One day, when the female servants were directed to do some other work, Yasoda, the wife of Nanda, began to churn the curds personally. At the time of churning the curds, she recalled whatever acts of her child were sung there in Vraja and she herself sang them. Wearing round her big waist (loins) a silk garment fastened with a zone, and with her pair of shaking breasts that were overflowing with milk from maternal affection for her son, with her ear-rings set in motion as well as her bangles moving about her forearms, fatigued with pulling the churning rope to and fro and her face bedewed with drops of perspiration, the handsome lady went on churning while jasmine flowers continued to drop from the braids of her hair.
Approaching his mother who was engaged in churning (the curds), Sri Hari, desiring to suck her, caught hold of the churning rod, and awakening her maternal affection for him (by his gestures etc.), he stopped her churning. On his climbing up to her lap, she began to suckle him at her bosom overflowing with milk, through affection, and to gaze at his countenance which was beaming with smiles. But when the milk placed on the oven (for boiling) was about to overflow, she went in haste, leaving him alone, still unsatisfied. Flared up with indignation, he bit his quivering ruddy lips with his teeth and smashed the pot for churning curds with a piece of stone (used for grinding condiments etc. on a slab of stone). Shedding false tears, he entered the interior of the house and began to eat butter clandestinely..
After getting down the (pot of) well-boiled milk, the Gopa-lady re-entered (the churning- room) only to find that pot of curds smashed. Knowing that to be the act of her son and failing to see him there, she just laughed (it away). Observing that her son was standing firmly on the base of an overturned mortar, giving freely to a monkey the butter kept on a swing, and looking about with his eyes through caution and fear, lest somebody should detect the theft, she stealthily approached him from behind. Seeing his mother clearly with a rod in her hand, he hastily got down from the mortar and ran away as if in fear. The Gopa- lady pursued him, but failed to overtake him whom even the minds of yogins impelled and attuned through the force of penance (and concentration) do not reach (even though they are capable to do so.)
Running after him, the beautiful mother (lit, mother of beautiful waist) whose speed was impeded by her bulky, moving hips and who was, as it were, followed by the flowers. dropping from her braid of hair loosened by the speed (of her running), ultimately caught hold of him. Holding by the hand, she threatened to beat Kṛṣṇa, who was crying for having committed that offence, and was rubbing his eyes with his hand whereby the collyrium (applied to his eyes) got spread all over and who was looking up (to his mother) with eyes bewildered and agitated with fear. Perceiving that her son was terrified, Yasoda, who was extremely affectionate to her child, threw away the stick. It is traditionally reported that being unable to comprehend the prowess of Kṛṣṇa, Yasoda wished to bind him with a rope.
In relation with him there is neither inside nor outside, neither before nor behind; but he is in front and at the back, outside and inside the universe; (nay) he is the universe itself Presuming such unmanifest supra-sensuous Lord who had assumed a human form, to be her child, the cowherd woman tried to bind him with a rope to the mortar, as one would tie down an ordinary human child. 15. While binding her child with a rope for his mischief, the cowherd lady found that it was short by two-fingers (about an inch or so). So she added another piece of rope to it. When that (additional) string fell short, she tied yet another piece. In this way, whatever additional piece (of string) she brought, it too fell short by two fingers (about an inch). While Yafoda was putting together all the ropes in her house (and still it fell short by two fingers), all the Gopa women laughed; and she too joined them smiling, but felt amazed at it.
Noticing the over-exhaustion of his mother whose body was bathed in perspiration, and the wreaths of flowers from whose loosened braids of hair were falling down, Krsna, out of compassion for her, allowed himself to be tied. In this way, dear Parikṣit! was demonstrated his subjection to the control of his votaries by Hari, even though Krsna is absolutely self-dependent and has the whole of the universe along with its rulers, under his control. Neither (his son) god Brahma nor (his very Soul) Lord Siva nor the goddess Laksmi who clings to his person, was recipient of such grace as was enjoyed by the Gopi (Yasoda) at the hands of that bestower of Moksa (Liberation).
The glorious Lord Krspa who is (i.e. has assumed the form of) the son of Yasoda is not so easily attainable to the ascetics who identify themselves with their bodies and to those who possess spiritual wisdom, as to those who are devoted to him and identify themselves with him. While his mother Yasoda was engrossed in carrying out her household duties, Lord Krsna noticed that the pair of Arjuna trees were in their former birth, two yakshas, the sons of Kubera, the bestower of wealth. They were known as Nala Kübara and Manigriva. Endowed with great splendour as they were, they were reduced to the state of trees, through the curse imprecated by Narada due to their pride.
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Categories: Bhagwat Puran, Krishna Avataar, Lord Krishna
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