The Loving Churner

It had been decided. The ksheera sagara (ocean of milk) was to be churned by the devas and asuras to obtain amruta (nectar).

Vasuki, the king of serpents coiled around Mandara mountain and the churning began at a rapid pace.

But soon Mandara began sinking into the ocean.

The Lord incarnated as a huge tortoise, Kurma, and slipped below Mandara to provide base support and the churning resumed.

But as the churning intensified, Mandara began to sway unsteadily, threatening to jump off the back of the tortoise.

Lord Vishnu now took a 1000-handed form called Ajitha and held the mountain firmly in place so that the churning could proceed.

Cut to the Lord’s incarnation as Krishna.

A young gopi is arranging her pot filled with curd and setting up the churning rod and rope. As she settles in place, and begins to churn, that notorious maakhan chor (butter thief) rushes in. With a sweet smile, he begs the gopi, “Please, can I help you churn the butter?”

She knows He is there to rob the butter and yet, she has no defense against that charming twinkle in His eyes. Her heart melts. She lets Krishna join in the churning. Singing, swaying, huffing and puffing, and laughing, together, they churn the curd in the pot.

Kulasekhara Azhwar marvels, comparing these two leelas of the Lord in two different avataras.

He took a 1000-armed form as Ajitha and single-handedly churned the ksheera sagara to bring forth amruta. He needed no help from anyone then!

Yet, during Krishnavatara He chose to sit with an ordinary gopi, helping her to churn butter!

What is it that motivated the Lord to do this? 

Wasn’t it the unconditional love of the gopi, who rejoiced in His mere presence, seeking nothing from Him?

The devas sought the Lord to acquire amruta, so that they could gain immortality. The gopis sought the Lord not to gain anything from Him but instead, to offer Him their affection with overwhelming devotion.

The Lord provided the amruta for the devas, but whose actions do you think pleased Him the most?

Can we learn to cultivate the innocent bhakti of the Vrajavaasis?

In the Bhagavad Geeta (4.9), Krishna says:

जन्म कर्म च मे दिव्यमेवं यो वेत्ति तत्त्वत: |
त्यक्त्वा देहं पुनर्जन्म नैति मामेति सोऽर्जुन ||

janma karma cha me divyam evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma naiti mām eti so ’rjuna

Those who understand the divine nature of My birth and activities, O Arjuna, upon leaving the body, do not have to take birth again, but come to My eternal abode.

As we prepare for Krishna Janmashthami that’s coming up on September 6, 2023 let us contemplate on this and other leelas of the Lord and drown ourselves in the experience of His divine glory!