Krishna Janmashtami 2022: 5 stories from Krishna's childhood with morals you can narrate to your kids

According to legends, Shri Krishna is one of the most powerful human incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Lord Krishna was born in Mathura at the midnight of Ashtami in the months of August – September.  The holy festival of Janmashtami is celebrated with great enthusiasm by Hindus across India. On this occasion, special events are organised in the temples of Lord Krishna and devotees pray till midnight to celebrate the birth of God. Some devotees even follow a day-long fast.

Here are the top 5 best Lord Krishna stories with morals.

1. What’s Inside Krishna’s Mouth?

Once when Krishna and Balarama were playing, the avatar of Lord Vishnu stuffed a handful of mud into his mouth. When Krishna’s friends complained to his mother. Yashoda ran to him and asked him to open his mouth. Initially, he refused to. But when Yashoda gave him a stern look, Krishna obliged. What Yashoda saw wasn’t mud but the entire universe. That’s when she realised that Krishna was the Lord in disguise!

Moral – Always listen to your parents.

2. Poor priest

In a village lived a poor priest. He was the great devotee of lord Krishna. He used to visit several houses and seek alms from people. People used to give food or money and the priest would bless them. Lord Krishna decided to test the priest. One day, when the priest was walking along the river. There he found a bag full of gold coins. He was happy to see that bag and decided to keep the bag with himself. On his way back home, he saw a beggar. The beggar asked him to give him some food or money. As the priest continued walking towards his home on the way he saw a diamond shimmering on the ground. He said to himself, oh! What a lucky day. First the gold coins and now the diamonds. As soon as he bent down to take the diamond a thief jumped from behind, grabbed the bag of gold coins, and ran away. The diamond was just a piece of glass that the thief used to fool the poor man.

The priest was disheartened. He continued walking toward his home. Lord Krishna took the avatar of a common man and decided to meet the priest. Lord Krishna met the priest on his way, offered him a metal coin and said please accept this coin. The priest took the coin and Krishna walked away. The priest wondered, what is this? What am I going to do with it? I don’t think I will get anything for this metal coin. On his way back home, he saw a fisherman with a couple of fish in his net. The priest felt pity for the fish. He said to the fisherman take this metal coin and in return give me these 2 fishes. The fisherman agreed. The priest placed the fishes in a pot with water and went home.

He said to himself, tomorrow I will leave the fish in the river. The next day when he went to the river to leave the fish in the water, he was amazed by what he discovered. There were two diamonds in the water. The priest was very happy seeing them, but he did not understand how this had happened. He prayed to lord Krishna. Lord Krishna appeared in front of him. The priest said, my lord what is happening? I am really confused. Lord Krishna said the fish had accidentally swallowed diamonds when they were in the river now you got the diamonds because you saved their life. The priest burst into tears of joy and thanked the lord, Krishna. Lord Krishna said, you got a bag full of gold coins but did not help the beggar. Because of your greed for the diamond, you lost the coins to the thief. 

Moral- Always remember to help others and not be greedy. 

3. The Death of Putana at the Hands of Lord Krishna

Kamsa, to eliminate his death threat, decided to kill each infant in his kingdom. For doing this evil work he approached the demoness Putana. He ordered her to kill every infant in less than ten days. After killing several infants, when Putana reached Gokul, she heard about the miraculous baby Krishna. Suspecting the baby to be Kamsa’s slayer she decided to nurse the baby with her poisonous milk. She took the form of a divinely beautiful maiden and went to Nand’s house. Yashoda thought that this beautiful maiden was some goddess who came to bless the newborn, so she agreed to let her breastfeed Krishna. Putana thought that the child would soon be dead after drinking her venomous milk. On the contrary, she soon realised that the mystical child was sucking the life out of her. She tried to terrify the boy to let her go but all in vain. Soon she died and the villagers saw Krishna playing above the dead body of the demoness. They all realise that this boy is divine and many such strange things will happen in Gokul hereafter.

Moral– Do not get mesmerized by the outer beauty.

4. How Lord Krishna Kills Arishtasura?

Arishtasura was yet another demon Kamsa employed to kill Krishna. The bull-like demon went to Gokul and started attacking villagers and their houses, knowing that Krishna would come to rescue. Krishna came and duelled with him. After a fierce fight, Krishna killed the bull demon by snatching its horns. Then the soul of the demon emerged and told its story. Arishtasura was once a disciple of Brihaspati. His name was Varatantu. But one day he enraged his guru as he was sitting with his feet facing his guru. As a result, Brihaspati cursed him to become a bull. On apologising Brihaspati provided relief by stating that Arishtasura would gain redemption in the hands of Lord Vishnu.

Moral– One should never disrespect his guru/teacher

5. Krishna Saves Nandraj

One Ekadashi (11th day of the full moon), Nandraj was observing his fast. On the early morning of the Dvadasi (12th day), he went to the Yamuna river to take a bath. But he was unknowingly taking a bath before sunrise, a time which was considered to be demonic. So, the servants of the demigod Varuna captured him and took him to Varuna, the god of the sea. Krishna and Balarama knowing what had happened went to rescue their father. Varuna after talking with Lord Krishna realised his mistake. He begged pardon for the mistake of his servants and immediately set Nand free.

Moral– Do not take a one-sided decision.