By 
No time for reading the story? Give it a listen on Spotify.
This is the story of how two celestial beings, Drona and Dhara, were reborn as Nanda and Yashoda to lovingly raise Lord Krishna as His foster parents.
Characters in the story:
Lord Krishna: Lord Krishna is one of the most popular and revered deities in Hinduism. He is worshiped as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu and is known for his divine teachings in the Bhagavad Gita and for his role in the epic Mahabharata.
Mata Yashoda: Mata Yashoda is a prominent figure in Hindu scriptures and is known as the foster mother of Lord Krishna. She is celebrated for her devotion and unconditional love towards Krishna during his childhood.
Nanda: Nanda is the foster father of the god Krishna. He was a cowherd and a loyal follower of the god, and played a significant role in Krishna’s childhood and upbringing.
A long time ago, in the heavenly realms, lived a group of divine beings known as the Eight Vasus. They were powerful, pure, and devoted to serving God. Among them were a loving pair named Drona and his wife Dhara.
One day, Drona and Dhara went to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe, with a special request. With folded hands and hearts full of devotion, they said,
“Dear Lord, we wish to serve Lord Vishnu directly, not from the heavens, but by becoming His parents when He takes birth on Earth.”
Lord Brahma was pleased by their deep love. He smiled and said,
“Your wish shall be fulfilled. When Lord Vishnu is born on Earth as Krishna, you will be born as His foster parents.”
And so, Drona and Dhara were born on Earth as Nanda and Yashoda, a kind and noble couple in the peaceful village of Gokula, part of Nandavraja. Nanda was the respected chief of the cowherd community, and Yashoda was known for her warmth and motherly care.
Meanwhile, in the nearby kingdom of Mathura, an evil king named Kansa had imprisoned his sister Devaki and her husband Vasudeva because of a prophecy. It had been foretold that Devaki’s eighth child would be the one to destroy Kamsa. To protect himself, the cruel king killed all their babies, one after another.
But when the eighth child, Krishna, was born, something magical happened. In the middle of the night, the prison doors opened on their own, the guards fell asleep, and the chains binding Vasudeva came loose. Carrying baby Krishna in a basket, Vasudeva walked through the pouring rain. The river Yamuna parted to let him pass. He reached Gokula safely, where Nanda and Yashoda had just had a baby girl—Yogamaya.
Vasudeva quietly placed baby Krishna beside Yashoda and took their baby girl back with him. No one in Gokula knew about this divine exchange.
From that day on, Nanda and Yashoda raised Krishna as their own beloved son.
Krishna’s childhood in Gokula was full of wonder and miracles. He stole butter, played with His friends, and even defeated demons sent by Kamsa. But through it all, Yashoda only saw Him as her sweet little boy. She once tried to tie Him with a rope for being naughty, but the rope was always just a little too short. And one day, when she looked into His mouth, she saw the entire universe inside it!
Even with all these signs of divinity, the love between Krishna and His foster parents remained pure and simple. Nanda and Yashoda didn’t care whether Krishna was God. To them, He was their child.
Thus, the wish of Drona and Dhara was fulfilled. They got to love, care for, and raise the Lord Himself—not in a temple, but in their own home, as their very own son.
This beautiful story was told by Sage Suka to King Pareekshith in the sacred book, the Bhagavatam (Bhagavata Purana), 10th Skandham—reminding us how even the gods long to love God.
Though born of heaven, Drona and Dhara longed not for power, but for love — to cradle the Divine in their arms. As Nanda and Yashoda, they fulfilled a sacred wish, raising Krishna not as a god, but as a child of their hearts.
In their simple home, the Supreme played, laughed, and grew — reminding the world that the purest devotion asks for nothing, but gives everything.
Their story lives on as a timeless reminder that even the mightiest seek the warmth of a mother’s love and a father’s care.
