Shloka 30
Garga Muni Names Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; the Butter-Thief Pastimes; Yaśodā Sees the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth
हस्ताग्राह्ये रचयति विधिं पीठकोलूखलाद्यै- श्छिद्रं ह्यन्तर्निहितवयुन: शिक्यभाण्डेषु तद्वित् । ध्वान्तागारे धृतमणिगणं स्वाङ्गमर्थप्रदीपं काले गोप्यो यर्हि गृहकृत्येषु सुव्यग्रचित्ता: ॥ ३० ॥
hastāgrāhye racayati vidhiṁ pīṭhakolūkhalādyaiś chidraṁ hy antar-nihita-vayunaḥ śikya-bhāṇḍeṣu tad-vit dhvāntāgāre dhṛta-maṇi-gaṇaṁ svāṅgam artha-pradīpaṁ kāle gopyo yarhi gṛha-kṛtyeṣu suvyagra-cittāḥ
ゴーピーたちが乳や凝乳を天井から吊るしたシキヤに高く置き、クリシュナとバララーマの手が届かないとき、二人は板などを積み重ね、香辛料を搗く臼を逆さにして届く工夫をする。壺の中身を知り尽くしているので、穴を開けて汁を抜き取る。年長のゴーピーたちが家事に忙しい折には、二人は暗い部屋に入り、身に着けた宝石や飾りの輝きを灯火として、その光を頼りに盗みを働く。
Formerly, in every household, yogurt and butter were kept for use in emergencies. But Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would pile up planks so that They could reach the pots and would then pick holes in the pots with Their hands so that the contents would leak out and They could drink it. This was another means for stealing butter and milk. When the butter and milk were kept in a dark room, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would go there and make the place bright with the valuable jewels on Their bodies. On the whole, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma engaged in stealing butter and milk from the neighborhood houses in many ways.
FAQs
This verse describes Kṛṣṇa’s playful “theft” as a deliberate, clever pastime—using stools and the mortar to reach hanging pots—while the gopīs are busy, revealing His charming childhood līlā that attracts pure devotion.
The gopīs hang the pots to protect them, but Kṛṣṇa devises a method—stacking household items like stools and the mortar—and then makes openings in the containers to take the contents.
The verse reminds devotees to see the Divine even in ordinary home life: sincere bhakti can turn daily duties into remembrance, and Kṛṣṇa’s sweetness draws the heart beyond mere rule-following into loving relationship.