the Gopis, begin to dance like an ordinary child. At times, He would sing like an innocent, unaware little boy. He became completely under their control, like a puppet in their hands. Sometimes, on their instruction, He would bring a small wooden seat, and at other times, He would fetch the weights used for measuring grains. Sometimes, He would carry their wooden sandals, and sometimes, simply to delight His loving devotees, He would beat His arms like a wrestler preparing for a bout.

In this way, the omnipotent Bhagwan delighted the residents of Braj through His enchanting childhood pastimes. He revealed to those who understand His divine mystery that He willingly remains under the loving control of His devotees.

One day, a fruit seller arrived, calling out, “Fruits! Fresh fruits!” Hearing her voice, Bhagwan Achyut, the giver of the results of all karmas and all spiritual practices, came running to buy fruits, carrying a small handful of grains in His tiny palms. As He ran, the grains slipped through His fingers and scattered on the path. Yet the fruit seller, overwhelmed with affection, filled both of Krishna’s hands with fruits. In return, Bhagwan filled her fruit basket with precious jewels.

This episode conveys a profound truth: the giver of all results is only Bhagwan, where results refer to the outcomes of our karmas. The fruit seller symbolises the individual soul (jeev), and the fruits she carries represent the karmic results accumulated across countless lifetimes, which the jeev continues to carry birth after birth. When she offers those fruits to Krishna, it signifies the moment when the jeev surrenders all its karmic results to Bhagwan.

Bhagwan Achyut running with grains in His little hands beautifully reveals that when the jeev comes to surrender all its karmas to God, then the very Giver of all karmic fruits becomes lovingly compelled by the devotee’s devotion and steps forward to make a divine exchange of love. When the fruit seller pours her fruits into Krishna’s hands, the sacred exchange is completed: the jeev offers its accumulated karmic burden at the feet of Bhagwan, and in return, Bhagwan fills its basket with jewels.

These jewels symbolise Bhagwan’s true wealth; freedom from all bondage and, ultimately, the attainment of divine bliss.

One day, Krishna and Balram were joyfully playing with their cowherd friends on the banks of the Yamuna. Mother Rohini called out to them, but absorbed in their play, they did not return. So she sent Yashoda Maiya to bring them home.

When Yashoda Maiya reached there, she saw both brothers tired from long hours of play, their bodies covered in dust and dirt. She lovingly called out to them, “Kanhaiya, Krishna, Kamalanayan, Shyamsundar… come, my child! Drink your milk, take a bath; you are growing weak from hunger.

And Balram! Your father, Vrajaraj, is waiting for you. Today is your birthday too; you must bathe, purify yourself, and offer charity to the Brahmins.”

Maiya explained that all the other cowherd boys had already been taken home, bathed, and dressed by their mothers, so they too must now return. Yashoda Maiya’s heart overflowed with motherly love. She held Balram with one hand and Krishna with the other, treating the Supreme Lord of the universe as her two little sons, and lovingly brought them home.

Thereafter, with deep affection, she performed all the auspicious rituals for their welfare.

When Nandbaba and the elder Gopas noticed that great disturbances had begun to occur in Mahavan, they gathered to discuss what should now be done for the safety of the people of Vraj. Among them was a wise Gopa named Upananda. He was not only advanced in age but also in understanding. He knew well how to act appropriately according to time, place, and circumstance. Above all, he wished that Ram and Shyam remain happy and safe, free from all danger.

Upananda said, “Here in Mahavan, such terrible calamities have begun to occur, disasters extremely harmful for our children. Therefore, if we truly desire the welfare of Gokul and its residents, we should pack up our belongings and move away from here.

Look at Nandaraya’s beloved child sitting before us. First, by some miracle, He escaped the deadly clutches of the child-killer Putana. Then, by the grace of Bhagwan, He was saved again when that huge cart nearly collapsed upon Him.

The demon who came in the form of a whirlwind carried Him high into the sky and threw Him down with the intention of killing Him, yet even when He fell upon a rock, the presiding deities of our clan protected this child.

And during the fall of the twin Arjuna trees, when the trees collapsed with a thunderous crash, neither He nor any other child was harmed. From this, too, we must understand that Bhagwan has been protecting us.

Before some even greater calamity destroys our entire Braj, it is wise that we take our children, our families, and move to another place.”

When the question arose, “Where should we go?” the name Vrindavan came forth.

“There is a forest named Vrindavan. Within it are many fresh, green, flourishing groves. There stands a sacred hill, soft grasses, and abundant blossoming creepers and plants. That place is extremely favourable for our cattle. For the Gopas, Gopis, and cows, it is not only convenient but an ideal place to live.” (Bhagavat 10.11.28)

“So, if this proposal seems right to all of you, let us set out for Vrindavan today itself.”

Hearing Upananda’s words, all the Gopas said together, “Very good, very good.” They gathered their herds of cows, loaded all their household belongings onto bullock carts, and began the journey toward Vrindavan.

The cowherds placed the elderly, the children, the women, and all their goods onto the carts, while they themselves walked behind with bows and arrows, proceeding with great care. They sent the cows and calves ahead of everyone, and walked behind them, blowing horns and trumpets loudly. The family priests also accompanied them.

The Gopis anointed their breasts with fresh saffron, wore beautiful garments, adorned their necks with gold necklaces, and rode on their chariots, singing joyful songs of Bhagwan Shree Krishna’s divine pastimes. Mother Yashoda and Mother Rohini, beautifully dressed, rode together on a cart with their beloved sons, Shree Krishna and Balram. They could never hear enough of their children’s sweet, lisping words, and longed to hear more and more.

Vrindavan was an exquisitely charming forest, pleasant in every season, filled only with joy. Upon entering Vrindavan, the cowherds arranged their carts in a half-circle formation and prepared suitable places for their cows and herds.

When Shree Krishna and Balram beheld the lush greenery of Vrindavan, the enchanting Govardhan Hill, and the beautiful sandy banks of the Yamuna River, their hearts blossomed with deep affection for the place. With their sweet, lisping speech and charming pastimes, they delighted the residents of Vrindavan just as they had in Gokul. 

After a few days, when the time was right, they began taking the calves out to graze. Carrying many little playthings with them, they would leave home with their cowherd friends and graze their calves near the settlement. Sometimes they played the flute; sometimes they shot pebbles or clay pellets with a sling. At times, they jingled the bells tied to their ankles, creating playful rhythms; at other moments, they pretended to be cows and bulls.

Look in one direction, some boys, acting like strong bulls, charged at each other in mock battles. Look in another, Krishna and the boys imitated the calls of peacocks, cuckoos, monkeys, and other forest creatures. In this way, the all-powerful Bhagwan played like an ordinary child, joyfully absorbed in His games.

One day, Shyam and Balram were grazing calves along with their cowherd friends on the banks of the Yamuna. At that very time, a demon arrived with the intent to kill them. Bhagwan Krishna noticed that the demon had taken the form of a calf and quietly slipped into the herd. With a subtle glance, Krishna signalled to Balram and slowly approached the demon-calf. It appeared as though He did not recognise the demon at all and was simply captivated by this sturdy, handsome calf.

But when the right moment came, Bhagwan Shree Krishna grabbed the demon’s tail and his two hind legs, whirled him high into the sky, and smashed him against a wood-apple tree (kaith tree), killing him instantly. The demon’s long, strong body crashed down with such force that many of the kaith trees toppled along with him. Seeing this, the cowherd boys were filled with boundless amazement. They cried out, “Wah! Wah!” praising their beloved Kanhaiya. Even the devatas joyfully showered flowers from the heavens.

He who is the sole protector of all the worlds, that very Shyam and Balram, now roamed the forests as simple cowherds, rising early each morning, taking their breakfast bundles, and wandering from one grove to another while grazing their calves.

One day, all the cowherd boys brought their herds of calves to a lakeside to give them water to drink. After the calves had drunk, the boys also quenched their thirst. As they looked around, they noticed a massive creature sitting nearby so huge that it appeared as though a piece of a mountain, struck by Indra’s thunderbolt, had fallen to the ground.

The boys were frightened. The creature was a giant demon named Baka, who had taken the form of a giant crane. His beak was extremely sharp, and he was immensely powerful. Suddenly, he lunged forward and swallowed Shree Krishna whole. When Balram and the other boys saw that the enormous crane had swallowed Krishna, they fell unconscious in terror.

But Krishna, the creator of the creator of the Universe (Brahmaji), was only playing the role of a cowherd boy. As He reached the base of the crane’s throat, His presence became like blazing fire, scorching the demon from within. Unable to bear the searing heat, the demon instantly spat Krishna out and, enraged, attacked again, trying to pierce Him with his hard, pointed beak.

At that moment, Shree Krishna caught both sides of the demon’s beak with His divine hands and, right before the eyes of the cowherd boys, tore it apart effortlessly, just as a child might split a tender reed. Seeing this, the devatas showered fragrant flowers from Nandana Van, such as jasmine and beli, and filled the heavens with the sounds of victory drums, conches, and hymns in praise of Bhagwan.

When Balram and the other boys saw Krishna emerge safely from the crane’s beak, they felt as though life itself had returned to their bodies. Overwhelmed with joy, each one embraced Him tightly. Then they gathered their calves and returned to Vraj, where they narrated the entire incident to their families.

Hearing of Bakasura’s death, all the Gopis and Gopas were astonished. It seemed to them as if Kanhaiya had returned from the very mouth of death. Their hearts surged with love, awe, and relief as they gazed at Him tirelessly, their eyes could never drink enough of His beauty.

They said to one another, “Ah! What a wonder! So many times this child has faced death itself. Yet those who come to harm Him are themselves destroyed, for they had harmed others before. These fierce demons intend to kill Him, but like moths falling into a fire, they are consumed themselves. Truly, the words of great sages never prove false. Just see how all the predictions of Mahatma Garga have come true.”

Nandbaba and the other Gopas spoke joyfully of their beloved Shyam and Ram, so absorbed in their sweetness that worldly troubles and hardships did not even touch their minds.

In this way, Shyam and Balram spent their childhood in Braj, playing hide-and-seek with the cowherd boys, building little bridges, leaping about like monkeys, and inventing countless delightful games. Through such innocent childhood pastimes, the two brothers filled Vrindavan with divine joy.

Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 01.12.2025