Krishna Eating Dirt

Krishna's name-giving ceremony
Vasudeva, the real father of Krishna, asked his family priest Gargamuni to visit the place of Nanda Maharaja, Krishna's foster father, in order to astrologically calculate the future life of Krishna. Gargamuni was a great saintly sage who underwent many austerities and penances and was appointed priest of the Yadu dynasty. When Gargamuni arrived at the home of Nanda Maharaja, Nanda Maharaja was very pleased to see him and immediately stood up with folded hands and offered his respectful obeisances. He received Gargamuni with the feeling of one who is worshipping God or the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He offered him a nice sitting place, and when he sat down, Nanda Maharaja offered him a warm reception. Addressing him very politely, he said: "My dear brahmana, your appearance in a householder's place is only to enlighten. We are always engaged in household duties and are forgetting our real duty of self-realization. Your coming to our house is to give us some enlightenment about spiritual life. You have no other purpose to visit householders." Actually a saintly person or a brahmana has no business visiting householders who are always busy in the matter of dollars and cents. If it is asked, "Why don't the householders go to a saintly person or a brahmana for enlightenment?" The answer is that householders are very poor-hearted. Generally householders think their engagement in family affairs is their prime duty and self-realization or enlightenment in spiritual knowledge is secondary. Out of compassion only, saintly persons and brahmanas go to householders' homes.

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Astrological science
Nanda Maharaja addressed Gargamuni as one of the great authorities in astrological science. The foretellings of astrological science, such as the occurrence of solar or lunar eclipses, are wonderful calculations, and by this particular science, a person can understand the future very clearly. Gargamuni was proficient in this knowledge. By this knowledge one can understand what his previous activities were, and by the result of such activities one may enjoy or suffer in this life.

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Everyone should accept a qualified spiritual master
Nanda Maharaja also addressed Gargamuni as the "best of the brahmanas." A brahmana is one who is expert in the knowledge of the Supreme. Without knowledge of the Supreme Absolute, one cannot be recognized as a brahmana. The brahmana is considered to be the spiritual master or priest for the other orders. Nanda Maharaja offered his two foster sons -- namely Krishna and Balarama -- to Gargamuni to purify. He agreed that not only these boys, but all human beings just after birth should accept a qualified brahmana as spiritual master.
Upon this request, Gargamuni replied, "Vasudeva has sent me to see to the name-giving ceremony of these boys, especially Krishna's. I am their family priest."

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Krishna and Balaram's names
Gargamuni informed Nanda Maharaja that Balarama, the son of Rohini, would be very pleasing to his family members and relatives and therefore would be called Rama. In the future He would be extraordinarily strong and therefore would be called Balarama. Gargamuni said further, "Because your family and the family of the Yadus are so intimately connected and attracted, therefore His name will also be Sankarsana." This means that Gargamuni awarded three names to the son of Rohini -- namely Balarama, Sankarsana, and Baladeva. But he carefully did not disclose the fact that Balarama also appeared in the womb of Devaki and was subsequently transferred to the womb of Rohini. Krishna and Balarama are real brothers, being originally sons of Devaki.
Gargamuni then informed Nanda Maharaja, "As far as the other boy is concerned, this child has taken different bodily complexions in different yugas (millennia). First of all He assumed the colour white, then He assumed the colour red, then the colour yellow and now He has assumed the colour black. Besides that, He was formerly the son of Vasudeva; therefore His name should be Vasudeva as well as Krishna. Some people will call Him Krishna, and some will call Him Vasudeva. But one thing you must know: This son has had many, many other names and activities due to His different pastimes."
Gargamuni gave Nanda Maharaja a further hint that his son will also be called Giridhari because of His uncommon pastimes of lifting Govardhana Hill. Since he could understand everything past and future, he said, "I know everything about His activities and name, but others do not know. This child will be very pleasing to all the cowherd men and cows. Being very popular in Vrndavana, He will be the cause of all good fortune for you. Because of His presence, you will overcome all kinds of material calamities, despite opposing elements."
Gargamuni continued to say, "My dear King of Vraja, in His previous births, this child many times protected righteous persons from the hands of rogues and thieves whenever there was political disruption. Your child is so powerful that anyone who will become a devotee of your boy will never be troubled by enemies. Just as demigods are always protected by Lord Visnu, so the devotees of your child will always be protected by Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This child will grow in power, beauty, opulence -- in everything -- on the level of Narayana, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore I would advise that you protect Him very carefully so that He may grow without disturbance."

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Krishna and Balarama begin to crawl
A short time after this incident, both Balarama and Krishna began to crawl on Their hands and knees. When They were crawling like that, They pleased Their mothers. The bells tied to Their waist and ankles sounded fascinating, and They would move around very pleasingly. Sometimes, just like ordinary children, They would be frightened by others and would immediately hurry to Their mothers for protection. Sometimes They would fall into the clay and mud of Vrndavana and would approach Their mothers smeared with clay and saffron. As soon as They would come crawling to their mothers, Yasoda and Rohini would take Them on their laps and, covering the lower portion of their saris, allow Them to suck their breasts. When the babies were sucking their breasts, the mothers would see small teeth coming in. Thus their joy would be intensified to see their children grow. Sometimes the naughty babies would crawl up to the cowshed, catch the tail of a calf and stand up. The calves, being disturbed, would immediately begin running here and there, and the children would be dragged over clay and cow dung. To see this fun, Yasoda and Rohini would call all their neighbouring friends, the gopis. Upon seeing these childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna, the gopis would be merged in transcendental bliss. In their enjoyment they would laugh very loudly.

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Krishna and Balarama's mothers try to protect Them
Both Krishna and Balarama were so restless that Their mothers Yasoda and Rohini would try to protect Them from cows, bulls, monkeys, water, fire and birds while they were executing their household duties. Always being anxious to protect the children and to execute their duties, they were not very tranquil. In a very short time, both Krishna and Balarama began to stand up and slightly move on Their legs. When Krishna and Balarama began to walk, other friends of the same age joined Them, an together they began to give the highest transcendental pleasure to the gopis, specifically to mother Yasoda and Rohini.

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The Gopis enjoy the childish activities of Krishna and Balarama
All the gopi friends of Yasoda and Rohini enjoyed the naughty childish activities of Krishna and Balarama in Vrndavana. In order to enjoy further transcendental bliss, they all assembled and went to mother Yasoda to lodge complaints against the restless boys. When Krishna was sitting before mother Yasoda, all the elderly gopis began to lodge complaints against Him so that Krishna could hear. They said, "Dear Yasoda, why don't you restrict your naughty Krishna. He comes to our houses along with Balarama every morning and evening, and before the milking of the cows They let loose the calves, and the calves drink all the milk of the cows. So when we go to milk the cows, we find no milk, and we have to return with empty pots. If we warn Krishna and Balarama about doing this, They simply smile charmingly. We cannot do anything. Also, your Krishna and Balarama find great pleasure in stealing our stock of yogurt and butter from wherever we keep it. When Krishna and Balarama are caught stealing the yogurt and butter, They say, 'Why do you charge us with stealing? Do you think that butter and yogurt are in scarcity in our house?' Sometimes They steal butter, yogurt and milk and distribute them to the monkeys. When the monkeys are well fed and do not take any more, then your boys chide, 'This milk and butter and yogurt are useless -- even the monkeys won't take it.' And They break the pots and throw them hither and thither. If we keep our stock of yogurt, butter and milk in a solitary dark place, your Krishna and Balarama find it in the darkness by the glaring effulgence of the ornaments and jewels on Their bodies. If we keep our stock of butter and yogurt high on the ceiling, hanging on a swing, although it is beyond Their reach, They arrange to reach it by piling all kinds of wooden crates over the grinding machine. And if They cannot reach, They make a hole in the pot. We think therefore that you better take all the jewelled ornaments from the bodies of your children."

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Krishna and Balarama steal butter and yogurt
On hearing this, Yasoda would say, "All right, I will take all the jewels from Krishna so that He can not see the butter hidden in the darkness." Then the gopis would say, "No, no, don't do this. What good will you do by taking away the jewels'? We do not know what kind of boys these are, but even without ornaments They spread some kind of effulgence so that even in darkness They can see everything." Then mother Yasoda would inform them, "All right, keep your butter and yogurt carefully so that They may not reach it." In reply to this, the gopis said, "Yes, actually we do so, but because we are sometimes engaged in our household duties, these naughty boys enter our house somehow or other and spoil everything. Just see your boy now -- He is hearing this complaint. All day They simply make arrangements to steal our butter and yogurt, and now They are sitting just like very silent good boys. Just see His face." When mother Yasoda thought to chastise her boy after hearing all the complaints, she saw His pitiable face, and smiling, she did not chastise Him.

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Krishna eats clay
Another day, when Krishna and Balarama were playing with Their friends, all the boys joined Balarama and told mother Yasoda that Krishna had eaten clay. On hearing this, mother Yasoda caught hold of Krishna's hand and said, "My dear Krishna, why have You eaten earth in a solitary place. Just see, all Your friends including Balarama are complaining about You." Being afraid of His mother, Krishna replied, "My dear mother, all these boys, including My elder brother Balarama, are speaking lies against Me. I have never eaten clay. My elder brother Balarama, while playing with Me today, became angry, and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you will be angry and chastise Me. If you think they are truthful, then you can look within My mouth to see whether I have taken clay or not." His mother replied, "All right, if You have actually not taken any clay, then just open Your mouth. I shall see."

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Krishna's mother sees the universe in His mouth
When the Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna was so ordered by His mother, He immediately opened His mouth just like an ordinary boy. Then mother Yasoda saw within that mouth the complete opulence of creation. She saw the entire outer space in all directions, mountains, islands, oceans, seas, planets, air, fire, moon and stars. Along with the moon and the stars she also saw the entire elements, water, sky, the extensive ethereal existence along with the total ego and the products of the senses and the controller of the senses, all the demigods, the objects of the senses like sound, smell, etc., and the three qualities of material nature. She also could perceive that within His mouth were all living entities, eternal time, material nature, spiritual nature, activity, consciousness and different forms of the whole creation. Yasoda could find within the mouth of her child everything necessary for cosmic manifestation. She also saw, within His mouth, herself taking Krishna on her lap and having Him sucking her breast. Upon seeing all this, she became struck with awe and began to wonder whether she were dreaming or actually seeing something extraordinary. She concluded that she was either dreaming or seeing the play of the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. She thought she had become mad, mentally deranged, to see all those wonderful things.
While mother Yasoda was thinking in this way, Lord Krishna again expanded His internal energy just to bewilder her with maternal affection. Immediately mother Yasoda forgot everything and accepted Krishna as her own child. She took Him on her lap and became overwhelmed with maternal affection. Then she began to think of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as her own begotten child.

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Chant Hare Krishna and be happy! All glories to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!