Why does Shri Krishna always have laddu in one hand? Behind this lies a heart touching story of a devotee.

News India Live, Digital Desk: There would hardly be any one of us who does not have a small, kneeling idol of Lord Krishna in his home temple. We bathe him lovingly, dress him and call him ‘Laddu Gopal’.

But have you ever looked at that statue carefully? He always has a laddu (Motichoor or gram flour laddu) in one hand. Have you ever wondered why Kanhaiya, who is called the butter thief, has laddu in his hand instead of a pot of butter? And how did he get the name Laddu Gopal?

There is a very sweet and emotional mythology behind it.

A devotee, his rule and the play of God

There used to be a very ardent devotee in Braj land, whose name was Kumbhandas (a priest is also mentioned in some stories). He had the child form of Lord Krishna. He considered his Kanhaiya exactly like his son. He had a rule that he would not eat even a single grain of food without offering it to God.

Once upon a time, the priest had to go out somewhere. He decorated a plate for offering, in which laddus made with love were kept. He said in his mind to Bal Gopal, “Lala, I am leaving, offer the food.”

When God appeared in person from the idol

It is said that God is just hungry for emotions. Hearing the true cry of the devotee, little Bal Gopal came out of the idol. He picked up a laddu from the plate and started eating it with pleasure. He had just eaten one laddu and had just picked up another laddu in his hand when suddenly someone came there (according to some stories, the priest himself had returned).

Little Kanha was shocked to see his devotee suddenly. In that hurry he transformed back into a statue, but this time his form was a little different.

The laddu remained in his hand and he became ‘Laddu Gopal’.

When the devotee saw, he was surprised. The Lord was not in his old pose, rather he had a half-eaten laddu in one hand and was holding it in the other hand. As if they had stopped eating.

From that day onwards this child form of God started being worshipped. Devotees accepted that our Kanha loves laddus very much. From then onwards his name became ‘Laddu Gopal’.

This story teaches us that if love and ‘bhaav’ are true, God can come out even from a stone idol. So next time you see your Laddu Gopal, remember that he is not just an idol but a symbol of a devotee’s love.