FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.25.30

यशोदा रोहिणी नन्दो रामश्च बलिनां वर: । कृष्णमालिङ्‌‌ग्य युयुजुराशिष: स्‍नेहकातरा: ॥ ३० ॥
yaśodā rohiṇī nando
[yashodaa rohinee nando]
rāmaś ca balināṁ varaḥ
[raamash cha balinaam varah]
kṛṣṇam āliṅgya yuyujur
[krishnam aalingya yuyujur]
āśiṣaḥ sneha-kātarāḥ
[aashishah sneha-kaataraah]
yaśodā — mother Yaśodā rohiṇī — Rohiṇī nandaḥ — Nanda Mahārāja rāmaḥ — Balarāma ca — also balinām — of the strong varaḥ — the greatest kṛṣṇam — Kṛṣṇa āliṅgya — embracing yuyujuḥ — they all offered āśiṣaḥ — benedictions sneha — by their affection for Him kātarāḥ — beside themselves .
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
yaśodā rohiṇī nando
yaśodā
mother Yaśodā
rohiṇī
Rohiṇī
nandaḥ
Nanda Mahārāja
rāmaś ca balināṁ varaḥ
rāmaḥ
Balarāma
ca
also
balinām
of the strong
varaḥ
the greatest
kṛṣṇam āliṅgya yuyujur
kṛṣṇam
Kṛṣṇa
āliṅgya
embracing
yuyujuḥ
they all offered
āśiṣaḥ sneha-kātarāḥ
āśiṣaḥ
benedictions
sneha
by their affection for Him
kātarāḥ
beside themselves .
  • yaśodā — mother Yaśodā
    Kṛṣṇa's vātsalya-mūrti — the personification of mother-love. Her embrace at this moment is Gauḍīya rasa-shastra's climactic note: aiśvarya has just been displayed, and vātsalya immediately reclaims Him for itself.
  • rohiṇī — Rohiṇī
    Balarāma's mother, raised in Nanda's household after Vasudeva entrusted her to Gokula. The line of mothers in Vraja is wider than biology; the verse honors the breadth of vātsalya-bonds Kṛṣṇa accepts.
  • sneha - kātarāḥ — beside themselves with affection
    sneha (oily affection) + kātara (overcome, anguished). The word sneha denotes the unctuous, viscous quality of vātsalya — affection so thick it grips the heart. The four named devotees are drenched in it.
  • balinām varaḥ — the greatest of the strong
    balin (strong) + vara (best). Balarāma — punning on bala. The epithet appears precisely as Balarāma embraces Kṛṣṇa: strength is being defined as the elder brother's vātsalya-laced love, not as Indra's defeated armies.
Mother Yaśodā, mother Rohiṇī, Nanda Mahārāja and Balarāma, the greatest of the strong, all embraced Kṛṣṇa. Overwhelmed with affection, they offered Him their blessings.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Mother Yaśodā, mother Rohiṇī, Nanda Mahārāja and Balarāma, the greatest of the strong, all embraced Kṛṣṇa. Overwhelmed with affection, they offered Him their blessings.
Commentary

This verse describes more details of interaction with his mother and others. It is not unsuitable to include balarama in the group of persons with parental rasa, because he acts in that capacity as elder brother. "But if this affectionate brother also holds up the earth in his expansion as sesa, why did he not show his own powers when his younger brother held up Govardhana and help him?" The answer is that when Krsna made his decision to lifet govardhana to stop worship of Indra and begin worship of govardhana, and to protect the inhabitants of Vraja, it would be improper and impossible for his amsa, balarama to do anything else. Thus balarama did not show his powers. As Krsna is the saktiman, holder of all powers, by his desire alone suitable powers will make there appearance in his amsa. In succeeding verses also this conclusion is mentioned. In that area, sometimes the ancient depiction is seen of Yasoda and Rohini offering butter to Krsna to eat while Krsna’s father and brother hold Govardhana on their heads. This is out of excitement due to their affection (sneha katarah), according to the vaisnava tosini. Thus in this verse they are described as being excited and confused by their affection.

Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Commentary

This verse describes his meeting with his mother and others, who were more affectionate to him than the other cowherds and women, and were situated behind. Rohiṇī’s name is mentioned before Nanda’s name since Nanda gave her great respect, and she was the assistant of Yaśodā. Balarāma is called the best of the strong because, though he could have lifted Govardhana also, since he holds the earth on his head with ease in his expansion named Śeṣa, he was not inclined to do so because Kṛṣṇa desired to perform this pastime. Or, the phrase can indicate that he embraced Kṛṣṇa with great intensity. Agreeing with Kṛṣṇa’s desire, he remained silent, because of his great affection, his great strength and his knowledge, or in order to assist in glorifying Kṛṣṇa as the lifter of Govardhana. Thus he was not mentioned previously in the pastime. Yaśodā, Rohiṇī and Nanda blessed him saying, “Protect us always, be happy always, and attain all your desires at all times.” They were bewildered (kātarāḥ) because of their affection. In old drawings of lifting Govardhana it is sometimes seen that the elder women offer him butter to eat, and his father and uncles support Govardhana with their heads. In this way they became confused by their affection.

Related values
Anahankarah (Freedom from False Ego)Aparigraha (Non-possessiveness)Karuna (Kindness / Compassion)Tyaga (Renunciation / Letting Go)
Related verses
Yaśodā, Rohiṇī, Nanda, and Balarāma embrace Kṛṣṇa and offer blessings, overwhelmed with affection. Even the strongest, like Balarāma, embrace — strength does not preclude tenderness.
Reflection Questions
  • Where am I withholding tenderness in the name of strength?
  • Whom could I embrace today with overwhelmed affection that I usually keep reserved?

The most intimate ring closes in last — Yaśodā, Rohiṇī, Nanda, Balarāma — and they do not say anything before they embrace Him. The four bodies most fused to His own life simply touch Him, and the chapter that began with Indra's roar ends in the hush of family arms.

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