KRSNA AND THE COWHERD BOYS HONOR BALARĀMA

When His elder brother, fatigued from playing, would lie down with His head upon the lap of a cowherd boy, Lord Krsna would help Him relax by personally massaging His feet and offering other services.

Sometimes, as the cowherd boys danced, sang, moved about and playfully fought with each other, Krsna and Balarama, standing nearby hand in hand, would glorify Their friends' activities and laugh. Sometimes Lord Krsna grew tired from fighting and lay down at the base of a tree, resting upon a bed made of soft twigs and buds and using the lap of a cowherd friend as His pillow. Some of the cowherd boys, who were all great souls, would then massage His lotus feet, and others, qualified by being free of all sin, would expertly fan the Supreme Lord. Other boys would sing enchanting songs appropriate to the occasion, and their hearts would melt out of love for the Lord.

In this way the Supreme Lord, whose soft lotus feet are personally attended by the goddess of fortune, concealed His transcendental opulences by His internal potency and acted like the son of a cowherd. Yet even while enjoying like a village boy in the company of other village residents. He often exhibited feats only God could perform.