Verse Text
vātsalyam, yathā –
tanau mantra-nyāsaṁ praṇayati harer gadgadamayī
sa-bāṣpākṣī rakṣā-tilakam alike kalpayati ca |
snuvānā pratyūṣe diśati ca bhuje kārmaṇam asau
yaśodā mūrteva sphurati suta-vātsalya-paṭalī ||14||
Translation
Yaśodā’s motherly affection: Early in the morning, with milk dripping from her breasts, with choked voice and tears in her eyes, Yaśodā uttered mantras on Kṛṣṇa’s limbs, placed tilaka on his forehead for his protection, and tied protective herbs on His arm. She was the personification of maternal love.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Kārmaṇa means “using roots for magical purposes, using herbs for protection.”
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
There is the following description of Mother Yaśodā’s affection for Kṛṣṇa. After rising early in the morning, Mother Yaśodā first of all offered her breast milk to Kṛṣṇa, and then she began to chant various mantras for His protection. Then she would decorate His forehead very nicely and tie protective talismans on His arms. By all of these activities, it is definitely understood that she is the emblem of all maternal affection for Kṛṣṇa.