Generally infants love to crawl in a zig-zag manner. Like all infants Krishna and Balarama too enjoyed crawling in zig-zag manner.

“As they crawled, the ornaments that adorned their waists, hands and legs jingled melodiously. Moreover, the ornaments glowed brightly attracting attention of all the passersby”.

What was it that drew everyone’s attention towards these two children? None of the residents of Gokula could fathom. All they knew was that these two children were special. They did not realize that the Lord had incarnated amidst them. This was the effect of the illusion that the Lord cast upon them.

“The melodious jingling of the tiny golden bells tied to their waistband and other ornaments would drive evil spirits away from that area. These bells drew the attention of the Devatas, who seated in heaven, began to notice these two boys playing on earth. The sound of these tinkling bells reverberated through space. In fact, these sounds were audible to Mother Lakshmi also!

When the boys playfully attacked each other, when they slipped and fell during crawling, their bodies would become dirty. The Gopikas would lovingly pick the boys, bathe them and then drop them back with their respective mothers. Playing in these muddy waters became a favourite sport for these brothers”.

They decided to visit each house in Gokula even when they were crawling. Later on, as young boys they visited the homes for a different purpose. It shall be covered in the future episodes. The Lord was identifying the routes through which he could in future enter into these homes. He was studying the places where the objects were safeguarded in each home. Although the Lord is all-knowing, after taking up a human body he had to enact all these plays. These two boys did not spare any street in Gokula. The rate at which they dirtied themselves made it imperative for them to be bathed hundreds of times a day. From sunrise to sunset they spent their time wandering through the streets, visiting different homes and playfully enjoying themselves.

This is a unique sport displayed by the Lord in this incarnation. Apart from Srikrishna, is there anyone in history who has displayed this unique sport? Even when he incarnated as Rama, he did not display this special divine play. Although Rama crawled on his hands and legs, he did not go to this extent. This was exclusive to his incarnation as Krishna.

Have we not discussed earlier that the Lord displayed transcendental sports at every step? His every breath, His every step has a unique, deeper significance. Every one inch that He moves forward has a special significance. His illusion is beyond understanding. His illusion is imperceptible; it is beyond reach and is without colour. Such a Lord made himself visible and within reach to the residents of Gokula.

Millions of Devatas had descended from heaven to see these transcendental sports of the Lord. The Lord strived enormously to ensure that they were blessed with liberation. Here, in His infancy, the jingling of the bells was divine; it was extra-ordinarily beautiful. In fact, His body itself is music. His breathing is musical.

“As the infant crawled on his hands and legs, learning to balance on his knees and falling in the process, the residents of Gokula watched him in fascination. The melodious tinkling of the ornaments that adorned his body, added to the beauty. In joy, the Gopis and Gopikas would forget themselves. They would eagerly encourage him to come crawling towards their home”.

Even in our homes, if there is an infant who is crawling, all elders encourage him/her to come crawling towards them. This is because every infant is filled with divinity. Upto the age of one or two, feelings of likes and dislikes do not exist in them. They are pure. When calling such infants, elders make loving, soothing sounds which attract the children towards them. They cajole them tenderly. This is because children run away from harsh sounds.

The same logic is applicable to parrots as well. Talk to them lovingly using sweet, melodious words, they will play with you. Use harsh words or sounds, the birds will scratch and bite.

“The boys were fascinated by these loving sounds. In delight they would turn in the direction of the noise and would crawl towards the person who was calling them”.