Srimad Bhagavatam — Dashama Skandha, Shloka 42
Garga Muni Names Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; the Butter-Thief Pastimes; Yaśodā Sees the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth
अहं ममासौ पतिरेष मे सुतो व्रजेश्वरस्याखिलवित्तपा सती । गोप्यश्च गोपा: सहगोधनाश्च मे यन्माययेत्थं कुमति: स मे गति: ॥ ४२ ॥
ahaṁ mamāsau patir eṣa me suto vrajeśvarasyākhila-vittapā satī gopyaś ca gopāḥ saha-godhanāś ca me yan-māyayetthaṁ kumatiḥ sa me gatiḥ
It is by the influence of the Supreme Lord’s māyā that I am wrongly thinking that Nanda Mahārāja is my husband, that Kṛṣṇa is my son, and that because I am the queen of Nanda Mahārāja, all the wealth of cows and calves are my possessions and all the cowherd men and their wives are my subjects. Actually, I also am eternally subordinate to the Supreme Lord. He is my ultimate shelter.
Following in the footsteps of mother Yaśodā, everyone should follow this mentality of renunciation. Whatever wealth, opulence or whatever else we may possess belongs not to us but to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the ultimate shelter of everyone and the ultimate owner of everything. As stated by the Lord Himself in Bhagavad-gītā (5.29) :
FAQs
This verse shows that by Kṛṣṇa’s own māyā, even exalted devotees like Mother Yaśodā naturally feel ordinary family possessiveness (“my husband, my son”), and then take refuge in Him—illustrating Yogamāyā’s role in intensifying intimate devotion.
After witnessing extraordinary signs of Kṛṣṇa’s divinity, Yaśodā reflects that her maternal and household identity persists by His māyā, keeping her love in the sweet, intimate mood of Vraja rather than awe and reverence.
It teaches humility about one’s sense of ownership and identity, and encourages turning that attachment into surrender—seeing God as the ultimate refuge even while living within family responsibilities.