As a child, Krishna was very naughty. He was very fond of butter and would often steal milk and butter from other houses, and the women would complain to Yashoda about her son’s mischievous activities.
While playing in the fields, little Krishna secretly ate mud one day. His friends went and told Yashoda about this. When Krishna returned home, Yashoda caught Krishna by his ears and scolded him for putting dirt in his mouth. Krishna denied doing so.
Yashoda knew her son too well. She ordered, “If you have not taken any mud, open your mouth. I shall see for myself.”
Krishna does as he is told. But when Yashoda peered into his mouth, she was wonderstruck. She saw the entire timeless universe: the mountains, the oceans, the planets, air, fire, moon, the stars, all the days of yesterday and all the days of tomorrow; she saw all ideas and all emotions, all pity and all hope, all the strands of matter, not a pebble, candle, creature, village or galaxy missing, including herself and every bit of dirt in its truthful place, all in his tiny mouth. Yashoda was stunned and fainted.
When she recovered, she realized what had happened. In all his glory, the Lord Almighty was before her very eyes. It was little Krishna, the incarnation of Vishnu. Yashoda took the little boy on her lap, hugged him, and cried joyfully.