The Stories of BalKrishna in Gokul

Balkrishna Kanhiya lal ki jai
 
In the mid night of eighth day in Shravan month (Krishna Paksh), four armed Narayana appeared before Vasudev and Devaki. Narayana said to them that they could see his form and continue to meditate for eleven years, he would again come. Later, Kanahiya (child form) appeared. Vasudev carried him to Gokul and brought Yogmaya. Yogmaya announced Kansaa that the child to kill him has already been born.  “Go” means sense organs and “kul” means group.
 
During Gokul stay, Balkrishna never wore stitched clothes and shoes as his friends were poor. He carried flute and butter-sugar candy (मिश्री). He never cut his hairs in Gokul.
 
Balkrishna in his childhood faced several attacks in Gokul.
 
Stories of Balkrishna up to age of five years & their Spiritual Significances:

1. Bhagwan Shankar ji came on 4th day of birth of Balkrishna to see Balkrishna on twelfth day of Shravan month (Krishna Paksh).
2. Putna – the Witch - Kansaa sent Putna on 6th day of birth of Balkrishna (fourteenth day of Shravan month) to kill him. When Putna came in elegant form, nobody stopped her. But she came with poison on her breast and started feeding. Kanahiya started drinking milk in such a way that she was distraught. She requested him to leave. But Kanahiya once catches, never leaves. Then she transformed into Rakshasi and flied with him. Kanahiya dropped her in a garden. She fell destroying many trees. Kanahiya was on the Putna. Gopis saw Kamahiya playing and they brought him in Gokul.

 
Spiritual Significance:

1. Putna means impure. Impure is ignorance. Fourteenth day has its significance. Because Putna or ignorance (desire) stays in fourteen locations viz. five sense organs, five organs of action and four internal organs (Manas, Buddhi, Chit & Ahemkar). Kakai also demanded fourteen years of stay in forest of Shri Rama.
2. “6” signifies six defects viz. kama, krodha, lobha, moh, madd & matsar; six attributes of almighty viz. aishvariya (Supremacy, Prosperity), veeray (virility, energy), yash (fame), shri (wealth), gyan (wisdom) and vairagya (dispassion).
3. Killing of Putna signifies destruction of desires.
4. Elegance does not signify purity.

 

1. Shatkasura – the Calf Demon - Shatkasura came on 108th day of birth of Balkrishna to take revenge of death of her sister, Putna. Yashoda was celebrating Krishna's turning over in the bed. After the function was over, Yashoda was busy attending to the guests. She placed Krishna under a cart outside the house and put him to sleep. This cart was a ghost named Shaktasura.  Kanahiya pushed his cart full of milk, curd etc. Shatkasura died by crushing under the cart.

 
Spiritual Significance:

1. 108 numbers signify garland of beads for japa. In case connection is not made with japa, Shaktasur in form of Kama, kkrodha etc. may enter in life. 
2. Killing of Shatkasur signifies destruction of ignorance.

 

1. Trinavarta – the Whirlwind Demon - Then Kansa sent Trinavarta. Trinavrata assured Kansa that he has magnificent power of blowing away everything and he will surely blow away Krishna and will through him from the height that will finally kill him.  One day, Trinavrata came to kill Balkrishna in form of tornado. Balkrishna was sitting in lap of Yashodha mata. To kill Trinavrata, Balkrishna increased his weight. Yashodha mata could not bear his weight and she laid him on the floor. As she got busy in the household work, Trinavrata and flied away with Balkrishna. Balkrishna increased his weight further and kept hold of Trinavrata. Tranivrata lost his life.

 
Spiritual Significance:
Tranavrat signifies Rajasika attribute which sweeps manas (मन). Manas loses connect with intellect and Kama or krodha enters manas. Kama and krodha are sons of Rajas attribute.
 

1. Damodar lila - One day, Yashodha mata saw butter pot broken and scattered here and there. Balkrishna was feeding butter to his friends. Yashodha believed that gopis were telling truly that Balkrishna has stealing habit. Yashodha decided to tie Balkrishna and ran after him with a stick. Yashodha was tired of running but failed to capture Balkrishna. Vallabhacharya said bhakti with ego would not succeed. Yashodha ran with stick which represent ego. Yashodha threw stick. Balkrishna stopped. Yashodha caught him. Balkrishna started weeping. Yashodha said that he is fooling her. His friends pleaded Yashodha for not to beat or tie him. But Yashodha decided to do away the habit of Balkrishna of stealing.

 
Balkrishna’s friends went to the homes and informed their mothers about this. Gopis came running and told Yashodha to leave Balkrishna. They started complaining that Balkrishna had broken their butter pots several times but they never tied him. They also promised to give five pots as against leaving Balkrishna. But Yashodha was adamant. She said to Gopis that he is her son and would do whatever she likes.
 
Yashodha tried to tie Balkrishna. To her surprise, cord fell short despite using all the cords of the home. Shri Krishna saw that Yasodha mata is tired and out of affection, he got bonded with pestle. Shri Krishna cannot be tied with worldly chord, but tie with chord of love.
 
Spiritual Significance:

1. Breaking of butter pot signifies breaking the attachment with world.
2. Damodarlila signifies that after breaking of attachment almighty comes in loop.

 

1. Yamlarjuna trees - There were two Yamlarjuna trees in the Nand’s courtyard. Balkrishna pushed the pestle towards the trees. Pestle turned in between both trees of Yamlarjuna. Balkrishna pulled strongly which uprooted the trees and two noble gentlemen came out. They were sons of Kubar named as Nalkubar and Manigreev in their previous life. They were cursed by Narada ji to take form of trees because they got indulged in gambling, eating non-vegetarian food and adultery. They were regretful and begged Narada ji to pardon them. Narada ji said to them that they would grow in the courtyard of Nand in Gokul and would be pulled out by Balkrishna.

 

1. Flute of Balkrishna - Gopis said to flute that it is very lucky because Balkrishna adopted. They questioned flute about its good deeds. Flute told them, it has done big tapas. It has faced all six seasons patiently and does not hide anything in the stomach. It speaks as per desire of its master and remains silent when alone.