Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.8.32
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Play Pleases His Devotees
“One day while Kṛṣṇa was playing with His small playmates, including Balarāma and other sons of the gopas, all His friends came together and lodged a complaint to mother Yaśodā. “Mother,” they submitted, “Kṛṣṇa has eaten earth.””
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa’s playmates, including Balarāma, complained to mother Yaśodā that He had eaten earth.
- An earlier complaint about Kṛṣṇa’s stealing had not led mother Yaśodā to chastise Him. This new complaint was invented to awaken her anger so that she would chastise Him.
- The purport describes this as another of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental activities meant to please the gopīs.
Try this today
Reread the translation once, remembering that this activity is meant to please Kṛṣṇa’s devotees.
Ask yourself
How does knowing that this activity pleases the gopīs shape your understanding of Kṛṣṇa’s play?
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.