18 August 2025
Monday
All the Gopikas came to Yashoda and complained, “Mother! Your son Krishna comes stealthily into our houses, breaks our pots and steals butter and milk.” This was a daily occurrence! Yashoda caught Krishna and scolded, “You don’t eat what I serve. You go to other houses and steal. You are ruining our reputation. Why don’t you eat the butter I give? Is the butter in our house not tasty?” What is the inner significance of this incident? The mother serves with motherly affection. But the Gopikas served the same food with pure love and divine feelings! It was not the butter that attracted Krishna, but the purity of their hearts. Butter symbolises the hearts of the Gopikas, which were filled with purity, one-pointedness and selflessness. Yashoda’s butter was attachment, while the Gopikas’ was pure love. This is the difference between love and attachment. Attachment is born of body-consciousness. That which is related to the heart is Love. Gopikas were full of love!
From Swami’s discourse of 21 May 1995
All the Gopikas came to Yashoda and complained, “Mother! Your son Krishna comes stealthily into our houses, breaks our pots and steals butter and milk.” This was a daily occurrence! Yashoda caught Krishna and scolded, “You don’t eat what I serve. You go to other houses and steal. You are ruining our reputation. Why don’t you eat the butter I give? Is the butter in our house not tasty?” What is the inner significance of this incident? The mother serves with motherly affection. But the Gopikas served the same food with pure love and divine feelings! It was not the butter that attracted Krishna, but the purity of their hearts. Butter symbolises the hearts of the Gopikas, which were filled with purity, one-pointedness and selflessness. Yashoda’s butter was attachment, while the Gopikas’ was pure love. This is the difference between love and attachment. Attachment is born of body-consciousness. That which is related to the heart is Love. Gopikas were full of love!