Krishna Leela

The famous divine pastimes and stories of Lord Krishna, from His birth to Dwarka.

• The Birth of Shri Krishna – In the darkness of Kansa's prison, at midnight on Bhadrapada Krishna Ashtami, the Supreme Lord appeared as the eighth child of Devaki and Vasudeva.
• Vasudeva Crosses the Yamuna – On a stormy night Vasudeva carried the newborn Krishna across the flooded Yamuna to Gokul, while Sheshnag spread his hoods like an umbrella above the Lord.
• The Liberation of Putana – Sent by Kansa, the demoness Putana tried to kill baby Krishna with poisoned milk, but the Lord drew out her very life and still granted her the position of a mother.
• Breaking the Cart: Shakatasura – On a festive day in Gokul, baby Krishna, lying beneath a heavy cart, kicked it with his tender feet and overturned it, ending the demon hidden within.
• Trinavarta, the Whirlwind Demon – The demon Trinavarta came as a whirlwind and carried baby Krishna into the sky, but the Lord became so heavy that the demon himself came crashing down.
• The Butter Thief – The playful leelas of little Kanha stealing butter from the homes of Gokul and sharing it with his friends and the monkeys, which are truly the leelas of stealing his devotees' hearts.
• The Universe in Krishna's Mouth – When Mother Yashoda made little Kanha open his mouth after he was accused of eating clay, she saw the entire universe within it.
• The Damodar Leela – Mother Yashoda tried to tie naughty Kanha to a grinding mortar, but the rope was always two fingers too short, until the Lord lovingly allowed himself to be bound.
• Vatsasura and Bakasura – After the people of Vraja moved from Gokul to Vrindavan, Krishna, while tending the calves, freed the calf-demon Vatsasura and the giant crane Bakasura.
• Aghasura, the Python Demon – The cowherd boys walked into the open mouth of the giant python Aghasura, thinking it was a cave; Krishna entered after them, expanded himself within and set them all free.
• Brahma Is Bewildered – When Brahma hid away the calves and cowherd boys, Krishna himself became every one of them for a whole year, until the bewildered Brahma fell at his feet in prayer.
• Dhenukasura and the Palm Forest – Balarama ended the donkey demon Dhenuka, who guarded the sweet fruits of the Talavana palm forest, so that everyone could freely enjoy the palm fruits.
• Subduing the Serpent Kaliya – Krishna danced upon the hoods of the serpent Kaliya, who had poisoned the Yamuna, crushed his pride and sent him away to Ramanaka island.
• Krishna Swallows the Forest Fire – When a raging forest fire surrounded the people, cowherd boys and cows of Vraja, Krishna heard their call for shelter and swallowed the fire.
• The Song of the Flute – In autumn, the music of Krishna's flute enchanted the gopis, cows, rivers, deer, birds and even the gods; its sound is the call of God to the soul.
• The Katyayani Vow and the Chira-Harana Leela – In the month of Margashirsha the young maidens of Vraja kept a vow to Goddess Katyayani, praying for Krishna; the Lord taught them complete surrender and blessed them that their wish would be fulfilled.
• Lifting Govardhan Hill – To protect Vraja from the seven-day deluge sent by an angry Indra, Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill and held it like an umbrella over everyone.
• The Raas Leela – On the night of Sharad Purnima the gopis left everything at the call of Krishna's flute, and in the Maha-Raas the Lord appeared beside each one of them. It is the leela of the soul's pure love for God.
• Akrura's Visit and the Farewell to Vrindavan – Sent by Kansa to bring Krishna and Balarama to Mathura, Akrura travelled to Vrindavan with a heart full of devotion, while the gopis wept at the parting.
• Entering Mathura: the Washerman, the Weaver, the Garland-maker and Kubja – As soon as they walked into Mathura, Krishna humbled an arrogant washerman and blessed the weaver, the garland-maker Sudama and the hunchbacked Kubja, who served him with love.
• The End of Kansa – In Mathura, Krishna blessed Kubja, broke the great bow, overcame the elephant Kuvalayapida and the wrestlers, and ended the tyranny of Kansa.
• At the Ashram of Sandipani Muni and the Guru-dakshina – Though he is the teacher of the world, Krishna studied humbly under Sandipani Muni in Avanti and, as his guru-dakshina, brought back the teacher's lost son from the realm of Yama.
• Uddhava's Journey to Vraja and the Love of the Gopis – The learned Uddhava went to Vraja to console the gopis with Krishna's message, but their love in separation taught him that pure love is the highest devotion.
• Jarasandha: Seventeen Attacks and the Duel with Bhima – Jarasandha, king of Magadha, attacked Mathura seventeen times and was defeated each time; much later Bhima ended his life at Krishna's hint, and the imprisoned kings were set free.
• Kalayavana and King Muchukunda – Krishna led Kalayavana into a cave where the ancient king Muchukunda lay asleep; one glance from the awakened king burned the invader to ashes, and Muchukunda received the Lord's darshan.
• Dwarka, the City of the Lord – To protect his people from Jarasandha's repeated attacks, Krishna had Vishwakarma build Dwarka in the sea; after the Lord's departure the city was taken back by the ocean.
• The Marriage of Rukmini – Princess Rukmini of Vidarbha had given her heart to Krishna. Answering her letter, the Lord came and carried her away from the temple of Ambika.
• The Story of the Syamantaka Jewel – When the Syamantaka jewel given by the Sun god went missing, Krishna was falsely accused, and he cleared his name by recovering it from the cave of Jambavan.
• The Slaying of Narakasura and the Freeing of the Princesses – Riding Garuda with Satyabhama, Krishna destroyed the demon Mura and Narakasura at Pragjyotisha and gave honour and shelter to the sixteen thousand one hundred princesses held captive there.
• Bringing the Parijata Tree – To fulfil Satyabhama's wish, Krishna brought the heavenly Parijata tree to Dwarka, and in this playful leela Indra's passing pride was also gently set right.
• The Rajasuya and the End of Shishupala – At Yudhishthira's Rajasuya, Krishna received the first honour; when Shishupala's insults passed the hundred Krishna had promised to forgive, the Sudarshana chakra ended his life and his light merged into the Lord.
• Krishna Protects Draupadi's Honour – When Dushasana tried to disrobe Draupadi in the dice hall of Hastinapura, her complete surrender to Govinda brought the Lord's protection.
• Krishna Meets His Friend Sudama – A poor brahmin friend from the gurukul came to Dwarka with a handful of flattened rice, and Krishna, honouring that gift of love, gave him everything without being asked.
• The Choice of Arjuna and Duryodhana – Before the war, Arjuna and Duryodhana both came to Dwarka to seek help. Offered the mighty Narayani Sena or the unarmed Krishna alone, Arjuna chose Krishna.
• Shri Krishna, the Envoy of Peace – To prevent the war, Krishna went to Hastinapura as an envoy of peace and asked only five villages for the Pandavas. When proud Duryodhana tried to seize him, the Lord revealed his divine form in the court.
• Shri Krishna and Karna – Krishna revealed to Karna that he was Kunti's eldest son and offered him the throne. Bound by friendship and gratitude, the generous Karna would not leave Duryodhana.
• The Teaching of the Gita at Kurukshetra – On the battlefield, Krishna as Arjuna's charioteer lifted him out of despair with the timeless teaching of the soul, action, knowledge and devotion: the Bhagavad Gita.
• The Vision of the Universal Form – In the eleventh chapter of the Gita, Krishna gave Arjuna divine eyes and revealed his universal form, containing all creation and time itself.
• Bhishma and Shri Krishna – Krishna, who had vowed not to take up arms, rushed at Bhishma with the chakra to keep his devotee's vow. Later, on the bed of arrows, Bhishma praised the Lord and gave Yudhishthira the Vishnu Sahasranama.
• The Brave Abhimanyu – Krishna's nephew Abhimanyu entered the chakravyuha alone on the thirteenth day and fell after astonishing valour. Arjuna vowed to slay Jayadratha and, with Krishna's help, kept his vow.
• The Protection of Parikshit in the Womb – Ashwatthama attacked the sleeping camp by night and aimed the Brahmastra at Uttara's womb. Krishna entered the womb and protected Parikshit, the last heir of the Pandavas.
• The End of the Yadava Clan – Gandhari's curse and the iron pestle born of the sages' curse at Pindaraka sowed the seed of the proud Yadavas' destruction. At Prabhasa they destroyed one another, while Krishna accepted all with calm detachment.
• Shri Krishna Returns to His Eternal Abode – At Prabhasa, the hunter Jara mistook the foot of Krishna, resting beneath a pipal tree, for a deer and shot an arrow. The Lord forgave and blessed him and returned to his eternal abode, and the Kali Yuga began.