Shloka 40
Garga Muni Names Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma; the Butter-Thief Pastimes; Yaśodā Sees the Universe in Kṛṣṇa’s Mouth
किं स्वप्न एतदुत देवमाया किं वा मदीयो बत बुद्धिमोह: । अथो अमुष्यैव ममार्भकस्य य: कश्चनौत्पत्तिक आत्मयोग: ॥ ४० ॥
kiṁ svapna etad uta devamāyā kiṁ vā madīyo bata buddhi-mohaḥ atho amuṣyaiva mamārbhakasya yaḥ kaścanautpattika ātma-yogaḥ
Yaśodā dachte bei sich: „Ist dies ein Traum oder ein Trugbild, gewirkt durch devā-māyā? Ist es Verblendung meines eigenen Verstandes, oder besitzt mein Kind eine angeborene Kraft des ātma-yoga?“
When mother Yaśodā saw this wonderful manifestation within the mouth of her child, she began to argue within herself about whether it was a dream. Then she considered, “I am not dreaming, because my eyes are open. I am actually seeing what is happening. I am not sleeping, nor am I dreaming. Then maybe this is an illusion created by devamāyā. But that is also not possible. What business would the demigods have showing such things to me? I am an insignificant woman with no connection with the demigods. Why should they take the trouble to put me into devamāyā ? That also is not possible.” Then mother Yaśodā considered whether the vision might be due to bewilderment: “I am fit in health; I am not diseased. Why should there be any bewilderment? It is not possible that my brain is deranged, since I am ordinarily quite fit to think. Then this vision must be due to some mystic power of my son, as predicted by Garga Muni.” Thus she finally concluded that the vision was due to her son’s activities, and nothing else.
FAQs
This verse shows Yaśodā questioning whether what she saw was a dream, the Lord’s māyā, or some innate power in her child—highlighting how Yogamāyā arranges divine wonder while preserving intimate parental love.
Overwhelmed by the impossible sight, she tries to rationalize it—dream, divine illusion, or her own confusion—because her vatsalya-bhakti naturally relates to Kṛṣṇa as her child, not as the distant Supreme.
It teaches humility before reality’s deeper workings: when life reveals something beyond our control or logic, we can respond with reverence and steady devotion rather than ego or panic.