tad dÄma badhyamÄnasya
svÄrbhakasya ká¹›tÄgasaḥ
dvy-aṅgulonam abhūt tena
sandadhe 'nyac ca gopikÄ
tat dÄma - that binding rope; badhyamÄnasya - who was being bound by mother YaÅ›odÄ; sva-arbhakasya - of her own son; ká¹›ta-Ägasaḥ - who was an offender; dvi-aá¹…gula - by a measurement of two fingers; Å«nam - short; abhÅ«t - became; tena - with that rope; sandadhe - joined; anyat ca - another rope; gopikÄ - mother YaÅ›odÄ.
When mother YaÅ›odÄ was trying to bind the offending child, she saw that the binding rope was short by a distance the width of two fingers. Thus she brought another rope to join to it.
Here is the first chapter in Kṛṣṇa’s exhibition of unlimited potency to mother YaÅ›odÄ when she tried to bind Him: the rope was too short. The Lord had already shown His unlimited potency by killing PÅ«tanÄ, Åšakaá¹Äsura and TṛṇÄvarta. Now Kṛṣṇa exhibited another vibhÅ«ti, or display of potency, to mother YaÅ›odÄ. “Unless I agree,†Kṛṣṇa desired to show, “you cannot bind Me.†Thus although mother YaÅ›odÄ, in her attempt to bind Kṛṣṇa, added one rope after another, ultimately she was a failure. When Kṛṣṇa agreed, however, she was successful. In other words, one must be in transcendental love with Kṛṣṇa, but that does not mean that one can control Kṛṣṇa. When Kṛṣṇa is satisfied with one’s devotional service, He does everything Himself. Sevonmukhe hi jihvÄdau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ. He reveals more and more to the devotee as the devotee advances in service. JihvÄdau: this service begins with the tongue, with chanting and with taking the prasÄda of Kṛṣṇa.
ataḥ Å›rÄ«-kṛṣṇa-nÄmÄdi
na bhaved grÄhyam indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvÄdau
svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ
(Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta-sindhu 1.2.234)
