In Brihadvan the families lived close to one another. Little Krishna and Balarama found a new game each day. Their mothers and nurses watched over them. But once the boys wandered away with their friends. Running, they reached the bank of the river. Yashoda was busy preparing a meal. When she heard where the children were, she worried. She asked Rohini to call them back at once. Rohini hurried to the place where they were playing. Absorbed in the game, the boys did not want to leave.
Then Yashoda came to the river too. She called Krishna in a tender mother's voice. She said He must be hungry and tired. She asked Balarama to bring His brother along. At home Nanda was waiting for them to eat. But new playmates appeared before the boys. The game drew their attention again. Yashoda promised they could play after their meal. Slowly she approached and took their hands. At last she led both boys home.
Upananda heard how far the children had gone. He had already been thinking of Vraja's dangers. He remembered the two trees that had fallen. He wanted a safer place for all the children to play. The next morning the cowherds gathered with Nanda. Upananda spoke of the forest of Vrindavan. There were pastures and Govardhan Hill there. He suggested that the whole community move there. The elders listened and agreed. Their decision brought hope and much work.
The cows and calves were made ready for the journey. Families gathered their vessels and clothes. They loaded household things into large carts. The elders were given places to travel comfortably. Each person helped with what they could carry. Voices, instruments, and wheels filled the air. The cowherds accompanied the herd. The women took their places in decorated carts. Among them were Yashoda and Rohini with their sons. Thus all of Vraja set out for the new place.
As the cart moved, Krishna asked about their home. He wanted to know where their house had stayed. Smiling, the mothers pointed all around Him. Balarama helped Him notice the great carts. Even the trees seemed to Krishna to be moving. Yashoda and Rohini explained what He was seeing. The boys laughed at the unusual sight. Then Krishna asked where Vrindavan was. Rohini said it lay across the Yamuna. He immediately wanted to know what was there.
Rohini told Him of places suitable for play. Balarama embraced His brother with delight. The women sang of Krishna's childhood pastimes. Their songs accompanied the wheels along the road. The boys saw new trees and animals. They asked their mothers the name of each one. The mothers pointed out deer, peacocks, and parrots. Cuckoos could also be heard among the branches. Each answer brought another happy question. The journey became a discovery of a new world.
When they reached the Yamuna, the procession paused. The river's water gleamed before them. On the other side they could see Vrindavan forest. Krishna and Balarama climbed higher to look. The cowherds began to bring the herd across. The families prepared to cross as well. They used rafts for the crossing. People watched over the children and animals. One by one they continued across the water. Their new dwelling awaited on the other bank.
When they arrived, everyone looked at the landscape. The trees, water, and pastures filled them with joy. Govardhan rose in the distance. The cows could find fresh grass. The cowherds arranged the carts for their stay. The families began to settle their belongings. What they had carried became part of home again. The songs from the procession continued there. Yashoda and Rohini looked at the boys once more. The two children were already exploring Vrindavan with interest.
Krishna noticed a bird on a branch. Balarama looked after it and smiled. The boys called out to their friends. Together they discovered paths around the new place. Their mothers watched and called them closer. The cowherds made sure the herd was safe. Nanda looked at the families who had arrived together. The long road had not separated their homes. It had brought them all to the same green forest. Vrindavan was slowly becoming their shared home.
Toward evening the voices quieted beside the carts. The cows rested after the long journey. Families gathered around those they loved. Each had something new to tell. Krishna and Balarama still thought of the river and birds. Yashoda listened to their excited words. Rohini rejoiced that everyone was together again. A quiet evening descended over the new settlement. The love with which they set out had traveled with them. Many more pastimes awaited them in Vrindavan.