Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.9.3
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesFollow Mother Yaśodā’s Loving Service
“Dressed in a saffron-yellow sari, with a belt tied about her full hips, mother Yaśodā pulled on the churning rope, laboring considerably, her bangles and earrings moving and vibrating and her whole body shaking. Because of her intense love for her child, her breasts were wet with milk. Her face, with its very beautiful eyebrows, was wet with perspiration, and mālatī flowers were falling from her hair.”
What the purport teaches
- Mother Yaśodā worked hard while churning, and her body showed her intense affection for Kṛṣṇa. Her face was wet with perspiration, and flowers fell from her hair.
- One should follow in the footsteps of the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, not try to become them. This applies to parental affection, conjugal love, friendship and servitorship.
- The detailed description of mother Yaśodā helps devotees contemplate her maternal affection for Kṛṣṇa. Her dress, work and bodily features are all part of that remembrance.
Try this today
Spend one minute rereading her description and thinking about the affection behind her work.
Ask yourself
How does contemplating mother Yaśodā’s effort help you appreciate loving service?
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.