Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 1 - Verse 30


Sanskrit:

हस्ताग्राह्ये रचयति विधिं पीठकोलूखलाद्यै-श्छिद्रं ह्यन्तर्निहितवयुन: शिक्यभाण्डेषु तद्वित् ।ध्वान्तागारे धृतमणिगणं स्वाङ्गमर्थप्रदीपंकाले गोप्यो यर्हि गृहकृत्येषु सुव्यग्रचित्ता: ॥ ३० ॥

ITRANS:

hastāgrāhye racayati vidhiṁ pīṭhakolūkhalādyaiśchidraṁ hy antar-nihita-vayunaḥ śikya-bhāṇḍeṣu tad-vitdhvāntāgāre dhṛta-maṇi-gaṇaṁ svāṅgam artha-pradīpaṁkāle gopyo yarhi gṛha-kṛtyeṣu suvyagra-cittāḥ

Translation:

“When the milk and curd are kept high on a swing hanging from the ceiling and Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma cannot reach it, They arrange to reach it by piling up various planks and turning upside down the mortar for grinding spices. Being quite aware of the contents of a pot, They poke holes in it. While the elderly gopīs go about their household affairs, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma sometimes go into a dark room, brightening the place with the valuable jewels and ornaments on Their bodies and taking advantage of this light by stealing.

Purport:

Formerly, in every household, yogurt and butter were kept for use in emergencies. But Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would pile up planks so that They could reach the pots and would then pick holes in the pots with Their hands so that the contents would leak out and They could drink it. This was another means for stealing butter and milk. When the butter and milk were kept in a dark room, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would go there and make the place bright with the valuable jewels on Their bodies. On the whole, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma engaged in stealing butter and milk from the neighborhood houses in many ways.