25 April 2026
Saturday
Once, a Gopika went to a well to bring two pitchers of water. After placing one pitcher on her head, she wanted someone to place the other water-filled pitcher on the first one. At that time, Krishna came there, and she asked him to place the water-filled pitcher on the first one. Krishna refused to do so. Soon, another Gopika came along and helped the first Gopika. The Gopika carrying the two pitchers reached her home. Krishna followed her to the house and, without even waiting to be asked, He took the top pitcher from the Gopika's head and placed it down. She was surprised at Krishna's strange behaviour. She asked him: “Krishna, at the well, you refused to place the pitcher on my head when I appealed to you to help me. Now you take it down from the head without my asking. What is the inner meaning of this action?” Krishna replied: “Oh Gopika! I want to remove the burdens borne by people and not to add to them.” This shows that the Divine operates only to reduce the burdens of the people and not to increase them.
From Swami’s discourse of 20 February 1992
Once, a Gopika went to a well to bring two pitchers of water. After placing one pitcher on her head, she wanted someone to place the other water-filled pitcher on the first one. At that time, Krishna came there, and she asked him to place the water-filled pitcher on the first one. Krishna refused to do so. Soon, another Gopika came along and helped the first Gopika. The Gopika carrying the two pitchers reached her home. Krishna followed her to the house and, without even waiting to be asked, He took the top pitcher from the Gopika's head and placed it down. She was surprised at Krishna's strange behaviour. She asked him: “Krishna, at the well, you refused to place the pitcher on my head when I appealed to you to help me. Now you take it down from the head without my asking. What is the inner meaning of this action?” Krishna replied: “Oh Gopika! I want to remove the burdens borne by people and not to add to them.” This shows that the Divine operates only to reduce the burdens of the people and not to increase them.