Garg Samhita- The uncatchable Butter Thief

Chapter 17

🌼 The Sweet Mischiefs of Little Krishna in Vraja

As the days in Gokula rolled on, Krishna and His elder brother Balarama grew into delightful children. Their sweet words began to charm everyone in Vraja. Whenever They ran about, the melodious tinkling of Their anklets filled the village lanes, enchanting not only the villagers but echoing across the three worlds.

Mother Yashoda's heart filled with love as she watched her little boy. Each day He would run out to play in the courtyards with the cowherd boys, tumbling about, rolling in the dust, and returning home with His limbs smeared in clay. Yashoda would bathe Him with the utmost tenderness, cleansing His tiny body as if it were more precious than all the treasures of creation.

After His bath, she would dress Him in a yellow silk garment that shimmered like molten gold. A crown studded with gems rested upon His curly locks, and yet to Yashoda, no jewel was as radiant as the sparkle of His eyes. For her, the wealth of the three worlds was meaningless if only she could get the glance of her son’s smile and mischievious lotus eyes.

🌸 The Village Adoration
Whenever Krishna and Balarama stepped outside their home, wandering playfully through the village, the gopis would stop their chores and gaze at them in wonder. Their minds and hearts would be stolen away at the sight of Bala Mukunda. The simple villagers of Vraja had no idea that this enchanting child was the very Lord of the universe—they only knew the irresistible sweetness of His presence.

🌼 The Butter Thief
Yet, what truly made Him the joy of Vraja was not only His beauty but His innocent mischiefs. The master of the universes chose to become the butter-thief of Vraja, because his devotees did a lot of penace to get the chance to play with the divine, to have fun with the divine and to adore the divine without knowing his true divinity. Along with His close friends Subala and Sridama, He would slip into the homes of the gopis, searching for pots of butter, ghee, and yogurt. The sound of His laughter and the sight of His tiny hands digging into butter churns became the daily melody of Gokula.

One day, Prabhavati, the wife of Upananda, came to Nanda’s palace with a heart full of complaints. Folding her hands respectfully before Mother Yashoda, she said,

“Your son, O queen of Vraja, has turned my home upside down. He enters my courtyard, climbs the shelves, and steals my butter and yogurt. And when I scold Him, He only laughs, mocks me, and runs away! Such behavior does not suit the son of Vraja’s king. O Yashoda, I say this only because of my respect for you. There are things He does which I will not even mention aloud.”

Hearing this, Yashoda tried to appear stern, though her heart melted with affection. She said with a gentle smile,
“Dear sister, I have ten million cows, and in my home, yogurt overflows so much that it is difficult even to move about. Why this boy refuses to eat at home, I cannot understand! But if you ever catch Him with butter in His mouth, bring Him here. I will scold Him and tie Him up so that He learns His lesson.”

Prabhavati, reassured, left the palace and returned home.

🌸 The Great Heist
Not long after, the perfect chance arose. Krishna and His companions came sneaking into her courtyard. The yogurt was hung high in a pot from ropes tied to the rafters. The boys stacked a stool, then a grinding mortar, and finally climbed on each other’s shoulders. Still, the pot was beyond their grasp.

Sri Krishna was unwilling to give up, struck the pot with sticks with the help of Sridama and Subala. The pot cracked, and yogurt spilled like a white river onto the ground. At once, the boys dipped their hands into the creamy treasure, laughing as they smeared it on each other’s faces. Even the monkeys of Vraja joined the festival of butter, as if invited to the Lord’s playful feast.

But the crash of the pot alerted Prabhavati. She rushed into the courtyard. The boys scattered in every direction like startled deer, but she managed to grab Krishna by His soft lotus hand.

“Now I have caught you, thief!” she exclaimed triumphantly.

Little Krishna’s eyes welled with tears—yet they were only the playful, false tears of the Supreme Lord. She pulled Him along to Nanda’s palace. She vailed her face with her dupatta when she saw King Nanda was standing on the door.

🌼 The Divine Trick
Standing before Nanda and Yashoda, Prabhavati cried out,
“Here is your son! Today He broke a pot and stole all the yogurt in my home. He must be punished!”

But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who can change the course of destiny with a thought, chose to play another funny trick. He also thought "if mother Yashoda finds out, she will surely punish him." By His divine power, He assumed the form of Prabhavati’s own son.

Mother Yashoda, amused and calm, said,
“O gopi, unveil your face first and then complain.

Prabhavati, certain of her victory, unveiled her face—only to gasp in disbelief. It was indeed her own son standing there! Confused and embarrassed, she muttered, “How did you come here without walking? Just now, you were in my house!”

Gathering him in her arms, she quickly left, her heart in turmoil. Behind her, the whole assembly—Yashoda, Rohini, Nanda, Balarama, and the gopas and gopis—burst into laughter, amused at the Lord’s divine mischief.

🌸 The Butter-Thief Speaks
Once outside, Krishna revealed Himself again in His true form as Nanda’s son. His eyes sparkled mischievously as He warned Prabhavati,
“O gopi, remember this well. If you ever catch Me again, I will not only trick you—I will take the form of your husband and make you the subject of utter laughter in the whole Vraja! Then what will you do?”

Hearing these astonishing words, Prabhavati trembled, her astonishment mingled with awe. From that day onwards, none of the gopis dared to capture Krishna, fearing what divine embarrassment He might bring upon them.

Thus, the Lord of infinite universes roamed freely as the butter-thief of Vraja, filling the courtyards with laughter, the homes with stolen butter, and the hearts of the gopis with a love that knew no bounds.

Author's views

I always find Krishna’s leelas enchanting whenever I hear them. The joy I receive from reading or listening to these divine pastimes gives me a unique kind of happiness. Krishna’s sweet mischiefs, His playful expressions, and the gopis’ love—even when shown through anger—are all incomparable.

Only with Krishna it is possible that devotees can adore Him, scold Him, blackmail Him, get angry with Him, or even quarrel with Him—yet never be accused of blasphemy. Sri Krishna accepts everything with mercy and love. He shows us a special path of devotion where one may approach Him not only as God, but also as a best friend, a beloved son, or a dear brother.

In this way, the Divine reassures us that He is always with us, ready to fulfill our wishes—on one condition: that our love for Him is pure.

Do you think Krishna’s butter-stealing leela was only to give joy to His devotees, or was there some deeper purpose hidden within it?

I personally feel that the Divine never acts without multiple layers of meaning. Some purposes are revealed through scriptures, some we discover through contemplation, and many remain a sweet mystery.

What do you think? Please share your reflections in the comments—because knowledge grows only when we share and listen to one another. 🌸
Jai Sri Radhe Krishna 🙏