76- Cowherds' colony shifted to Vindāvana

Vyasa said: 

1. Thus urged by Vasudeva, Garga went to the Cowherds' colony. disguised and unknown to the cowherds. He performed the postnatal ceremonies and rites for the two boys. 

2. The highly intelligent Garga, the most excellent among the wise ones, gave the name Rama to the elder boy and Krişhņa to the younger one. 

3. O brahmins, in a short while the two boys became well known as very powerful. They began to crawl on their knees. 

4. With their bodies smeared with the ashes of cowdung cakes they roamed about here and there. Neither Yasodā nor Rohini was inclined to stop them. 

5. They played about in the middle of the kine-enclosure. Then they stepped into the folds of calves. They were eager to pull the tail of the new-born calf. 

6-7. When Yaśodă could not prevent those restless boys from playing about and walking about as they pleased, she bound Krishna of unimpaired activities to the middle of a mortar by means of a rope and then spoke in anger. 

Yashoda said: 

8-15. Now, O restive one, go about if you are strong enough. 

Vyäsa said: 

After saying thus that housewife became busy with her household activities. As she was engaged thus the lotus-eyed lord dragged his mortar through a pair of Arjuna trees. As he drew the mortar sideways between the two trees two Arjuna trees with lofty branches broke down. On hearing the 'Kața - kata' sound of the snapping trees the frightened people of the Cowherds' colony came there and saw the trees lying down on the Earth with broken branches. They saw the smiling infant boy with a tooth or two in his mouth, lying in between the trees with a rope tied firmly round his belly. Since he was tied with a rope round his belly he became to be called Damodara. 

The elderly cowherds, Nanda and others took counsel to gether in their great dejection. They were excessively frightened due to the great calamitics. 

“We have nothing to do with this spot. We shall go to some other place." 

16-19. “Many evil portents are seen here indicating destru - ction, such as the death of Putana and the upsetting of the cart. Without any such cause as gust of wind the two trees have fallen down. Hence, we shall go away from this place. We shall go to Vrundāvana. Do not delay. Better to get away before these portentous great calamities overwhelm the Cowherds' colony completely." 

After deciding to go thus, the residents of Vraja spoke to their family members. “Hurry up. Do not tarry." 

Thus in a trice, they set off with their cattle wealth and carts. 

20-24. Thus the residents of Vraja went along with their herds of cattle and calves in groups. 

O brahmins, within moments, that place of cowherds' colony became scattered with multitudes of male and female crows as broken bits and remnants of various articles lay strewn about.

Krishna of unimpaired activities desired the prosperity of the cows. In his auspicious mind the lord meditated upon Vrundvana. Thereat, О excellent bralımins, fresh shoots of grass grew all round as if in the rainy scason although it was the middle of summer when everything remained parched up. 

The cowherds now colonized Vrundāvana with their carts, cattle enclosures and camping sites arranged in the form of a big crescent. Rama and Krishna then began to tend the calves. 

25-28. Continuing their childish sports they stood or moved about (as they pleased) among the cattle. Peacocks' tail em-bellished their crests. They adorned themselves with the flowers of the forest. They made noise among the cowherds with their flutes and various musical instruments evolved out of leaves and twigs of trees. With hanging forelocks, the boys shone like fire. They roamed about in that great forest laughing and playing (as they pleased). They played together as well as with other children. Along with them they tended the calves and moved about here and there. As time passed they reached the age of seven. 

29-32. The protectors of the universe tended the calves in that great colony of cowherds. 

Then the rainy season arrived with patches of clouds covering up the sky. It seemed to bind the quarters by the currents of downpours of rain. Fresh blown flowers and glowworms covered the Earth. So it appeared as though set with emerald and adorned with rubies. Everywhere the river waters flowed down and astray like the minds of indisciplined persons immediately after inheriting a large fortune. The powerful boys reached the colony at the proper time and played in the company of cowherd boys equal to them in age. They played like the immortal beings.