Yashoda

Indian mythology · foster-mother · maternal love

The cowherd woman who raised Krishna in Gokul, bound the butter-thief to a mortar with rope and love, and once, looking into her child's yawning mouth, saw the whole universe inside.

Stories

The Butter Thief

The child Krishna raids every butter pot in Gokul, and when Yashoda finally ties him to a mortar as punishment, the rope is always two fingers too short. She looks into her yawning child's mouth and sees the whole universe inside; the vision closes, mercifully, and she picks up her son.