Let’s celebrate Yashoda Jayanti with religious fervour-Puri
Jaswant Singh Puri / February 12,2023
Yashoda Jayanti is celebrated annually in the month of Phalguna on Krishna Paksha Shasthi according to Hindu Calendar. It is celebrated with a lot of fanfare in Gokul. It falls on Sunday, February 12 in 2023. But certain states like Maharashtra and Gujrat solemnise Yashoda Jayanti as per Amanta Lunar Calendar which occurs in the month of Magha. Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu was the biological son of Devaki and Vasudev. However, he was brought up by Yashoda and Nand in the neighbouring village. Yashoda was the foster mother of Krishna and the wife of Nanda, the Chieftain of Gokuldham. Her abode was Vrindavana. To protect Krishna from Devki’s brother Kansa, the tyrannical King of Mathura, Krishna’s father Vasudeva brought the new born Krishna to his cousin Nanda and wife Yashoda. Yashoda means one who is giver of fame or glory. On Yashoda Jayanti, the devotees worship Mata Yashoda and Lord Krishna to get blessings. According to a religious text, devotees offer a red ‘Dupatta’, ‘Panjiri’ and sweet ‘Chapati’ to Mata Yashoda. It is believed that devotees observe fast on the day of Yashoda Jayanti to get rid of sins. It is a notion that charity on this auspicious day helps the people to get rid of their sins. On this gracious day, making a ‘Swastika’ or ‘Om’ at the main door of the residence dispels negative vibes and energy.
Various childhood episodes or ‘Lilas’ of Krishna growing up in Yashoda’s household abound in Northern India’s Hindu religious texts. Yashoda is praised in the ‘Srimad Bhagvatam’ as: “Neither Lord Brahma, nor Lord Shiva nor even the goddess of Fortune (Goddess Mahalaxmi), who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the deliverer from the material world, such mercy as received by mother Yashoda”. (Srimad Bhagvatam, Canto 10, Chapter 9).
According to the Bhagavata Purana, once Krishna was playing in the sand and was swallowing it. Yashoda grew furious to see it. She punished him by tying him to a mortar or a grinding stone. The child dragged the mortar to the tree called ‘Marutru’ and got himself entangled between the twin trees. Soon, the trees regained their original forms of ‘Nalakuvara’ and ‘Manigriva’, the sons of Kuber. The deities had been cursed by Narada for not paying any heed to him. Now, they had been emancipated from their curse as trees after meeting Krishna. They paid homage to the child. According to the ‘Bhagvata Purana’ Yashoda was the incarnation of Dhara, the wife of the Vasu. Her father Sumukha was a treasurer and an affluent trader of Vraja. He had a long beard which was as fair as the white conch shell. It is mentioned that his skin complexion was as dark as ripe Indian blackberry. Yashoda’s mother Sri Pataladevi is said to be as soft as the rose petals. Her family was an ardent devotee of Mother Kali.
Let’s celebrate Yashoda Jayanti with religious fervour-Puri. As lord Krishna was born to Devki in the prison of his maternal uncle Kansa,the night he was born, his father took Krishna to Braj. So Devaki never attended to her lovely child Krishna. Yashoda cared for Sri Krishna as his real and affectionate parents, Vasudeva and Devaki. Krishna took birth to end the tyranny of Kansa. Yashoda used to love Krishna so deeply that he also felt the same for her. That is why Krishna was also called Yashodanandana. Lord Krishna got popularity in Yashoda’s lap who was the goddess of love. According to ancient belief, it is said that Lord Vishnu gave a boon to Maa Yashoda in previous life after being pleased by her meditation that he would become his mother in the following life and the same happened according to ‘The Gita’. So the festival is celebrated with great zeal and zest in temples with true colours in Gokul where Lord Krishna spent his childhood with Yashoda.
Note: This article is dedicated to Smt. Alka Pur wife of Dr. Ajit Singh Puri and mother of Jaswant Singh Puri.
(The views expressed are personal)
