Yashoda, the wife of Nanda, a Yadava chieftain, holds a special place in Hindu mythology as the foster mother of Lord Krishna, one of the most revered deities. Despite not being Krishna’s biological mother, Yashoda’s deep and unconditional love for him has made her the epitome of motherhood, and she is celebrated in countless stories for her role in raising and nurturing Krishna during his early years.
Yashoda and Krishna’s Divine Bond
Yashoda’s relationship with Krishna is unique and often emphasized as being one of pure, maternal affection. Krishna, though born to Devaki and Vasudeva, was secretly taken to Gokul by his father, Vasudeva, to protect him from the tyrannical king Kamsa, who sought to kill him due to a prophecy that Krishna would be his slayer. Krishna was thus raised by Yashoda and her husband Nanda as their own son.
One of the most endearing aspects of their relationship is that Krishna only recognized Yashoda as his mother, even after learning of his true birth. This bond between them represents the selfless love of a mother, which transcends blood relations. Throughout his childhood, Krishna addressed Yashoda as “Maa” and shared many mischievous, divine, and playful moments with her.
Yashoda’s Role as the Symbol of Motherhood
Yashoda is revered as the ultimate symbol of motherhood in the stories of Krishna. She embodies unconditional love, nurturance, and forgiveness, despite Krishna’s endless pranks and divine mischief. The stories of Yashoda and Krishna are filled with tender moments that depict her care for him, including the daily struggles she faced in raising a child who exhibited both mortal mischief and divine powers.
One of the most famous stories from Krishna’s childhood is the episode of Yashoda binding Krishna with a rope. Krishna, known for his playful thefts of butter, once stole butter from Yashoda’s kitchen and fed it to the village monkeys. Angry at his mischief, Yashoda attempted to tie him to a mortar as punishment. However, every time she tried to tie the rope around Krishna, the rope fell short by a few inches. This moment is significant because it reflects the infinite nature of Krishna, a divine being whom even his mother’s love cannot fully contain.
Despite her anger, Yashoda’s devotion to Krishna was unwavering, and her attempt to discipline him shows the intimate relationship between the divine and the human aspects of Krishna. This episode is symbolic of how divine love can never truly be bound or measured, even by those closest to the divine.
Yashoda and the Vision of the Universe
Another well-known story involves Yashoda witnessing the entire universe in Krishna’s mouth. One day, while playing with his friends, Krishna ate some dirt. When Yashoda scolded him and demanded that he open his mouth to show her, she was astonished to see the entire cosmos within her child’s mouth—the sun, moon, stars, planets, and all of creation. This vision was a fleeting but powerful reminder of Krishna’s divine nature, even though Yashoda primarily saw him as her mischievous little boy.
This episode reflects the concept of maya (illusion), as Yashoda, despite witnessing Krishna’s divine form, quickly forgets it and continues to see him as her child. It highlights how maternal love and affection can sometimes overshadow the recognition of the divine, reinforcing the depth of Yashoda’s role as the symbol of motherhood. She may have been aware of Krishna’s divine powers, but her love for him as a mother transcended even the realization that she was raising a god.
The Contrast with Devaki: Birth Mother vs. Foster Mother
A significant aspect of Yashoda’s motherhood lies in her relationship with Devaki, Krishna’s birth mother. While Devaki’s love for Krishna was deep, she spent much of her time in imprisonment under Kamsa’s orders, and she was separated from her son immediately after his birth. Yashoda, on the other hand, experienced the joy and challenges of raising Krishna during his formative years, witnessing his childhood miracles and mischief firsthand.
This contrast between Yashoda and Devaki serves as a symbolic tension between birth and foster motherhood, where Yashoda’s role as a nurturer and caregiver is emphasized. Though Krishna was born to Devaki, it is Yashoda who is more commonly associated with the early life of Krishna, and in many ways, her motherhood is considered more central to Krishna’s childhood in Gokul. Krishna’s attachment to Yashoda, despite knowing his true origins, signifies that love and devotion are not solely tied to biological bonds but can be more profound in the act of raising and nurturing a child.
Yashoda’s Role in Hindu Mythology: Mother of the Divine
In Hindu mythology, Yashoda’s role as Krishna’s foster mother elevates her to the status of the universal mother. She symbolizes the ideal mother who nurtures her child with love, patience, and care, even when her child’s actions are beyond the ordinary. Her maternal affection represents bhakti (devotion), as she loves Krishna not for his divine powers but because he is her son.
In several devotional songs and bhajans, Yashoda’s motherly affection for Krishna is celebrated as a form of selfless love that transcends the human-divine divide. Devotees of Krishna often view their relationship with the deity as similar to Yashoda’s love—filled with devotion, longing, and intimacy. Yashoda, therefore, becomes a paradigm of devotion, where her motherly bond with Krishna is symbolic of the purest form of bhakti.
Yashoda and Nanda: The Foster Parents of Krishna
While Yashoda is celebrated for her motherly role, Nanda, her husband and Krishna’s foster father, is also an important figure in Krishna’s early life. Nanda was the chieftain of the Yadavas, and along with Yashoda, he provided Krishna with a safe and loving environment, protecting him from the threats posed by Kamsa. Nanda and Yashoda’s role as Krishna’s foster parents is central to the narrative of Krishna’s early years in Vrindavan, where Krishna formed strong bonds with the cowherds and performed many of his early miracles and pastimes.
The couple’s home became the epicenter of Krishna’s leelas (divine play), and their love for Krishna is depicted as simple yet profound, representing the beauty of a life rooted in devotion and simplicity. Nanda and Yashoda’s relationship with Krishna also serves as an example of karma and destiny, where despite not being his biological parents, they were chosen by fate to raise the Supreme Lord.
Connection to Other Entities and Stories in Hindu Mythology
Devaki and Vasudeva: The Birth Parents
Devaki and Vasudeva, Krishna’s biological parents, play an equally significant but different role in the Krishna narrative. Devaki’s immense sacrifice—giving up her child for his safety—parallels the love that Yashoda offers as a foster mother. The reunion of Krishna with his birth parents later in the story does not diminish Yashoda’s importance but rather strengthens the theme that motherhood is beyond mere biological connections.
Radha and the Gopis: Devotion and Love for Krishna
While Yashoda represents motherly love, Radha and the Gopis represent a different form of divine love and devotion to Krishna. The Gopis are cowherd women of Vrindavan who are captivated by Krishna’s beauty and divine play, while Radha is considered the embodiment of supreme devotion to Krishna. The love of the Gopis and Radha for Krishna reflects the many different forms of bhakti (devotion) that Krishna inspires.
Kamsa: The Tyrant Threatening Krishna
Kamsa, the tyrant king of Mathura, plays a key role in the separation of Krishna from his birth parents. His fear of the prophecy that Krishna would kill him led him to imprison Devaki and Vasudeva and kill their children. Kamsa’s actions prompted Krishna’s secret transfer to Yashoda and Nanda’s home in Gokul, thus making Yashoda’s role as a foster mother essential to Krishna’s survival and upbringing.
Balarama: Krishna’s Elder Brother
Balarama, Krishna’s elder brother, was also raised alongside Krishna by Yashoda and Nanda. Their sibling relationship is full of camaraderie and protection, with Balarama often playing a protective role for Krishna during their childhood adventures. Balarama’s bond with Yashoda and Nanda further solidifies the familial environment that shaped Krishna’s early years.
Table: Key Figures Related to Yashoda
| Character | Relation to Yashoda | Significance in Hindu Mythology |
|---|---|---|
| Krishna | Foster son | Yashoda raised Krishna and is regarded as the symbol of motherhood, with her deep, affectionate relationship with Krishna representing selfless love and devotion. |
| ** |
Nanda** | Husband | Nanda was the foster father of Krishna and provided him with protection and a loving environment, alongside Yashoda. |
| Devaki | Birth mother of Krishna | Devaki’s separation from Krishna after birth contrasts with Yashoda’s experience of raising Krishna, showing the dual aspects of biological and foster motherhood. |
| Balarama | Krishna’s elder brother | Raised by Yashoda and Nanda alongside Krishna, Balarama is Krishna’s protector and elder sibling, sharing a close bond with Yashoda and the foster family. |
| Kamsa | Tyrant king of Mathura | Kamsa’s actions of imprisoning Devaki and Vasudeva led to Krishna’s secret transfer to Yashoda and Nanda, ensuring that Yashoda would raise the divine child. |
Conclusion
Yashoda’s role in the stories of Krishna transcends her status as a mere foster mother; she is celebrated as the symbol of selfless motherhood, embodying unconditional love, devotion, and care. Her nurturing and protective instincts toward Krishna illustrate the divine connection between mother and child, a bond that goes beyond blood ties. Yashoda’s stories continue to inspire devotees, as her relationship with Krishna represents the purest form of bhakti (devotion), where the divine is loved not for its power or majesty, but for its childlike, human aspects.
Through her actions, Yashoda’s love for Krishna becomes the embodiment of maternal devotion in Hindu mythology, and her place in the tales of Krishna remains eternal, symbolizing the power of a mother’s love and the nurturing force that shapes the divine in its most innocent form.