anger, longing, fear, confusion, partiality

10.9. Mother Yaśodā Binds Lord Kṛṣṇa

& dependency on others.
Link: The astonishing uncommon parental love with (i) • Rama & Krsna exhibited them in lilas – if we
Krsna as the object (ii) Nanda-Yasoda as the shelter simply read scriptures, we get bewildered/ doubts
must have been due to most extraordinary, unparalled arise.
sadhana. Pariksit asked the question, but the story of • To fully GRASP the NECTAR of lilas, HEAR
Drona & Dhara did not reveal such extraordinary them as explained by ACHARYAS → all doubts
sadhana. dispelled, it becomes clear that…
Seeing that Pariksit was not too pleased, Sukadeva then • “The qualities which seem to disqualify Lord as
began speaking about the pastime of Damodara lila to God are actually wonderful qualities that enhance
bring out the real answer to Parikshit’s question. His greatness.”
Purpose of Krsna’s descent
• 3 secondary reasons – BG 4.8 All attractive Krsna
o paritranaya sadhunam, • Akarshayati iti krsnah – Krsna is all attractive
o vinasaya ca duskrutam • Brahma – 50 qual, Siva – 55; Narayana – 60;
o dharma samsthapana • Krsna – Extra 4 qualities
• Primary reason – to attract people by His tr. o Rupa madhuri, Lila madhuri
pastimes o Venu madhuri, Premna priyadhikya
o Padma purana – mad bhakatanam • Krsna’s beauty → atma paryanta sarva citta hara
vinodartham karomi vividhah kriyah… → He attracts every one’s hart including His
o SB 1.8.20 – tatha paramahamsanam… own heart.
bhakti yoga vidhanartha → to propagate tr. • Dama bandhana lila → special & unique
science of DS unto hearts of advanced • Suka described in great ecstasy, Many Gauriya
transcendentalists… acharyas varieties of commentaries
o SB 10.33.36:
anugrahäya bhaktänäà
Damodar Pastime Spoken To Extol Glories Of Bhakti
mänuñaà deham ästhitaù
of Nanda & Yaçodä
bhajate tädåçéù kréòa
In order to explain the tattvika siddhanta in that
yäù çrutvä tat-paro bhavet
context, he is speaking this pastime that Krsna is under
When Lord assumes a humanlike body to show
the control of Bhakti and Nanda and Yaçodä performed
mercy to His devotees, He engages in such
bhakti, loved. This thing he had spoken at the end of the
pastimes as will attract those who hear about
them to become dedicated to Him. 10.8. But Pariksit was not satisfied.
Acharyas give the right understanding of lilas Däma bandhana lila → through this Pariksit got fully
satisfised that in what way the lord is under the
• People het attracted by hearing the pastime – control of His devotee and by being under the control
but the they NEED the KEY of of devotee, Asammaurdhva, unlimited stock of pleasure
UNDERSTANDING, given by acharyas to He gives to His devotee. This is shown in this chapter.
UNLOCK the GREAT TREASURE.
• Specialty of Damodar lila (VCT): Damodar lila
God must be Extraordinary – Could He have faults (VCT): You bind up the people who are engulfed
of human being? in theft, anger and other low qualities, and make
• Formless God or 4 handed Narayana → seems them cry. Now you, involved in theft and full of
extraordinary compared to human form of God anger, have been bound up by Yasoda and are
as Krsna or Rama who sometimes exhibit 18 crying!
faults of a human being.
o Krsna afraid of mother’s stick, steals Verse 1 – Mangalacarana; Tattva visesa, Rupa
o Rama laments for Sita
visesa, Parivara visesa, Lila visesa
• God has unlimited good qualities except these 18
namäméçvaraà sac-cid-änanda-rüpaà
principal faults
lasat-kuëòalam gokule bhräjamänam
o Illusion, Laziness, error, cruelty, intense
yaçodä-bhiyolükaläd-dhävamänaà
lust, fickleness, arrogance, envy,
paräàåñöam atyantato drutya gopyä
violence, sorrow, fatigue, dishonesty,
• Verse 1: Mula sloka, opening prayer defines the
spiritual position of God-His tr. form, sweet
 beauty & sweeter still pastime of breaking • [saundarya visesa] paräàåñöam =
Mother Yasoda's butter pot. [superexcellence of Yasoda’s beauty] caught
Namami from behind, also intimates the supreme love
• Auspicious invocation, maìgaläcaraëa. that Kåñëa has for Yaçodä.
• Before describing tattva, rupa, lila, guna, • Yasoda-mata (sneha-visesa) is intimated.
saundarya, parivara, prema... o Bhakti is the art of being defeated
• Also mentioned is the essence of His own divine o Krishna experiences the summit of love
supremacy as SPG manifested in Gokula, and in being defeated by devotees
o Prayer in the month of Kartik
also His distinctive features as the origin of all.
o May I also take pleasure in being
• At the start of all functions it is customary to
defeated by other devotees – in the mood
offer respects to isvara which expresses an of servant. Not master or controller
attitude of DS unto the Lord.

10.9.1-2: Servants engaged; Yasoda personally churns

Tattva-viçeña [isvaram; sat cit ananda rupam]
butter while singing Krsna’s pastimes she composed
• The specific attributes of the Absolute Truth of
śrī-śuka uvāca
the Lord, tattva-viçeña, are addressed first.
• He invokes the mercy of Lord Dämodara to ekadā gṛha-dāsīṣu yaśodā nanda-gehinī
empower him to offer this prayer by the word karmāntara-niyuktāsu nirmamantha svayaṁ dadhi
éçvara, the supreme controller. yāni yānīha gītāni tad-bāla-caritāni ca
! Why is the mention of isvara when some dadhi-nirmanthane kale smarantī tāny agāyata
sweet exchange b/w mother & child is going • Ekada: Dīpāvalī/ Dīpa-mālikā.
on? • Yaśodā = “she who gives fame.” She gave fame to
! Pastime presented with philosophy → cant Kṛṣṇa by showing how he is controlled by prema
be sahajiya… by agreeing to be tied up.
! Krsna’s letter to gopis read by Uddhava, • Since she is half of her husband’s body, Nanda’s
Prayers of Akrura, DGs… contains lot of greatness is also suggested in “nanda-gehinī.”
philosophy…
When & Where this pastime? – [ekada]
! SP’s presentation of Krsna book – with
philosophy… • da = time; yada = at some time; kada = at which
! Kunti – namaste purusham tvadyam… time; sada = at all times;
3 characteristics of isvara • ekada = once upon a time (Diwali, in Kartika,
1. sarva-shaktimanta day before Govardhan puja) @ Gokul mahavan
2. jagateka-natha (Krna lived there for 3 yrs 4 m) → Chatikra in
3. nija-prabhu Vrindavan → Nandagrama.
• At that time Govardhan puja was not yet
• LorLord’s characteristics →
introduced, but Vrajavasis, servants in Yasoda’s
1. Mukhya (Primary): Supreme Controller,
house were preparing for Indra puja
sat-cit-ananda
• Yasoda – got up – caressed sleeping Krsna –
2. Gauna (Secondary): Beauty, strength etc..
engaged in morning household chores
Rüpa viçeña [sat-cit-ananda rupam; • Rohini, Balaram went to Upananda’s house on
lasat kundalam] chariot on special invitation.
paraà padaà bhüñaëa-bhüñaëäìgam
Nirmamantha svayam
• Rama is touchstone that verifies all the qualities
Why Mother Yasoda personally churn?
→ abhirama gunakara…
• Great love for Krsna – not bear that thought of a
Parivära-viçeña – gokule bhrajamanam
maidservant making butter for Krsna
Lélä-viçeña – yasoda bhiyo… last 2 lines
• Her tasty butter will stop His stealing
• In fear of Yaçodä (yaçodä-bhiya) He quickly • Offer to Narayana for well-being of her child.
runs away (dhävamänaà) from the mortar • Yasoda = Giver of fame to Krsna that He is
(ulükalät). Then, she also runs behind very famous for being controlled by His devotees
swiftly (atyantato drutya). • Why early morning churning? – No disturbance
from Krsna.

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• Because Kṛṣṇa was going to gopis’ houses to steal • GS: Other gopis also sing Krsna’s pastimes while
butter because He did not like the milk and churning
yogurt ordinarily prepared. • Thinking of Krsna’s pastimes made into songs by
• Rare cows: Out of countless cows (9 lakh), there gopis & collected by her, Yasoda began to sing
were 7/8, rare as a horse with one black ear, who those songs to pacify her longing to see Krsna,
were eating the most fragrant grass, and gave the who was sleeping in another room.
most tasty, fragrant milk, which would be relished • In separation from Krsna’s vision – to mitigate –
by her son. meditated on pastimes – sweet songs of already
• She personally churned, because she was making exhibited lilas – composed by Yasoda & other
butter for her son. She thought, ‘How could gopis.
servants who burn the milk know how to do this?’ • Song → “By witnessing Your activities, eyes
o Driven by a stubbornness arising from become joyful… Killed Putana, Sakatasura,
vatsalya prema, she concluded that others Trinavarta… showed universe…. Skillful
could not do the job properly and resolved dancing & playing… Most attractive while
that from today she would prepare all the Holding calf’s tail… False greed in arguing with
boy’s butter, milk and other eatables. elders… always give me happiness… stay home…
quickly grow… no oldage / death…”
• They would be so tasty that he will not go to
• Full musical accompaniment
other’s houses to steal.
o Kartals → Earrings, ankle bells, golden
• She was churning the best yogurt from among
waist belt shook harmoniously
countless samples that she had prepared the day
o Mridanga → churning rod
before with her own hands.
o Principle of assisting singer
• Yaśodā was churning yogurt superior to all other ! She was feeling so much separation → In
yogurt → (i) to offer it to deity for her child’s separation, the solace is Service & Remembrance/
protection and (ii) then offer it to Kṛṣṇa to eat, H&C.
since she reserved only the best for him.
10.9.3: Beauty & Affection of Mother Yasoda
• She churned the yogurt with certainty (ni).
kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe
Otherwise it was impossible that she would alone
churn excellent milk from unlimited cows famous bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ
in scripture and local culture. putra-sneha-snuta-kuca-yugaṁ
Griha dasisu – Karmantara niyuktesu [Indra puja] jāta-kampaṁ ca subhrūḥ
• Engaged in special jobs, not regular services. rajjv-ākarṣa-śrama-bhuja-calat-
• Indra worship took place during this month, for kaṅkaṇau kuṇḍale ca
according to custom and scripture worship of svinnaṁ vaktraṁ kabara-vigalan-
Govardhana (which replaced worship of Indra) mālatī nirmamantha
takes place on the first lunar day of the waxing kṣaumam vasah pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe—wearing saffron &
moon in Kārtika month. yellow mixed sari surrounding her large hips
Singing while churning ; bibhratī—shaking; sūtra-naddham—bound with a
• Custom: if one wanted to remember something belt; putra-sneha-snuta kuca yugam—because of
constantly, he would transform it into poetry or intense love for her child, breasts became wet with
have this done by a professional poet. milk; jāta-kampam ca—as they were very nicely
• Yaśodā did not want to forget Kṛṣṇa's activities at moving & quivering; su-bhrūḥ—who had very
any time. Therefore she poeticized all of Kṛṣṇa's beautiful eyebrows; rajju-ākarṣa—by pulling on the
childhood activities (killing of Pūtanā, Aghāsura, rope of churning rod; śrama—because of the
Śakaṭāsura & Tṛṇāvarta), and while churning the labor; bhuja—on whose hands; calat-kaṅkaṇau—
butter, she sang them. the two bangles were moving; kuṇḍale—the two
earrings; ca—also; svinnam—her hair was black
• This should be the practice of persons eager to
like a cloud, so perspiration was dropping like
remain KC 24 hrs a day (Following Mother
rain; vaktram—throughout her face;kabara-vigalat-
Yasoda).
mālatī—and mālatī flowers were dropping from her
• She sang the songs of various poets and those she
composed at that instant.

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hair; nirmamantha—thus mother Yaśodā was • JG: Her complexion – blackish (Krama-dīpikā) &
churning the butter. yellow (Gautamīya-tantra).
Dressed in a saffron-yellow sari, with a belt tied about • Cloth was tied with a cord having great beauty.
her full hips, Yaśodā pulled on churning rope, laboring Or the cord was used to tie her petticoat while
considerably, her bangles and earrings moving and she churned the yogurt.
vibrating and her whole body shaking. Because of her • Beauty of her natural movements: She pulled the
intense love for her child, her breasts were wet with ropes & her earrings swayed. Her hair was tied up
milk. Her face, with its very beautiful eyebrows, was with jasmine flowers, which grow profusely during
wet with perspiration, and mālatī flowers were falling Kārtika.
from her hair. • Affection: milk dripped from her breasts out of
affection for her son. Her breasts moved because
Yasoda’s beauty described
of her singing about Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Joy was
• For devotees who worship Krsna in parental expressed by the movements of her eyebrows.
relationship Link: Kṛṣṇa was sleeping within the room, and as soon
• Most qualified to be Krsna’s mother → high level as He got up (early morning – Krsna not yet met His
of her parental love, qualities & form friends), became hungry & went to mother, crying.
• Sukadeva described – Beauty of her body, dress,
10.9.4: Krsna became stanya kama
movements while churning
o Subhru – eyebrows moved expressively, tāṁ stanya-kāma āsādya
reflecting her happiness. mathnantīṁ jananīṁ hariḥ
o prthu katitata, bracelets moved expertly gṛhītvā dadhi-manthānaṁ
o yellow sari made of fabric from atasi tree nyaṣedhat prītim āvahan
(produces extremely fine thread), stanya-kāmaḥ—desiring to drink her milk
o body color – syama (dark);
āsādya—appearing before her;
o waist cloth called mekhala
mathnantīm jananīm—while mother was churning
o beads of perspiration decorated face
butter; gṛhītvā dadhi-manthānam—catching the
o malati flowers fell from head
churning rod; nyaṣedhat—forbade; prītim āvahan—
• State of perfect devotee – fully engaging body,
creating a situation of love and affection.
mind, intelligence in Krsna’s service
o nirmamantha – churning While Yaśodā was churning butter, Kṛṣṇa, desiring to
o hands & body – parisrama drink her milk, appeared before her, and in order to
o tongue – singing glories of K increase her transcendental pleasure, He caught
o ears – hearing them churning rod, began to prevent her from churning.
o mind – meditating on how she would • Kṛṣṇa’s inner emotion: Hungry according to his
feed butter to Krsna infant pastimes filled with affection for his
mother, he desired her milk. Krsna approached
Yasoda, held churning rod, indicating that she
• Ideal mother of Krsna in her affection, form and
should stop churning & give him attention.
qualities, is a meditation necessary for those
• Yasoda’s bliss: By this she attained complete (ā-
worshippers in the vatsalya mood – dress,
vahan) happiness because of (i) his attempt to
working, perspiring, flowers in hair…
drink her milk, (ii) ability to stop her churning
• In any rasa, we must follow in the footsteps of
(iii) cleverness by grabbing the rod.
Vrajavasis, not try to become like them. Its
• Harih → He was most attractive at this time
Mayavada.
• Cloth (ksaumam) → made from fibers of atasi Krsna’s hunger for Yasoda’s love
tree, fine & yellow linen. • Krsna woke up hungry
• Face → blackish according to the Krama dipika. o earlier than usual → “Where is ma? Not
• She wore a belt while performing the churning. worried about Me? Left Me for ordinary
• Limbs → wide hips, moving eyebrows household duties!”
• Bangles moving on her arms tired from churning o Hungry, eager for mother’s milk
• Bangles & sweating face both shone. o Breathing heavily, stretching limbs,
• From her hair, black like a rain cloud, fell malati rubbing eyes, cried, “Ma, ma”, hearing
flowers like drops of rain. the churning sound came to mother

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• How can parabrahma/ atmarama be hungry? freely like monsoon rains. Krsna drank like
1. Hunger for Love, not ordinary cataka bird
2. expression of parental loving relation • Milk overflowed from cheeks. Yasoda saw in
3. to give pleasure to mother Yasoda. absorption, His beautiful face decorated with
• To indicate His desire for milk, Krsna white rivulets of her milk.
1. sobbing as He made His way to mother, • Krsna’s belly would not be satisfied (with any
2. caught hold of churning rod to stop amount of prema) – Yasoda’s milk would not
churning stop (intense affection)
• “Stopping churning” means… • Feeding – for a good long while – losing all sense
o Churning = Jnanis constantly read, of time.
analyze scriptures, extracting essence… • Milk on stove overflowing – Yasoda ran
at last approach Me (conclusion of • Why she didn't carry Krsna? – She had to move
scriptures = attaining Krsna is highest extremely fast & feared dropping Him.
goal)… You are already with Me How can Yasoda leave Krsna to save little milk,
depriving Him of her milk?
10.9.5: Yasoda fed – stopped – boiling milk 1. She is epitome/ spotless example of vatsalya rasa;
tam aṅkam ārūḍham apāyayat stanaṁ He love for Krsna has no limits;
sneha-snutaṁ sa-smitam īkṣatī mukham a. Gopal Champu: Brahma said, “What is
atṛptam utsṛjya javena sā yayāv left for You to give Vrajavasis whose
utsicyamāne payasi tv adhiśrite wealth, friends, realations, bodies,
sneha-snutam—flowing with milk because of intense
children & very lives and hearts are
affection; utsṛjya—putting Him aside; javena-hastily dedicated only to You?” – if this is the
utsicyamāne payasi—because of seeing that the milk was case of Vrajavasis, what to speak of
overflowing; tu—but; adhiśrite—in the milk pan on the Krsna’s parents.
oven. 2. Higher principle of serving Krsna → That was a
Yaśodā embraced Kṛṣṇa, sat on her lap, and began to special milk of Padma gandha cows (very few out
look upon His face with great love & affection. of 9 lac cows) – if that milk is spoiled, what
Intense affection → milk flowing. Milk was boiling would Krsna drink?
over → left son, although He was not yet fully 3. Since that milk was for Krsna, it was more
satisfied with drinking milk. attractive than Krsna – special nature of her
love.
a. Making Krsna as an object of her
Yasoda’s reaction compassion, she that it was her duty to
1. Pleased to see child’s intelligence – stopped serve Him – Krsna understood that her
churning by holding rod scolding & punishment were a show of
2. Increased her mediation of Krsna’s qualities her affection.
3. Just by seeing Krsna approaching, torrents of 4. Yasoda Vs. Canura/Mustika → Demons gave
milk began to flow from breast, due to extreme pleasure of fighting to Krsna, Yasoda displeased
parental love Krsna by not feeding Him.
a. Krsna is always in bliss (ananda mayo
bhyasat, anandam brahma, apta kama/
Yasoda’s lap is Krsna’s property
ever-satisfied) – either wrestling or
• Krsna climbed on her lap before she picked Him carrying Mt. Mandara.
up. Her lap is His property (no need to invite – b. Consciousness > interactions → Yasoda’s
idam asanam) motive (favorable mood & service
• Krsna became proud for stopping mother – attitude) was to give pleasure to Krsna;
cheeks more adorable. Wrestlers lack that motive. Bhava grahi
Transcendental competition – janardana.
Milk/ Love Vs. Krsna’s hunger Krsna was externally dissatisfied & angry, but was
pleased & enjoyed parental love.
• Excess milk poured because of deep affection –
no need for Krsna to suck breast – milk flowed

5
5. Yasoda, when leaving spoke to Krsna, “I worship • Though one tolerates suffering to protect one’s
you with arati, but for a moment take care of wealth, there must be strong affection to do so.
churning pot; after taking care of milk, will come Similarly, motivated by strong affection for Kṛṣṇa,
back quickly.” Her overflowing milk soaked her she tried to protect the milk.
cloth & sprinkled on floor as she ran.
6. Jiva G: In no way does this reflect a lessening of
Why milk overflowed into fire?
her affection → Wealth of cowherds is cows &
cow products. “My baby son doesn't know how to • External reason: due to excessive heat
take care of His wealth. I have to do it for Him.” • Internal reason: Milk on stove was watching
a. Parents may do something that Krsna drinking Yasoda’s milk → “What is the
apparently causes distress for son, but use of my life? I can’t serve Lord. Better commit
they tolerate the current suffering of son suicide.”
for his future well-being. Ex: Chastising • But as Yasoda ran, boiling over milk was ashamed
• Sometimes one must take care of more than one & resumed its normal state → Offense to
item of important business for the same purpose. interrupt loving exchange b/w Yasoda & Krsna.
• Therefore Yaśodā was not unjust when she left • Everything in SW is alive & conscious – milk
her son to take care of the overflowing milk. too!
• On the platform of love and affection, it is the duty • SP story: Yasoda cooking rice in SW – just asks
of the devotee to do one thing first and other things from wherever she may be in house, “Are you
later. The proper intuition by which to do this is cooked?” and rice will reply. No need for her to
given by Kṛṣṇa. teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ… go and check by pressing a grain.
• In KC, everything is dynamic. Kṛṣṇa guides the
devotee in what to do first and what to do next 10.9.6: Krsna’s anger
on the platform of Absolute truth. sanjāta-kopaḥ sphuritāruṇādharaṁ
sandaśya dadbhir dadhi-mantha-bhājanam
Why did she not go while feeding & holding him? bhittvā mṛṣāśrur dṛṣad-aśmanā raho
• She was going quickly. If she held him she could jaghāsa haiyaṅgavam antaraṁ gataḥ
not go quickly. sanjāta-kopaḥ—Kṛṣṇa being very angry;
• The milk was boiling over. Kitchen was not far
sphurita-aruṇa-adharam—swollen reddish lips
away, within sight. The milk, like the yogurt, was
sandaśya dadbhiḥ—capturing by His teeth;
special. She left him for a moment only.
• Yad-dhāmārtha-suhṛt-priyātma-tanaya-prāṇāśayās dadhi-mantha-bhājanam bhittvā—broke the pot in
tvat-kṛte: these devotees of Vṛndāvana have which yogurt was being churned;
dedicated their homes, wealth, friends, dear mṛṣā-aśruḥ—with false tears in the eyes;
relations, bodies, children and very lives and dṛṣat-aśmanā—with a piece of stone;
hearts to you. (10.14.35) How much more then rahaḥ jaghāsa haiyaṅgavam— in a solitary place,
Yaśodā gave everything to Kṛṣṇa! began to eat the freshly churned butter;
• Not tolerating any suffering of their son, the antaram gatah—gone within the room
mother and father work constantly for his future
Being very angry and biting His reddish lips with His
health, wealth & knowledge. They also feed him
teeth, Kṛṣṇa, with false tears in His eyes, broke the
medicine, bathe him and punish him.
container of yogurt with a piece of stone. Then He
• The height of affection that a mother and father
entered a room and began to eat the freshly churned
have for their son is difficult to find in other
butter in a solitary place.
types of love. It does not exist elsewhere.
• She was thus intensely attached to the wealth of
milk of the cowherds. “The child does not know GC: Poets describe this:
how to protect his wealth. Therefore I must The white moons of his teeth became red like his
protect it now.” lips and his eyes, like cakora birds, became filled
• Thinking thus, she put him down, but her going with tears. With his two lotus hands he destroyed
was for his sake also, filled with affection for him.
the yogurt pot, showing his strength. ||8||

6
Subdue moP with moG • Sat cross-legged on grinding mortar, ate & fed
butter to monkeys → to teach mother a lesson.
o Krsna displayed common propensity of
Krsna’s Dissatisfaction, Anger & tears
children to retaliate against parents
• Deprived of mother’s milk → [Try to empathize when hurt.
with any child who is deprived of milk, by own • He ate previous day’s butter (not fresh,
mother] hayangavam) – “I will become sick, you have to
o In His ecstasy of reciprocating with mother take me out of Vraja to Mathura hospital &
Yasoda’s love, He actually was completely spend money.”
dependent of mother just as any other child.
• Param-brahma, apta-kama (ever satisfied)
• He is Trigunatita/ nirguna → Anger comes in 10.9.7: Yasoda back – sees Krsna’s act & absence
moP → kama esa krodha esa… uttārya gopī suśṛtaṁ payaḥ punaḥ
• Krsna’s dissatisfaction & anger are not material praviśya saṁdṛśya ca dadhy-amatrakam
→ only to reciprocate with mother’s parental bhagnaṁ vilokya sva-sutasya karma taj
love, to please her.
jahāsa taṁ cāpi na tatra paśyatī
• Jiva G: Real anger → Not pretending → arose
Yaśodā, set spilling milk right, returned to churning
from core of His heart in a solitary place, no one
spot, & when she saw that the container of yogurt was
to see Him.
broken and that Kṛṣṇa was not present, she concluded
• “Lord manifested His intense emotions in
that the breaking of the pot was the work of Kṛṣṇa.
reciprocation with the equally intense parental
affection of mother. Such pastime takes place • Understanding that this was the work of her son,
nowhere else except in Yasada’s courtyard.” she put her forefinger to her nose and began
• Amrshasru = Genuine tears [not mrshasru/ false laughing.
tears] – Lord’s false tears may be true in some • No one else would do that, since the hole was
occasions [Ex: when Pandavas died!], but not in made skillfully and since it was possible that he
Damodar lila. was angry. But not seeing him there, she laughed
• Sometimes Kṛṣṇa fakes crying but today the tears because of his fickle nature, his skill in breaking
were real (amṛṣa) because he was unsatisfied. the pot, his running away in fear, and because of
• It is natural that when a child becomes angry he the sound of moving pots and his ankle bells in
can begin crying with false tears in his eyes. the next room.
• His anger describes the special sweetness of his Yasoda understood Krsna’s activity
infant pastimes filled with affection for his • Yasoda’s understood that Krsna broke the pot,
mother. not any monkey → (i) pot was broken
• His tears were useless from a mature view point, but intelligently, (ii) Krsna was not there, (iii)
were natural to his infancy. cleverly running away without bangles sound…
• With a stone, not making any noise, he made a • She touched nose with her left forefinger, "How
small hole in the pot and then went into the could my child show such impudence? I tried so
storeroom. patiently to train Him properly, so how could He
Krsna breaks pot silently, steals butter & flees in fear behave so horribly."
of punishment • Voice from sky, “Thirsty baby bee, not fully
• Clever → hit pot at bottom with small stone satisfied with honey broke lotus bud, saw only
without making sound. Yogurt flow → Krsna contents flowing, but no honey, went to another
fearful of consequent punishment. lotus. You showed skill of saving milk, but will be
• Quickly left the spot of crime, fled to solitary praised more for pacifying son’s anger”
room to hide, skillfully loosened its door’s bolt, • Yasoda smiled, followed Krsna’s butter footprints
climbed wooden bed, stole butter hanging from [she also heard His ankle bells] → direction of
ceiling, fled unseen… escape.
o Thief may take precautions to remain
undetected, but normally leaves some Link: From yogurt footprints, sound of his jingling bells,
clues → Krsna stepped on spilled butter! & the noises in the other room, Yasoda could guess that
Krsna was in the room eating butter.

7
Surmising that, her face broke into a smile. A few •
seconds later, she decided to go into the room. But by 10.9.9: The chase begins
that time Krsna had left by the back door and gone into tām ātta-yaṣṭiṁ prasamīkṣya satvaras
the yard. He sat with crossed legs (svastik asana) on top
tato 'varuhyāpasasāra bhītavat
of an overturned mortar for fear of crows and other
animals. gopy anvadhāvan na yam āpa yogināṁ
10.9.8: Krsna’s butter distribution kṣamaṁ praveṣṭuṁ tapaseritaṁ manaḥ
ulūkhalāṅghrer upari vyavasthitaṁ SYNONYMS
markāya kāmaṁ dadataṁ śici sthitam Tām ātta-yaṣṭim prasamīkṣya—seeing Yasoda
carrying in her hand a stick
haiyaṅgavaṁ caurya-viśaṅkitekṣaṇaṁ
satvaraḥ tataḥ avaruhya—quickly got down
nirīkṣya paścāt sutam āgamat-sanaiḥ
apasasāra—began to flee; bhīta-vat—as if v.afraid
śici sthitam—situated in the butter pot hanging on
the swing; gopī anvadhāvat—Yasoda began to follow Him
caurya-viśaṅkita īkṣaṇam—because of stealing, eyes na yam āpa yoginām—whom great yogīs fail to reach
were anxiously looking hither and thither; When Kṛṣṇa saw mother, stick in hand, He quickly
Kṛṣṇa, was sitting on an upside-down wooden mortar got down from mortar, began to flee as if v. afraid.
for grinding spices & was distributing yogurt & butter Although yogīs try to capture Him as Paramātmā by
to monkeys as He liked. Because of having stolen, He meditation, desiring to enter into His effulgence, with
was looking all around with great anxiety, suspecting great austerities & penances, they fail to reach Him.
that He might be chastised by His mother. Yaśodā, But Yaśodā, thinking that same SPG, Kṛṣṇa, to be her
upon seeing Him, very cautiously approached Him son, began following Kṛṣṇa to catch Him.
from behind. Krsna’s fearful running → Yasoda chasing
• Having stolen the pot hanging from the ceiling, • Bhitavat → no real fear, but running as if afraid
he had brought it there. He was afraid of being • Just to exhibit wonderful childhood lilas
beaten by his mother for having stolen the butter, • Yamaraj & fear personified are afraid of Him
and therefore he was looking around in fear • His small toe can’t be touched by great yogis –
looking for a path of escape. Yasoda chasing Him, catching Him – her effort
• Seeing him from inside the room by craning her surprised Sukadeva – her great fortune
neck, she then very softly, w/o making noise,
GS: Krsna is always a hand's length away
approached from the back so that he could not see
• Bhakta Vs. Yogī → Yogīs cannot reach Kṛṣṇa, but
her, to catch him in her hands.
for pure devotees like mother Yaśodā, Kṛṣṇa is
• After going into storeroom & eating some butter
already caught. Kṛṣṇa was even afraid of mother
he took the pot which had been hanging from a
Yaśodā's stick.
rope (indicating his cleverness) and went behind
• Kunti in 1.8.31 → bhaya-bhāvanayā sthitasya
the house by the back door to a solitary spot to
• Yogīs try to reach Kṛṣṇa by jnāna-yoga etc, but
fool his mother. His mother approached from
fail.
behind so he would not see her.
• Yasoda held a stick in her hand to instill fear in
Yasoda encounters Krsna Krsna.
• Krsna was carefully (i) looking around in fear – • Bhita vat → As if having fear, because knowing
(ii) very attentively listening with ears… the great affection of his mother, internally he
• Yasoda entered yard concealed the stick in her had no fear. OR He stood up and fled in a fearful
cloth, slowly approached Krsna & suddenly came manner/ He showed fear like others.
in front of Krsna. • Yogis cannot attain – is made clear in 10.9.21.
• Mother with stick! (never before) – Krsna • This act revealed to his mother the sweetness of
scrutinized her every move (prasamikshya), afraid his infant pastimes.
what might happen – immediately jumped & • Knowing that on that day everyone had gone
started running towards main gate – “she won’t from the main gate, she chased him.
punish me in public.” To fool her he ran to the • Though the mind in samādhi is capable of
main gate of the house where many people merging with Brahman or another form of the
gathered near the yamalārjuna trees.

8
 Lord and is impelled towards him with you." After hearing Krsna's innocent appeal Yasoda
concentration (tapasā), it cannot achieve him. dropped the stick.
• Yaśodā pursued him, and caught up to him step by Seeing this, Krsna stopped running. Absorbed in
step (anu). So much for her good fortune of watching Krsna's tran¬scendental pastimes, the
having him sleep on her lap! immortal denizens of heaven felt totally amazed.
• Her good fortune of chasing him when he fled One can easily understand how powerful demigods
cannot be understood at all by the greatest yogīs! like Lord Brahma, who lives for trillions of years,
• She had greater fortune than all other devotees became upset and bewildered upon seeing Krsna's
because she was able to catch him directly. pastime of showing fear before His mother. They
10.9.10: Yasoda catches Krsna could not fathom how the Supreme Personality of
anvañcamānā jananī bṛhat-calat- Godhead, who is feared by fear personi¬fied, ran
sroṇī-bharākrānta-gatiḥ sumadhyamā away in fear of a stick in His mother's hand.
javena visraṁsita-keśa-bandhana- The fine hairs curling over Yasoda's face dripped
cyuta-prasūnānugatiḥ parāmṛśat with perspiration and her blouse moved from her
heavy breathing. Her hair hung loose from running
cyuta-prasūna-anugatiḥ—she was followed by the
and her lotus face appeared exhausted. When she
flowers falling after her;
caught Krsna's hand He said, "Mother please do not
parāmṛśat—finally captured Kṛṣṇa without fail. beat Me." While saying this Krsna rubbed His tear-
While following Kṛṣṇa, Yaśodā, her thin waist filled lotus eyes with His delicate palms which
overburdened by her heavy breasts, naturally had to resembled the petals of a fresh lotus flower.
reduce her speed. Because of following Kṛṣṇa very
swiftly, her hair became loose, and the flowers in her
hair were falling after her. Yet she did not fail to Yasoda caught Krsna
capture her son Kṛṣṇa. • At one point, Krsna thought of stopping &
• Malati flowers → “Why on head? Should be at looking back to check how far mother was
her lotus feet.” behind Him… then Yasoda quickly caught His
• While chasing “King of thieves, where are you right hand.
going?” – At times Yasoda almost caught Him, • Yasoda threated Him with stick, but didn't beat.
but missed; Usually when He cried, Yasoda wipes tears with
her cloth, now Krsna Himself had to wipe with
His left hand.
AVC: The Chase
• Krsna rubbed eyes – to produce more tears – to
Krsna kept looking fearfully back over His shoulder invoke compassion – to avoid punishment.
while running away from Yasoda. Though Yasoda • Yasoda chastised → “Restless boy, hot-tempered,
felt fatigued and mentally distressed, her body, arms, greedy, monkey-lover, house plunderer. No more
and legs looked very beautiful as she pursued her milk products for U. Will bind U – no play, toys,
mischie¬vous son. Full of pride and anger, Yasoda playmates…”
continued shouting to Krsna, "Stop You thief and • Yasoda
liar! How can you carry on like this? Where are You o Caught – Yogis can’t catch Him
going?. Just stop running and stand where You are!" o Chastised – Brahma, Siva offer prayers
Krsna said, "I will stop if you drop your stick." After o Threatened just by raising stick – fearful
saying this Krsna stopped running away, but kept a to Mahakala, Yamaraja
safe distance from His mother. Yasoda said, "If You • Krsna pleaded to throw away stick → “If U are so
are so afraid of being punished, then why did You afraid, why did U break pot?”
break my yogurt pot today?" • Genuine fear → Yasoda worried (arbhaka
Krsna said, "I will never do it again. Now just drop vatsala) – threw stick – but concerned, to train
the stick from your hand." Yasoda's mind turned into Krsna as a good human being & to discipline her
an abode of amazement as she tried to approach her mischievous son (intense love) – He is
son. But seeing her angry mood, Krsna quickly ran purushottama.
away again while speaking in a distressed tone, • VCT: Also she was afraid – Krsna might run
"Mother! Please drop that big stick and do not away into forest, and wanted to bind Him
punish Me! 0 sinless one, if you do this I will come to

9
• “Friend of monkeys” → “Then I will go to forest commit any further offensive activities. Nor for
& stay with monkeys.” the time being can You play with Your
• Yasya prabhā prabhavato jagad-aṇḍa-koṭi…. playmates."
• Yogīs cannot enter even Krsna’s effulgence even • VCT: Not only did Yasoda catch Krsna who
after many years of austerities & meditation. cannot be obtained by yogis. She also scolded
Even if they enter effulgence, they will fall down him---who is constantly praised by even Brahma
• Bhaktas can capture Kṛṣṇa & even enter His and Siva.
planet simply by love & affection. Conversation between Krsna & Yasoda
• Kṛṣṇa therefore confirms that if one wants to
• “Your father’s lineage is all thieves…”
capture Him, one must undertake DS. bhaktyā
• Y: “How did yogurt pot break?” → “It was SL’s
mām abhijānāti
stick.”
*10.9.11: Yasoda chastises Krsna
• “Who gave butter to monkeys?” → “He who
kṛtāgasaṁ taṁ prarudantam akṣiṇī created them!”
kaṣantam anjan-maṣiṇī sva-pāṇinā • After scolding Him as thief, her heart softened
udvīkṣamāṇaṁ bhaya-vihvalekṣaṇaṁ • “Give up pride & tell truth.” → “(i) When you
haste gṛhītvā bhiṣayanty avāgurat ran quickly, pot was struck by your anklets &
kṛta-āgasam – offender; broke. (ii) Inspired by SL, monkeys entered room
& took butter. (iii) Seeing you with stick, I ran
prarudantam – crying attitude
like thief. Where is My fault? (iv) Seeing that I
akṣiṇī kaṣantam anjat-maṣiṇī—from whose eyes the am frightened, you tried to mercilessly beat Me
blackish ointment was distributed all over His face
without justice.”
with tears; sva-pāṇinā—with His own hand • “O best of thieves with clever words… though U r
udvīkṣamāṇam—who was seen in that attitude by s/o king of Vraja, U r fond of monkeys & have
Yaśodā; bhaya-vihvala-īkṣaṇam—eyes appeared nature of monkeys.” → “Then I will go to forest &
distressed because of such fear of mother; stay there.”
haste gṛhītvā—catching by hand; bhiṣayantī—mother • Worried, Yasoda, “Must tie Him to prevent this. I
Yaśodā was threatening Him; avāgurat—and thus she am alone, can’t pay attention to both house &
very mildly chastised Him. child.”
When caught by Yaśodā, Kṛṣṇa became more and • With a stick she instilled fear in him---who
more afraid and admitted to being an offender. As she instills fear in time and death personified.
looked upon Him, she saw that He was crying, His • Mother Yasoda was holding his right hand.
tears mixing with the black ointment around His eyes, • She frightened him (bhisayanti) by holding a
and as He rubbed His eyes with His hands, He stick.
smeared the ointment all over His face. Yaśodā, • She began scolding him (avagurat). "You have
catching her beautiful son by the hand, mildly began such a restless nature! Friend of the monkeys! Pot
to chastise Him. breaker! Where are you going to get butter today?
• Dealings b/w Yaśodā & Kṛṣṇa → exalted position Today I will bind you up so that you cannot go
of a PD in loving service. and steal and eat butter with your friends. Are
• Karmis, yogis, jnanis, vedantists – can’t reach K. you afraid of being beaten with this stick? "
Great demigods (B, S) always worship Lord by Scolding him, she lifted the stick as if to beat him,
meditation & service. though she would never do such a thing.
• Even the most powerful Yamarāja fears Kṛṣṇa & • With his hand, he rubbed his own eyes, to
His devotees (instructed followers not even to produce more tears or to wipe the tears away.
approach devotees, what to speak of capturing) • His eyes were slightly agitated with fear. Or, in
• Yet this Kṛṣṇa became so dependent on Yaśodā fear he cried. He looked up at her, while she
that when she simply showed Kṛṣṇa the stick in looked at him.
her hand, Kṛṣṇa admitted to being an offender rudantaà muhur netra-yugmaà måjantam
and began to cry like an ordinary child. karämbhoja-yugmena sätaìka-netram
• Yaśodā did not want to chastise Him - muhuù çväsa-kampa-tri-rekhäìka-kaëöha-
immediately threw stick & simply rebuked Kṛṣṇa, sthita-graivaà dämodaraà bhakti-baddham
saying, "Now I shall bind You so that You cannot Lélä-viçeña

10
• Verse 2: Description of details of Damodara lila. 10.9.12: Yasoda threw stick – desired to bind Him
• The Supreme Lord, crying in fear, can only be tyaktvā yaṣṭiṁ sutaṁ bhītaṁ
bound Mother Yasoda's love. Shows lila visesa. vijnāyārbhaka-vatsalā
• Rudantam==Crying. Upon seeing the whipping
iyeṣa kila taṁ baddhuṁ
stick of Mother Yasoda, Krsna becomes terrified
and starts crying. dāmnātad-vīrya-kovidā
• Netra Yugmam Mrjantam== rubbing two lotus arbhaka-vatsalā—most affectionate mother of Kṛṣṇa
eyes again and again →This is a natural a-tat-vīrya-kovidā—without knowledge of SPG
characteristic of balya-lila, and indeed the normal Yaśodā was always overwhelmed by intense love for
habit of small children. Kṛṣṇa, not knowing who Kṛṣṇa was or how powerful
• Karambhoja Yugmena==with His lotus hands He was. Because of maternal affection for Kṛṣṇa, she
fearful Krsna rubs His eyes to make tears fall. never even cared to know who He was. Therefore,
• Perceiving that she may strike Him, He appears when she saw that her son had become excessively
fearful, hoping her natural empathy may save afraid, she threw the stick away and desired to bind
Him from punishment. Him so that He would not commit any further
• Due to fear, tears are forming in His eyes, so He naughty activities.
rubs his eyes with his lotus-like hands in the • "Don’t beat me!" Yasoda answered, "If you don’t
normal manner of children to wipe away the tears like getting beaten, why did you break the yogurt
that are beginning to flow. pot today?" " I won’t do that anymore! But throw
• Satanka Netram==fearful eyes glancing here & the stick down."
there – • Mother Yasoda then began to worry. "Maybe in
o Fearful eyes reveal the extent of his fear distress, fear, or anger, he will run away to the
for punishment. forest." Deciding on a way to prevent this, she
o Looking here and there – wanting to avoid acted. She threw away the stick and decided to tie
punishment. him up.
• Muhuh Svasa==crying again and again →
AVC: Yasoda ordered some maidservants, "0
• Kampa== trembling… breathing heavily
Kurangavati and Lavangavati, fetch some smooth soft
o SL who strikes terror in the heart of fear
rope made of jute."
personified is now fearful of His mother – a
simple cowherd lady. Uniqueness of Vraja lila
häsaà harer avanatäkhila-loka-tévra- • SL awaits judgment from no one in other
çokäçru-sägara-viçoñaëam atyudäram incarnations → Here…
sammohanäya racitaà nija-mäyayäsya o Krsna is guilty, His fate completely in
bhrü-maëòalaà muni-kåte makara-dhvajasya mother’s hands – punish/ bind/ release
o One who by His mere glance dries up the • Knowledge of Krsna’s Godhood is covered –
ocean of tears is now crying in fear in front vatsalya bhava (Jiva G)
of Yashoda. o tad virya kovida → knows well about His
o Single breath of Vishnu, millions of uncontrollable restlessness
universes come out, now He is crying and o atad virya kovida → not knowing His all
breathing heavily. pervading greatness
• Tri-rekhanka Kanta== three lines on His
Gopis heard Krsna’s cry & came
conchshell neck.
• Sthita Graivam== pearl necklace situated there • While binding, Krsna was angry, breathed with
• Bhakti Baddham==Bound by love. Bhakta hissing sound, “Rohini, where have U gone with
vatsalya, Krsna's quality of coming under control Balaram? Because you are not there, my mother is
of His devotees. God can only be bound by a tying Me, come quickly.”
devotee's love and nothing else (rope). o Rohini would have intervened &
• Krsna was bound by the pure parental love of normalized the situation.
Yasoda. Damodara willingly accepted the binding, • Rohini couldn't hear → but other neighboring
although no rope has the power to bind the ladies heard, came, laughed, “He did something in
Supreme AT. your house?”

11
• Previously, when they complained about Krsna’s • Kṛṣṇa is greater than the greatest, being unlimited
stealing, Yasoda didn't believe, “Is there a lack of and all-pervading. How can it be possible for the
butter in my house?” all-pervading to be measured or bound?
No other gopis could bind Krsna • He is all-pervading not only in space but also in
time. We have measurements of time, but
• A gopi attempted to tie Krsna, but couldn't. Krsna
although we are limited by PPF, for Kṛṣṇa these
tied her & said, “This is how you should tie Me”
do not exist.
& ran away →
• Every individual person can be measured – but
Link: Yasoda tied up with her cords of strong prema the although Kṛṣṇa is an individual, the entire cosmic
all pervading Lord of all, who binds up with the ropes of manifestation is within His mouth.
maya everyone from Brahma to the blade of grass. With
Then How then did Yaśodā want to measure Him and
this intention the verse is spoken.
bind Him?
10.9.13-14: Lord’s pervasion in space & time
• Conclusion: This took place simply on the
na cāntar na bahir yasya platform of pure tr. love. This was the only cause.
na pūrvaṁ nāpi cāparam • advaitam acyutam anādim ananta-rūpam…
pūrvāparaṁ bahiś cāntar • Everything is one because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme
jagato yo jagac ca yaḥ cause of everything.
taṁ matvātmajam avyaktaṁ • Vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma-bhaktau
• Devotees can handle Him because they act on the
martya-liṅgam adhokṣajam
basis of loving service (bhaktyā mām abhijānāti)
gopikolūkhale dāmnā • It is possible to bind up limited objects by
babandha prākṛtaṁ yathā surrounding them on the outside.
SPG has no beginning & end, no exterior & interior, • He is bound by uncommon parental love
no front & rear. He is all-pervading. Because He is (atmajam matva-thinking him as her son).
not under the influence of time, for Him there is no Though he is all powerful, by his quality of being
difference between PPF; He exists in His own tr. controlled by love, by his inconceivable energy,
form at all times. Being absolute, beyond relativity, He he is bound up.
is free from distinctions between cause & effect, • Avyaktam → because being controlled by love, he
although He is the cause and effect of everything. covers his powers and appears as a human (martya
That unmanifested person, who is beyond sense lingam), even though he is beyond the material
perception, had now appeared as a human child, and senses (adhoksajam).
Yaśodā, considering Him her own ordinary child, • The strength of Yasoda’s love bound up the Lord
bound Him to the wooden mortar with a rope. who is the aggregate of all consciousness, just as
• Fire cannot be burned by fire. The negative na is one binds an ordinary child (prakrtam).
repeated to strengthen the statement. • What strength of prema in Yaśodā!
• How could he be bound like a material child? He
Arguments why Krsna can’t be bound
had the form of that looked like a human child.
Pervasion in space
“Then how can you say he has no inside or
• But for he who has great powers, and who does outside?” His form is beyond sense knowledge
not have an outside, or even an inside, where can (adhokṣajam).
one place the rope? • Avyakta → He cannot be seen by anyone.
Pervasion in time • His very nature however is his inconceivable
• Time has no limit. It has no before and after. power by which he is either manifest or
• The limited cannot bind the unlimited. unmanifest.
• He is also the universe, as it is a result of his sakti. The devatās are younger than the Lord. Who, then,
The universe cannot bind him, what to speak of a can tell whence he has come into being? Ṛg Veda
rope inside the universe. 3.54.5
• One cannot say that a little boy cannot bind up acintyā khalu ye bhāvā
the universe, because Yasoda saw the universe
taṁs tarkeṇa yojayet
within his belly. How then can he be bound up?
prakṛtibhyaḥ paraṁ yat tu
• Kṛṣṇa is Supreme Brahman (paraṁ brahma paraṁ
dhāma). Brahma = "the greatest."

12
 tad acintyasya lakṣaṇam • If he has such great powers, anything is easily
Inconceivable objects are beyond logical explanation. accomplished by him.
Objects beyond the material world have this • Why did she not see his grandeur? → She thought
inconceivable quality. Mahābhārata of him as her son. Because of her full rasa of
vātsalya his powerful portion was covered.
śrutes tu śabda-mūlatvāt • She bound him around the waist. That is not
The scripture is the main evidence for non-material mentioned because it is well known from his
subjects. Brahma-sūtra 2.1.27 name Dāmodara.
He possesses all qualities & their opposites too • Hari-vaṁśa: dāmnā caivodare baddhvā
• Sruti → God is neither subtle nor gross, but He is pratyabandhad ulūkhale: he was bound by a cord
simultaneously subtle & gross. around his waist to a mortar.
• He is perfection of form while being formless • She bound him so that it was not painful, but
• He has no color, but body bluish, eyes reddish because she feared he would run away in fear.
• Smaller than smallest, bigger than biggest • The mortar was not within the gate of the house.
• Controller of everything, yet controlled by It was in front of the door, since he went towards
devotees the two sacred arjuna trees pulling the mortar
• He is within everything, yet apart from later. The trees’ sacred nature will be explained
everything later.
• Proof: BG 9.4-5 – mayatatam… Link: Though by love Yasoda could bind her child, and
• Constantly all pervading, yet localized form though the span of her lap was small, the small form of
simultaneously – retains all powers in both cases the boy was still all-powerful [15-17]
• Even as small boy, He retains power of is all 10.9.15: Rope falling short
pervasiveness (vibhutaa sakti)– Universes in tad dāma badhyamānasya
mouth.
svārbhakasya kṛtāgasaḥ
The Lord is beyond inconceivable and conceivable, is dvy-aṅgulonam abhūt tena
spiritual and material, is fierce and gentle, is
sandadhe 'nyac ca gopikā
courageous and cowardly, is great and small. He is
kṛta-āgasaḥ—offender; dvi-aṅgula—by a mmt. of 2
pervading and not pervading. He is fiery and not
fiery. He has his face everywhere and nowhere. fingers; ūnam—short;
Nṛsimha-tāpanī Upaniṣad sandadhe—joined; anyat ca—another rope
When Yaśodā was trying to bind the offending child,
The Lord himself has directly stated: she saw that the binding rope was short by a distance
mayā tatam idaṁ sarvaṁ… the width of two fingers. Thus she brought another
na ca mat-sthāni bhūtāni… rope to join to it.
• I pervade universe by my unmanifest form, and 10.9.16: New rope also short
simultaneously all entities are within me. But I am yadāsīt tad api nyūnaṁ
not in them. And LEs are not in me. See my tenānyad api sandadhe
inconceivable power. I maintain them and protect tad api dvy-aṅgulaṁ nyūnaṁ
them, but I am not in them. My mind maintains
yad yad ādatta bandhanam
and protects them. BG 9.4-5
This new rope also was short by a measurement of two
• Simultaneously two opposite conditions (visible and
fingers, and when another rope was joined to it, it was
invisible, without inside or outside) can occur
still two fingers too short. As many ropes as she
because of the inconceivable, unlimited contrary
joined, all of them failed; their shortness could not be
and non-contrary śakti of the Lord.
overcome.
• Thus Yaśodā could see the universe in his mouth,
• Lord already showed His unlimited potency by
though he was seated on her lap.
killing Pūtanā, Śakaṭāsura & Tṛṇāvarta. Now
• All the ropes were always two fingers too short.
Kṛṣṇa exhibited another vibhūti.
Because the Lord is endowed with natural
• "Unless I agree, you cannot bind Me."
inconceivable powers, the pastimes cannot be
• One must be in transcendental love with Kṛṣṇa,
considered the work of māyā, illusion.
but that does not mean that one can control
Kṛṣṇa.

13
• When Kṛṣṇa is satisfied with one's DS, He does su-smayantīnām—were all taking pleasure in this
everything Himself. Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau… funny affair; smayantī—Yaśodā was also smiling
• He reveals more and more to the devotee as the vismitā abhavat—all of them were struck with
devotee advances in service. wonder.
• Jihvādau: this service begins with the tongue, Yaśodā joined all ropes in house – still failed.
(chanting & prasāda).
Gopīs smiling & enjoying the fun.
• ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi…
Yaśodā, although laboring, was also smiling. All of
• VCT: The boy was thinking, "I cannot be bound
up because I must do my daily duties of stealing them were struck with wonder.
yogurt & playing with my friends." • Actually this incident was wonderful because
• His vibhuta sakti (power of showing his opulence) Kṛṣṇa was only a child with small hands.
inspired by the satya sankalpa sakti (Lord’s every • To bind Him should have required only a rope
desires should be fulfilled), suddenly entered into not more than two feet long. All the ropes in the
his body at that time. house combined together might have been
• Thus, the rope became two fingers short. She got hundreds of feet long, but still He was impossible
more rope and tied it together with the other to bind, for all the ropes together were still too
rope. But it was still two fingers short. short.
• The first rope was two fingers too short by • Astonishing → This was another exhibition of
chance. All the later ropes tied together were also Kṛṣṇa's inconceivable potency to His mother and
two fingers too short through his vibhūtā-śakti, His mother's friends.
because of his stubborn nature as a small child. The two amazing things
• He could not be brought under control if two • VCT: "A rope of one hundred hastas does not fit
elements --special intense prema of his devotee around the waist of my son which measures only
and his special mercy arising because of that one fist. And that small waist is not getting any
prema--were lacking. bigger. The rope is certainly not getting any
• Later it is said, “Seeing her fatigue he agreed to be shorter. But still the rope cannot go around him.
tied up.” (SB 10.9.18) • When I tie the ropes together, each time, it is two
• She got other ropes. Hearing the mother scold the fingers short, not three or four fingers."
child while he cried, neighboring gopīs arrived • Gopis were broadly smiling. Yasoda ignored them.
and laughed as they gave her more rope. • Though she joined ropes with great
All pervading Lord bound determination, the rope was always insufficient to
tie him.
• But Yasoda thinks, “He is my son” → Within
• She joined all the ropes in the house including
Yasoda’s mind, her sons vibhutaa sakti remains
the churning ropes. Or she became united with
covered or unmanifest.
the ropes by absorption in them.
• Lord binds all jivas with rope of maya, now bound
• “When the gopīs smiled, she also smiled out of
by rope of Yasoda’s love.
astonishment.”
• We can only bind something that has outer
• AVC: In a choked up voice Krsna spoke some
surface, limited in size – not all pervasive, no
limits, sarva desa vyapaka, sarva kala vyapaka. richly sweet words that captivated the minds
• Binding power = unparalleled parental love of all. Finally, Krsna cried in a gentle, honey
• Among the unlimited qualities of Krsna is prema sweet voice. Empathizing with Krsna, close
vasyata – made Him bind. friends like Subala also wept along with their
10.9.17: Yasoda & Gopis smiling & wondering bosom friend.
evaṁ sva-geha-dāmāni • AVC: Yasoda's heart palpitated with her
yaśodā sandadhaty api heavy breathing, her hair loosened, and the
gopīnāṁ susmayantīnāṁ
flowers fell to the ground. Perspiring, tired,
overwhelmed, snd her labors frustrated,
smayantī vismitābhavat
Yasoda sat down to rest and figure out how to
sva-geha-dāmāni—all ropes available in household
tie up Krsna. A short time later she tried
sandadhati api—was joining one after another
again to bind her matchless son. The elderly
gopīnām—other elderly gopīs
gopis, having lost all desire to return to their

14
 homes, stood mo-tionless while staring at • Effort & fatigue due to service and worship
Krsna with unblinking eyes. (steady faith of devotee – bhakta nistha)
Link: "As you cannot tie up his waist even with all the • Mercy of the Lord arising from seeing that effort
ropes of the house, then it must be concluded that it is and fatigue (steady quality in Lord--sva nistha).
his good fortune that it should not be. Listen Yasoda, • As long as these are not there, the rope remains
give up this attempt!" two fingers too short. When these two are there,
the Lord is bound.
10.9.18: Parisrama & Kripa
• The Lord himself showed to his mother how only
sva-mātuḥ svinna-gātrāyā love can bind him. This is what the pastime
visrasta-kabara-srajaḥ illustrates.
dṛṣṭvā pariśramaṁ kṛṣṇaḥ • Kṛṣṇa, who performs pastimes to attract all minds,
kṛpayāsīt sva-bandhane by mercy, agreed to be bound. Seeing his own
svinna-gātrāyāḥ—perspiring all over because of mother (sva) with greater affection for her than
unnecessary labor; pariśramam—overworked & he had for himself, he became merciful, unable to
feeling fatigued; kṛpayā—causeless mercy; tolerate seeing her suffer, and accepted to be
Because of Yaśodā's hard labor, her whole body bound up, though it was difficult.
became covered with perspiration, and the flowers and • Main reason: mātuḥ → great motherly affection
• Giving up his nature of infantile stubbornness, he
comb were falling from her hair. When child Kṛṣṇa
became bound just by a second piece of rope,
saw His mother thus fatigued, He became merciful to
since his vibhūtā-śakti lost hostility to being tied
her and agreed to be bound.
by the rope when he became fixed on being
• When Yaśodā & gopis finally saw that Kṛṣṇa,
merciful. No other rope was needed.
although decorated with many bangles and other
• She had become tired because she had to deal
jeweled ornaments, could not be bound with all
with a child strong as a young elephant and had
the ropes available in the house, they decided that
to search for rope.
Kṛṣṇa was so fortunate that He could not be
bound by any material condition. 2 fingers too short
• Thus they gave up the idea of binding Him. • Lord’s vibhutaa sakti appreared in His waist –
• But in competition between Kṛṣṇa and His increasing it in a way inconceivable to Yasoda
devotee, Kṛṣṇa sometimes agrees to be defeated. • Yasada’s love was a main factor, but it has to be
Thus Kṛṣṇa's internal energy, yogamāyā, was combined with the sanction/ acceptance of Lord.
brought to work, and Kṛṣṇa agreed to be bound by • 2 fingers = Eagerness for Krsna, Mercy of Krsna
mother Yaśodā. o parisrama & kripa
• Though the village women advised in this way, • Gopis pleaded, “Pl release Him. Consider Him
Yasoda was insistent. "Even if evening comes, and punished already. What a great offense? Its
I tie together the rope of the whole village, I must common for children.”
find out just once the extent of my son’s waist." • Yasoda was determined. Gopis said, “You can’t.
• If Yasoda, with desire to do good to her son, and There must be a secret for binding Him. It
being stubborn, would not give up her attempt to appears that destiny is protecting Him.”
bind Krsna, then between the Lord & devotee, the • Yasoda began with the rope for churning butter &
devotee’s stubbornness prevails. eventually used all the ropes in house. Gopis
• Thus, seeing his mother becoming tired, the Lord jokingly brought ropes from their houses too,
gave up his own stubbornness, and by his mercy “Take these, lets see how you will bind Him”
allowed himself to be tied. • Yasoda determined, “Today I will see how big His
• His mercy is the king of all saktis, illuminating all belly is. He was born at wrong time…Acc to
else. It melts the heart of the Lord as if it were Garga, Lord’s powers are covering this boy”
butter.
• Mercy’s appearance made the satya sankalpa and Why rope became shorter? – Saktis play
vibhuta saktis suddenly disappear.
• VCT: Morning, it was time for Krsna’s play. His
2 things that caused the Lord to be bound
friends looking thorough windows & calling Him.
• The shortage of two fingers was filled by endeavor Krsna wanted to go & His lila-sakti acted acc. to
(parisrama) and mercy (krpa). His desire.

15
• When lila sakti saw Yasoda stopping Krsna, she To PDs throughout world who could understand His
thought, “Who can bind my Lord?” Thus Lord’s activities, Kåñëa, exhibited how much He can be
satya sankalpa sakti sent vibhutaa sakti to appear subdued by His devotees/ servants. Thus He increased
in waist of Krsna. the pleasure of Vrajaväsés by His bala-cestas.
• Yasoda, “Waist ~ my palm. Rope ~ 100 hands! • darśayaṁs tad-vidāṁ loka ātmano bhakta-vaśyatām
Belly – same size! Everytime – 2 fingers short, not (10.11.9): Lord displays the transcendental
3 or 4.” attribute of coming under the control of His
• Gopis, “This indicates His good fortune. Destiny devotees. As stated in the Brahma-
– he can’t b bound. Better refrain” saṁhitā (5.35):
• Yasoda more obstinate, “Today I will bind Him, • eko 'py asau racayituṁ jagad-aṇḍa-koṭiṁ… By His
even it is evening & I have to use all ropes in village. one plenary portion as Paramātmā, Lord controls
But will see the end of His belly.” innumerable universes, with all their demigods;
• Yasoda, great well-wisher of Krsna would not give yet He agrees to be controlled by a devotee.
up her effort, setting the scene for a • Upaniṣads: SPG can run with more speed than
Tr. contest between God & devotee the mind, but here we see that although Kṛṣṇa
• Finally Krsna gave up His impudence – showed wanted to avoid being arrested by His mother, He
quality of bhrtya vasyata. was finally defeated, and Yaśodā captured Him.
o He who controls all controllers is
WHAT ALL HE SHOWED IN DAMODAR LILA?
controlled by His devotees
(SANDARÇITÄ) ***
• Can Krsna be really bound? → Yes, His kripa sakti
prevailed & subdued all other saktis. 1. ÄTMÄRÄM BECAME STANYA KÄMA
• Yasoda after binding, “Stay here. If You dare to 2. PÜRËA-MANORATHA REMAINED ATRPTA
move, I will beat You.” She asked other gopis & 3. KRODHA CAME IN VIÇUDDHA SATTVA VIGRAHA
few boys to keep an eye on Him. • And whose Çri vigraha is in Viçuddha sattva,
• She was sure, Krsna has no strength to pull who is transcendental to prakrti, in Him anger
mortar. Back to household duties. came. He is showing this. Anger is not the
dharma of moG;
• Even in material moG also anger is not there, it
10.9.19: Krsna exhibits Bhrtya vasyata
is a dharma of mode of passion, käma eña krodha
evaṁ sandarśitā hy aṅga eña rajo-guëa-samudbhavaù (BG 3.37), so the
hariṇā bhṛtya-vaśyatā controller of nature, one who stays beyond the
sva-vaśenāpi kṛṣṇena nature, in Him anger was seen.
yasyedaṁ seśvaraṁ vaśe • Paarabrahma is trapped in käma, krodha, lobha.
evam—thus; sandarśitā—was exhibited; hariṇā— So in this way the Lord is showing that for the
bhṛtya-vaśyatā—His transcendental quality of sake of devotees I perform all these pastimes. I
becoming subordinate to His servitor or devotee am under their control.
tri-vidhaà narakasyedaà
sva-vaśena api—although He is within the control
dväraà näçanam ätmanaù
only of His own self; kṛṣṇena;
kämaù krodhas tathä lobhas
yasya idam sa-īśvaram vaśe—whole universe with the
tasmäd etat trayaà tyajet
powerful demigods (B,S) are under the control.
4. LORD FROM WHOM MAHÄKÄLA, YAMARAJA &
This entire universe, with its great, exalted demigods KÄLA ARE AFRAID, IS FEARFUL OF YAÇODÄ
like Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, is under His. Yet SL has one mad-bhayäd väti väto 'yaà (SB 3.25.42) “Out of My
transcendental attribute: He comes under the control fear air blows, out of My fear Indra rains”,
of His devotees. This was now exhibited by Kṛṣṇa in 5. LORD WHOM YOGIS’ MIND CAN’T CATCH, IS
this pastime. CAUGHT BY MOTHER YAÇODÄ
• This pastime of Kṛṣṇa's is very difficult to Faster than wind, mind… chariot…
understand, but devotees can understand it. 6. ETERNALLY BLISSFUL LORD IS CRYING
10.11.9: darçayaàs tad-vidäà loka • sat cidananda rupam → rudantam…
ätmano bhåtya-vaçyatäm • hasam harer avanatakhila… sokasrusagara…
vrajasyoväha vai harñaà 7. SUPREME CONTROLLER WHO BINDS EVERYONE IS
BOUNDED FORCIBLY BY MOTHER YAÇODÄ
bhagavän bäla-ceñöitaiù

16
 • Supreme Isvara is leaving His isvara bhava to Atma rama Hungry
please His devotee… Apta kama/ nitya tripta Dissatisfied
We are unable to leave that isvara bhava to serve Beyond modes/ suddha sattva Angry
Him. Laxmipati Stole butter
Contracictions – understood by devotees only Supreme controller Afraid
• Laxmi pati, yet steals like a poverty striken man Unattainable by yogis, runs Caught by mother
→ Lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānam faster than mind
• Yamarāja, the controller of all living entities, Ananda punja Crying in sadness
fears the order of Kṛṣṇa, yet Kṛṣṇa is afraid of His Mayadhisa (binds jivas) Bound
mother's stick. All pervading Limited to be bound
• Karmani anihasya… Svadhina – fully independent Paradhina,
• Bhṛtya-vaśyatā → does not mean that He is Bhaktadhina
under the control of the servant; rather, He is How to reconcile contradictions (Jiva G)? –
under the control of the servant's pure love. [Bhaktanugraha is His topmost quality]
• Ex: Chariot driver of Arjuna • Jiva G: Along with the unlimited qualities of God,
• If one thinks Kṛṣṇa is not independent, its his purnata & isita remain with Him eternally.
ajnāna, ignorance. • But “bhaktanugraha” quality is the topmost.
• Kṛṣṇa is always fully independent; when He Without His supreme mercy all His other qualities
becomes subordinate to His devotees, this is a would not be pleasurable to anyone.
display of ānanda-cinmaya-rasa, the humor of • If someone’s nature gives pleasure to people then
transcendental qualities that increases His he is considers good, but if he is merciless, he is
transcendental pleasure. considered faulty – God cannot have any faults.
• Everyone worships Kṛṣṇa as SPG, and therefore He • SB 6.9.5 VCT: Lord being served by His kripa
sometimes desires to be controlled by someone else. Shakti, eagerly wait to get a Tulsi leaf from His
Such a controller can be no one else but a PD. devotee. Lord asks His devotee, “I am hungry. Pl
Bhrtya vasyata – an ornament, not a fault give me something to eat.” → Thus though He is
• Though he possesses all possible powers, the Lord, purna kama, He is also apurna kama.
being controlled by prema, is bound up. This • Bhaktanugraha → The mercy shown to a devotee
bondage, however, being the most astonishing has to be at least the same proportion as the
aspect of the Lord, becomes his ornament, not his devotee’s devotion for Krsna. If He gives less,
fault. then Krsna is at fault – ye yatha mam…
• The lord, by his very nature, though self- Krsna is bound to reciprocate with His devotee to the
contented (atma rama), suffers from hunger. degree of His devotee’s love.
Contradictions (confidential) By devotees’ control, His glory is increased.
• Full in his desires → dissatisfied • By this His greatness, opulence are not reduced in
• Form of pure goodness → angry any way.
• Master of Laksmi → steals
mora putra, mora sakhä, mora präëa-pati
• Instills fear through time & death → flees in fear
• Travels quickly on the vehicle of the mind → ei-bhäve yei more kare çuddha-bhakti
caught by the strong grasp of his mother äpanäke baòa mäne, ämäre sama-héna
• Condensed bliss → cries in sorrow sei bhäve ha-i ämi tähära adhéna
• All pervading, without limit → limited by being • “If one cherishes pure loving devotion to Me,
tied up thinking of Me as his son, friend or beloved,
----- : HOW CAN KRSNA BE GOD? : ----- regarding himself as great and considering Me his
Resolving Contradictions equal or inferior, I become subordinate to him.
(CC adi 4.21-22)
• Param brahma exhibited some qualities in • When the Lord is controlled by His devotee, He is
Damodar lila which are not supposed to manifest still the controller. Ex: Arjuna trees
in param brahma. • By being bound, His greatness & opulence are
How can Krsna be God? doubled with bahktanugraha quality → Thus it is
Quality Contradiction necessary for God to be controlled by devotee

17
 • Rather, by the quality of mercy, since it is all
Reconciling the contradictions attractive, the powers of the Lord double in potency.
• Krsna’s innate quality of being controlled by It is necessary that he is controlled by the devotee.
devotee – Not simply an act or imitation. Why is the Lord controlled by a devotee?
• "Krsna in this universe shows his nature of • The Lord of Vaikuṇṭha said:
dependence on the devotee to the devotees ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno
tainted with jnana, such as Lord Brahma." hy asvatantra iva dvija
• Though the Lord is independent (sva vasena), sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo
where do we see his independence? → In his
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ
control of the universe and the devas (yasya idam
I am completely under control of my devotees. I am
sesvaram vase).
not at all independent. My heart is controlled by PDs.
• It is through prema, the essence of the cit sakti,
What to speak of my devotee, even those who are
that being controlled by the devotee arises, and
devotees of my devotee are very dear to me. 9.4.63
this gives rise to the Lord’s highest bliss.
• The reason the Lord’s heart is controlled by the
Highest quality – Mercy
devotee is because the devotee is sādhu—devoid
• These characteristics, being confidential, should
of other desires.
be understood to be real, since they are a cause of
• Therefore it is appropriate that the Lord has no
rasa. But how can he also be called perfect and
other desire than to please the devotee.
supreme?”
• Being controlled by the devotee takes the form of
• True, by qualities, he is perfect and the Lord, but
internal and external actions favorable to the
one must consider his mercy to his devotee.
devotee.
• Without that mercy, none of the qualities will
• Because Kṛṣṇa takes on the mood of an infant in
give happiness to anyone.
response to Yaśodā’s devotion, his assuming that
• A person cannot be pleasant if he has a hard
mood is proper.
heart. If there is no mercy, qualities diminish in
• Thinking of this real condition of Kṛṣṇa, Kuntī
value.
became bewildered with astonishment and bliss.
• Qualities which cause happiness in people are
gopy ādade tvayi kṛtāgasi dāma tāvad
good qualities. Lack of mercy is naturally a fault.
yā te daśāśru-kalilānjana-sambhramākṣam |
• Such a fault cannot exist in the Lord for, by
vaktraṁ ninīya bhaya-bhāvanayā sthitasya
becoming an ordinary person with faults, he loses
his status as the Lord full of good qualities. sā māṁ vimohayati bhīr api yad bibheti ||
• Mercy produces all other qualities and counters all • Yaśodā took up a rope to bind you when you
faults. Therefore it is the chief quality. committed an offense, and your perturbed eyes
• Puṁsavana ceremony → flooded with tears, which washed the mascara
yathā tvaṁ kṛpayā bhūtyā tejasā mahimaujasā from your eyes. And you were afraid, though fear
juṣṭa īśa guṇaiḥ sarvais tato 'si bhagavān prabhuḥ personified is afraid of you. This sight is
• Just as you are endowed with mercy by which bewildering to me. SB 1.8.31
your powers are hidden, so you are situated as SL, • In this way, being controlled by the devotee has
worthy of worship, by being endowed with the been explicitly (san) shown, since elsewhere
śakti of Mahā-lakṣmī, the śakti of independence, (outside of Vraja) pastimes with intensely
the śakti of wealth, all strength and other possessive devotees to the extent of being bound
qualities. 6.19.5 up do not occur.
• That mercy corresponds to the nature of bhakti • Aṅga → Śukadeva’s prema for Parīkṣit
and is proper since in its absence there is fault. • hi → expresses certainty.
• If unconditional bhakti controls the Lord, it is • Harina → Being controlled has been shown
proper that mercy also controls him. graphically by the Lord who attracts the devotees.
• By this his powers do not decrease, since they • Independently, because he is Svayam Bhagavān,
manifest elsewhere. For instance, though Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa controls the universe.
was bound up, he showed power to deliver Verse 3 – Guna Visesa
Kuvera’s sons by pulling down the trees. itédåk-sva-léläbhir änanda-kuëòe
sva-ghoñaà nimajjantam äkhyäpayantam
tadéyeçita-jïeñu bhaktair jitatvaà

18
punaù prematäs taà çatävåtti vande telling Dāmodara lila. Now the true answer is presented
iti édåk–displaying in this way (childhood pastimes); sva- in 2 verses, after describing the situation in the previous
léläbhiù–by His own pastimes; änanda-kuëòe–in a pool of verse.
bliss; sva-ghoñam–His own family and the other residents
10.9.20: Yaśodā Vs. other devotees
of Gokula; nimajjantam–immersing; äkhyäpayantam–
makes known; tadéya-éçita-jïeñu–to those desirous of nemaṁ virinco na bhavo
knowing His majesty (aiçvarya); bhaktaiù jitatvam–His na śrīr apy aṅga-saṁśrayā
quality of being conquered by His loving devotees (who are prasādaṁ lebhire gopī
devoid of aiçvarya-jïäna); punaù–again; premataù–with
yat tat prāpa vimuktidāt
love and devotion; tam–unto that Lord Dämodara; çata-
ävåtti–100s of times; vande–I praise. Neither Brahmā, Śiva, nor even GoF, who is always
“O my Lord, by Your own childhood pastimes, You the better half of SL, can obtain from SPG, the
continually immerse the residents of Gokula in pools deliverer from MW, such mercy as received by Yaśodā
of ecstasy. You reveal to those who are attracted to • Exceptional devotion of queen of Vraja among all
Your majesty and opulence, that You are only the devotees, which brought Krsna under exceptional
conquered by the love of Your pure devotees. Again I control.
offer my obeisances with love and devotion hundreds
and hundreds of times.” Yasoda – best of all bhrityas
• Verse 3: glorifies Vraja madhurya maya bhakti over • Ekale īśvara kṛṣṇa, āra saba bhṛtya…
aisvarya jnana bhakti. • Kṛṣṇa has the transcendental quality of bhṛtya-
• It describes Krsna's Guna Visesa, the excellence of vaśyatā, becoming subordinate to His bhṛtya.
His qualities. • Now, although everyone is bhṛtya and although
Drowning Vrajavasis in pools of ecstasy Kṛṣṇa has the quality of becoming subordinate to
• sva-léläbhiù denotes His own transcendental His bhṛtya, the position of Yaśodā is the greatest.
pastimes by which (sva-ghoñaà) all the residents does not very easily give the opportunity to render
of Gokula become immersed in pools of ecstatic direct service unto Him.
mellows (änanda-kuëòe nimajjantam).
Laxmi Yasoda
• It depicts the reason for His coming under the
sway of His devotees. • Very close, has intense • Her ‘mamata’ is
• By His own uncommonly divine pastimes – love for Lord – Yet her independent – “Krsna
lilabhih, He drowns all LEs of Gokula in ecstasy. love is “tadiya mayi” is mine. He knows
• This is confirmed by many statements of the (My Lord, I am Yours. I nothing except me. I
Bhagavatam such as the following (10.11.7-8): belong to You.” am His only shelter. Its
Declaring to jnanis • Her ‘mamata’ or mood my duty to see to His
• tadiyesita-jnesu → unto those who are attached of ownership is mixed welfare.”
to knowledge of the Lord's majestic opulence with ‘knowledge of His • Yasoda’s concern for
(aisvarya), and who worship Him accordingly, He opulence.’ Lord’s welfare is more
declares “bhaktair jitatvam” – only in front of His • Her mood of ‘mine’ prominent – more
own PDs does He become totally submissive, (possessiveness) in mamata/ possessiveness
being conquered by their loving devotion; relation to Lord is • No understanding of
dependent on His His opulence.
position as Lord. • For Lord’s welfare, she
AVC: Yasoda asked the assembled cowherd boys to may chastise or bind.
watch Krsna to prevent Him from untying Himself
Krsna is more merciful to
and running away. Then Yasoda and the eld¬erly
fflpis entered her private chambers. The moment wards His mother.
Yasoda left, Krsna stopped crying, and His face
assumed a peaceful and effulgent glow like the • Brahmā → a bhṛtya, ādi-kavi, original creator of
luminous moonshine. universe. S/o Bhagavan, adi guru of the devotees
(adi devo jagatam paro guru).
Link: Parīkṣit asked how Nanda attained such a • Śiva → topmost Vaiṣṇava (vaiṣṇavānāṁ yathā
position as father of Kṛṣṇa. Śukadeva began to illustrate śambhuḥ), Soul of Bhagavan, superior to Brahma.
the intimate relationship from the beginning of 10.9 by

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• Lakṣmī → Lord's constant companion in service, • Prema of Yasoda cannot be attained as a result of
since she always associates with His body. residing Brahma’s boon, for Brahma himself prays to
on the chest of Visnu, is superior to Siva and become a blade of grass in Vraja.
Brahma, the shelters of sakhya & dasya rasa. • Brahma is indeed counted in a much, much lesser
o Lakṣmī was the dearest, thinking that she class.
belonged to the Lord, being situated on • "O Parkisit though you know about the Nanda
his chest. and Yasoda who are famous in the scriptures as
o She had possessiveness of the Lord & was nitya siddhas, in answer to your casual question
obedient to him. But she was filled with about Nanda and Yasoda’s austerities in previous
knowledge of the greatness of the Lord. lives (10.8.46), I told the story of Drona and
• Yasoda → Superior to Laxmi too. Dhara, who are their small, very small parts."
• Brahmā is guru of devotees. Śiva is a good Vimukti – Visesha mukti
example of a devotee. Lakṣmī is Lord’s eternal • Vimukti → “special mukti”/ prema [different from
consort and takes shelter of his body (aṅga- sāyujya, sālokya, sārūpya, sārṣṭi & sāmīpya]
saṁśrayāḥ), sitting on his chest. But they did not • When after liberation one is situated on the
attain mercy in the form of great bhakti. However platform of prema-bhakti, one is said to have
Yaśodā, queen of the gopīs, received something achieved vimukti
indescribable from the Lord—who is the giver of • premā pum-artho mahān → Yaśodā naturally acts
liberation. in such an exalted position in loving affairs.
• 3 negative pronouncements – na, na, na → great • nitya-siddha devotee, an expansion of Kṛṣṇa's
stress on a fact. na lebhire, na lebhire, na lebhire hlādinī potency, His potency to enjoy tr. bliss
→emphasizes the exceeding absence of mercy in through expansions who are special devotees
the case of others. sādhana-siddha.
• Api → even though they received mercy, but it • Vimukti da = giver of prema, Krsna
was not to the extent of Yasoda. • Muktiṁ dadāti karhicit sma na bhakti-yogam: the
• The possessiveness of Yaśodā was not disturbed by Lord gives liberation but not bhakti. (SB 5.6.18)
anything else. She thought “Kṛṣṇa depends on me.
Link: Though bound by his devotee, Krsna is still able
I must see to his welfare alone.”
to liberate others.
• That prema was intense, and the mercy was
intense. What more can be said? Kṛṣṇa belonged *10.9.21: Bhaktas >> dehis, jnanis, atma-bhutas
to her. nāyaṁ sukhāpo bhagavān
• Such mercy could not be attained by a dehināṁ gopikā-sutaḥ
benediction from Brahmā (as stated in the last jnānināṁ cātma-bhūtānāṁ
chapter). Brahmā later prays: yathā bhaktimatām iha
na ayam sukha-āpaḥ—it is not very easily obtainable,
tad bhūri-bhāgyam iha janma kim apy aṭavyāṁ or an object of happiness;
yad gokule ’pi katamāṅghri-rajo-’bhiṣekam
dehinām—persons in bodily concept of life (karmis),
yaj-jīvitaṁ tu nikhilaṁ bhagavān mukundas
jnāninām ca—and of the jnānīs, who try to be free
tv adyāpi yat-pada-rajaḥ śruti-mṛgyam eva
from material contamination;
My greatest possible good fortune would be to ātma-bhūtānām—of self-sufficient yogīs;
take any birth whatever in this forest of Gokula yathā bhakti-matām—as the devotees; iha—in this
and have my head bathed by the dust falling from world.
the lotus feet of any of its residents. Their entire Kṛṣṇa, S/o Yaśodā, is accessible to devotees engaged in
life and soul is the Supreme Lord Mukunda, the spontaneous loving service, but He is not as easily
dust of whose lotus feet is still being searched for accessible to mental speculators, to those striving for
in the Vedic mantras. SB 10.14.34 self-realization by severe austerities and penances, or
Yasoda – nitya siddha to those who consider the body the same as the self.
• Not sadhana siddha (as Dhara, given a boon by Devotee > God
Brahma). • SPG, who is feared by everyone, has become
fearful of Mother Yaçodä → Yaçodä now becomes
greater than God, more powerful than Kåñëa.

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• The Mayavadi philosophers want to become one • If there is association, somehow, at some time,
with God, but in Vaiñëava philosophy the devotee then gradually a person will attain this.
becomes more than Kåñëa, and Kåñëa accepts this. etāvān eva yajatām iha niḥśreyasodayaḥ |
• He elevates His devotee beyond His own position, bhagavaty acalo bhāvo yad bhāgavata-saṅgataḥ ||
just as Arjuna became the hero at Kuruksetra &
• Auspiciousness arises for the worshippers of
Kåñëa was simply his chariot driver.
devatās if firm devotion for the Lord arises from
o Pandavas killed the more popular demons…
association with devotees. SB 2.3.11
Duryodhana, Karna..
• Jnānīs who know they are not the body and
realize they are ātmā (jnānināṁ cātma-bhūtānām)
• Although they may sometimes be called śānta- cannot easily attain such a position, but they also
bhaktas, real bhakti begins with dāsya-rasa. can, if they have association of devotees.
• ye yathā māṁ prapadyante… • Some versions have ātmā-potānām: jñānīs who
• Everyone is seeking Kṛṣṇa, for He is the Supersoul cross saṁsāra by means of realization of ātmā.
of all individual souls. Everyone loves his body • Who easily attains that position? → S/o Yaśodā is
and wants to protect it because he is within the attained easily by those dedicated to Kṛṣṇa (iha—
body as the soul, and everyone loves the soul to him). Those who have devotion for Mahā-
because the soul is p&p of Supersoul. Therefore, nārāyaṇa are excluded.
everyone is actually seeking to achieve happiness • It is reasonable that the devotees of Nārāyaṇa do
by reviving his relationship with the Supersoul. not attain such a position.
• vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ…Therefore, • Dehis, jnānīs, see Kṛṣṇa has a material body &
karmīs, jnānīs, yogis and saintly persons are all those who worship Nārāyaṇa, seeing his pastimes
seeking Kṛṣṇa. as a cowherd, do not respect him.
• By following in footsteps of devotees who are in a • itthaṁ satāṁ brahma-sukhānubhūtyā…
direct relationship with Kṛṣṇa, esp. Vrajavasis, • Gopikā-sutaḥ → highest position was given to
one can reach the supreme position of associating Yaśodā, the cowherd woman (not a secondary
with Kṛṣṇa. descriptive element).
• vṛndāvanaṁ parityajya padam ekaṁ na gacchati • iha = to him → indicates “to Kṛṣṇa, S/o Yaśodā”
• Vṛndāvana-vāsīs have very intimate relationships since only such devotees attain such a position.
with Kṛṣṇa, and if one follows in the footsteps of • Iha = “in the world”
these devotees, Kṛṣṇa is available. • bhaktimatām → a succession of devotees in PPF
• Although the nitya-siddha expansions of Kṛṣṇa parampara continues.
always remain with Kṛṣṇa, if those engaged in • Special characteristic of S/o Yaśodā → In both
sādhana-siddhi follow in the footsteps of Kṛṣṇa's states – sādhana & sādhya (prema), he gives
nitya-siddha associates, such sādhana-siddhas also happiness.
can easily attain Kṛṣṇa without difficulty. • Therefore the devotees of Kṛṣṇa spread over all
• Brahma & Siva: have very prestigious positions, time concentrate on the Lord as the son of
& sense of being very exalted īśvaras like Krsna, Yaśodā as their sādhana and attain him (sādhya).
guṇa avatāras. • He remains in that form eternally. He is perfect
• But the pure devotees who inhabit Vṛndāvana do in that form.
not possess any bodily conception. They are fully • There is no question of Yaśodā “attaining” a
dedicated to Lord’s service in sublime affection, position of happiness, for Kṛṣṇa is her son.
premā. • When I mentioned Droṇa & Dhārā doing sādhana
• LCM: premā pum-artho mahān: the highest as expansions of Nanda & Yaśodā, it was only a
perfection of life is premā, pure love in pastime in order to awaken your eagerness.
relationship with Kṛṣṇa. And mother Yaśodā
appears to be the topmost of devotees who have Verse 4 – Satyavrata’s desires
attained this perfection. varaà deva mokñaà na mokñävadhià vä
Attaining Krsna thru Association na cänyaà våëe ’haà vareçäd apéha
• Not by austerities or other means by people who idaà te vapur nätha gopäla-bälaà
identify themselves as possessors of the body sadä me manasy ävirästäà kim anyaiù
(dehīnām). varam–boons; deva–O Lord!; mokñam–liberation; na–not; mokñä-
avadhim–the highest pinnacle of liberation (the realm of Çré

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Vaikuëöha-loka); vä–or; na–not; ca-anyam–or anything else; idaà te mukhämbhojam atyanta-nélair-
våëe aham–I pray for; vara-éçät–from You Who can bestow any
våtaà kuntalaiù snigdha-raktaiç ca gopyä
boon; api–also; iha–here in Våndävana; idam–this; te–Your;
vapuù–divine bodily form; nätha–O Lord!; gopäla-bälam–a young muhuç cumbitaà bimba-raktädharaà me
cowherd boy; sadä–always; me manasi–in my heart; ävirästäm– manasy ävirästäm alaà lakña-läbhaiù
may it be manifest; kim anyaiù–what is the use of other things
(mokñä, and so forth.)
10.9.22:
“O Lord Dämodara, although You are able to give all
kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for kṛṣṇas tu gṛha-kṛtyeṣu
liberation, nor the supreme goal of eternal life in vyagrāyāṁ mātari prabhuḥ
Vaikuëöha, nor for any other boon. My only desire, O adrākṣīd arjunau pūrvaṁ
Lord, is that Your form as Bala Gopal in Våndävana guhyakau dhanadātmajau
may constantly remain in my heart. I have no use for kṛṣṇaḥ tu—in the meantime; gṛha-kṛtyeṣu—in
any other boon besides this.” engagement in household affairs; vyagrāyām—very
Rejects 3 benedictions busy; mātari—when His mother; prabhuḥ—the
• Neither is he interested in any other benediction Lord; adrākṣīt—observed; arjunau—the
(na ca anyam), referring to the nine processes of twin arjuna trees; pūrvam—before
devotional service, beginning with çravaëam Him; guhyakau—which in a former millennium had
kértanam, and the benefits they bestow. been demigods; dhanada-ātmajau—the sons of
• If others desire these, or even if Kåñëa wants to Kuvera, the treasurer of the demigods.
bestow these upon him, he has no attraction for
While Yaśodā was very busy with household affairs,
them.
Kṛṣṇa, observed yamala-arjuna trees, which in a
• The three benedictions referred to—mokña
former millennium had been sons of Kuvera.
(liberation), mokñävadhim (eternal life in
Vaikuëöha), and anyam (any other boon)—reflect • Though he is exclusively the son of Yaśodā,
an ascending order of superiority. Eternal life in another incident is narrated to show that he
Vaikuëöha is clearly superior to impersonal possesses unrestricted knowledge and other
liberation. The position of other boons, such as the powers.
9 processes of DS, are described SB. • Yaśodā bound Kṛṣṇa and he freed others from
So, what is his desire? bondage.
• Is there anything that the poet does desire? • tu → change of subject.
• 4 famous Nathas that if one sees all then gets • Yaśodā was engaged in constant work (indicated
liberation. Badri in north, Jagan in east, Dvaraka by the plural of “household chores”).
in west, Ranga in south and Gopal Nathji in • She left him and went away since he was in the
center. But if see only one Natha, Sri Nathji or yard nearby, other boys stayed there to protect
Gopal Nathji get full benefit of seeing other 4. him.
• The answer is iha, (here in Våndävana), idaà te • She had no worry that he would go elsewhere
vapur nätha gopäla-bälaà (may Your form as a since she did not think he had the power to pull
cowherd boy, O Lord) sadä me manasy ävirästäà the mortar or to free himself from the tight knots.
(always remain manifest in my mind). • yadi śakonṣi gaccha tvam aticañcala-ceṣṭhitaḥ: if
• Since Kåñëa is also the Supersoul in the heart, you can, please go, boy with fickle actions!
antaryämé, one may see His divine beauty within as 10.9.23:
clearly as one sees externally with the eyes. purā nārada-śāpena
• Finally all boons of any kind are dismissed as vṛkṣatāṁ prāpitau madāt
having no value at all (kim anyaiù). The reason is nalakūvara-maṇigrīvāv
that since Kåñëa is the essence of all existence, iti khyātau śriyānvitau
knowledge, and bliss (sac-cid-änanda-rüpam),
In former birth, they were extremely opulent &
attaining Him, therefore, brings all perfection.
fortunate. But because of pride & false prestige, they
• Conversely, if one does not attain Kåñëa, then all
did not care about anyone, and thus Nārada cursed
other benedictions are simply a source of
them to become trees.
lamentation, since they are of lesser value.
• Out of debt to my mother, I have been bound by
her. What can I do to clear this debt? Thinking in
Verse 5

22
 this way, he liberated the two trees situated in the
yard.
• It is possible that he saw the trees previously also,
but now consideration is given to the special
circumstances of his bondage: though he was
bound by the action of the līlā-śakti since it was
suitable for the bhāva of the occasion, it was
suitable that he considered the bondage of
Kuvera’s sons when he also was in bondage.
• Kṛṣṇa, by His mercy, now began to proceed
toward the trees to fulfill the desire of Nārada
Muni.

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