Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.13.25
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesAffection Grows When Kṛṣṇa Becomes Their Sons
“Previously, from the very beginning, the gopīs had motherly affection for Kṛṣṇa. Indeed, their affection for Kṛṣṇa exceeded even their affection for their own sons. In displaying their affection, they had thus distinguished between Kṛṣṇa and their sons, but now that distinction disappeared.”
What the purport teaches
- From the beginning, the gopīs had motherly affection for Kṛṣṇa greater than their affection for their own sons. Previously, they still distinguished between Him and their children.
- Now Kṛṣṇa had expanded as their sons, who had been taken by Brahmā. The mothers could no longer distinguish between their own sons and Kṛṣṇa.
- Previously, the mothers did not feel equal affection for one another’s sons, but now they treated all the boys as their own. Śukadeva Gosvāmī explains this increased affection in terms of Kṛṣṇa’s bewilderment of everyone.
Try this today
Write one sentence explaining why the mothers’ affection for the boys had become so great.
Ask yourself
How does knowing that the boys were Kṛṣṇa Himself help me understand the mothers’ increased affection?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.