Shloka 3
Kṛṣṇa Comforts His Parents, Restores Ugrasena, Studies with Sāndīpani, and Returns the Guru’s Son
नास्मत्तो युवयोस्तात नित्योत्कण्ठितयोरपि । बाल्यपौगण्डकैशोरा: पुत्राभ्यामभवन्क्वचित् ॥ ३ ॥
nāsmatto yuvayos tāta nityotkaṇṭhitayor api bālya-paugaṇḍa-kaiśorāḥ putrābhyām abhavan kvacit
The Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa said: Dear Father, because of Us—your two sons—you and Mother Devakī always remained in anxious longing, and you could never relish Our childhood, boyhood, or youth.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī discusses this verse as follows: “One may object that at this point Lord Kṛṣṇa had not actually passed the kaiśora stage [age ten to fifteen], since the women of Mathurā had stated, kva cāti-sukumārāṅgau kiśorau nāpta-yauvanau: ‘Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma have very tender limbs, being still at the kiśora stage, not having reached adolescence.’ ( Bhāg. 10.44.8 ) The definition of the different stages of growing up is given as follows:
FAQs
In this verse, Kṛṣṇa tells Vasudeva that although Vasudeva and Devakī always longed for their sons, they did not get to experience Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma’s childhood, boyhood, and youth with them.
Kṛṣṇa is addressing the pain of parental separation—acknowledging Vasudeva and Devakī’s constant longing and the lost opportunity to raise their sons—thereby consoling and honoring their vatsalya (parental devotion).
The verse teaches compassionate truthfulness: validate another person’s loss and longing without minimizing it, which deepens relationships and supports healing.