Passage 4

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In plain words

Very near here some brāhmaṇas are performing a yajña. Go there, tell them our cowherd boy is hungry, and ask them to give him food,” He said. The cowherd boys went there as Kṛṣṇa had told them and asked, but those brāhmaṇas would not agree to it. They said they would give prasādam only after they had made the final offering of the yajña and had eaten themselves. The cowherd boys came back disappointed and told Kṛṣṇa what had happened. Then Kṛṣṇa: “Mothers know the pangs of children's hunger, but what do fathers know of them? So go and ask their wives,” He said. When the cowherd boys went there again, the wives of those brāhmaṇas were cooking many kinds of dishes. These boys: “Mother! We have come because Kṛṣṇa sent us. He is very hungry; He is asking you to give Him a meal,” they said. “Ah! God, who gives food to all, is asking us to give Him a meal? Our lives are blessed!” So saying, they rejoiced greatly, tied up the food in bundles and came to Kṛṣṇa without telling their husbands. They gave Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys a good meal. After they had eaten, Kṛṣṇa: “Your husbands will be waiting for you there. ‘Kartavyaṃ yogam ucyate’: you must carry out your duty. So go without delay,” He said. But their hearts would not let them go. “Kṛṣṇa's presence is our treasure,” they felt, and they were steeped in joy. With great difficulty they left Kṛṣṇa and went back to their husbands. Kṛṣṇa is the one who wore a human form in play. By His power the hearts of those brāhmaṇas were changed. They were overjoyed at what their wives had done, and asked, “Have you brought us Kṛṣṇa's prasādam?” All of them shared that prasādam joyfully.

Evening came. Kṛṣṇa and the cowherd boys were coming home, bringing the cows with them. On the way a demon named Agha took the form of a python, opened his enormous mouth and lay across the path. Kaṃsa himself had sent him. When he opened his mouth, even cars would go into it. He opened that huge mouth and swallowed all the cows. Then, as he was about to swallow the cowherd boys too, they prayed to Kṛṣṇa to save them.