“Being very angry and biting His reddish lips with His teeth, Krishna, with false tears in His eyes, broke the container of yogurt with a piece of stone. Then He entered a room and began to eat the freshly churned butter in a solitary place.” (Shrimad Bhagavatam, 10.9.6)

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सञ्जातकोप: स्फुरितारुणाधरं
सन्दश्य दद्भ‍िर्दधिमन्थभाजनम् ।
भित्त्वा मृषाश्रुर्द‍ृषदश्मना रहो
जघास हैयङ्गवमन्तरं गत: ॥

sañjāta-kopaḥ sphuritāruṇādharaṁ
sandaśya dadbhir dadhi-mantha-bhājanam
bhittvā mṛṣāśrur dṛṣad-aśmanā raho
jaghāsa haiyaṅgavam antaraṁ gataḥ

1. Always remaining by the side of the mother

“My child just will not leave me alone. I have to remain by their side. Otherwise, they panic. They might forget for a few moments. Lost in their play, they suddenly remember that Mommy is not there. They will immediately ask where I am.

“Who can live like this? I should be able to get some moments to myself. At the same time, I want to take care of my beautiful child. They are depending on me, so I have to meet their demands. I cannot think of any other way.”

2. Always causing botheration

“My child always wants me around, but they also cause tons of mischief. I will ask them to take a shower, and they decide to run away. They want me to catch them. How can I do that? You think I am quick enough?

“They are always going to restricted areas. They throw away their food after taking only a few bites. They refuse to wear the clothes that I set out for them. It is a constant struggle. I am wondering why they even want to have me around.”

…

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada explains that this is the contradictory way in which children behave with their mother. On the one side, they are always close by. It is as if they cannot live without the affection and care of the mother.

The child asks for constant oversight. Someone to look over things. A person to give reassurance, that everything will be alright. If the mother goes out of sight for a few moments, fear takes over. The child begins to cry, wondering when the period of separation will end.

At the same time, the child might cause mischief. They are always going where they should not. They are always following behavior that is prohibited. The rules were made perfectly clear on a prior occasion. It is almost as if the child wants to get in trouble, to see the mother get involved in a more serious way.

Within the lifestyle of bhakti-yoga, there are various ways to connect with the object of worship. It is not that a person must take a defeatist stance, where they remain a subordinate and hope for clemency from the wrath rooted in an otherwise angry, vindictive, and disapproving proprietor.

Since the object of worship is God, and since God is a person, relationships can be established. The worshiper can act as a servant, as a friend, or even as a lover. There is the potential to have God play the role of subordinate.

This was the case for mother Yashoda in Gokula. This was during the manifest lila of Shri Krishna. We see that Krishna behaved exactly as a son would be expected to. He was always with Yashoda, under the full protection of the mother.

At the same time, He was known to cause mischief. Krishna would steal butter from the homes of the neighbors. When going out to play with His friends during the day, Yashoda would have to repeatedly appeal to Krishna to return home on time, to eat properly and take rest.

There was one time when Shri Krishna intentionally broke a pot of butter. It was misbehavior at its finest, and Yashoda had to then chase her son around with a whipping stick. She ended up binding Him to a mortar, as a sort of mild punishment.

Since the interaction was in a devotional mood, the incident became well-known as Damodara-lila. The Supreme Lord was bound by the belly to a mortar by the loving mother. In whichever direction we are looking for perfection, Krishna can fulfill our desires. The connection, known as yoga, does not have to break. We can stay in that relationship for as long as we desire.

In Closing:

Staying as long as we desire,
Though only a moment to transpire.

Like Krishna the pot to break,
And butter for Himself to take.

Mother then with stick chasing,
Around until the mortar facing.

Divine lila to this world brought,
Repository sacrificing thought.

Categories: the two

Tags: hare krishna, krishna lila, parenting, poem, poems, poetry