Mādhurya Upāsanā: Vātsalya Prema Part 3

In Vātsalya Prema, there is the mood of service like Dāsya Prema, unhesitant behaviour like Sakhya Prema and along with that, there is the mood of being Krishna’s guardian. Such devotees of Vātsalya Prema consider themselves elders of Krishna and consider Krishna as their beloved little child who needs their care and guidance. In order to guide Krishna, they discipline, reproach and punish Krishna when He is naughty. In Sakhya Prema, except the older Suhrit Sakhas who have some Vātsalya mixed with Sakhya Prema, the devotees do not discipline or punish Krishna. As equals, they do not have the right to do so. But in Vātsalya Prema, the devotees think that if they do not discipline Krishna, He will go astray or become an insolent person. Therefore, as elders and guardians, it is important to discipline Krishna.

We have already discussed how Mother Yashoda never accepted Krishna as God although He showed the infinite universes in His little mouth. Instead, she prayed to Narayan to protect her son from evil spirits and bad planetary influences. If she had accepted Krishna as God, her Vātsalya Prema would have vanished. Just like Mother Devaki who accepted Krishna as the Lord of the infinite universes, she could not have been able to take Krishna onto her lap and showered her Vātsalya Prema on Him. That is why, Krishna veils His Vraja pastimes by Yogamaya (Lilā Shakti) and manifests only pure nectarian Mādhuryamaya Prakash to relish sweet pastimes with His devotees of Vraja Dham.

One day, Mother Yashoda was churning curd early in the morning. Little Kanhaiya woke up and was extremely hungry. He approached Mother Yashoda and put His arms around her neck, saying, “Maiya, Maiya! I am very hungry! Give me something to eat!” Mother Yashoda told Him to wait until she churned out fresh butter. But Kanhaiya was very hungry and He could not wait any longer. In anger, He broke the earthen pot full of buttermilk and butter with a small stone. Then, knowing that He had angered His mother, He started running!

Breaking an earthen pot was not a big matter, but Mother Yashoda thought that Kanhaiya was becoming very naughty. If she didn’t discipline Him a little, He would become an even more naughty and insolent person in the future. Therefore, it was important to discipline her beloved child. She took a stick and chased Kanhaiya all around the house. Her heavy body was tired of running behind Kanhaiya but she was steadfast in disciplining her beloved child.

Eventually, she managed to get hold of Kanhaiya and tied Him to a big stone mortar (used for grinding) with a rope in the courtyard. “Don’t be naughty anymore! Stay here for the time being!” she said. “No, no, maiya! I will not be naughty anymore!” said Kanhaiya. He was afraid that Mother Yashoda might beat Him. So, He accepted the punishment. Mother Yashoda went inside the house to continue with her household chores. Here, Kanhaiya pulled the mortar to which His waist was tied. It fell on the ground. Now Kanhaiya pulled it again as He started crawling on the ground. The mortar rolled on the ground behind Him. Kanhaiya crawled through between two Yamalārjuna trees who were the cursed sons of the demigod Kuber. The mortar got stuck between the trees. Kanhaiya pulled it again. As a result, the two trees fell on each side of Kanhaiya. Two divine beings emerged from the trees and introduced themselves as Nal Kuber and Manigreeva. They described the glories of Krishna and prostrated before Him. Then they disappeared.

There were some little children of Vraja in the courtyard who watched all these pastimes of Kanhaiya. Hearing the sound of the falling trees, Nanda Baba, Yashoda and many other Vrajawasis ran to the courtyard. They were all shocked to see the fallen trees on each side of Kanhaiya, who was still tied to the mortar. “How did these trees fall? How could such big trees simply uproot? What has happened here?” they all asked among each other. Then they asked the little children playing in the courtyard what had happened. “Kanhaiya was tied to the mortar and he was pulling it while crawling on the ground. He crawled through between the two trees and the mortar got stuck between them. As he pulled the mortar again, the two trees uprooted!” the children recounted innocently. “Oh, these children! They do not know anything! How can such a little child uproot such big trees?!” the Vrajawasis said in disbelief. And Kanhaiya too started crying, “Baba! Baba!” Nanda Baba was very worried and thought, ‘How did this happen? What a disaster! What if the trees fell on Kanhaiya?’ He immediately untied Him and picked Him up in his arms.

Kanhaiya continued crying even in Nanda Baba’s arms. Nanda Baba became angry with Mother Yashoda. “Even if Kanhaiya broke the earthen pot, such things are normal in householder life with children. What was the need to tie him up in the courtyard? What if the trees fell on Kanhaiya? It would have been an irreversible disaster! You are such a heartless person! Don’t you have even a shred of compassion? I can buy you thousands of earthen pots in compensation. Why did you have to tie up Kanhaiya for such a small thing?” he said angrily to Mother Yashoda. “No, no, it is not because of a broken earthen pot! The child is becoming naughty day by day. I only wanted to discipline him for his welfare. This is the duty of a mother. I tied him up only to discipline him,” said Mother Yashoda, pleadingly. But Nanda Baba was angry and he scolded Mother Yashoda bitterly.

Kanhaiya also hugged Nanda Baba crying and said, “Baba! Baba! I will never go to Maiya again! I will stay with you only!” This is Kanhaiya’s Lila! Mother Yashoda started crying in despair. ‘My child is really upset. What should I do?’ she thought. She called Kanhaiya lovingly but He was upset with His Maiya and refused to go to her. This is a pastime to relish Vātsalya Rasa.

“Alright, Kanhaiya, let’s go. You can sleep with me,” said Nanda Baba. Kanhaiya hugged him. Nanda Baba took Him to his room and they lay down on the bed. Here, Mother Yashoda started crying. ‘My child is so upset with me. Usually, he cannot sleep without me. But today, he doesn’t even want to see me. I have made a great mistake today! I hope I can appease him today. Hereafter, I will never discipline him like this!’ she thought, pained at her child’s sadness.

After a while, Nanda Baba said, “Kanhaiya, will you not go to Maiya?” “No, no, I will not go,” said Kanhaiya angrily. “But Maiya is very upset. She is crying for you. If you don’t go, she will cry a lot!” said Nanda Baba. Kanhaiya’s heart melted. He started crying again. “Maiya! Maiya! I will go to Maiya! Take me to Maiya!” he cried. Nanda Baba took Him to Mother Yashoda. Kanhaiya ran and climbed onto her lap to hug her. This is Vātsalya Rasa pastime! Kanhaiya forgets His Lordship in the Vātsalya Prema of His parents and becomes immersed in ecstasy like an ordinary child! Even Brahmā and Shiva cannot fully grasp the ambit of such pure Mādhuryamaya pastimes.

One day, Shiva ji came to Nandagrām to witness the pastimes of child Kanhaiya. Lord Krishna had descended on Earth to perform His Mādhurya Rasa pastimes and Shiva ji wanted to see the pastimes in person. That day, child Kanhaiya started crying continuously. Nobody was able to calm Him. At that time, Shiva ji arrived at the gates of Nanda Baba’s house, playing His drum. His appearance was strange. His body was smeared with ashes. Long dreadlocks and serpents adorned His head and neck. He was holding a Trishula (a spear-like weapon with three spearheads) in His hand. In the beginning, Mother Yashoda was afraid that His appearance might shock her child. So, she didn’t allow Shiva ji to meet her son regardless of His repeated requests. Then, Shiva ji got angry. He went away to a solitary place near Nandagram (currently known as Āsheshwar Māhādev Temple) and sat down, waiting. [Āsha means to expect. Āsheshwar means the Lord who is always expectantly waiting for Mother Yashoda’s invitation.]

Here, little Kanhaiya started crying even more. Mother Yashoda couldn’t calm her child in any way. Then she thought that this might be the result of angering the strange Baba. Immediately, she sent someone to respectfully invite Shiva ji. As soon as Shiva ji met Kanhaiya, Kanhaiya started laughing merrily. Mother Yashoda offered some Bhiksha (alms) to Shiva ji and bade Him farewell. “Baba, please bless my child so that he always remains happy like this,” said Mother Yashoda to Shiva ji. Shiva ji blessed Kanhaiya. But as soon as Shiva ji left their home, little Kanhaiya started crying again. Mother Yashoda quickly called Shiva ji back. Little Kanhaiya also started laughing on seeing Shiva ji. Such are the pastimes of Krishna.

Mother Yashoda thought, ‘This Baba is good. He knows some mantra or ritual that calms my child.’ So, she requested Shiva ji to remain in Nandagrām (in the place where the current Āsheshwar Māhādev Temple is). Whenever Kanhaiya cries and nothing can calm Him down, Mother Yashoda invites Shiva ji to have a look at her child. Whenever Shiva ji meets Kanhaiya, He starts laughing merrily. This is a Vātsalya Rasa pastime. Nobody can fully grasp the ambit of such Vātsalya Rasa pastimes. Though they seem like ordinary actions of a child and a mother, to consider the Lord of the infinite universes as her child, cradle Him lovingly in her arms and relish Vātsalya Rasa pastimes are beyond the imagination of ordinary people. It is beyond the intelligence of ordinary people.

Kanhaiya had killed numerous demons like Aghāsura and Bakāsura, lifted Giriraj hill on the tip of His little finger, etc in front of all Vrajawasis. Mother Yashoda had seen all such divine acts of her child Kanhaiya but she could never think even for a blink of an eye that Kanhaiya is the Lord of the infinite universes, who is the reservoir of pure and nectarine Mādhurya Rasa and is the origin of all origins in the three worlds.

One day, at night, Kanhaiya and Balaram were lying on the bed with their heads resting on the lap of Mother Yashoda. Every night Mother Yashoda must tell them a story. Only then, the two brothers would sleep. “Maiya, tell us a story! Maiya, tell!” implored Kanhaiya. Mother Yashoda thought that if she didn’t tell them a story, they would cause a ruckus or mischief. Only after they fell asleep, she could finish her household chores and rest. So, she told them stories of Purānas or sometimes, even created new ones. Kanhaiya and Balaram would listen to her story and say “hmm” every now and then. Like this, Mother Yashoda would keep narrating a story and the kids would fall asleep while listening to it. Then, she would gently place their heads on pillows and quietly leave to finish her chores.

So, that day, Mother Yashoda started telling the story of Rāmāyan, “Once upon a time, there was a king called Daśarath. He had four sons named Rāma, Lakshman, Bharat and Shatrughna....” Like this, she narrated the main events of Rāmāyan and eventually, the story reached the moment where Rāma, Sitā and Lakshman were living in exile in the forest and Rāvana kidnapped Mother Sitā. While listening to the events of their previous pastimes on Earth, Krishna and Balaram went into a trance-like state. They forgot about the current pastimes of Vraja and were immersed in the moods of Rāma and Lakshman, respectively.

Kanhaiya got up suddenly and started shouting, “O wicked Rāvana, stop! Stop! I will deal with you! Brother Lakshman! Brother Lakshman!” Balaram also got up and started shouting, “Brother, I am coming! O wicked Rāvana, stop! I will deal with you!” Both the brothers started running! Mother Yashoda was surprised to see all this. ‘What happened?! Why are these two kids running suddenly?’ she thought. She was a plump and heavy woman. How could she run after the naughty kids? Anyway, she ran and caught the two kids by their ears angrily. “Have all the big and mighty Avatāras (manifestations of a deity) appeared in my house only?! Aren’t there any other places to appear? Walk!” She led them back to their bed by the ear and made them lay down.

Such are the sweet pastimes of Vātsalya Rasa. They are purely Mādhurya Rasa pastimes where Aishwarya Shakti has no right to influence.