Krishna and the Gopis Meet for the Rasa Dance

When Krsna became inclined to enjoy under the special influence of time and place, at that moment the moon, finding an opportunity to render service, rose up of its own will, in the eastern direction, with pleasing rays of light. The moon acted not only as a stimulant or uddipana for Krsna, but to reveal with its brilliant light the enjoyment of Krsna and the gopis. Thus the moon, king of the stars, is described as coloring the face of the eastern direction with its own red color. As a lover, meeting his beloved after a long time, colors the face of his beloved with kumkum from his own hand, the moon colored the face of the eastern direction with its pleasing rays (karaih). The moon removed the heat of the sun from all men (carsaninam). Rising in this manner the moon hinted that since the moon, the very founder of the dynasty of Krsna, and very elderly, a king, having opportunity to enjoy with his many wives, still touches with his hands (rays) the face of indra’s wife (eastern direction), and shows intense attraction for her, what fault is there for Krsna, of very young age, of cowherd family, unmarried, intoxicated with the beauty of his human form, to enjoy with the cowherd women?

Krsna , seeing the moon, became filled with desire. Keeping in mind the saying “whatever great men do others wil follow,” seeing the conduct of the moon, the founder of his dynasty, he began the unfailing attempt to attract the wives of other men without fear.

There are two meanings to the verse, indicating both elements of vibhava, uddipana (stimulant) and alamabana (shelter of rasa). The moon is the uddipana and Krsna’s form is the alambana.

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uddipana

Seeing the moon which causes the kumuda to blossom (kumudvantam whose form is the full moon (akhandamandalam) , whose face of light is like laksmi, being the brother of laksmi, or like radha or gopis who give enjoyment and enjoy (rama) (seeing the moon, Krsna remembered the gopis),) seeing the moon which was tinged with red as if by fresh kumkuma, and seeing the forest tinged red by the soft rays of the moon, Krsna began playing his flute.

Alambana

Seeing his own form which creates joy (mud) for the earth (ku), which reveals its beauty to the face of Radha, which was red with fresh kumkuma, and seeing the forest illuminated by his own effulgence, or seeing the forest, a suitable place to herd the cows, Krsna began playing the flute.

Verse 40 says, “is there any woman in the three worlds who can maintain her chastity on hearing the song of the flute which is filled with sweet , soft sounds?” the present verse describes the flute sound as bewildering the women who had attractive eyes (vama drsam manoharam). The sruti says, “gayantam striya kamayanta” (the women became full of desire for that singing.) From this it should be concluded that Krsna used the flute to utter the kama bija. “kala” indicates “k” and “l”, vama drk indicates “i” and mano indicates the moon, lord of the mind (candra bindu) , and hara means to attract or combine. Thus the kama bija “klim” is indicated.

The gopis went towards Krsna as if they were puppets pulled by the strings of song of the flute. The song was not only attractive, but increased their love (ananga).

Krsna sent the expert thief called the song of the flute. This thief entered through the open, innocent ears of the gopis into the treasury room of their hearts. Plundering the great treasures of control, shame, fear and discrimination along with their minds, the thief quickly returned and offered the treasures to Krsna. Thus the text says that the gopies , whose minds and things related to the mind were received by Krsna (krsna grhita manasah), went to Krsna, in order to retrieve these things from the thief. Thus afflicted the gopis were not aware of the other gopis’ going to Krsna, and began to chase the thief.to catch him. Where did they go? They went to that place where their beloved was standing, with great haste, with the earrings (indicating also bracelets and anklets) swinging. The thief did not regard the external ornaments worthy of stealing.

Three verses describe the gopis’ complete absence of attachment to their duties in their haste to meet Krsna. Some gave up their normal duties. They were made to milk the cows, but they gave up milking the cows in order to meet Krsna. Some gopis left the pots of milk boiling on the stoves in order to meet Krsna and others left wheat cakes cooking in the oven.

This verse describes how they gave up their duties as wives and mothers. Some gave up serving food and left. Some gave up serving their husbands with warm water and rendering other services.

this verse d escribes how they gave up their normal dressing. They gave up applying candana and other ointments and left the house. Others gave up applying oil and tumeric on their bodies and left. Other gopis in great haste could not distinguish hand from foot or nose from ear, and placed their ornaments in the wrong place. This is an indicationg vibhrama, one of the anubhavas or symptoms of intense love. The scriptures say, “when a person at the time of meeting the lover, out of love dons ornaments and garlands on the wrong bodily parts it is called vibhrama.”

Out of extreme love the gopis gave up all duties. That is expected. But how could they give up their husbands and fathers? Though the husbands tried to stop their wives and the fathers tried to stop the unmarried gopis, they could not dissuade them from going, because their very souls had been stolen by Govinda, what to speak of their fear, bashfulness and control, and they were thus in trance, mohitah, like puppets controlled by strings. But how could the husbands tolerate letting their wives go elsewhere in a weakened state, fearing danger to their bodies? That is true, and therefore yogamaya allowed this to happen. She did this by producing replica bodies of the gopis who returned their husbands’ houses, while the original gopis left for the forest.

According to the Ujjvala nilamani there are two types of gopis: nitya siddha and sadhana siddha. Sadhana siddha gopis are of two types: yautika and ayautika. Yautikas are of two types: sruti cari and rsicari. In the padma purana four types of gopis are described: “Sruticari, sricari, cowherd women and heavenly women. They are not human.” Though they have the forms of humans they are not human. They are devoid of all material qualities. The cowherd women or gopakanya are nitya siddha, for there is never mention of them peforming sadhana. Though they are seen to perform the katyayani vrata as sadhana, this is nothing more than an act performed during their earthly pastimes. They do not need to depend on sadhana to attain the lord since they are nitya siddha. In relation to the stealing of the gopis’ clothing, this is explained in detail. Their status as nitya siddha is also shown in many places. In Brahma samhita they are described as : ananda cinmaya rasa pratibhavita, being endowed with the hladini sakti. BrhadGautamiya tantra says: hladini ya mahasakti . Because the gopis enjoyment with Krsna is without beginning (anadi) they are mentioned in the ten syllable and eighteen syllable krsna mantras. The worship of Krsna through these mantras and the srutis which contain these mantras are without beginning and end. The heavenly women, who in order to please Krsna, were ordered to appeared in Vraja, are actually amsas of the nityasiddha gopis. This is mentioned in Bhagavatam and explained in Ujvala nilamani.

That the sruticaris are sadhana siddha is mentioned in the Vamana Purana. The srutis said, “there is no doubt that when you become visible to us with your beauty likea thousands of cupids, we develop intense love for you, and become disturbed with lust. We desire to worship you just as the gopis do to attain enjoyment with you.”

That the rsicaris are sadhana siddha is shown in this statement from the Ujvala Nilamani. “the great rsis who worshipped Gopala previously had not attained perfection.” It is said in Padma Purana, “Previously the sages of Dandakaranya seeing the sweet form of Rama, desired to enjoy with the Lord, remembering the form of gopala.” However out of shyness they did not want to enjoy directly with Rama. Like a desire tree which fulfills desires without even asking, Rama fulfilled what was on their mind, though they did not mention it to him. They then took birth from gopis in Gokula and attained their desire. Because of their desire, they attained liberation from the material world.

From Kavi Karnapura’s commentary on the tenth canto it is understood that those gopis who had children were prevented from going to meet Krsna, as seen from later verses such as these:. “Your mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and husbands are searching for you.” “You have advised us that the proper religious duty for women is to faithfully serve their husbands, children and other relatives.” “We have come to you giving up husbands and sons.” Following his explanations, all the general import of these verses will be made in summary manner.

The rsis who worshiped Gopala, because of seeing the sweetness of Rama, developed a mood of raga to the stage of nista ruci asakti and bhava. Though they were not completely perfect, Yogamayadevi brought them to gokula and had them born to cowherd women as daughters. Among these, some attained association of Radha and other nityasiddha gopis, and thus attained direct association with Krsna when they came of proper age. Whatever contaimination was in the heart was removed, and they attained the stage of prema, sneha etc. Though they got married to cowherd men, by the skillof yogamayadevi they remained untouched by their husbands. These gopis, with spiritual bodies to be enjoyed by Krsna though stopped by their husbands at t he time of Krsna playing his flute on the night of rasa lila, by the help of yogamaya were able to meet Krsna along with the nityasiddha gopis.

Other gopis however, not having the fortune to associate with Radha and other nitya siddha gopis, did not attain the level of prema. With some contamination remaining, they married cowherd men, enjoyed with them and had children. After that, on attaining association with the nitya siddha gopis, they become desirous of attaining Krsna directly (purvaragavati). Though they had the mercy of the nitya siddha gopis, because their bodies were not suitable for enjoyment with Krsna, they did not attain the assistance of Yogamaya, and were thus prevented from meeting Krsna on the night of the rasa lila. Being unable to meet Krsna , overcome with calamity, they regarded their husbands and fathers as the greatest enemies. As others remember their mothers and fathers on dying, these goips rememberd Krsna, the friend of their life. Because the husbands stood at the door with sticks in their hands ready to beat them they could not go out and meet Krsna. Though they always thought of Krsna, at this time of great danger, they meditated on Krsna. “O friend of our life, ocean of arts of Vrndavana, may be be your lovers birth after birth. We are not able to see your face at the time of death. Thus we attain you through our minds.” Lamenting in this way with closed eyes, they become lost in deep meditation.

In order to hide from the materialists the confidential, secret attainment of the gopis, this verse has an external meaning, and to reveal the truth to the devotees conversant with devotion, the verse has an internal meaning. From this verse the materialist can understand that Krsna gave the gopis liberation. The gopis cleansed themselves of all inauspiciousness (dhuta asubha) by enduring the suffering of intense separation from Krsna, and they cleansed themselves of all punya (ksina mangala) by blissfully embracing Krsna in meditation. Having destroyed all prarabdha karmas, thinking of the Lord as their paramour, they attained paramatma and gave up their bodies.

The devotees understand the verse differently. By meditation on Krsna, the gopis attained both meeting and separation, unlimited happiness and distress, and at last attained their desire.

Thus the meaning is as follows: by the intense pain caused by intolerable separation from their beloved, the gopis caused all inauspiciousness to tremble (dhuta asubha). Seeing the intense pain of the gopis’ separation from Krsna, thousands of inauspicious elements in the form of the mahakalakuta poison emanating from the ocean fires of millions of universes, gave up their identity as tortuous elements, being defeated by the pain experienced by the gopis, and began to tremble.

By the supreme bliss of embracing the astonishing body of Acyuta, fully spiritual, filled with prema, endowed with appropriate identity and mood, which made its appearance through their meditation, all material and spiritual forms of auspiciousness became emaciated or insignificant (ksina mangala). Seeing the extreme bliss generated in the gopis by the embrace of Krsna through meditation, all the happiness of millions of universes generated through material objects and the happiness generated from impersonal Brahman with no material object, became withered, inferior and insignificant.

To say that because papa and punya can only be destroyed by experiencing pain and pleasure, the gopis’ papa and punya were destroyed by distress and happiness arising from separation and meeting with the Lord is not acceptable to the vaisnava, because separation from the Lord is not caused by sin and meeting the Lord is not caused by piety. (Thus the first meaning of the verse is rejected). According the learned, the destruction of prarabdha karmas takes place during bhajana when a devotee reaches the stage of anarta nivrtti.

Paramatma here means he who possesses the highest prema (parama). The gopis attained directly (samyak gatah) the object of supreme prema (paramatma) by thinking of them as their illicit lover (jara buddhya), unlike Rukmini and others, who, thinking of the Lord as their husband, attained him less directly, for the unpredictable excellence of prema is manifest by thinking of Krsna as a paramour rather than as a husband. This is shown in the statement of Uddhava. “Though the gopis gave up the path of proper conduct, which is difficult to reject, they worshiped Krsna who is sought by the Vedas.” Particularly when Krsna appears, he performs pastimes in which the low and vulgar become most praiseworthy. “Krsna who bestows sarupya mukti, became the glorious chariot drive of Arjuna, with whip and bridle in his hands.” (SB1.9.39) From this statement of Bhisma it is understood that just as Krsna taking the role as a chariot driver is superior to playing the role as king of kings, similarly, the pastimes of Krsna, the lowly srngara rasa is superior to the elevated santa rasa, and in srngara rasa, and the socially unacceptable unmarried love is superior to the acceptable married love. In the same way, the decorations of Krsna made of lowly gunja berries, clay and peacock feathers are superior to the most valuable ornaments made of jewels.

The word sangata (they met Krsna) implies that some of those gopis who were restrained by husbands or fathers eventually met Krsna on the night of the rasa lila after escaping, or that some of them were able to meet Krsna on another night. Some may object that it is not fitting that the Lord should enjoy with women who were already enjoyed by another man. The answer to this is given in the verse. These gopis gave up their material bodies made of the material gunas and then met Krsna (jahuh gunamayam deham). Deha is in the singular to show body as a category. Some say that yogamaya made those material bodies disappear without anyone noticing. Others say that the word guna maya indicates only the inferior body. Previous to hearing the flute, these gopies had two bodies, one made of gunas and another which was spiritual. The material bodies enjoyed by their husbands were those that were given up.

In this regard the following should be considered. From the stage of beginning the process of bhakti under the guidance of guru, when pure bhakti in the form of hearing, chanting, remembering, offering respects and serving the Lord enter the devotee’s senses such as ears and tongue, the devotee becomes nirguna, having made the transcendental qualities of the Lord the object of his senses. This is shown by such statements as nirguno mad apasraya (the devotee who surrenders to me becomes nirguna). At the same time, when material sound and form become the object of his senses, the devotee is guna maya. Thus one part of the devotee’s body is both nirguna and another part is gunamaya. Thus bhagavatam says, “ Just as for those engaged in eating, satisfaction, norusiment and relief from hunger occur by eating, and if there is a little satisfaction, then there is a little nourishment and a little relief from hunger, so, for those engaged in worship of the Lord, if one performs a little hearing or chanting, there is a little realization of the Lord and a little detachment.” (sb 11.2.42) According to this reasoning, according to the amount of devotion, there is corresponding amount of nirguna body, and with the increase of devotion and nirguna body there is decrease of the material body. With the appearance of pure prema the gunamaya portion of body is completely destroyed, and the only the nirguna portion remains. Though this is so, the Lord shows the death of the material body through maya, in order not to disturb the opinion of the materialists and protect the secret of bhakti yoga. This is illustrated in the mausala lila and the destruction of the Yadavas. But sometimes, to show the superiority of bhakti there is no death to the body, as in the case of Dhruva. Thus the Bhagavatam shows the nirguna nature of the angas of bhakti such as sraddha and the gunamaya nature of the material heart.: ye neme nirjitah saumya guna jivena citta jah. 11.25.32. the devotee by practice of bhaktiyoga, conquers over the gunas in the heart and being my nirguna bhakta attains a form or mood like mine. (Kapila deva also speaks of the nirguna nature of bhakti. As bhakti is nirguna so the ingredients of worship such as flowers and incense are also nirguna, by the touch of the angas of bhakti.. commentary of visvanath on 11.25.32).

The meaning of dhuta asubha can therefore also be: by the pain caused by intolerable separation from Krsna the gopis cast off (vidhuta) up their guna maya bodies (asubha), and by the bliss caused by the embrace of Krsna through meditation, their spiritual bodies (mangala) increased (aksina).

By the assistance of yogamaya, the gopis attained liberation from the restraints of the husbands and from the bondage of ignorance (praksina bandhata). But from this one should not think that the gopis died. “All those gopis who were locked in their houses by their husbands and could not attend the rasa lila on the autumn full moon , attained me by thoughts of me.” By use of the word kalyana (auspicious) in this verse, the Lord intended to say that though the gopis wanted to give up their bodies because they were stopped by their husbands and were suffering from separation, at the commencement of the most auspicious rasa lila, it would be most inauspicious that they die. Rather they become lucky (kalyana). Later in the Bhagavatam Sukadeva says, ta ucur uddhavas pritas tat-sandesagata-smrtih (they spoke to Uddhava, after hearing from him the message of Krsna and remembering him.) Ta here refers to those gopis restrained from the rasa lila because of their husbands. Yet they remained alive, and were present before Uddhava while Krsna was living in Mathura.. In other words, they gave up their gunamaya bodies without dying. Their giving up of bodies should be understood as giving up the gunamaya nature of their bodies and attaining spiritual bodies, as in the case of Dhruva and others, due to the pain of separation. Alabdha vinirgama (10.29.9) and vraja asthitah (10.47.38) have the same meaning, and dhyana praptacyutaslesa (10.29.10) and mapur mad virya cinmaya (10.47/38) have the same meaning. However, verse 9 says they attained krsna (sangatah) whereas 10.47.38 says alabdha rasa, they did not attain the rasa lila. Therefore it should be understood that among the gopis who were locked in their houses there were two types.

A gardner sees seven or eight mangoes ripening on his tree. Understanding they are ripening, he picks them all and takes them home. After placing them in the room, the observant servant of the king picks out those which are most suitable for the king to eat, having the best color, fragrance, tenderness and juice by exposure to the sun. Cleaning those ones, he serves them to the king. Other mangos he understands are not suitable for serving the king, because they are ripe inside and unripe outside, and without good color and fragrance. But those fruits also, by exposure to the sun will ripen on the second or third day and he will then serve them to the king.

Similarly among the municari gopis born in Gokula, those who from the beginning gave up their guna maya bodies and attained spiritual bodies , by the assistance of yogamaya were untouched by other men, and in the association of the nitya siddha gopis, met with Krsna for rasa lila. Those who still had external guna maya bodies, by the strong feelings of pain in separation, gave up their conception of guna maya body, and purified of the fault of the touch of other males, attained spiritual bodies. Among those, some met with Krsna that night, arriving after the others had assembled in the forest. Others, who still had a tinge of contamination, met with the Lord later by the arrangement of yogamaya, being purified of that contamination by further pain of separation.

Then these gopis who had attained association of the Lord , at the end of the night of the rasa lila returned to their husbands homes along with the nitya siddha gopis. From that day onwards, they were protected by yogamaya from association with their husbands. They became detached from husband, sons and daughters. Their love of Krsna increased even more. Their breasts dried up. Becoming disinterested in raising their children, their friends though they were possessed by ghosts. In this way everything becomes adjusted.

Others conclude that the gopis locked in their houses did not have children, for the word apatya can also refer to step children, adopted children or nephews or nieces.

Though Pariksit Maharaj understood the meaning of Sukadeva’s words, noticing the doubt on some of the faces of the materialistic men in the assembly, to remove their doubts he asks this question. “Oh muni , one who knows everything! the gopis knew Krsna, the parama purusa (param) as their lover, not as Brahman or God. Thinking of Krsna in a material way (guna dhiya), how could they become purified of the gunas.

The upanisads say, tam eva viditva atimrtum eti (knowing him one surpasses death) atmanam atmataya vicaksate ( one sees the Lord by the pure soul.) Such statements in sruti and smrti indicate that knowledge of paramatma is necessary for liberation.”

Though Sukadeva knew this was not Pariksit’s question, he made a pretense of scolding him, saying “Are you so foolish to ask such a question? Previously in the seventh canto I have told you that Sisupala attained liberation though he had hatred of the Lord. If he could attain sayujya mukti with that unfavorable attitude, what can we say the gopis attained if they approached Krsna with love?”

Hrsikesa (master of the senses) has special significance in this verse. Appearing spontaneously by his causeless mercy, though he is not visible to Brahma and others, making himself visible to the senses of the lowest people on the earth planet by his inconceivable power, in order to deliver them, he shows his remarkable mercy. If he has such mercy to the most fallen, what can we say about (kim uta) those who are objects of affection for that person who is beyond the senses (adhoksaja).

Why did Sukadeva reject the recent example of Aghasura in Vrndavana and instead raise an example from later pastimes in Mathura? There is a secret concerning this. Sukadeva was giving a hint to Pariksit by raising this story of Sisupala. Like the gopis who were kept in their houses, Sisupala, at the removal of his guna maya body, attained by the curse because of his extreme materialistic illusion, asuumed his eternal spiritual body as an associate of the Lord. “By the cakra of Visnu the sins of Dantavakra and Sisupala were removed.” In other words, by the cakra, their sins were removed rather than being killed, and they attained their positions as attendants of the Lord (siddim gatah). “Jaya and Vijaya after many days as a result of meditating on Krsna s their enemy again attained positions as servants of Narayana.” (sb 7.1.47)

14 The Lord appears in this world in order to deliver those who have even a little relationship with the Lord, because the people lack proper sadhana. He comes to bestow sayujya to some, salokya to others, and prema bhakti to others (nihsraysarthaya), for he does not have to appear to kill such person as Kamsa, since by the movement of his eyebrow he can destroy millions of universes. The Lord is called avyaya because though he gives himself to each devotee, he is never exhausted. How can this be? Because he is aprameya, beyond measure. Who can know him? And because he is without material qualities (nirguna) and filled with spiritual qualities (gunatmanah) no one can measure him.

“Therefore Pariksit, you should understand the conclusion clearly. Through kama (gopis), through krodha (Sisupala and others), through sneha (Nanda and others), through aikya or oneness (the atma ramas), through friendship (Pandavas), in whichever mood they worship the Lord, they realize the respective eternal pastimes. Tan maya means “those greatly attached to Krsna such as the gopis” just as one attached to women is called strimaya. Others attained sayujya.

Though this may be astonishing to others, it should not be astonishing for you, who from the wom,b had knowledge of Krsna’s greatness. Though he is a cowherd boy, he is bhagavan, though he is the son of Devaki, he is unborn (aja), though he flirts with the damsels of Vraja, he is the lord of masters of yoga. For Krsna, the source of all avataras, there is nothing astonishing if he liberates all moving and non moving entities (yad etat) (Sridhara swami’s commentary).

Or etat vimucyate can also mean that he liberates not only those participating in the pastimes, but also others in this world who now show kama, sneha as mentioned in the previous verse..

After settling the contradictions, Sukadeva continues the present topic. Seeing those gopis who were attracted by the flute (ta), Krsna, who is most expert at using words according to time, place and person, bewildered them even more (vi – visesatah mohayan) by use of words (pesa). The divisions are: vacya, laksya, vyanga and bodhaka, both soft and rough. Though the flute sound bewildered the gopis, in order to bewilder them even more he began to speak using rough words. In this way Krsna fulfilled three of his desires.

To show the world that even though he appeared indifferent to them, the gopis did not decrease one drop in their affection for him

“In their association I will show opposite tendencies: I will take up the role of the proud lover (vamya bhava), which is usually reserved for the woman in srngara rasa, and will make them take up the role of the eager obedient man (daksinya bhava).

In dealing with them, I will produce opposite effects. Though the intimate words of the bashful gopis are hidden by natural pride, I will reverse things and hear those words. Just as the parts of the body of a woman, hidden by her clothing become objects of great admiration and attraction, so the woman’s eagerness, being hidden by her external pride, also becomes attractive. Those experienced in relationships understand this.. But nothing is manifest. However, the male lover sometimes desires to the see the body of the woman in uncovered state, and similarly he also desires to hear her words of eagerness, which are usually hidden by external pride. But he does not desire to see or hear these intimate things in front of even his intimate friends what to speak of others. Thus at that time, Krsna was not in association of his cowherd friends.

18.In the relationship of men and women experienced in love, the usual custom is that the man shows boldness and enthusiasm and the woman shows anger and intolerance. In the beginning Krsna followed this usual pattern, by nicely welcoming the gopis. “Welcome to you! Has your coming here been pleasant? O fortunate ones (mahabhaga) since birth you have not had sad faces.”

These words can also have another, less affectionate meaning. “Your coming has been splendid because everything is accomplished. For fortunate souls like you, all acts are already fulfilled, giving pleasure to yourselves and others. So therefore what can I do for you? As I am just a young boy alone in the forest at night, you should say very clearly what intimate things you want me to do, and how I can show you young women hospitality.”

“O teaser, bold one, if you can so impudently speak before us married women, then it appears that you have no fear of religiousity or the king.” This is the expected answer they would give, but if the gopis out of embarrassment because of his suggestions remained silent, then Krsna would consider. “If the gopis do not show the normal anger and unwillingness, I also do not need to show the normal eagerness. Better that I show unwillingness. As in union there is pleasure in the reversal of roles, so let there be reversal in meeting together also. Due to the extreme lack of control caused by hearing the flute, the gopis are acting against their nature and have become submissive. As I have not lost control, I can make a show of stubbornness to increase the taste in the pastimes, and later show my true willingess and eagerness.” Considering in this way Krsna took up the role of non cooperation and began to ask them with fear and concern. “Is there any disturbance from Indra in Vraja now? For previously also, you had all fled and approached me for protection.”

Hearing this, the gopis, with faces both smiling and dismayed, asked, “Is he going to play the cheater again today?”

Seeing them in this state, Krsna said, “From your silence I conclude there is no disturbance. Then please tell me, why did you come? I cannot understand.”

“This Krsna who daily enjoys us, destroying our family reputation, our religious principles, or sense control and shyness, today has called us with his flute, and now asks the reason for our coming.” Glancing at each other, they chattered in this way. Krsna responded by saying , “ re you saying while throwing glances at these creepers ‘We came to pick the night jasmine flowers suitable for deva puja’? Listen, that is improper, according the calculation of time, place and person. Though the moon is shining brightly, it is still night, and very fearful, because it is hard to see the snakes and scorpions hidng in the creepers, roots and leaves. This is the wrong time to pick flowers. Therefore you should return to Vraja. Fierce animals like tigers are roaming around everywhere (ghorasatta nisevita). Because it is night time, even Vrndavana is not a suitable place. Therefore you should return to Vraja.”

“Then, if that is the case, after resting a while we will go.”

“By no means should women stay here. (neha stribhih stheyam). Both place and time are unfavorable, and also as persons, you are unsuitable. You are very beautiful women (sumadhyama) and I am a handsome young boy. Though you are supremely chaste and I am a brahmacari according to Gopala tapani Upanisad, though there is no fault in being together, as I am a brahmacari, still we should still not trust our minds.”

There is another hidden meaning to this verse, revealing the true eagerness of Krsna to welcome the gopis. “If out of embarrassment you do not want to say why you came, though you do not say, I know. I now speak the truth. Night filled with moonlight (rajani) is not fearsome (esa aghorarupa), and is served by gentle animals (aghora sattva nisevita) like deer. Even the tigers are gentle in Vrndavana. One need not fear them in this forest. Or you need not fear your husbands in this forest at all, since they won’t come because of the tigers. Therefore do not go back to Vraja (pratiyata vrajam na). Stay with me. It is good for women to stay here (iha stheyam stribhih).”

“Will you keep any type of woman with you?”

“All of you, with thin, graceful waists, effulgent with beauty and youth, should stay here.”

In this way Krsna words express both indifference and expectation by reading them differently.

“Though it is night, in the forest and we are young girls, because we form a big group, no one can criticize us.”

Krsna answers with this verse. “Your friends will be terribly worried about you, and will now be searching everywhere for you.. You should not put them in anxiety. Mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and husbands will be looking for you.” However, the sons who were only two or three months old would not be looking. From the description in verse six (they gave up feeding their babies milk” and verse twenty two (go home, for the calves and children are crying) it can be concluded that those sons were only two or three months old. There is however no fault in the fact that Krsna mentions them in this verse, as he was pretending to be ignorant of their age. “Don’t give your friends anxiety and fear by not being present before them.”

The other meaning of this sentence is, “Do not be worried about your friends coming here searching for you (bandhu sadvasam ma krdhvam), for they cannot find you so deep in the dense forest. You can at leisure enjoy with me tonight.”

When the gopis began glancing all around in embarrassment, Krsna said, “As you are glancing at the flowering forest, I understand that you came here to see the forest.”

When they glanced upwards, he said, “I understand you are looking at this forest bathed in the rays of the full moon.”

When they glanced towards the Yamuna, he said, “By the gentle breeze which has touched the Yamuna the flowering sprouts of the trees are quivering. This increases the beauty of the forest. Now that your desire of seeing the forest has been fulfilled, please return home without delay.”

The other meaning is as follows. “Vrndavana is most attractive, and it is glowing with the light of the full moon this night. And all around is the Yamuna. And moreover, a cool, perfumed breeze is blowing here. These are the stimulants for love (uddipana) and I also, the main participant (alambana) am here. Thus there will be a test of your skill in tasting love tonight.”

“Thus, since your desire has been fulfilled in seeing the beauty of the forest (tat) , do not delay and quickly go. O chaste women, serve your husbands. “

After saying this to those who were married, he said to the unmarried girls, “Go and milk the cows, for the calves are wailing.” Then he said to the municari gopis, “Your babies are crying. Go and feed them milk.”

The other meaning in requestful mood is as follows. “As you have seen the beauty of the forest, do not go (na yata) for this whole night (ciram). Enjoy with me. You married women should not serve your husbands or mothers in law, because your beauty and youth given by the creator should not be wasted. It is not necessary to feed the cows and babies. What is the use of such things for those who have attraction to me?”

“Oh, I have made a mistake in assuming the causes of your coming. Now I understand the cause. Because your affection for me has increased, your hearts have become controlled by that, and thus you have come. In seeing me, this affection has been satisfied. All living beings have affection for me, as it is my natural quality, not attained by some practice. Thus your affection to me is ordinary, not any particular deep love.”

The other meaning is as follows. “You have come to me because of your great conjugal love for me. my mind has been brought under your control. (or, I have become attracted to the strength of your minds.) Therefore your coming is very proper. It is not irregular. If all living beings have affection for me, what must be said about you?”

Expecting the objection from the gopis “But we have approached you as lovers” Krsna speaks. “But still you should return to Vraja.”

In answer the gopis say, “Again and again you say this, but the object of affection should never reject those who are showing their affection. “

Krsna answers, “That is true, you are full of affection, but I must speak in order to protect religious principles. Therefore I advise you according to the scriptures. Please listen. Serving the husband, with complete steadiness, is the supreme duty (para dharma). You should also serve the husband’s parents.”

The other meaning is as follows. “For you women of Vraja (strinam) serving the husband is not your duty, it is others duty (para dharma.) For the scriptures say, “There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as irreligion [vidharma], religious principles for which one is unfit [para-dharma], pretentious religion [ābhāsa], analogical religion [upadharma] and cheating religion [chala-dharma]. One who is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious. Sb.7.15.12” Your real duty is to serve me, since I am Visnu and you are devotees of Visnu. Anything else is not your duty. It is a rule to give up other duties and to serve me. “The best activity is to give up all other dharmas and serve me. (Dharman samtyajya vah sarvan mam bhaje sa ca sattma) (11.11.32)”

“How can we, who have such affection for you, serve husbands who are unappealing, unfavorable, and unsuitable?”

“If your husbands are not of good character, but not sinful, then you should still serve them, for the scriptures say, “One should serve the husband who is not fallen.” patims tv apatitam bhajet (sb 7.11.28) Only those who are deeply engrossed in sin should be given up. Women who desire happiness in married life (lokepsubhih) should do activities in this way.”

The other meaning is as follows. Women desiring happiness in married life are expecting meager happiness and fame in this world and the next. Such women should not give up their husbands. But you, who have given up interest in this and the next world, and frolick in my ocean of sweetness, from the very beginning have given up service to your husbands.

“You naturally had some ordinary affection for me, but stronger attraction which is against religious principles should always be given up Illicit connctions do not lead to svarga loka.”

“We do not care for svarga loka.”

“ But it will also destroy your reputation.”

“We don’t care for reputation.”

“But such affairs are very insignificant.”

“You are lying, they are not insignificant. They are experienced as most wonderful.” “But such affairs are full of difficulties like opposing husbands.”

“How can that be? For bold women, hard to get, opposing elements are the supreme weapon of attraction in love. Though their suffering appears great, in their hearts they are joyful. This is the conclusion of rasa sastra. Such suffering is rather a cause of joy for us infatuated women.”

“But this is very fearful for this and the next life, being forbidden by common scriptures.”

“How can that be? Rasa sastra says, ‘What is forbidden and uncommon for the docile woman becomes very attractive to the heart of the clever, bold woman (nagari)’ therefore these affairs produce more rasa.”

“This activity is always condemned for women of reputable families. Even if you readily consent to bear all condemnation to fulfill your desires, how can I allow myself to be the cause of your condemnation, as I have such affection for you? Therefore I say, please return to Vraja.”

The other meaning is as follows. “Everywhere in the world illicit affairs are condemned. But here, you have heard from the mouth of Garga that I am equal to Narayana. Thus even though it is being unfaithful on your part, your association with me cannot be condemned, for as the Supreme lord, I am above all auspicious and inauspicious actions.”

“Why do you have such thoughts. We did not come for physical contact with you. According to Garga’s words, you are the same asNnarayana, nothing else. Knowing you as Narayana, we have come out of such devotion. Therefore, tonight, let us stay here and serve you lotus feet “

Fearing this statement, Krsna answers in this verse, “The pure devotee does not desire samipya ,salokya or other benefits, but rather desires to hear and chant. This is well known. As devotees you must have heard about his.”

The other meaning is: “These processes such as hearing do not give rise to intense conjugal love as much as direct contact does. Therefore do not go home. (or go to the place with no houses, the groves.)”

Govinda means one who enjoys playing with words (gah vindate). Hearing the external meaning of words of Govinda, thinking them signs of his lack of affection, (though taking the internal meaning of the words, the affection was quite evident)

the gopis became dejected. Not seeing a cause for the roughness of his words, and being doubtful of the hidden affection in the words, out of dainya arising from their sthayi bhava, they thought “We are unqualified, therefore Krsna is indifferent to us.”

Therefore they became dejected. They became lost in thought, their aspirations smashed, “He for who we rejected husbands, fathers, religion fear and sense control has rejected us. We could very humbly hold his feet and cry. Or we could just follow the desire of Krsna, which is hard to understand, and unnaturally return to Vraja by controlling our minds with great effort. Or we could give up our lives. Should we do that in front of him, or away from him? Should we drown our selves in the Yamuna? But if we end our lives, how will we be able to see his sweet face again? After hearing this from him, should we stay here, or should be follow his order and eat vomit in the form of serving our husbands?”

They became totally bewildered where to go and what to do. Attracting the cataki birds with the sound of his flute, Krsna then poured the rain of poison upon them. They readily drank the poison and felt completely depressed. Did Krsna give up his normal quality of being easily approachable?

This verse expresses the gopis’ feelings. Their heads were lowered. This indicates their shame. “We gave up our natural shyness at the invitation of prema, but now again shyness has returned. Prema is the cause of giving up our shyness and this prema is praiseworthy. Prema is defined as that which controls the object of ones love. If the object of our love, Krsna is not controlled, that means that we have no prema. If we do not have prema, then what is the use of our lack of shame?”

This was the state of mind, a mixture of remorse and shame. The remorse was expressed in their faces. Their red lips had dried up from the hot breathing caused by lamentation. When the ripe bimba fruit is dried out by the sun, the fullness is destroyed, and spots begin to appear on the fruit.

In that way, their lower lips were transformed. The sign of their shame is indicated by their writing on the earth with their left big toes. “O earth, divide yourself, and we will enter you.” Lamentation and pain is expressed. The tears mixed with kajjala smeared the kumkuma on their breasts. It was if the great pain due to separation, like a saw, was dividing them in two with that black line. Tears in the plural number with the present tense indicates that excessive tears were flowing. It is not mentioned that the tears flowed and moistened their upper clothes for, the two rivers of tears from their eyes and the heat arising from their lamentation started a war of opposing functions of wetting and drying up. Overcome with great sadness, they stood silently. Because they could not bear the burden of sorrow, they began to lose consciousness. Thus they remained in a blank state like dolls.

30.”O gopis, why are you crying in the forest? Smile and return home. ” As if Krsna were shouting this in their ears, the gopis woke up from their dazed state, and began to plead with Krsna.

Krsna was prestham, the most dear, because previously he had many times allowed association with them. But he now seemed unaffectionate (prietaram iva) because of his use of harsh words ordering them to return to their husbands. However such words were impossible to use against them because they were completely devoid of even a trace of material lust (sarva kamah nivartita). This indicates that the gopis did not have lust or material desire for Krsna. Their desire to please Krsna was not kama. That is Sukadeva’s intention by using sarva in this phrase. They rubbed their eyes which had been blinded with tears. They were rubbing their eyes with the intention of seeing Krsna just once more before they died. Because they were thinking that due to their being unqualified for him they were rejected, they did not manifest anger. “Though he is our very life and soul, how could he bring us to this state of death?” Then, becoming slightly angry, they spoke in choked voices. But since they perceived lack of love on both their parts, then they should have withdrawn their minds from Krsna. However in spite of that condition, they were still attracted to him (anurakta), for persons blinded by love do not consider logic.

“You are giving us instructions about religious principles, but it is inappropriate that you at the same time desire to commit great sins.” With this intention the gopis speak to Krsna.

“For you to utter such cruel words which are meant to kill, is not fitting for the son of Nanda, who is famous in this place as a pious leader. (though it may be suitable for a leader who wishes to kill everyone.) Though we are numbering in the millions, you have fired your arrow-like words upon all of us, so that we will now give up our bodies and go to the abode of Yama instead of following your order and going home. You go to Vraja after taking the sin of having killed millions of women. If you do not want to accept the sin of killing so many women, then you should adore those women who have give up everything and come to serve your lotus feet.” By using the phrase sarva visaya (all things) instead of anya visaya (other things), they indicate that intimate association of the Lord is not to be classed as a material thing.

“O desirous women, have you come here to worship me because your husbands have not satisfied your lust?”

“Oh one who keeps others at a distance, one hard to attain, one who obstructs the rain, O cloud who rains down poison! Friend of the black cloud, today you have rained down poison on us cataki birds, though we are far from you. Because you are in this form, you did not rain down mercy. Having drunk that poison, we are now dying, but we will not drink the water from the nearby lake. If you want to maintain your nature as being most grateful, you should not reject us.”

“O gopis, the cakati waits for the cloud, as you have said, but the cloud does not depend on the cataki. For the cloud, it does not matter whether the cataki lives or dies.”

The gopis replied, “That is true, but you are not a cloud, you are like Narayana, and the most clever. Therefore you should act as Narayana acts. Just as the Lord does not reject those seeking liberation, and fulfils their desires, you should fulfill ours. Narayana reciprocates with those who have given up everything by awarding liberation, because he is under the devotee’s control. We also have given up everything and come to your feet, but why do you not reciprocate with us?”

One group wanted to defeat Krsna by arguments. “You have said that women’s duty is to serve the husband and others. That may be, and we have no quarrel with that. We have been doing that all the time.”

“In what way?”

“We are always engaged in service to you, the originator of instructions on dharma meant for us. This is according to the reasoning that first one should serve the acarya who teaches dharma, and then one should perform the instructions given. The scriptures say that by service to the acarya sincerely dharma is perfected. Furthermore, if the acarya is the supreme lord himself (ise), how much more we should serve. Because you are the supreme Lord, the soul of all embodied beings (tanu bhrtam), you are most dear. Being most dear you are the best friend. In other words, scriptures say that within the husbands and others, one should serve the supreme lord who resides within them.

When the paramatma leaves, the bodies are taken out of the house and burned on the bank of the river. This is the statement of religious scriptures. Therefore by performing service to you, the paramatma, our service to husband becomes perfect. What is the need of serving other husbands or lords who are devoid of paramatma because they have animosity to you.”

Because the nature of strong prema is to cover knowledge of Krsna’s lordship, how is it that the gopis could be aware of Krsna as God?

The characteristics of prema mentioned in the Narada pancaratara and other scriptures is explained in bhakti rasamrta sindhu. Because of separation and meeting, prema has always natural qualities of warmth and coolness. Prema that is due to the waves of bliss brings about tears, shivering and other symptoms in the body. “The bliss of Brahman multiplied by millions of times does not equal one atom in the ocean of happiness of bhakti.” And the pain experienced during separation from the Lord by the prema bhakti is millions of times more intense than the pain of separation of a person from his realization of brahman. In the pain of separation, all the qualities of the Lord related to both aisvarya and madhurya are revealed. Separation reveals everything like the sun. Meeting brings about supreme bliss more than millions of moons, and reveals only the Lord’s madhurya aspect. Meeting brings about intoxication with the sweet nectar, like liquor, and this covers the aisvarya. And where during union or meeting, aisvarya is revealed, the prema becomes less perfect. In this verse, expecting separation, the gopis have a realization of Krsna’s aisvarya. This is the working of prema itself. Prema even produces realization of aisvarya or greatness where there is none. What then to speak of where there actually is aisvarya.

In relation to this topic, some other gopis strengthen their argument with practical examples. “Anyone who develops love for Krsna, endowed with the eight good qualities is not defeated by the enemies such as lust, just as the followers of Visnu are not defeated by the asuras. One who has faith in Garga’s statement is truly intelligent. Those who are intelligent have love for you. This love is natural, and eternally present in their hearts. You are the object of possession for them (sve), and you (atman) are eternally the object of affection for them (nitya priya). The devotees’s affection for husbands and sons is temporary (aupadhika). But we do not even have temporary affection for husbands and sons. As they give us suffering by preventing us from meeting you, what is the need of them at all? Therefore be merciful and save our lives. You may not want to let the married gopis live, but why make the unmarried gopis cry? You already granted their desire when you stole their clothing: “O young girls I understand your vow, and I will enjoy with you on future nights.” (he varada). But Krsna may say “I can give mercy to them because of their vow in worshipping Katyayani, but for what reason can I give mercy to you? You are telling me to be merciful, without good reason. ”

Thus the gopis present a sorrowful request. “Oh Lord, who is dependent only on himself (he isvara), since your childhood (cirat) you have nurtured a desire creeper , and now that creeper of desire is bearing fruit. Those with such fruit laden creepers should not cut them down (ma chindya).”

The words cirat and chindya can be explained as follows. “You have grown in the fields of our hearts this creeper of desire. O lotus eyed one, from the first time at the beginning of childhood, the seed of bhava, sent by your lotus-like eyes, entered through the openings of our eyes and became planted in the field of our hearts. This creeper of desire grew by the process of hearing and seeing your qualities and form according to the stages mentioned in the rasa sastra: first attraction by eye, then meeting in the heart and then vow. It has grown and become full of fruit. Some of the fruit has been enjoyed and some is to be enjoyed. Then why do you cut down this creeper today with the axe of your harsh words. You must also certainly know that one should not cut down a full grown tree even if it is filled with poison.”

Other gopis, revealing their intense love said, “O king of thieves, we did not come with any other purpose than to recover the treasure that you stole from us. You did not need the help of other thieves to do this. It was accomplished very easily (sukhena), by blowing on your flute. Our hearts are not some cheap thing. They were absorbed completely in our household affairs, and by stealing them the whole house has been plundered. Actually however, our hearts are not absorbed in the household. What is it to us if the house catches fire, or increases in wealth” This is the intended meaning of their overstatement.

“But the mind must become absorbed in those affairs so that the senses can perform their activities. Without the mind, the senses become useless. When you stole our minds, you also stole our senses. Our hands, and our eyes and other senses (uta) were all stolen”

“Oh gopis, go home today, and after considering, tomorrow or the next day I will return your hearts.”

To answer this the gopis say, “Without our hearts, our feet cannot move one step away from our your feet. Give us our hearts, and we will go.”

When Krsna desired to see the gopis naked other than at the time of intimate association, he did that on the day of stealing their clothing. But though Krsna desired to hear the direct shameless words of the gopis other than when they were intoxicated, he had not been able to do so till now. The gopis had become mad with the sound of the amorous flute, and by his words had become disturbed. He has stolen their hearts, which supports and gives residence to modesty, discirimination, duty and sense control. But even after all that, they still spoke with modesty. Their internal love had not been directly expressed in words even now. While Krsna was thinking in this way, some of the leading gopis by the influence of the sancari bhava of unmada began to speak in a contradictory way.

“O Krsna, please extinguish with the nectar of your lips the fire of lust that has burst into flame from your smiling glance and sonorous flute. If you are intelligent, then you should extinguish the fire you have lit, and in this way atone for your sin of lighting it. If you do not do so, then you will also be confronted with the sin of lighting fire to our houses.” Hrt saya (sleeping in the heart) is used instead of kama to indicate that their desire lies sleeping in their hearts, and no one except Krsna can awaken that desire.

“With the sound of the flute you have entered our hearts through the ears, and there you have awakened our sleeping desire, and by sprinkling on it ghee and honey in the form of your bold glances, and fanning it with the air from your flute playing, it has burst into flame. And you have made this fire burn our life air situated there. If you fear the sin of arson then extinguish this fire. Both inciting the fire and extinguishing it do not take any exertion on your part because with a mere bold glance you can excite the fire and with the touch of your lips you can extinguish it. Both these things reside in your moon-like face. We have seen many times the play of this wicked prince, lighting and extinguishing fires. It is not just today that we see you absorbed in arson.”

“ If I have enflamed the young women with my natural bold glance and flute, how will I be able to cure so many persons?”

“True, you will not be able to do so. You will be responsible for thousands of deaths of others wives. The price for your stubbornness will be the pain of repentance. If you do not extinguish the fire of separation, then with bodies burned by the fire of separation we will meditate like yogis and attain your feet.

”We have understood that because of not performing any pious acts in previous life, we have not been accepted by you. But we will not burn ourselves in normal fire as a means of doing austerity. The fire of desire and separation are already there in our hearts. And of the two the fire of separation has smothered the fire of desire sleeping there. Therefore we have decided to offer our life airs into the fire of separation. Oh fire of separation from Krsna! We now throw our life airs into you with the aspiration of attaining the touch of Krsna’s lotus feet. Without others noticing, place our bodies on the path in such a way that his feet will fall upon our breasts instead of the ground (padayoh padavim pathway for his feet). With the touch of his lotus feet, the fire of desire in our hearts will be relieved. Thus our desire will be fulfilled. O friend, and though you do not desire it, you will get relief from you sin of killing women, as we will be satisfied by touch of your feet on our breasts. Though you are supposed to be a friend, you have given up such pain, but why should we give pain to you? We still regard you as friend. But your pain will multiple a million fold and give us pain. That we know. What shall we do? We have been fated by the creator in this way. Therefore, one who sees without limit, o ocean of mercy, why are you sowing the seed of your own pain of repentance? And why are you making us share of those results? Give up your stubbornness and accept us.” In this way there are many inferences from this verse.

“Then you can go home and each of your husbands can extinguish your fire of desire with the touch of his lips.”

“O lotus eyed lord, from the moment we saw your eyes, we have become like bees residing there. Rasa sastra says ‘First attraction takes place by the eyes, then by meeting of heart, then by determined action.” Seeing your eyes has invoked our initial desire. In the groves of Govardhana our breasts touched your feet, which are desired even by Laksmi residing in Vaikuntha, dearmost of Narayana, . (This can be understood from the statements of the wives of Kaliya and the words of Garga.) Then is it so surprising that we cowherd women would not be attracted to them?”

“But how can something desired by Laksmi be also suitable for you?”

“Because he is dear to those born in cowherd families. From the time of our breasts touching the feet of he who is dear to the cowherd families, we have not been able to stand in the presence of our husbands. When we see them we feel repulsion. Not only did we touch our breasts to his feet, but we were enjoyed in all ways by him (abhi ramita). Having been blessed with the highest limits of enjoyment, you cannot throw us somewhere else. We fall at your feet.” In this way they express their misery.

“He has accepted us as lovers, but we aspire to serve his feet.” This is stated with an example.

“As Laksmi desires the dust from the lotus feet of Narayana, we surrender unto your lotus feet, as you are similar to Narayana. As according to Garga’s words, you are similar to Narayana, so we must be similar to Laksmi. Though Laksmi devi attained the topmost place, on your chest, she desires the position of her cowife Tulasi, at the lotus feet of Krsna, served by crowds of male attendants. Giving up the embarrassment natural to a lover, accepting herself as insignificant, she desires this position. Just as Laksmi desires to give up her position as the dear most, and become the menial servant, we also desire in this way. Giving up all embarrassment, we desire to serve your feet, massaging them, along with your servants Raktaka and Patraka. We desire to take the position of the insignificant, like the Pulindas of Vrndavana who rub the blades of grass tinged with kumkuma on their foreheads. Narayana, satisfied with Laksmi, gave her an eternal place on his chest. But you, the jewel of rasa, do not give us for even a moment a place at your feet. This is our unfortunate fate! If you desire fame, if you want to be known as similar to Narayana, you should hold us to your chest.” This suggestion of deep love is also hinted here.

“Just as Laksmi is fickle, so you also accept fickle dharma and move from house to house of pious men.”

Fearing this statement, the gopis say, “Is Laksmi fickle like a fool? She has the most steady heart. Brahma and others who are like sons, attempt to gain her affectionate glance of mercy. She however does not glance upon them, but her sakti delivers to them all desired wealth.”

“Giving up your families we desire to be your servants like the devotees of Narayana. As you are similar to Narayana, you should be pleased with us.”

“But you have some karma which gives suffering, the opposite of my mercy. Therefore how can you receive my mercy. Is Narayana satisfied with everyone?”

“O one who destroys suffering (vrjinardana), take away our suffering. It is well known in the scriptures that Narayana must take away the suffering of those who take shelter of him. We are taking shelter of your feet, without any other desire, giving up our houses.”

“O yes, you have given up the happiness of family life, but certainly you have expectation of getting some bliss from me. I can understand that.”

“Our aspiration is simply to worship you (tvad upasanasa), not to get happiness through worshipping you. In worship we hope to please you. But there is no fault if by seeing your face we get some sudden happiness. The fault would be in your face.”

“If you don’t have any fault, then are you not improperly requesting me to extinguish the fire of your desire?”

“This is not improper, it is the truth. You are the cause of the fire blazing. Our souls burn with intense desire, generated from your beautiful glance. To remove that fault, you simply give us the position of servants, not as wives.”

Vallabhacarya comments on this is as follows. They pray for the position of servants, not wives because that position does not require Krsna to have upanayana samskara.

“Whether we are umarried or unmarried does not matter, for both types can be your servants.”

Sanatana Goswami says in his commentary that service to the husband in married life does not give as much happiness as service as a paramour lover. That is also well known from Bhagavatamrta. Therefore being servant is more desirable. Therefore in this verse they pray, “Let us be servants.”

“Because there is a great ocean of desire, the worship of you, the playboy, should be by our own limbs. That will bring you satisfaction. Our prayer to extinguish the fire of desire is a prayer to worship you. And our fire of desire is the chief instrument of that worship.” Therefore they address Krsna suitably as ornament in the form of a man. “You are the sapphire ornament on our golden bodies.”

“You are saying that you will be my servants. Why are you giving yourselves as servants, without my paying any price?”

“You have already purchased us at the beginning of youth with the precious cintamani jewel of your smiling glance, more valuable than anything we had seen or heard about, millions of times more than we are worth. You brought us to your grove, and showing the beauty of your limbs, like the city of Kuvera, Alaka, with sapphire temples, the object of enjoyment of laksmi (chest), with pillar of jewels (arms), cintamani floors (face), and two gold makaras (earrings), and the jewels nilanidhi and padmanidhi (eyes), and made us eat every day the nectar rare to the devatas.

“When you bind your gold turban on your head, your girl servants place the hair back with a comb and with your hands you tuck in the curls under the turban. The curls of hair become visible only on the left and right sides of the forehead, not covering the face .We look about that face. When you tie up your topknot, the locks are visible on the top of the forehead and the sides. We look upon that face. We look upon that face covered with locks of hair while applying oil or during the last stages of enjoying together. Seeing this face, relished by our eyes, filled with that sweetness, we will become servants. What kind of face is this? This face displays various types of beauty (sri) because sometimes the earrings are completely visible, sometimes they are partially visible and sometimes completely covered by locks of hair, sometimes the earrings are stationary, sometimes slightly moving, and sometimes completely agitated. Your face displays sweet cheeks when you open your lips and smile or laugh. You face has sweet lips. The gopis’ eyes like cakora birds, having climbed upon your cheeks, from there drink the nectar of your lips; and at other private times and places those lips place themselves on the gopis’ cheeks. And at other times the gopis lips are placed upon his cheeks. (or the face whose sweet cheeks and lips give beauty to his earrings). His face is filled with smiling glances. These glances please or make blossom the gopis and the lotuses.”

“But your husbands, being intolerant of this situation, will threaten both yourselves and me with fears of Kamsa.”

“Your arms are the strongest, destroying all fear, as they destroyed the pride of Indra by lifting Govardhana.” In this way srngara rasa is nourished by a hint of virya rasa.

“You belong to others. As I follow the path of dharma, I cannot accept the wives of others as my servants.” Pointing his index finger at himself he asked, “Can you understand who I am?”

The gopis said, “Yes certainly we can, you are the jewel of religious principles. You cannot make the wives of the cowherd men your servants. But you can forcibly take Laksmi away from Vaikuntha and walk around with Laksmi on your chest. (sriyaika ramanam) Laksmi, out of modesty, has taken the form of a golden line and sports prominently on your chest.”

The suggestion is : “We know for certain that at this time, when you are this age, you do not reject any beautiful woman, belonging to anyone, in the fourteen worlds, or outside the universe in Mahavaikuntha..”

“When you decide to give up the path of dharma, then you also give a bad name to those who are chaste, even to Laksmi herself, if we consider the reasoning that the bad conduct of one person gives a bad name to others. Seeing this splendid golden line on my chest you criticize laksmi, the most chaste of women. Why are you committing offense to Laksmi devi? “

“We are not blaming Laksmi devi at all, but the fault is in the work of the creator. He has made you in order to destroy dharma in the three worlds.” Thus they speak with anger.

“O Krsna, women are bewildered by the song from your flute, which is like nectar.” Another version of this verse reads kala padayata murcchitena which means “bewildered by the extended improvised phrases of your flute melody.”

“This is not a fault of the women, but of you playing on the flute. All women are made to fall from their vow of chastity. By the flute you make all women give up dharma. Not only do you have the bad quality of destroying dharma but your form bewilders all the people, in both spiritual and material worlds in all three parts-upper, lower and middle, and destroys their dharma. This is no ones fault except yours. The natural lust of women cannot be not said to be the cause of their bewilderment, because all moving and non moving entities are also bewitched by your form and song.”

“Therefore o king, what more can be said about this. In the chapter on the song of the flute it is said that Brahma, Indra and Siva also are bewildered by the flute. Even the most knowledgeable of men are astonished by his flute. Similarly they are most astonished by his form (visvapanam svasya…). This should be understood from Sukadeva saying “O king anga!”

“Enough of this show of cleverness. Give up hiding your true feelings. This statement is made directly without hidden intentions (vyaktam). You removed fear from the forest fire, and the pain from the rain storms. You appeared in the house of Nanda from the womb of Yasoda (abhi jata), just as Narayana took birth from the womb of Aditi (devo yatha). All people know this. But if millions of gopis die today, there will be no end to the grief of their mothers and fathers, and increased fear because in one day they all died in the forest.”

“Then what do you want?”

“Therefore, o friend of the suffering, place your lotus hands on our burning breasts.”

“But then my tender hands will get burned.”

“Though the breasts of your servants have been burned, these instruments of service will not burn your hands as the sun does not cause pain to the lotus. Rather they will give your hands pleasure. Place your hands on our heads and bless us so that we will have no fear of rejection by you.”

Having heard the words expressing their dejection, and having his own desires fulfilled, smiling, he said, “O women, every day when we meet, you show obstinacy. Just today I have hidden my feelings and shown obstinacy, though internally I am always soft. Becoming disturbed like this, you have thrown away your modesty, and therefore I smile. Turning an ocean into a drop of water, I have now conquered your obstinacy. You think yourselves so intelligent. But you have been defeated by me. You have come to me of your own will, without the obstacles of modesty or control, becoming a golden jewelled garland around my neck, and drinking with your own sweet lips. I have been suffering for a long time from a great thirst.”

Amused in this way, he then enjoyed with affection suitable to the auspicious occasion (sadayam), though he is self satisfied (atmarama).

How astonishing is the love of the gopis! In such verses as atma ramas ca munaya and ittham bhuta guno hari, the Lord’s great qualities are glorified. In this verse the greatness of the gopis’ prema is glorified. Because the gopis are the hladini sakti arising directly from the Lord, they are also the atma of Krsna. Therefore it was possible for him to sport with them.

“My dear Uddhava, neither Lord Brahmā, Lord Siva, Lord Sankarasa, the goddess of fortune nor indeed My own self are as dear to Me as you are..” sb11.14.15

“O best of the brahmanas, without saintly persons for whom I am the only destination, I do not desire to enjoy My transcendental bliss and My supreme opulences.” Sb 9.4.64

From these statements it can be understood that the Lord has greater tendency to give bliss to his devotee than to himself. Krsna also knew this. Because the gopis are the supreme devotees, he then desired to enjoy with them with the aim of greater enjoyment, though he is self satisifed.

“From the krama dipika it is understood that the gopis numbered in the millions. How was it poassible for Krsna to enjoy with them all at once in one day?”

Saubari and other are yogis. Rudra and others are yogesvara. Thus the yogis like Saubari can enjoy by expanding their bodies into many. But Krsna is yogesvaresvara. He can enjoy without having to do that. Narada was astonished at Krsna in Dvaraka because he performed pastimes in each of the thousands of queens’ rooms in one body.

43.Krsna is called udara cestitah, one with magnanimous activities. By his pastimes he generously gave conjugal pleasure to the gopis, and to the bhava bhaktas he generously gives prema through the processes of chanting and hearing. He is called acyuta without failure, because without failure he was able to give pleasure to each of the gopis. His teeth, white like the jasmine flower, were revealed when he smiled widely (udara). Udara can also mean his smiles were generous, giving happiness to the gopis.

Radha, Candravali and other gopis began to sing (upagiyamana), in an especially pleasing way (upa) with raga, svara (melody) and tala (beat). They sang in “tin tala” this song: “May your lotus face, residence of sweetness, your movements which defeat the gait of the best elephants, and your sweet smiles which are desired by all women, protect me always.” Radha and Candravali and others were the protectors of thousands of groups of women. When these chief women sang, Krsna also began to sing loudly. Sometimes instead of singing alone, they would sing responsively. “O beautiful women, your faces are the residence of sweetness, the abode of glances, expressions of conjugal desire, which heighten your beauty.” The gopis would sing, “O beloved! You hold some imperfection in your moonlike face, like the image of the deer in the moon.” “Though you are dvija, like a fool it seems you have drunk poison.”

The vaijantai mala refers to a garland made from five different colored flowers.

He began to enjoy with the gopis on the sandy bank of the river, in the wind which got pleasure from the waves of the river by its coolness and gentle flowing, and which carried the fragrances of lotuses which started to bloom even at night. Instead of the word reme, justam is sometimes seen in this verse. In case justam is used in this verse, then this verse is connected to the next verse, where the main verb would be ramanam cakara. In the case of using justam, this verse would mean “Entering the sandy bank of the river with the gopis, served by the winds filled with lotus fragrance and causing joy to the waves.” Instead of kumuda amoda sometimes the phrase tarala ananda (giving joy to the waves) is seen.

The gopis usually had their arms crossed over their chests. He opened them up and made them embrace him. He touched (alabhanam) their hands, hair, thighs, breasts and belts. Playful he scratched them with his nails. He incited their and his desire (ratipatim) with his glances and smiles. With each gopi he began to enjoy individually. How was it possible for Krsna to enjoy with millions of young women on the limited bank of the river without suitable beds, without covering? Like the Lord himself, Vrndavana is endowed with great powers. The dimension of a sesame seed expanded unlimitedly. The groves had coverings. There were beds made of fragrant flowers with sandalwood, garlands and tambula. These were all revealed by the inconceivable power of Yogamaya, and were covered again at the end of the pastimes. In this way all is adjusted.

It must be said, that the enjoyment of meeting is not perfected without separation., Bharata muni says that when a cloth is soiled its color becomes more outstanding. Thus a show of separation manifested by the lila sakti of the Lord to nourish rasa. Receiving from the best among all men (mahatmanah), from the Lord, from Krsna, such respect and worship, each gopi thought herself the best among all women on earth. They each became proud, thinking, “ I am most fortunate.”

Because of Krsna’s equal enjoyment with all the gopis, there arose within the chief of the gopis, the daughter of Vrsabhanu a haughty feeling with anger in her eyes. As well within all the lesser ranking gopis there arose a feeling of pride in their good fortune. When this different mood arose, Krsna solved the problem as explained in this verse. Tasam which generally means “of them,” can also be divided into ta and sa, indicating “them, of the women of Vraja” and “she, of Radha”. Thus the phrase should read “seeing the pride (saubhaga madam) of the women of Vraja and the anger (manam) of Radha.” Another reading is tam saubhaga madam instead of tat saubhaga madam. In order to nullify the pride of the women and to give mercy to the angery Radha, Kesava disappeared. Kesava can be analysed as ka, isa and vayate. Ka means brahma, isa means Siva. Vayate means praise. Kesava thus means “one whom Brahma and Siva praise.” For Kesava, who even Brahma and Siva praise, what effort is necessary to curb the pride of the gopis? Kesava also suggests kesan vayate , one who cleans the hair, Krsna who is expert at dressing Radha’s hair. Antaradiyata (a passive form) is an archaic usage meaning the same as antardadhat. From later verses it can be understood that Krsna disappeared taking Radha forceably with him. He did not go elsewhere, but remained there, invisible to the other gopis. The moment Krsna had that desire, it was accomplished by Yogamaya.