Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana Book 10 Chapter 9:11-23

Book 10: Ninth Chapter (First Half)

Srimad Bhagvata Mahapurana: Book 10: Chapter 9: Verses 11-23 Holding by the hand her Son- who had committed an offence (by His mother) and was (accordingly) weeping aloud and rubbing with His own hands His eyes, with their collyrium spreading (on all sides), (nay), who was looking up with eyes agitated from fear-she threatened to strike him (merely) with a view to frightening Him. Perceiving her son to be frightened and (therefore) casting off her rod, YaSoda, who was (exceedingly) fond of her child and was ignorant of His glory, sought to bind Him with a string, so the tradition goes. In relation to the Lord there is neither inside nor outside, neither before nor behind; (at the same time) He exists before as well as after, inside as well as outside, the universe; nay, He is the universe itself. Regarding that unmanifest Lord-who is above sense-perception, though (now) disguised in a human semblance-as her own son, the cowherd lady proceeded to tie Him to a wooden mortar with a string even as one would bind a human child. While her infant Son, who had committed an offence (in her eyes), was being bound, the string fell short by about an inch; and the cowherdess (Yasoda) joined another string to it. When that (composite string) too fell short, she joined (yet) another to it. (In this way) every (new) string she took up (for being joined to those already united), also fell short (when united) by nearly an inch. Even though putting together all the strings of her house as aforesaid, Yasoda smiled in the midst of other cowherdesses smiling (at her frustration), and felt amazed (at her inability to bind Sri Krsna). Perceiving the over-exertion of His mother, whose body was bathed in perspiration, the wreaths tied round her braid fallen down, Sri Krsna allowed Himself to be bound by Himself out of (sheer) compassion. Thus indeed was demonstrated by Sri Krsna His amenability to the control of His devotees even though He is (absolute) Master of Himself and although this universe along with its rulers (Brahma and others) is subject to His control, 0 dear Pariksit ! (19) Neither Brahma (the creator) nor Lord Siva (the Source of the universe) nor Goddess Sri, who has Her abode on His (very) person (bosom), received such aforesaid grace from Him, the Bestower of release, as Yasoda did. The said Lord Sri Krsna (the Son of Yasoda) is not so easily accessible in this world to those identified with their body (viz., ascetics and others) or even to men of wisdom (who are not so identified) and have become one with Him, as for those possessed of devotion (to Him). While His mother was engrossed in (her) household duties, Lord Sri Krsna now noticed a pair of Arjuna trees, that had been in their previous life two Yaksas, sons of Kubera (lit., the bestower of riches) and full of splendour, (severally) known as Nalakubara and Manigriva and reduced to the state of trees due to the curse uttered by Narada on account of their arrogance. Thus ends the ninth discourse entitled "Grace (showered) on the cowherd lady (Yasoda), in the first half of Book Ten of the great and glorious Bhagavata-Purana, otherwise known as the Paramahamsa-Samhita..