Conquered by Love - The Mystery of Chastising Kṛṣṇa
The concept of God in most religious traditions is one of an unapproachable, awe-inspiring judge whom everyone must revere and fear. However, the Vedic literature, as presented by Śrīla Prabhupāda, reveals a much deeper, more intimate reality. While the Supreme Personality of Godhead is certainly the master of the universe, in His original form in Vṛndāvana, He desires to be treated not as a master, but as a beloved son, friend, or lover. This desire for intimate exchange is so profound that the Lord actually takes supreme pleasure in the loving act of chastising Kṛṣṇa.
The Desire for Intimacy
In the material world, a king may employ a joker who takes the liberty of mildly insulting him, and the king enjoys the break from constant, stiff protocol. Śrīla Prabhupāda uses this analogy to explain why the Supreme Lord desires to be scolded. Because everyone worships Him with immense reverence, Kṛṣṇa hungers for the spontaneous, fearless love that allows a devotee to forget His supremacy and relate to Him on a platform of complete intimacy.
- Everyone worships the Supreme Lord with great reverence; therefore the Lord sometimes wants to enjoy the chastisement of His devotees.
- Krsna is always joyful. Just like, see before you: Krsna is joyfully accepting to be bound up by His mother. He is Supreme Lord; nobody can chastise Him, but He is taking pleasure: How My mother chastises Me.
- Krsna submits to being chastised and bound by the gopis because of pure love and affection worthy of being praised by a devotee in so many ways.
- Krsna's friends, the cowherd boys, did not consider Him the Supreme Lord either. The gopis even used to chastise Krsna. If a devotee can have such a relationship with Krsna, why should he want to become one with God.
The Special Prerogative of Mother Yasoda
The highest example of this intimate exchange is found in the parental love of Mother Yaśodā. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that she does not view Kṛṣṇa as God; to her, He is simply her restless, mischievous little boy. When He steals butter or allegedly eats dirt, she feels a profound maternal duty to correct Him, and Kṛṣṇa responds by playing the role of a perfectly frightened child.
- Yasodamayi as such an advanced devotee that she had the right to chastise the Supreme Personality of Godhead. That was Yasodamayi's special prerogative.
- Krsna is always yasoda-nandana. He is always ready to be chastised by Mother Yasoda, by the gopis, and sometimes by His friends. That is Vrndavana Krsna. That is real Krsna; that is real God.
- Because of having stolen, He (Krsna) was looking all around with great anxiety, suspecting that He might be chastised by His mother. Mother Yasoda, upon seeing Him, very cautiously approached Him from behind - Srimad Bhagavatam 10.9.8.
- Mother Yasoda wanted to bind Krsna not in order to chastise Him but because she thought that the child was so restless that He might leave the house in fear. That would be another disturbance.
The Complaints of the Residents of Vrndavana
The entire village of Vṛndāvana participated in this blissful dynamic. The elderly gopīs and even Kṛṣṇa's own brother, Balarāma, would invent or exaggerate complaints about Kṛṣṇa's behavior, specifically hoping to awaken Mother Yaśodā's anger. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights that these complaints were not born of malice, but of an ecstatic desire to witness the beautiful sight of Kṛṣṇa being playfully scolded by His mother.
- First a complaint was lodged with mother Yasoda about Krsna's stealing, but mother Yasoda did not chastise Him. Now, in an attempt to awaken mother Yasoda's anger so that she would chastise Krsna, another complaint was invented-that Krsna had eaten earth.
- Krsna replied, "My elder brother, Balarama, while playing with Me today, became angry, and therefore He has joined with the other boys to complain against Me. They have all combined together to complain so you will be angry and chastise Me."
- Because of the features of Krsna's face, the mothers were so attracted that they could not chastise Him. Instead of chastising Him, they smiled and enjoyed hearing of Krsna's activities. Thus the gopis remained satisfied, and Krsna enjoyed their happiness.
- Mother Yasoda, of course, did not want to chastise her beloved child very much, and therefore she immediately threw her stick away and simply rebuked Krsna.
The Anger of Conjugal Love
The chastisement of Kṛṣṇa reaches its absolute zenith in the realm of mādhurya-rasa (conjugal love). Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the gopīs, fully obsessed with pure love, sometimes feel neglected by Kṛṣṇa. When they express their wounded pride and anger by chastising Him, Kṛṣṇa does not become offended; rather, He views this passionate scolding as the ultimate perfection of loving exchange.
- Obsessed with pure love, without knowledge of opulences, the gopis sometimes chastise Krsna. That is a symptom of pure ecstatic love.
- When a beloved gopi shows symptoms of anger toward Krsna, He is very satisfied. Indeed, He is extremely pleased when chastised by such a gopi. She shows her pride suitably, and He enjoys that attitude. Then she gives up her pride with a little endeavor.
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "The gopis entered the arena of the rasa dance in ecstasy, but after hearing Krsna's words of negligence and detachment, they understood that He was going to renounce them. Thus they began to chastise Him in anger."
- Krsna continued, "I am very sorry for it. I expected your (Rukmini's) red lips would tremble in anger when you heard My statement that you would chastise Me in many words. O perfection of love, I never expected that your condition would be like this."
The Envious Chastisement by Demons
While the residents of Vṛndāvana chastise Kṛṣṇa out of overwhelming love, demons chastise Him out of deep-seated envy. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that arrogant kings like Jarāsandha and Kālayavana frequently insulted and threatened the Lord. However, because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, even the act of angrily uttering His name or associating with Him in combat often results in the demon's ultimate liberation.
- The demon Jarasandha chastised Krsna, saying, 'You are the lowest of human beings. I shall not fight with You, for You killed Your own relatives'.
- When Krsna entered the cave of the hill, Kalayavana followed, chastising Him with various harsh words. Krsna suddenly disappeared from the demon's sight, but Kalayavana followed and also entered the cave.
- Sometimes it so happens that one who wants to chastise Krsna utters the holy name, and thus the holy name becomes the cause of his liberation.
- Thus Indra thought, 'I have properly chastised Krsna and defamed Him.' But Sarasvati, the goddess of learning, took this opportunity to offer prayers to Krsna.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda reveals that the ultimate goal of spiritual life is not to merge into a formless light, but to enter into these dynamic, loving pastimes. By observing how Kṛṣṇa happily submits to the scolding of Mother Yaśodā and the anger of the gopīs, we understand that the Supreme Personality of Godhead is conquered only by pure, spontaneous devotion.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Chastising Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.