It Is My Duty

One of the Gopikas in Gokul thought of a novel idea to catch Bal-Krishna red-handed in the act of ‘Maakhan-Chori’. She hung the earthern pot containing butter, high up, and also attached a bell to the rope, but a little higher up.

Krishna came with his ‘Gwal-Baals’ to do the job. Krishna smiled and ordered the bell, ‘You must not make a noise, my friends are hungry!” Obediently, the bell did not ring. After all the cowherds had appeased their hunger, Krishna started to eat the butter. The bell started ringing merrily. Krishna rebuked it, but it said, “Lord, this is my duty. In every temple the bell rings to announce that the Lord has eaten (Bhog Lagana), come and partake of the Prasadam. The Lord of the Universe is eating, under my nose, how can I do anything but ring! How can I not do my duty?”

Krishna was caught by the Gopikas, who were waiting for this very moment. The famous bhajan of Surdas, “Mayia Mori, Mein Nahin Maakhan Khayo followed.