Years of Waiting, Moments of Grace: Yashoda and the Love That Chose Her

Hello Everyone,

As part of the Blogchatter A to Z series, we turn our focus today on one of the most beloved figures in Hindu mythology: Yashoda, the mother of Lord Krishna. Her story is one of patience, profound love, and the deep bond between a mother and a child. However, her journey is not just about her role as a mother—it is about how love chose her, and how she nurtured a divine being, without knowing the true nature of the child she cradled in her arms. Yashoda’s life was a testament to a love that was patient and enduring, one that unfolded with each passing day, culminating in moments of grace that shaped the destiny of the world.

Yashoda’s story begins in the village of Gokul, where she and her husband, Nanda, were blessed with the child Krishna. But this was no ordinary child—Krishna was born in a prison cell to Devaki and Vasudeva, destined for greatness. Due to the evil king Kamsa, who sought to kill Krishna at birth, he was swapped with Yashoda’s baby at the time of his birth. Yashoda, unaware of the divine nature of the child she received, accepted Krishna into her heart as her own. She was a simple village woman, and her life was about to change in ways she could never have imagined.

Her arms held a child,
Unaware of the fate,
Her love was her own,
No difference, no weight.
She cradled him close,
Not knowing the truth,
Her love was a gift,
Unmeasured, uncouth.

Yashoda’s love for Krishna was immediate and deep. She saw him as any mother would see her child: a miracle, a blessing, a light in her life. But the world had other plans for Krishna. As he grew, his extraordinary powers began to manifest—lifting mountains, defeating demons, and performing miracles that made Yashoda’s heart swell with pride, but also fill her with confusion. How could her child be so powerful? Yet, despite her awe, Yashoda’s love for him never wavered. She was his mother, and that was enough. The connection between them was pure, unspoken, and filled with grace.

In moments of deep affection, Yashoda would lovingly scold Krishna for his mischievous ways, but even in her reprimands, there was an unspoken understanding between them. She may have not known Krishna’s divine nature, but she knew her love for him was sacred. In fact, one of the most famous stories of Yashoda is the moment she tried to discipline Krishna by tying him to a mortar for stealing butter. As she struggled to tie him, the small, innocent child used his divine powers to escape, but the moment was filled with tenderness. It showed Yashoda’s human side: a mother simply trying to protect her child, even though she unknowingly held the divine in her arms.

She held him close,
Her heart a storm,
The world outside,
Could not break her form.
She loved him wild,
And loved him pure,
Her heart was her strength,
Her love, her cure.

Yashoda’s devotion was not in grand gestures but in the quiet moments she spent with Krishna—feeding him, comforting him, and soothing him. She never demanded anything in return. She gave him the love only a mother can give, without knowing that this child was the savior of the world. She didn’t need miracles to affirm her faith; her love for Krishna was its own miracle. It was the love of a mother, unshakeable, unwavering, and eternal.

Yashoda’s life, in many ways, was one of waiting. Waiting for Krishna’s greatness to be revealed. Waiting for the moment when she would finally understand who he truly was. But in all her years of waiting, she was also living a life filled with grace. Her love shaped Krishna into the divine being he became, for it was her nourishment, her care, and her affection that formed the foundation of his earthly existence.

Her love was a beacon,
Her heart was the guide,
She waited in silence,
With Krishna by her side.
The moments of grace,
Were given to her,
A mother’s love,
That would forever endure.

Yashoda’s story teaches us that true love does not seek acknowledgment or recognition. It doesn’t need to understand the magnitude of the role it plays. Sometimes, love is simply about being there, being present in the moment, and trusting that your love is enough. Yashoda’s love was enough to nurture Krishna, to shape his early years, and to give him the strength to fulfill his divine purpose. She was a mother who loved not for the glory of being the mother of a god, but simply because he was her child, and that love transcended all.

In Yashoda, we see a reflection of what it means to love without conditions. To care for someone not because of who they are, but because of who you are as a person. Yashoda’s love chose her, and through her, she gave Krishna the most precious gift of all: a mother’s unwavering devotion.

I’m participating in #BlogchatterA2Z” and hyperlink it to https://www.theblogchatter.com

Anindita Rath
@scrambledwriter