Some years ago, I had the urge to give the ivory image of Krishna on the altar here at Ridgely a golden flute to hold. It was before 2010 because at that time I was going to John and Genene’s for freshly milked whole milk. After my bypass in 2010 I stopped drinking that whole milk.
The image has a round hole in the two hands into which a flute could be inserted. It had to be about an inch long and less than a 1/16th of an inch in diameter. I went to the jeweler across from the Marbletown restaurant. I had a diagram of where I wanted the blow hole, the finger holes and the dimensions. It was hollow except for the mouth end. He did this very nicely. However, at first the diameter was too large and he had to make it smaller, something which he easily did. This flute could be played by a wee person.
I presented it and inserted it on Krishna’s birthday.
The next day in the morning I dropped a glass half gallon of whole milk that I had in my fridge. It broke and went all over. What an annoying mess! In order to replace the milk, I drove to John and Genene’s to get more. Vita (a fellow resident at Ridgely) also wanted a half gallon of this milk. So, I was driving home with two glass half-gallons of milk on the floor of the back seat. They clanged together as I went around a sharp curve and both broke, flooding the floor of the car with milk. I was very upset. It took months to clean up.
Later that day I asked Pravrajika Shuddhatmaprana if Krishna liked to break containers of milk. She replied, “Are you kidding? He loves to do that.” Then I told her what happened. She said, “Krishna is letting you know how much he appreciates the flute you gave him.” I felt such joy to hear this. I still feel that joy. I then read about how Gopala and his friends would go into homes and, in total mischief, break containers of milk much to the annoyance of the cowherds. But now this mischief is looked upon in an endearing way.
A few years ago, Shuddhatmaprana told this story to Alexis, who had just begun to live at Rdgely, as part of the Ridgely lore that she might like to know. I learned from this conversation that part of the custom on Janmashtami day (Krishna’s birthday) is to throw milk products by way of celebration. The story goes that this happened on the very day of his birth in Gokula and is celebrated annually.
cool story...thanks for sharing!
I think it was Chinmayananda Swamiji who told us once about the significance of Krishna's butter-stealing ways. All the gopis (milkmaids) would milk cows and churn butter and make yogurt while thinking only of Krishna. Therefore, since they did all their work meditating on Krishna, the result of all their karmic actions also belonged to the Lord and he came into their homes to steal their butter and milk. Thus too for us who dedicate all actions to Him.
Wonderful story! I look forward to more.