When we think of Krishna, the first general thought is reverence, and perhaps admiration. You couldn’t possibly think of chiding him for the mischief he gets into or offer him half eaten fruits! But there are two very special relationships, where God indulges these human emotions. The first one is towards his mother and the second is towards his ardent devotees. Let us look at two very special stories as we celebrate the birthdays of two very special devotees, Mata Yashoda and Shabari, this weekend.
When Krishna was a toddler, he followed his brother Balrama and the other Gopas in pursuit of some delicious fruits. Too tiny to climb trees, Krishna was tasked with collecting the fruits the boys were plucking. Mischievous as the Lord was in this incarnation, he began eating the fruits faster than they could collect them! Krishna was eating them so quickly that he was even eating the mud that was clinging to them as they fell on the ground!
The boys rushed to complain to Mother Yashoda that her son was eating mud. Worried, she came running and asked him to open his mouth. Dumbstruck, Krishna refused, knowing that his mouth was full with muddy fruit. After some coaxing, he complied and as his mother peered inside, she was astounded to see the heavens, galaxies and multiverses all within his tiny little mouth. She began to wonder who her little boy really was, but that reverie didn’t last very long, she was back to her maternal instincts in no time, gently chiding him and then hugging him, making sure he was safe. He may have been God in incarnation, but before his mother, even Krishna submitted just like a child.
The second story pertains to the Ram Avtaar, when the trio were in exile and roaming the forests. Born in a hunting tribe, Shabari took refuge in Rishi Matanga’s ashrama and served him faithfully for many years. As he was leaving his body, the Rishi instructed Shabari that she should wait for Lord Ram who would visit her one day. Holding onto her Guru’s word, she waited patiently, until the day finally arrived. Her joy knew no bounds, and she began to sift through the berries she had collected, tasting each one to make sure that she offered only the sweetest berries to her Lord. Seeing this, Lakshmana was upset. But Lord Rama assured him that he hadn’t tasted anything as divine, the sweetness coming from Shabari’s devotion.
We bow our heads in gratitude to these two great women, who through their devotion and dedication, established a very human bond with the Lord. Love is all we need and the only thing that He seeks.
