Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.11.39-40
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesDelight in Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s Play
“Sometimes Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would play on Their flutes, sometimes They would throw ropes and stones devised for getting fruits from the trees, sometimes They would throw only stones, and sometimes, Their ankle bells tinkling, They would play football with fruits like bael and āmalakī. Sometimes They would cover Themselves with blankets and imitate cows and bulls and fight with one another, roaring loudly, and sometimes They would imitate the voices of the animals. In this way They enjoyed sporting, exactly like two ordinary human children.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma played flutes, used ropes and stones to get fruit, and kicked fruits while Their ankle bells tinkled.
- They covered Themselves with blankets to imitate cows and bulls, playfully fighting and roaring. They enjoyed sporting exactly like two ordinary human children.
- The Vṛndāvana forest was full of birds and animals, including peacocks, cuckoos, monkeys, bulls and cows. Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma enjoyed imitating their sounds.
Try this today
Choose one activity from this translation and spend a minute remembering it.
Ask yourself
Which detail of Their playful activities helps me give loving attention to Them?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.