Enter the divine realm of Gokula, where the Supreme Lord, Śrī Krishna, shines beautifully (
gokule bhrājamanam
) as the endearing child Damodara. More resplendent than the sun and moon, Krishna is the very origin of all light, yet He chooses to appear in this sacred land, radiating a soothing, blissful effulgence that dissipates the darkness of ignorance within the heart of the devotee.
This book celebrates the astonishing pastime that earned Him the name Damodara-"one whose belly is bound by a rope". After breaking Mother Yashoda's pot of yogurt, the unconquerable Supreme Lord (Ajita) runs in fear, crying and rubbing His eyes with His two beautiful lotus hands. This small, fearful child, who holds the entire universe in His tiny belly, voluntarily allows Himself to be caught and bound.
But the binding force is not a physical rope; it is the pure devotion and affection of His mother. This act reveals the profound truth that the Almighty is only conquered by devotees whose love is imbued with intimacy and free from all awe and reverence.
By engaging in these childhood pastimes, Damodara drowns the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. For the devotee immersed in the ocean of worldly sorrows, meditating upon this vision is the ultimate deliverance. Rejecting liberation (
moksha
) and all material gains, the wise pray only for the beautiful form of Bala Gopala-whose lotus face is repeatedly kissed by Mother Yashoda-to be eternally manifest in the heart.