Kṛshṇa’s Childhood in Vṛndāvana

The Harivaṃśa is the supplement to the Mahābhārata. Its Vishṇu Parva tells how Bhagavān Kṛshṇa grew up among the cowherds (gopālakas) of Nanda, with his elder brother Balarāma. This retelling follows that account from the first small wonders to the day Kaṃsa’s messenger comes to take the two boys to Mathurā.

Nanda spent many happy years among the cowherds. The two boys were named Saṃkarshaṇa for the elder and Kṛshṇa for the younger. Balarāma is also called Saṃkarshaṇa. Kṛshṇa, dark as a monsoon cloud, grew up among the cattle.

The cart (Chapter 6)

Yaśodā once left the infant Kṛshṇa sleeping under a cart and went to the Yamunā to bathe. Kṛshṇa woke hungry for milk and alone. He cried and kicked his feet. With one foot he struck the cart, and it crashed down.

Yaśodā came back and found the cart overturned, its wheel and axle broken, but the baby unharmed. She was terrified, and also relieved. Children who had seen it told Nanda: “This boy kicked it over with his own foot. We saw it.” Nanda was astonished and frightened in equal measure. The cart was repaired. The Purāṇa calls this episode Śakaṭāsura.

Pūtanā (Chapter 7)

After some time Kaṃsa’s nurse Pūtanā came in the form of a bird. She flew with beating wings at midnight and hid inside the wheel of a cart in Nanda’s house while everyone slept. Then she offered her poisoned breast to Kṛshṇa.

Śrī Kṛshṇa drank not only her milk but her very life-force. The bird form fell with a loud crash. Nanda, Yaśodā and the whole community of cowherds woke in terror and stood around the fallen body of Pūtanā. They could not understand what had happened. The cause stayed unknown to them, and they went back to their homes in wonder.

The twin Arjuna trees (Chapter 8)

As Kṛshṇa and Saṃkarshaṇa grew into jumping, crawling children, they were never apart. They shared one seat, one bed and one meal. In their cowherd bodies both carried the divine purpose of protecting the world and doing the work of the devas. The people compared their unmatched play and radiance to the sun and moon together. The boys crawled on arms like serpents, smeared with cow-dung and dust, as fine as two young bull-elephants at play.

Yaśodā was worn out by Kṛshṇa’s mischief. She tied a rope around his belly and fastened it to the heavy wooden mortar (ulūkhala), then went inside to her work. Kṛshṇa dragged the mortar out through the courtyard door and between two huge twin trees, the marutu (Arjuna) trees. The mortar wedged between them. As he pulled, both trees were torn out by their roots with a tremendous crash. Kṛshṇa stood laughing and showed his strength to the cowherds.

The gopīs running along the bank of the Yamunā saw it. They wept in shock and rushed to tell Yaśodā. All the villagers gathered. They said: “These huge trees have fallen. This is a third bad omen, after the cart turning over and Pūtanā’s death.” They urged Nanda to leave. Nanda freed Kṛshṇa from the mortar and held him. He could not look away from those lotus eyes, and he hugged the boy in relief. Because of the rope tied around his belly, Kṛshṇa received the name Dāmodara.

The move to Vṛndāvana (Chapters 9 and 10)

When Kṛshṇa and Saṃkarshaṇa were seven years old, they began to wear black and green clothes, one each. They put on sandal paste, wore a tuft of hair (śikhā) and dressed as young cowherds. They roamed the forest together, playing the sweet-toned vīṇā.

Kṛshṇa told Balarāma that the old pasture was used up, with no more grass or trees. He said that Vṛndāvana, on the bank of the Yamunā near Govardhana, was the right place. It had the great banyan tree Khāṇḍīra, plenty of grass, and the cool Kālindī flowing nearby. He warned them of the evil Keśi who lived in Vṛndāvana, yet it was still the right place to go.

Then Kṛshṇa made terrifying wolves appear from his own body, to frighten the community into moving. The wolves preyed on calves, carried off children at night and spread panic. The elders called a meeting. Nanda, with the wisdom of Bṛhaspati, declared the move: the whole gokula was to go to Vṛndāvana.

The whole vraja broke camp. They loaded carts with provisions and drove the cattle ahead. The long line of colourful gopīs with water-pots on their heads looked like a moving rainbow. They reached the beautiful meadow near Govardhana on the bank of the Yamunā, made their home there, and found plenty of grass, water and fruit. With Madhusūdana Kṛshṇa among them, everything was blissful.

The seasons in Vṛndāvana (Chapters 11 and 12)

In Vṛndāvana Kṛshṇa and Balarāma looked after the cows and played in the Yamunā through the summer months. When the rains came, Balarāma described the monsoon to Kṛshṇa in beautiful words. He spoke of the dark clouds that match Kṛshṇa’s own dark body, the dancing peacocks, the blossoming kadamba trees, the rivers rushing in flood, and the forest cooling after the summer heat. Vṛndāvana shone like Kubera’s park. The two brothers played with the cowherd children through the rains and into the autumn. (Chapter 11)

Kṛshṇa also wandered alone in the forest. The Purāṇa describes him in this time in detail. He wore a lock of hair (jūlapāla) and bore the Śrīvatsa mark. He wore arm-jewels, and his hands were like blooming lotuses. His silk was as fine as lotus threads. He moved like a cloud at dusk, with his peacock feather waving in the breeze. In one place he sang, in another he danced, he played instruments, and he played the flute (vāṃśī), dancing for the joy of the cows. He rested under the Khāṇḍīra banyan tree. Then he went to the Yamunā and saw the great poisoned pool. (Chapter 12)

Kāliya Mardana: Kṛshṇa subdues Kāliya (Chapter 13)

Kṛshṇa came to the Yamunā and recognised the great poisoned pool. It was four krośas wide and deep, and every creature avoided it. Even fish and birds were absent. The serpent Kāliya had been driven from the ocean by fear of Garuḍa. He had made his home here and spoiled the river with his venom. Kṛshṇa knew him and said: “This serpent-king was already defeated by me in the past. Now I must discipline him again and make these waters clean for the community.”

Kṛshṇa climbed to the top of the Kadamba tree on the bank and dived into the pool with a great splash, which shook the serpent’s home. Kāliya rose in fury. He had five hoods and five eyes blazing red like fire. His body filled the pool, and he gave out flames and smoke. His wives, sons and attendant serpents poured out, biting the boy and wrapping around him. Kṛshṇa stood as firm as a mountain and made no effort to resist. Their bites could not harm him.

The frightened cowherds ran to the village crying that Kāliya was swallowing Kṛshṇa. Nanda, Yaśodā, Balarāma and all the community rushed to the pool and stood weeping on the bank.

Then Balarāma called out: “Kṛshṇa! These people think you are an ordinary person, and they weep for you. Kill this serpent whose weapon is poison.” When Kṛshṇa heard Balarāma’s words, he broke free of the serpent’s coils. He struck Kāliya with his arm, gripped his body with his feet, pressed down his heads, bent them with his hand and climbed onto his hoods to dance. Kāliya was crushed and exhausted. He vomited blood from his mouths and begged: “I was disciplined. I am yours. I acted from ignorance. Command me. What shall I do?”

Kṛshṇa was not angry. He told him: “Leave this place. Go to the ocean with your wives, sons and kindred. The footprints of mine on your hoods will protect you. When Garuḍa sees them, he will not harm you.”

Kāliya carried Kṛshṇa’s footprints on his heads and vanished from the pool. The cowherds praised Kṛshṇa and walked around him in joy. The Yamunā became wholesome again.

Dhenukāsura in the palm grove (Chapter 14)

After the Kāliya episode, Balarāma and Kṛshṇa went with their cattle to the northern side of Govardhana. A beautiful grove of tall palm trees stood there on the bank of the Yamunā. The grove was guarded by the terrible rākshasa Dhenuka, who had taken the form of a donkey. He drove away every human, bird and animal with terror, and kept the ripe, fragrant, honey-sweet palm fruits for himself.

Balarāma shook the palm trees, and the fruits rained down. Dhenuka heard the sound and charged in fury. He brayed, struck the earth with his hooves and lashed his tail, with his mouth open like Yama himself. He bit Balarāma and kicked him in the chest with his hind legs. Balarāma seized Dhenuka’s legs, swung him around and threw him into the top of a palm tree. The rākshasa fell to the ground with his thighs, back and neck broken. Balarāma destroyed Dhenuka’s companions in the same way.

The grove was now free of danger and open to the cattle and the community. The brothers rested on seats of leaves under the trees.

Pralambāsura (Chapter 15)

Kṛshṇa and Balarāma went back from the palm grove to the Khāṇḍīra forest. They tended the cattle, called the calves by name, sang together and gathered flowers. Their forest garlands (vanamālā) glowed. The two looked like a white cloud and a black cloud joined by a rainbow. They wrestled with boulders and played many games.

A rākshasa named Pralamba came, disguised as a young cowherd decorated with forest flowers. He mixed with the children and played with all of them, but he watched Kṛshṇa and Balarāma like a hunter. He knew he could not overcome Kṛshṇa, so he decided to carry off and kill Balarāma. In a leapfrog game Pralamba took Balarāma on his back and began to run very fast. He made his body as big as a mountain. He wore a blazing crown and swinging ornaments, and his footsteps sank deep into the earth. It was a terrifying form. Balarāma cried out: “Kṛshṇa! A rākshasa is taking me. How shall I punish this villain?”

Kṛshṇa smiled and said: “Brother, you are speaking like a human. Remember Nārāyaṇa. You are Śesha himself. Only our bodies are different. You are not ignorant. Use your strength and strike his head with your fist like a vajra.” Balarāma was reminded of his true nature. He struck the rākshasa’s head with his knees and fists, and Pralamba was killed. Balarāma embraced Kṛshṇa and the community, and the devas sang the praises of Balarāma. The strength of Balarāma became known to the people.

Govardhana Pūjā and the defeat of Indra (Chapters 16 to 20)

Some time later Kṛshṇa and Balarāma came back to the vraja and heard that the people were preparing for the great Indra-dhvaja festival. Kṛshṇa asked the elders: “We are cowherds who live by cattle. Why do we worship Indra? Our dharma is the cattle, the hills and the forests. The one we live from is our devatā. To worship one devatā while living from another is a double loss, in this world and the next. We should worship Govardhana.”

The community agreed to Kṛshṇa’s proposal. The Indra festival was stopped, and a giriyajña (a yajña for the mountain) was held in its place. Mountains of food, rivers of milk and plentiful offerings were made ready. At the high point of it, Bhagavān Kṛshṇa took the form of Govardhana itself through his māyā. He ate the great offerings, declared himself satisfied, and laughed in that same form. The cowherds bowed to the mountain. At the same time Kṛshṇa bowed to himself in his other form, keeping up the līlā (divine play). Thousands of cows, decorated with flower garlands, walked around Govardhana.

Indra was furious that his festival had been stopped. He called the great clouds, Saṃvartaka and others, and ordered them to destroy the vraja with seven nights of fearful rain and storm. The sky grew dark and terrible rain fell. Calves, cows and people suffered badly. Kṛshṇa decided to protect them. He pulled Govardhana up with one hand and held it high like a great umbrella over the whole vraja, five krośas long and one wide beneath it. He stood like a pillar without moving for seven days and nights. The cows, the cowherds, their carts and belongings all took shelter under the mountain.

Indra saw that his effort had failed. He called back the clouds and came down on his white elephant Airāvata. He was ashamed before Kṛshṇa. He praised Kṛshṇa, asked his forgiveness and accepted that Kṛshṇa is above him. The cows anointed Kṛshṇa with streams of milk from their udders. The clouds added water, and Indra added celestial water from a golden vessel. From that day Kṛshṇa received the name Govinda, the one cherished by the cows. Indra also told Kṛshṇa that his own son Arjuna would need Kṛshṇa’s support in the coming great war, and Kṛshṇa promised to protect Arjuna in every situation.

Rāsalīlā (Chapter 21)

After Indra left, Kṛshṇa entered the vraja to the praises of all the elders. On śarat (autumn) nights of the full moon, the radiant Kṛshṇa arranged bull-fights among the bulls and wrestling matches among the cowherds. Then he called the young gopīs to come and play in the night.

They came. They passed beyond the hold of husbands, brothers and mothers and stood in a circle around Kṛshṇa. They saw his face as the moon’s disc come down to earth. Govinda wore his green garment and a many-coloured forest garland, and his radiance filled the vraja. The gopīs embraced him, their eyes wide and restless. They copied his dance, his song, his walk and his glance. Kṛshṇa enjoyed those autumn nights in the circle (maṇḍala) of the gopīs with great delight.

Arishṭāsura (Chapter 22)

One evening, while Kṛshṇa was at play, the rākshasa Arishṭa appeared in the form of a huge bull. He was dark as a monsoon cloud, with sharp horns, eyes red as the sun and hooves sharp as blades. He threw the cows into panic, made pregnant cows lose their calves, and gored cattle with his horns. He came at Kṛshṇa bellowing like a second Yama. Kṛshṇa stood without moving. Arishṭa charged, and the two fought like two great bulls. Kṛshṇa put his foot between the horns of the rākshasa and seized his throat. He tore out one horn and beat the rākshasa’s face with it until he fell dead. The community praised Govinda. That same evening Kṛshṇa performed the Rāsa play (Rāsakrīḍā) under the moonlit sky.

Keśi Vadha (Chapter 25)

Kaṃsa sent the rākshasa Keśi, in the form of a horse, to destroy Kṛshṇa in Vṛndāvana. Keśi killed cowherds and cattle and made the forest impossible to cross. One day he charged into the cowherd settlement. Everyone, men, women and children, ran and took shelter with Kṛshṇa. Well-wishers tried to stop him, but Kṛshṇa ran toward Keśi. The two fought in many ways, and Kṛshṇa broke Keśi’s arm. The rākshasa crashed to the ground, vomiting blood.

Nārada, unseen in the sky, called out in approval: “O Vishṇu, O Kṛshṇa, I rejoice! Because you killed Keśi, you shall be called Keśava.” Nārada then told Kṛshṇa that the great war of the Mahābhārata was near. After Kaṃsa’s death the war between the Kauravas and Pāṇḍavas would follow, and the Pāṇḍavas would take shelter in Kṛshṇa. Nārada left for the sky, and Kṛshṇa went back to the cowherds.

Akrūra comes (Chapters 23 to 27)

Kaṃsa heard of everything Kṛshṇa had done: Pūtanā’s death, Kāliya’s defeat, the destruction of Dhenuka and Pralamba, the lifting of Govardhana, the shaming of Indra, the rescue of the cows and the killing of Arishṭa. Fear came over him. He called his council and accused Vasudeva bitterly. He decided to invite Kṛshṇa and Balarāma to Mathurā on the pretext of the dhanuryajña (the bow yajña). Akrūra, well known for his generosity, was sent as the messenger. The elders of the council warned Kaṃsa of omens of his own death.

Akrūra reached Vṛndāvana at dusk, his heart full of longing to see the lotus-eyed Kṛshṇa. He saw Kṛshṇa milking near the calves at the door of Nanda’s house, and he was overcome. He knew in him the very form of Vishṇu. Kṛshṇa bore the Śrīvatsa mark, wore golden earrings and garlands and a yellow garment (pītāmbara), and had long golden arms and feet that had once measured the three worlds.

Akrūra gave Kaṃsa’s invitation to Nanda and Kṛshṇa. They were to come to Mathurā to see the dhanuryajña, bring gifts, and meet Vasudeva and Devakī after a long separation. Kṛshṇa agreed without anger. The whole vraja got ready to leave.

At the crossing of the Yamunā, Akrūra dived into the water to say his prayers. He saw Ananta Śesha seated on the serpent throne, and Kṛshṇa seated in his lap. Twice he came out of the water, and each time he found the same Kṛshṇa sitting on the chariot outside. Filled with awe, he went back. Kṛshṇa smiled and told him to go on.

Sources

• Hari Vaṃśa Purāṇa, Vishṇu Parva, Chapters 6 to 30 (the account covers Chapters 6 to 27)
• Chapter 6: the cart
• Chapter 7: Pūtanā
• Chapter 8: the twin Arjuna trees
• Chapters 9 and 10: the move to Vṛndāvana
• Chapters 11 and 12: the seasons in Vṛndāvana
• Chapter 13: Kāliya
• Chapter 14: Dhenuka
• Chapter 15: Pralamba
• Chapters 16 to 20: Govardhana and Indra
• Chapter 21: Rāsalīlā
• Chapter 22: Arishṭa
• Chapter 25: Keśi
• Chapters 23 to 27: Akrūra