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{{short description|Foster-mother of Krishna}}
{{distinguish|Yashodhara}}
{{About||the Indian film|Yashoda (film){{!}}''Yashoda'' (film)}}
{{Redirect|Yasoda|the butterfly genus with this name|Yasoda (butterfly){{!}}''Yasoda'' (butterfly)}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| image = Yashoda with Krishna, Raja Ravi Varma.jpg
| caption = Yashoda milks a cow, while an infant Krishna hugs her, painting by [[Raja Ravi Varma]]
| spouse = [[Nanda Baba|Nanda]]
| children = [[Krishna]] (foster-son)<br> [[Balarama]] (foster-son)<br>[[Vindhyavasini|Yogamaya]] (daughter)
| name = Yashoda
| texts = [[Bhagavata Purana]], [[Harivamsa]], [[Mahabharata]], [[Vishnu Purana]], [[Brahmavaivarta Purana]]
| abode = Vrindavana
| father = Sumukha/Giribhanu
| mother = Padmavati/Pataladevi<ref>Brahmavaivarta Purana Sri-Krishna Janma Khanda (Fourth Canto) Chapter 13.Verse 38 English translation by Shantilal Nagar Parimal Publications Link: https://archive.org/details/brahma-vaivarta-purana-all-four-kandas-english-translation</ref>
| siblings = Bhadra, Madira, Yashodhara, Yashodeva, Sudeva, Kumbhaka
| dynasty = [[Yadu dynasty|Yaduvamsha]]
}}
'''Yashoda''' ({{langx|sa|यशोदा}}, {{IAST3|Yaśodā}}) is the foster-mother of [[Krishna]] and the wife of [[Nanda Baba|Nanda]]. She is described in the [[Puranic]] texts of [[Hinduism]] as the wife of [[Nanda Baba|Nanda]], the chieftain of [[Gokul]], and the sister of [[Rohini Devi|Rohini]]. According to the [[Bhagavata Purana]], Krishna was born to [[Devaki]], but Krishna's father, [[Vasudeva Anakadundubhi|Vasudeva]], brought the newborn Krishna to his cousin [[Nanda (Hinduism)|Nanda]], and his wife, Yashoda, in [[Gokul]]am. This was for his upbringing, as well as to protect Krishna from Devaki's brother, [[Kamsa]], the tyrannical king of [[Mathura, Uttar Pradesh|Mathura]]. 

== Etymology ==
The name Yashoda means 'one who is giver (da, {{lang|sa|दा}}) of fame or glory (Yash, {{lang|sa|यश}})'.<ref>{{Cite book|last=DADUZEN|first=Dayal N. Harjani aka|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L2xlDwAAQBAJ&q=yashoda+meaning&pg=PT191|title=Sindhi Roots & Rituals - Part 2|date=2018-07-18|publisher=Notion Press|isbn=978-1-64249-480-8|language=en}}</ref><ref>Brahmavaivarta Purana Sri-Krishna Janma Khanda (Fourth Canto) Chapter 13.Verse 39</ref> 
[[File:Yashoda and Krishna, inspired from Kalighat Painting.jpg|thumb|Yashoda and Krishna, inspired from Kalighat Painting.]]

==Legends==
[[File:Meister der Bhâgavata-Purâna-Handschrift 001.jpg|thumb|left|Yashoda bathing the child Krishna-Illustration of a [[Bhagavata Purana]] manuscript, c. 1500 CE]]
[[File:Yashoda with infant Krishna early 12th century Tamil Nadu Pudukkottai and Tanjavur districts.jpg|thumb|right|Foster-mother Yashoda with the Infant Krishna. [[Chola]] period early 12th century, [[Tamil Nadu]], India.]]
=== Origin ===
According to the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', Yashoda was the incarnation of the wife of the [[Vasu]], Drona. Little is known about Yashoda's early life, other than her marriage to [[Nanda (Hinduism)|Nanda]].
[[Kamsa]], the ruler of [[Mathura]], had decided to kill [[Krishna]] as soon as he was born. In order to protect [[Krishna]] from [[Kamsa]], [[Krishna]] and [[Vindhyavasini|Yogamaya]] were born at the same time from the wombs of Devaki and Yashoda, respectively, and were exchanged by [[Vasudeva]] Anakadundubhi. [[Krishna]] survived and was raised as the foster-son of Yashoda.<ref name="Devi Bhagwat Purana">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fghQhiowlycC&q=dauwa+ahir&pg=PA30 | title=Between History and Legend: Status and Power in Bundelkhand | publisher=Orient Blackswan | author=Ravindra K. Jain | year=2002 | pages=31–32 | isbn=9788125021940}}</ref>
Various childhood episodes or [[Lila (Hinduism)|''lilas'']], growing up in Yashoda's household, abound in [[Hindu]] texts.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/religion/Yasoda-the-blessed-one/article16882810.ece|title=Yasoda the blessed one|date=2009-09-22|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-11-20|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> In the ''[[Bhagavata Purana]]'', Yashoda is praised as:
{{blockquote|Neither Lord Brahmā, nor Lord Śiva, nor even the goddess of fortune (Goddess Mahalakshmi), who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the deliverer from this material world, such mercy as received by mother Yaśodā|source=''Bhagavata Purana'', Canto 10, Chapter 9, Verse 20<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/10/9/20/|website=vedabase.io/en/|language=en|access-date=24 February 2020|title=Śb 10.9.20}}</ref>}}

=== Witnessing the Cosmos in Krishna's Mouth ===
The [[Bhagavata Purana]] describes the following episode:<ref>{{Cite book |last=Bryant |first=Edwin F. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2n4VDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA122 |title=Krishna: A Sourcebook |date=2007-06-18 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-972431-4 |pages=122 |language=en}}</ref>
{{Blockquote|text=Another day, Śrī Kṛṣṇa was playing at Brahmāṇḍa-ghaṭa with Śrīdāma, Subala, Balarāma and some other cowherd boys. Child Kṛṣṇa secretly ate some mud, but somehow the cowherd boys saw Him doing this and complained to Mother Yaśodā. Yaśodā came running and, catching hold of Kṛṣṇa’s hand, she began to chastise Him. Trembling with fear, Kṛṣṇa said, “Mother, I have not eaten any mud. All these boys are telling lies. If you do not believe Me, then you can look in My mouth and see for yourself.” Saying this, Kṛṣṇa opened His mouth and showed her the whole universe, containing all moving and non-moving entities, the sky, etc., as well as His own abode (dhāma).|title=[[Bhagavata Purana]]|source=Verse 10.8.32–39}}{{Vaishnavism}}

=== Liberation of Nalakuvara and Manigriva ===
According to the [[Bhagavata Purana]], once, Krishna was playing in the sand and was swallowing it. Yashoda, upon seeing this, was furious with Krishna for disobeying her and 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 stuck between the twin trees. Immediately, the trees regained their original forms of [[Nalakuvara]] and Manigriva, the sons of [[Kubera]]. The deities had been cursed by Narada for not paying heed to him, and had been liberated from their curse as trees after meeting Krishna. They paid homage to the child, who blessed them, and the two returned to Vaishravanapuri.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Mani |first=Vettam |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mvXsDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA520 |title=Puranic Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Work with Special Reference to the Epic and Puranic Literature |date=2015-01-01 |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=978-81-208-0597-2 |pages=520 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Slaying of Putana ===
When the demoness [[Putana]] attempts to murder the infant Krishna by breastfeeding him with her poison, Krishna sucks out her life force instead, turning her into a carcass. Hearing the demoness' dying screams, Yashoda finds the corpse still bearing her child in her arms. Yashoda snatches him and waves a cow-tail brush over him in order to guard him from harm.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Books |first=Kausiki |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iqpeEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT129 |title=Vishnu Purana Part 2 - As Is English Translation |date=2022-02-12 |publisher=Kausiki Books |pages=129 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Reincarnation of Yashoda ===
{{Main article|Vakula Devi}}
According to regional tradition, in the ''[[Dvapara Yuga]]'', Yashoda could not witness the wedding of Krishna. Krishna promised her that she would get that chance of seeing his wedding when Krishna incarnates again as [[Lord Venkateswara|Venkateshvara]] in the ''[[Kali Yuga]]''. In the ''Kali Yuga'', Yashoda was born as [[Vakula Devi]], as the mother of Venkateshvara and witnessed the nuptials between Venkateshvara and Princess [[Padmavathi]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Dundee Hindu Temple presents {{sic|it|’s|nolink=y|expected=its}} first Ram Bhajan prayer |url=https://northernnatalcourier.co.za/58663/dundee-hindu-temple-presents-its-first-ram-bhajan-prayer/|date=6 October 2016 |newspaper=Northernnatalcourier |department=City: World |agency=TNN |access-date=29 January 2020}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Rohini (wife of Vasudeva)|Rohini]]
* [[Krishna Janmashtami]]
* [[Nanda Baba|Nanda]]
* [[Yadu]]
* [[Kamsa]]
* [[Radha]]
* [[Kunti]]

==In popular culture==
The 1975 [[Telugu film]] ''[[Yashoda Krishna]]'', directed by C. S. Rao,<ref>{{Citation|title=Yashoda Krishna|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0187604/|access-date=2019-05-26}}</ref> presented events in the life of Krishna and his attachment towards Yashoda. [[Sridevi]] played the role of the child Krishna in the film.
The [[Tamil language|Tamil]] devotional song, 'Enna Thavam Seithanai' is addressed to Yashoda, rhetorically wondering what penance she had performed to raise Krishna as her own child.<ref>{{Cite web |last=information |first=Temples in India |date=2019-09-27 |title=Enna Thavam Seithanai Yasodha Song Lyrics in English and Meaning {{!}} Sri Krishna Song - Vishnu Stotram |url=https://templesinindiainfo.com/enna-thavam-seithanai-yasodha-song-lyrics-in-english-and-meaning-sri-krishna-song/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=Temples In India Info |language=en-us |archive-date=2022-08-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220803061950/https://templesinindiainfo.com/enna-thavam-seithanai-yasodha-song-lyrics-in-english-and-meaning-sri-krishna-song/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Carnatic song, "Thaaye Yashoda", composed by [[Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi]], is another song addressed to Yashoda from the perspective of [[gopi]]kas who complain about Krishna's mischief.<ref>{{cite web |title=taayE yasOdaa |url=https://www.karnatik.com/c1446.shtml}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Yashoda}}
* [http://www.dalsabzi.com/books/kids_kahaani/bhaagvad_stories/krishna_and_yashoda_ma.htm Story of Krishna (Krushn) and Yashoda] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914120051/http://www.dalsabzi.com/books/kids_kahaani/bhaagvad_stories/krishna_and_yashoda_ma.htm |date=2007-09-14 }}

{{HinduMythology}}

[[Category:People related to Krishna]]
[[Category:Women in Hindu mythology]]
[[Category:Characters in the Mahabharata]]
[[Category:Characters in the Bhagavata Purana]]