Kl09. Krishna's Childhood Plays Poem by Rajaram Ramachandran

KRISHNA LEELA

Garga Muni, the family priest,
Of Vasudeva paid a visit just,
To the King Nanda's palace,
To meet and talk to him once.

The King received the priest,
With full honours as his guest,
A great astrologer of the time.
To help others was his aim.

"Oh King, Vasudeva sent me,
Your two foster sons to see,
They're really his children,
To his wives, they were born."

"Yasoda had a female baby,
Devaki delivered a male baby,
The babies were exchanged.
This Krishna had arranged."

"Durga, the female child,
To Kamsa she had told,
The enemy is already born
To kill him one fine morn."

"If I now name your child,
It'll create a rumor wild,
That'll reach Kamsa's ears,
So, I've my own fears."

"Kamsa will never spare,
As he's always in despair,
Until his object is won,
He's sure to kill your son."

The priest so whispered,
And Nanda closely heard,
But the king told the priest,
"In secret, let us do it best."

In the backyard cowshed,
Some members were allowed,
In a secret ceremony held,
Their two sons were named.

To Rohini's son "Balaram"
He was given this name,
And the name "Krishna"
To the son of Yasoda.

Naughty boys both became.
Their neighbours daily came,
With one or the other blame
They had it ready to frame.

"Dear Yasoda, your boys,
They think we're their toys.
They feed all our calves,
Before we milk our cows."

"All the milk the calves drink,
We get not a drop of milk.
With empty pots we return,
They smile at our question."

"They steal yogurt all,
To them better tell
To give us no problem,
It's nice and good for them."

"Our pots they break,
Butter stored they take,
All their friends share,
Our needs, they don't care."

Poor Yasoda chastised them,
But nonstop complaints came,
Everyday routine this became,
They cared little to their blame.

One day a complaint,
To Yasoda it went,
That Krishna ate the clay,
While they were in play.

Child Krishna denied this,
Saying they told lies.
He opened His mouth wide,
To prove it from His side.

How in this small mouth,
All those on the earth,
Besides the total Universe,
Could move and traverse?

She was struck with awe,
At the wonder she saw,
To her, in fact, He was a gift,
His every action so proved it.

Her true love and devotion,
To Krishna, her divine son
Beyond any limit increased,
Her fear for Kamsa decreased.