Passage 11

Tap any word for its meaning.

In plain words

The very power that is in man is in God. The very power that is in God is in man. If we make the effort, we can achieve any great work, however great. By effort, tasks come to fulfilment on this earth; but because we carry this mind that is like a mad monkey, through it only doubts come to us about everything.

The divine līlās of Śrī Kṛṣṇa

Once, when Kṛṣṇa was of tender age, a great downpour kept falling on that Gokula. Then Kṛṣṇa called everyone. “Come, all of you! I can lift this hill. Live beneath it,” He said. But those who had faith went. Those who had no faith: ‘This one is only a boy, and the hill is huge; is he able to carry our burden? Can he carry it? Will he drop it on our heads, who knows!’ With that doubt, they went back. All of them died. All those who came in faith and gathered under that great hill were saved. In the same way, wishing to show the mother Kṛṣṇa's mighty powers, Balarāma comes to the mother and tells many tales. Telling tales on Śrī Kṛṣṇa was not Balarāma's purpose; he did this so that the mother would recognise the truth of how great Kṛṣṇa is. ‘Mother! In our house there is all we could want. Though there is so much, he just goes to the market and eats mud.’ When he said this, the mother was deeply pained.

You do not eat what is set before you; to the cowherds' homes you go, and butter by fistfuls, in secret you eat; with you quarrels are born, Kṛṣṇa! Go away, my son!

Not only this: to eat mud from the market? She caught His hand. ‘Open your mouth!’ and Yaśodā slapped Him on both cheeks. Kṛṣṇa, laughing, says: ‘Mother! Am I an infant, to eat mud?