From time to time we bring to our pages works of art in which breastfeeding is represented in one way or another, and today I leave you this sculpture that represents Yasoda breastfeeding the Hindu god Krishná.
Multiple artistic testimonies have been left of the breastfeeding of Krishná by Yasoda, such as said sculpture, or the beautiful painting that we show you below.
The sacred texts of the Hindu tradition speak of the childhood of Krishná, who was breastfed by his adoptive mother Yasoda after exchanging it for her newborn baby. There are episodes in which he tells how his mother breastfed him as this child, like this fragment of the sacred "Songbook Vaisnava" (Sri Damodarastaka).
In it, we also find narrated of a fact that we have commented recently, when there are "unexpected rises" of milk with the mere fact of thinking about the baby: "due to the intense love she felt for her son, drops of milk sprouted automatically from her breasts".
Mother Yasoda ties Lord Krishna
Once, seeing that her maid of service was occupied in different domestic duties, mother Yasoda began to beat the butter herself. And while he was beating, he sang Krishna's children's pastimes and enjoyed thinking about his son. While she was beating the butter, she firmly held the end of her sari, and due to the intense love she felt for her son, drops of milk sprouted automatically from her breasts. Her breasts moved while she worked very hard beating with both hands. The slaves and bracelets on his arms produced a cheerful jingle when they hit each other, and their earrings and breasts shuddered. There were drops of sweat on his face, and the garland of flowers on his head spread from side to side. Before that picturesque picture, Lord Krishna appeared as a child. He was hungry, and because of his love for his mother, he wanted her to stop beating the butter. He indicated that Yasoda's main occupation was to breastfeed him, and to beat butter later. Mother Yasoda put Krishna in her lap, and put her breast nipple in her mouth. While Krishna sucked the milk, Yasoda smiled, enjoying the beauty of her son's face. Suddenly, the milk that was in the fire began to boil. To prevent the spilling of milk, mother Yasoda set Krishna aside and headed for the stove. Abandoned by His mother in that condition, Krishna was very upset, and the fury flushed His eyes and His lips. Then, clenching His teeth and His lips, the Lord took a stone and immediately broke the pot of butter, picked up some butter, and, with fake tears in His eyes, began to eat it in a secluded place. Meanwhile, Mother Yasoda returned to beat the butter after preventing the milk from spilling. She saw that the pot in which the butter was stored was broken. And when he did not find his son, he concluded that this was his work. Yasoda smiled at the thought: "This child is very clever. After breaking the pot, he has left for fear of punishment." After searching everywhere, Yasoda found Krishna sitting on a wooden mortar that was turned. The Lord took butter from a pot that hung from the ceiling, and with it he fed the monkeys. Yasoda saw that Krishna, aware of His mischief, looked everywhere for fear of His mother. Seeing his son doing that, Yasoda approached him very quietly from behind. Krishna, however, saw her approach with a stick in her hand, and immediately got off the mortar and fled fearfully. Mother Yasoda persecuted the Lord from all corners, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never even approached by the meditations of the great yogis. In other words, Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is never caught by yogis and speculators, acted as a small child, for a great devotee as mother Yasoda. Mother Yasoda, however, due to her thin waist and heavy body, could not easily catch the child, which ran quickly as she could. His hair came loose and the flower that adorned his head fell to the ground. Despite being tired, Yasoda caught up and captured her mischievous child. Once captured, Krishna was about to cry, and with His hands he rubbed his eyes, which were anointed with black cosmetic. The boy saw His mother's face when she stood before Him, and His eyes became restless with fear. Mother Yasoda could understand that Krishna's fear was unnecessary, and for His benefit he wanted to mitigate His fears. Mother Yasoda, the highest well-wisher of her son, began to think: "If the child fears me too much, I don't know what could happen to him." Mother Yasoda then threw away the wand she carried. But to punish his son, he decided to tie his hands with some ropes. She ignored him, but in reality it was impossible for her to bind the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mother Yasoda believed that Krishna was her little son. She didn't know that the boy had no limitations. There is no interior or exterior of Him, no beginning or end. He is unlimited and omnipresent. Indeed, He Himself is the entire cosmic manifestation. However, mother Yasoda believed that Krishna was her son. Although the Lord is beyond the reach of the senses, Yasoda tried to tie him to the wooden mortar, but when she tried to tie him up, he found that the rope he was using was very short: he was missing two inches. Consequently, he got more ropes in the house and joined them together, but he always found that the same was missing. After joining all the ropes that were in the house, when making the final knot, the rope was still missing five centimeters. Yasoda smiled in wonder. How was that happening? In the attempt to tie his son, Yasoda got tired; she was perspiring and the garland that was on her head fell to the floor. Then, Lord Krishna appreciated the hard work of His mother, and, sympathetic, agreed to be bound with those ropes. Krishna, acting as a human child in Mother Yasoda's house, carried out His own select hobbies. Of course, no one can control the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The pure devotee surrenders at the lotus feet of the Lord, who can protect or destroy him. But, for their part, devotees never forget their own position of delivery. Similarly, the Lord also feels a transcendental pleasure in submitting to the protection of the devotee. Krishna gave his example of this by surrendering to His mother, Yasoda. (…) After tying her son, mother Yasoda gave herself to her housework. At that moment, Krishna, tied to the wooden mortar, could see behind Him two trees known as arjuna trees. Lord Sri Krishna, the great source of all pleasures, thought to himself: "First of all, Mama Yasoda left without giving me enough milk, and that is why I broke the pot of yogurt and by way of charity I distributed the provision to the monkeys of butter. Now, he has tied me to this wooden mortar. My next mischief will be even worse. " And so, the Lord thought of knocking down the two arjuna trees, which were very tall. (...)
The episode also shows how his mother's love makes the punishment he intended to impose on him for breaking the pot in which he cooked was not the thought, since he observes his son's fear of the possibility of being whipped with a rod and He doesn't like that expression.
As we see, Krishna who is breastfed by Yasoda He acts like a naughty boy who doesn't like to be left without his milk.
