Shloka 12
Dāmodara-līlā: Mother Yaśodā Binds Kṛṣṇa; the Two-Fingers Mystery; Prelude to the Yamala-Arjuna Deliverance
त्यक्त्वा यष्टिं सुतं भीतं विज्ञायार्भकवत्सला । इयेष किल तं बद्धुं दाम्नातद्वीर्यकोविदा ॥ १२ ॥
tyaktvā yaṣṭiṁ sutaṁ bhītaṁ vijñāyārbhaka-vatsalā iyeṣa kila taṁ baddhuṁ dāmnātad-vīrya-kovidā
Seeing her son exceedingly frightened, Mother Yaśodā—ever affectionate to her child—threw away the stick. Not knowing who Kṛṣṇa was or how great His power, she desired to bind Him with a rope so that He would not commit further mischief.
Mother Yaśodā wanted to bind Kṛṣṇa not in order to chastise Him but because she thought that the child was so restless that He might leave the house in fear. That would be another disturbance. Therefore, because of full affection, to stop Kṛṣṇa from leaving the house, she wanted to bind Him with rope. Mother Yaśodā wanted to impress upon Kṛṣṇa that since He was afraid merely to see her stick, He should not perform such disturbing activities as breaking the container of yogurt and butter and distributing its contents to the monkeys. Mother Yaśodā did not care to understand who Kṛṣṇa was and how His power spreads everywhere. This is an example of pure love for Kṛṣṇa.
FAQs
This verse shows Yaśodā’s motherly affection: seeing Kṛṣṇa frightened, she set aside the stick and chose to bind Him with a rope, not grasping His unlimited divine power—highlighting how bhakti can “bind” the Lord.
After realizing her child was afraid, her वात्सल्य (motherly love) softened; she put down the stick and decided to restrain Him gently by tying Him, acting as a mother, unaware that He is the Supreme.
It teaches that sincere love and responsibility can guide discipline without cruelty, and that devotion—simple, heartfelt service—draws divine grace more than mere power or knowledge.