Shloka 3
Dāmodara-līlā: Mother Yaśodā Binds Kṛṣṇa; the Two-Fingers Mystery; Prelude to the Yamala-Arjuna Deliverance
क्षौमं वास: पृथुकटितटे बिभ्रती सूत्रनद्धं पुत्रस्नेहस्नुतकुचयुगं जातकम्पं च सुभ्रू: । रज्ज्वाकर्षश्रमभुजचलत्कङ्कणौ कुण्डले च स्विन्नं वक्त्रं कबरविगलन्मालती निर्ममन्थ ॥ ३ ॥
kṣaumaṁ vāsaḥ pṛthu-kaṭi-taṭe bibhratī sūtra-naddhaṁ putra-sneha-snuta-kuca-yugaṁ jāta-kampaṁ ca subhrūḥ rajjv-ākarṣa-śrama-bhuja-calat-kaṅkaṇau kuṇḍale ca svinnaṁ vaktraṁ kabara-vigalan-mālatī nirmamantha
क्षौमपीतवस्त्रधरा पृथुकटितटे सूत्रनद्धं वासो बिभ्रती, पुत्रस्नेहस्नुतकुचयुगा जातकम्पा सुभ्रूः। रज्ज्वाकर्षश्रमात् चलद्भुजकङ्कणकुण्डला स्विन्नवक्त्रा, कबरविगलन्मालतीपुष्पा यशोदा मन्थनं चकार॥
Anyone who desires to be Kṛṣṇa conscious in motherly affection or parental affection should contemplate the bodily features of mother Yaśodā. It is not that one should desire to become like Yaśodā, for this is Māyāvāda. Either in parental affection or conjugal love, friendship or servitorship — in any way — we must follow in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, not try to become like them. Therefore this description is provided here. Advanced devotees must cherish this description, always thinking of mother Yaśodā’s features — how she was dressed, how she was working and perspiring, how beautifully the flowers were arranged in her hair, and so on. One should take advantage of the full description provided here by thinking of mother Yaśodā in maternal affection for Kṛṣṇa.
FAQs
It vividly describes Yaśodā churning butter—her sari tied at the waist, her ornaments shaking, perspiration on her face, and flowers slipping from her hair—showing her intense, affectionate absorption in serving her child Krishna.
The detail highlights the sweetness of Vraja life and the depth of Yaśodā’s vātsalya-bhakti, where her love for Krishna is so real and powerful that it makes her tremble and forget everything else.
It teaches that bhakti becomes transformative when it is personal and wholehearted—doing one’s service with loving absorption, not merely as ritual or duty.