264 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

delivered the clothing to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who
promised him all good fortune, but being a servant of Karhsa, the
sinful demon could not accept the offer. Instead of being pleased, he was
very angry and refused the Lord’s request saying, ‘How is it that You are
asking clothing which is meant for the king?” The washerman then began
to instruct Krsna and Balarama: ‘‘My dear boys, in the future don’t be so
impudent as to ask for things which belong to the king. Otherwise, You
will be punished by the government men. They will arrest You and punish
You, and You will be in difficulty. I have practical experience of this fact.
Anyone who unlawfully wants to use the king’s property is very severely
punished.”

On hearing this, Lord Krsna, the son of Devaki, became very angry at
the washerman, and striking him with the upper portion of His hand, He
separated the man’s head from his body. The washerman fell down dead
on the ground. In this way Lord Krsna confirmed the statement that every
limb of His body is capable of doing everything He likes. Without a sword,
but simply with His hand, he cut off the head of the washerman. This is
proof that the Supreme Lord is omnipotent. If He wants to do something,
He can do it without extraneous help.

After this ghastly incident, the employees of the washerman immediately
dispersed, leaving the clothing. Krsna and Balarama took possession of it
and dressed according to Their choice; the rest of the clothes were offered
to the cowherd boys, who also used them as they desired. What they did
not use remained there. They then continued to proceed. In the meantime,
a devotee-tailor took the opportunity of service and prepared some nice
clothes from the cloth for Krsna and Balarama. Thus being very nicely
attired, Krsna and Balarama looked like elephants dressed with colored
clothings on the full moon day of the dark moon. Krsna was very much
pleased with the tailor and gave him the benediction of sartipya-mukti,
which means that after leaving his body, he would be liberated and would
attain a body exactly like fourhanded Narayana’s in the Vaikuntha planets.
He also granted him that as long as he would live he would earn sufficient
opulence to be able to enjoy sense gratification. By this incident Krsna
proved that those who are Krsna conscious devotees will not be lacking
material enjoyment or sense gratification. They will have sufficient oppor-
tunity for such things, but after leaving this life they will be allowed to
enter the spiritual planets of Vaikunthaloka or Krsnaloka, Goloka
Vrndavana.

After dressing nicely, Krsna and Balarama went to a florist of the name
Sudama. As soon as they reached the precinct of his house, the florist
