How Krishna steals butter from gopiar's house
Krishna used to steals butter from the hanging pot from gopiar's house. Gopiar's will get upset after seeing the empty pots. One day, as usual Krishna had an urge to eat butter from gopiar's house. So he and his friends gathered and decided to steal and eat butter from one of the gopiar's house. In tamil there is an famous saying that 'the raw mango which was stolen will have a Devine taste' (திருட்டு மாங்கை தேனாக ருசிக்கும்). Krishna has also had the same feeling. Krishna and his friends slowly entered the chosen gopiar's house. They searched for the butterpot but it was seen nowhere in the house. Everbody got upset. Suddenly Krishna was so happy and at same time felt so sad on seeing the butterpot which was hanged so high. Krishna and his friends also felt so sad that it was hanged so high. Krishna friends gave an idea that everybody will lean back one after other above so that Krishna can step on them and get the butter pot.
Now Krishna stepped on his friends who leant back one after another. Krishna reached the butterpot which was hanged so high. There comes a surprise, there was a ring of bells which was tied with the butterpot. In order to catch Krishna red-handed, gopiar had tied the butterpot with the ringing bells.
Now an interesting thing happens, there was a conversation between Krishna and bell. Conversation between lord (Devine living being) and Jada porul (Non Living thing)
Krishna: Bell, see i am going to eat the entire butter from this pot. You should not make sounds until I take and eat this butter.
Bell: Ok Krishna, Don't worry I will not make sound.
Krishna: Promise me, You should not make sound. Because if you make sound, gopiar's will become alert and they will catch me red-handed.
Bell: ok Krishna. I understand, I will not make sound. You don't worry. I promise you.
Krishna: Bell, see I will tell you one more thing if gopiar's catches me red handed they will handover me to my mother yashodha. After that my mom will scold me for doing such filthy things. That's why I am begging you again for not making sound until I eat.
Bell: Krishna. I understand your situation. I will not make sound until you eat.
Krishna: Now Krishna had an confidence. So he started to take one handful of butter from the pot. No sound came from the bell. He has taken the handful of butter close to his mouth. No sound came. So now Krishna happily started to put the handful of butter in his mouth. Immediately there was a big sound of 'bell ringing' came. Krishna was so astonished and shocked to hear the sound. He asked the bell why it was not able to keep the promise.
Bell: Bell said, see Krishna i was doing my duty.
Krishna: Duty? See you made loud noise. See soon, gopiar's will come and catch me red-handed.
Bell: No Krishna. See I was not making sound when you have taken a handful of butter from butterpot. Even I have not made any sound when it reached near your mouth. But when you put the handful of butter in your mouth, there comes my duty.
Krishna: Duty? What duty?
Bell: Bell continued and said 'you are lord Krishna, God of entire universe'.
Krishna: So.
Bell: Whenever there is a neivethiyam (food that is offered to god), it is my duty to make sound. Duty supercedes the promise which I made to you. So please forgive me for not able to keep the promise.
In Hindu religion whenever there is a neivethiyam done to god whether it is in temple or at home, people used to ring the bell and do the neivethiyam to god.
My mom used to narrates this story when I was young. She used to keep the suspense till the end. Though I was not able to narrate, I tried my best to narrate the story like her.
