Krsna could immediately understand that Brahma had taken away both the calves and the boys, but as an innocent child He searched here and there so that Brahma could not understand Krsna's maya. This was all a dramatic performance

Expressions researched:
"Kṛṣṇa could immediately understand that Brahmā had taken away both the calves and the boys, but as an innocent child He searched here and there so that Brahmā could not understand Kṛṣṇa's māyā. This was all a dramatic performance"

Srimad-Bhagavatam

SB Canto 10.1 to 10.13

Kṛṣṇa could immediately understand that Brahmā had taken away both the calves and the boys, but as an innocent child He searched here and there so that Brahmā could not understand Kṛṣṇa's māyā. This was all a dramatic performance.

SB 10.13.16, Translation and Purport

Thereafter, when Kṛṣṇa was unable to find the calves, He returned to the bank of the river, but there He was also unable to see the cowherd boys. Thus He began to search for both the calves and the boys, as if He could not understand what had happened.

Kṛṣṇa could immediately understand that Brahmā had taken away both the calves and the boys, but as an innocent child He searched here and there so that Brahmā could not understand Kṛṣṇa's māyā. This was all a dramatic performance. A player knows everything, but still he plays on the stage in such a way that others do not understand him.