Krishna Nectar Lilas part 19 “Binding Makhanchor”

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Binding Makhanchor

With a choked voice Krsna slowly uttered some sweet yet indistinct words that came out from His beautiful mouth like drops of nectar falling from the full moon. Indeed, it was a marvellous sight to see Krsna becoming overwhelmed in fear and crying helplessly.

Yasoda thought, “If I do not bind Him immediately, He may run away into the deep forest.” Yasoda then brought a grinding mortar and considered how to bind the one of boundless glories. Observing this, Krsna beamed an attractive smile.

Yasoda ordered some maidservants, “O Kurangavati and Lavangavati, fetch some smooth soft rope made of jute.” The attempt of Vrajesvari Yasoda to bind Krsna, the ever well-wisher of the whole creation, immersed her in an ocean of joy. Soon many opulently dressed elderly gopis the embodiments of limitless motherly affection, came there along with several curious boys with clean, beautiful curly hair.

Mother Yasoda tied many ropes together but they always measured two inches too short. Surprisingly, no matter how many ropes she collected they remained two inches too short. She said, “Alas! This small distance seems to have become as vast as Brahma’s universe. The Supreme Lord enacts this pastime by His personal energy to display His unlimited power.”

Observing this wonderful incident, the elderly gopis tried to relieve Yasoda’s anxiety by saying, “O Yasoda! You are the most blessed one in creation. A minute ago you tied a small golden belt around Krsna’s thin waist, but now you cannot bind him with all the ropes in your house! Despite the number of ropes you tie together, they always end up two inches too short. There is some strange cause behind this phenomenon, so you better stop trying to bind your son.”

In great astonishment Yasoda addressed the gopis, “O Vraja gopis I have no more ropes, so please bring all the ropes stored in your houses.” It was not out of fear that the gopis gave all their ropes to Yasoda, but they did so in order to see Krsna’s glorious transcendental character and relish His blissful pastimes. Feigning anger, Yasoda took all the additional ropes and tried again to bind her naughty son.

While enjoying this scene, the doe-eyed housewives of Vrndavana laughed quietly while secretly tasting a special joy in their hearts.

All the blissful moods of spiritual love harmonized in Krsna’s childhood pastimes. Though Krsna’s hands were very delicate, His eyes soon pained from continually rubbing the tears falling from them.

In a choked-up voice He spoke some richly sweet words that captivated the minds of all. Finally, Krsna cried in a gentle, honey sweet voice. Empathizing with Krsna, close friends like Subala also wept along with their bosom friend.

Yasoda’s heart palpitated with her heavy breathing, her hair loosened, and the flowers fell to the ground. Perspiring, tired, overwhelmed, snd her labors frustrated, Yasoda sat down to rest and figure out how to tie up Krsna. A short time later she tried again to bind her matchless son. The elderly gopis, having lost all desire to return to their homes, stood motionless while staring at Krsna with unblinking eyes.

Now all the ropes in Vrndavana joined in a fruitless attempt to bind the master of the universe. It is impossible to tie up bliss, wisdom, power, and consciousness, so how can anyone tie up Krsna who is made of nothing but bliss, wisdom, power, and consciousness?

How could Yasoda bind one who has no inside or outside, who is limitless, who has no beginning or end, who has infinite power, who is the totality of everything, who is completely full and beyond any contamination, and who is within and outside everything? Viewing the situation, the all-powerful Supreme Lord decided to bestow His mercy upon Yasoda.

Even though mother Yasoda eagerly desired to tie up Krsna, she met no success despite her total exhaustion. The endeavor of a devotee to bind the Lord can only be successful with the Lord’s sanction. All of Yasoda’s work now bore fruit because Krsna, out of compassion for her, suddenly allowed Himself to be bound. Extending His mercy, He saved His beloved mother from further anger and frustration.

Yasoda asked the assembled cowherd boys to watch Krsna to prevent Him from untying Himself and running away. Then Yasoda and the elderly gopis entered her private chambers. The moment Yasoda left, Krsna stopped crying, and His face assumed a peaceful and effulgent glow like the luminous moonshine.

Excerpt: Sri Kavi Karnapura’s Ananda Vrindavana Campu ki jai!

Krishna Nectar Lilas ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

All parts of Krishna Nectar Lilas can be found here.