Radhanath Swami describes childhood pastimes of Nimai
Little Nimai, He would cry, and the only thing that could possibly stop him from crying was if everyone gathered around him, clap their hands and blissfully chanted Krishna’s names.
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
And he was just a baby. Crawling around, he would sit on the laps of the gopis, and they would chant for him, and he would be dancing even though he could not even walk. When he started to walk, like Krishna, he became very naughty. Sometimes, He would run out to the streets, and he would beg from everybody, bananas and sweets – sandesh. And because of his charming form, everyone had to give him whatever he wanted. And he would take those sweetmeats, one or two at a time, and run back into the house, and give it to the ladies. Krishna was stealing milk sweets and milk from the gopis, and as Lord Gauranga, he would give it back to them, for the simple price of their chanting the holy names.
Sometimes, the brahmanas would come and complain to Jagannath Misra about the Mischievious activities of Nimai. And sometimes the laides and the girls would complain, just as the gopis would complain to Yasoda mayi. But Vrindavan das Thakur explains how little Nimai in his naughty activities, He gave so much pleasure to his devotees, so much pleasure. But they didn’t know He was Krishna, but he awakened in their hearts such love for him.
– Radhanath Swami
