CHAPTER THIRTY
The Gopīs Search for Kṛṣṇa
This chapter describes how the gopīs, tormented through the long night by separation from Kṛṣṇa, wandered like madwomen from forest to forest in search of Him.
When Śrī Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared from the arena of the rāsa dance, the gopīs, their minds fully absorbed in thoughts of Him, began looking for Him in the various forests. From all the moving and nonmoving creatures they asked for news of Kṛṣṇa’s whereabouts. Finally they became so distraught that they began imitating His pastimes.
Later, while wandering in a corner of the forest, the gopīs saw Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s footprints, which appeared mixed with Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s. Seeing these footprints perturbed them greatly, and they declared that surely Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī must have worshiped Kṛṣṇa with unusual excellence, since She had been privileged to associate with Him in seclusion. Further along the path the gopīs came to a place where they could no longer see Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s footprints; they then concluded that Kṛṣṇa must have taken Rādhārāṇī onto His shoulders. In another place they noticed that Kṛṣṇa’s footprints were showing only the toes, and thus the gopīs concluded He had been picking flowers with which to decorate His beloved. In yet another spot the gopīs saw signs that led them to imagine that Śrī Kṛṣṇa had been tying the locks of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s hair. All these thoughts brought pain to the gopīs’ minds.
Because of the special attention She received from Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Rādhā began to consider Herself the most fortunate of women. She told Him that She could walk no further and that He would have to carry Her on His shoulders. But just then Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared from Her sight. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, extremely troubled, then began looking everywhere for Him, and when She finally met Her gopī girlfriends She related to them what had happened. All the gopīs then went out to look for Kṛṣṇa in the forest, going as far as the moonlight reached. But in the end they were unsuccessful, so they went back to the shore of the Yamunā and simply sang Kṛṣṇa’s glories in utter helplessness.
Devanagari
अन्तर्हिते भगवति सहसैव व्रजाङ्गना: ।
अतप्यंस्तमचक्षाणा: करिण्य इव यूथपम् ॥ १ ॥
Text
antarhite bhagavati
sahasaiva vrajāṅganāḥ
atapyaṁs tam acakṣāṇāḥ
kariṇya iva yūthapam
Synonyms
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; antarhite — when He disappeared; bhagavati — the Supreme Personality of Godhead; sahasā eva — quite suddenly; vraja-aṅganāḥ — the young ladies of Vraja; atapyan — felt great remorse; tam — Him; acakṣāṇāḥ — not seeing; kariṇyaḥ — female elephants; iva — just as; yūthapam — their male leader.
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Lord Kṛṣṇa disappeared so suddenly, the gopīs felt great sorrow at losing sight of Him, like a group of female elephants who have lost their mate.
Devanagari
र्मनोरमालापविहारविभ्रमै: ।
आक्षिप्तचित्ता: प्रमदा रमापते-
स्तास्ता विचेष्टा जगृहुस्तदात्मिका: ॥ २ ॥
Text
mano-ramālāpa-vihāra-vibhramaiḥ
ākṣipta-cittāḥ pramadā ramā-pates
tās tā viceṣṭā jagṛhus tad-ātmikāḥ
Synonyms
gatyā — by His movements; anurāga — affectionate; smita — smiles; vibhrama — playful; īkṣitaiḥ — and glances; manaḥ-rama — charming; āIāpa — by His talking; vihāra — playing; vibhramaiḥ — and other allurements; ākṣipta — overwhelmed; cittāḥ — whose hearts; pramadāḥ — the girls; ramā-pateḥ — of the husband of Ramā, the goddess of fortune, or of the master of beauty and opulence; tāḥ tāḥ — each of those; viceṣṭāḥ — wonderful activities; jagṛhuḥ — they enacted; tat-ātmikāḥ — absorbed in Him.
Translation
As the cowherd women remembered Lord Kṛṣṇa, their hearts were overwhelmed by His movements and loving smiles, His playful glances and enchanting talks, and by the many other pastimes He would enjoy with them. Thus absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, the Lord of Ramā, the gopīs began acting out His various transcendental pastimes.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes the following charming exchange between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs:
“Kṛṣṇa said to a gopī, ‘My dear land lily, are you going to offer your honey to this very thirsty honeybee or not?’
“The gopī replied, ‘My dear bee, the husband of the lilies is the sun, not the bee, so why are You claiming that my honey belongs to You?’
“But My dear lily, the very nature of you lilies is that you don’t give your honey to your husband, the sun, but rather to your paramour, the bee.’ The gopī, defeated by the words of Kṛṣṇa, laughed and then gave Him her lips as honey to drink.”
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī also describes the following conversation:
“Kṛṣṇa said to a gopī, ‘Ah, I can understand that as you approached this nīpa tree standing here, you were bitten by an audacious snake. Its venom has already reached your chest, but since you are a respectable maiden you haven’t asked Me to cure you. Still I’ve come, being merciful by nature. Now, while I massage your body with My hands, I’ll chant a mantra to counteract the serpent’s poison.’
“The gopī said, ‘But, my dear snake charmer, no snake has bitten me. Go massage the body of some girl who actually has suffered a snakebite.’
“‘Come now, My dear respectable girl, from your trembling voice I can tell that you are experiencing a feverish reaction to poisoning. Knowing this, if I don’t take care of you I’ll be guilty of killing an innocent woman. So let Me treat you.’
“With this, Kṛṣṇa applied His fingernails to the gopī’s chest.”
Devanagari
प्रिया: प्रियस्य प्रतिरूढमूर्तय: ।
असावहं त्वित्यबलास्तदात्मिका
न्यवेदिषु: कृष्णविहारविभ्रमा: ॥ ३ ॥
Text
priyāḥ priyasya pratirūḍha-mūrtayaḥ
asāv ahaṁ tv ity abalās tad-ātmikā
nyavediṣuḥ kṛṣṇa-vihāra-vibhramāḥ
Synonyms
gati — in His movements; smita — smiling; prekṣaṇa — beholding; bhāṣaṇā — talking; ādiṣu — and so on; priyāḥ — the dear gopīs; priyasya — of their beloved; pratirūḍha — fully absorbed; mūrtayaḥ — their bodies; asau — He; aham — I; tu — actually; iti — speaking thus; abalāḥ — the women; tat-ātmikāḥ — identifying with Him; nyavediṣuḥ — they announced; kṛṣṇa-vihāra — caused by the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa; vibhramāḥ — whose intoxication.
Translation
Because the beloved gopīs were absorbed in thoughts of their beloved Kṛṣṇa, their bodies imitated His way of moving and smiling, His way of beholding them, His speech and His other distinctive features. Deeply immersed in thinking of Him and maddened by remembering His pastimes, they declared to one another, “I am Kṛṣṇa!”
Purport
Spontaneously, the gopīs began moving like Kṛṣṇa: they smiled as He would smile, glanced boldly as He would and spoke as He would. The gopīs were completely absorbed in the existence of Kṛṣṇa and mad with love at their sudden separation from Him, and thus their dedication to Him attained absolute perfection.
Devanagari
विचिक्युरुन्मत्तकवद् वनाद् वनम् ।
पप्रच्छुराकाशवदन्तरं बहि-
र्भूतेषु सन्तं पुरुषं वनस्पतीन् ॥ ४ ॥
Text
vicikyur unmattaka-vad vanād vanam
papracchur ākāśa-vad antaraṁ bahir
bhūteṣu santaṁ puruṣaṁ vanaspatīn
Synonyms
gāyantyaḥ — singing; uccaiḥ — loudly; amum — about Him; eva — indeed; saṁhatāḥ — together in a group; vicikyuḥ — they searched; unmattaka-vat — like madwomen; vanāt vanam — from one area of the forest to another; papracchuḥ — they inquired; ākāśa-vat — like the sky; antaram — internally; bahiḥ — and externally; bhūteṣu — in all created beings; santam — present; puruṣam — the Supreme Person; vanaspatīn — from the trees.
Translation
Singing loudly of Kṛṣṇa, they searched for Him throughout the Vṛndāvana forest like a band of madwomen. They even asked the trees about Him, who as the Supersoul is present inside and outside of all created things, just like the sky.
Purport
Lost in the madness of love for Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs inquired about Him from even the trees in Vṛndāvana. Of course, there is no actual separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, since He is the all-pervading Supersoul.
Devanagari
नन्दसूनुर्गतो हृत्वा प्रेमहासावलोकनै: ॥ ५ ॥
Text
plakṣa nyagrodha no manaḥ
nanda-sūnur gato hṛtvā
prema-hāsāvalokanaiḥ
Synonyms
dṛṣṭaḥ — has been seen; vaḥ — by you; kaccit — whether; aśvattha — O aśvattha (holy fig tree); plakṣa — O plakṣa (waved-leaf fig tree); nyagrodha — O nyagrodha (banyan tree); naḥ — our; manaḥ — minds; nanda — of Mahārāja Nanda; sūnuḥ — the son; gataḥ — has gone away; hṛtvā — after stealing; prema — loving; hāsa — with His smiles; avalokanaiḥ — and glances.
Translation
[The gopīs said:] O aśvattha tree, O plakṣa, O nyagrodha, have you seen Kṛṣṇa? That son of Nanda Mahārāja has gone away after stealing our minds with His loving smiles and glances.
Devanagari
रामानुजो मानिनीनामितो दर्पहरस्मित: ॥ ६ ॥
Text
nāga-punnāga-campakāḥ
rāmānujo māninīnām
ito darpa-hara-smitaḥ
Synonyms
kaccit — whether; kurabaka-aśoka-nāga-punnāga-campakāḥ — O kurabaka (red amaranth), aśoka, nāga, punnāga and campaka trees; rāma — of Balarāma; anujaḥ — the younger brother; māninīnām — of women, who are proud by nature; itaḥ — passing by here; darpa — the pride; hara — removing; smitaḥ — whose smile.
Translation
O kurabaka tree, O aśoka, O nāga, punnāga and campaka, has Balarāma’s younger brother, whose smile removes the audacity of all proud women, passed this way?
Purport
As soon as the gopīs saw that a particular tree would not answer them, they impatiently left it and rushed off to another to make further inquiries.
Devanagari
सह त्वालिकुलैर्बिभ्रद् दृष्टस्तेऽतिप्रियोऽच्युत: ॥ ७ ॥
Text
govinda-caraṇa-priye
saha tvāli-kulair bibhrad
dṛṣṭas te ’ti-priyo ’cyutaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
O most kind tulasī, to whom the feet of Govinda are so dear, have you seen that infallible one walk by, wearing you and encircled by swarms of bees?
Purport
The ācāryas explain here that the word caraṇa is a term of respect, as in the expression evaṁ vadanty ācārya-caraṇāḥ. The bees humming around the garland worn by Śrī Govinda were attracted by the fragrance of the tulasī mañjarīs offered to Him. The gopīs felt that the trees had not replied because they were male, but that tulasī, being female, would sympathize with their plight.
Devanagari
प्रीतिं वो जनयन् यात: करस्पर्शेन माधव: ॥ ८ ॥
Text
mallike jāti-yūthike
prītiṁ vo janayan yātaḥ
kara-sparśena mādhavaḥ
Synonyms
mālati — O mālatī plant (a kind of white jasmine); adarśi — has been seen; vaḥ — by you; kaccit — whether; mallike — O mallikā (a different kind of jasmine); jāti — O jāti (another kind of white jasmine); yūthike — O yūthikā (yet another jasmine); prītim — pleasure; vaḥ — for you; janayan — generating; yātaḥ — has gone by; kara — of His hand; sparśena — by the touch; mādhavaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the embodiment of the spring season.
Translation
O mālati, O mallikā, O jāti and yūthikā, has Mādhava gone by here, giving you pleasure with the touch of His hand?
Purport
When even tulasī herself did not answer the gopīs, they approached the fragrant jasmine flowers. The gopīs, seeing the jasmine vines humbly bowing down, assumed that these plants must have seen Lord Kṛṣṇa and were therefore showing humility in their ecstasy.
Devanagari
जम्ब्वर्कबिल्वबकुलाम्रकदम्बनीपा: ।
येऽन्ये परार्थभवका यमुनोपकूला:
शंसन्तु कृष्णपदवीं रहितात्मनां न: ॥ ९ ॥
Text
jambv-arka-bilva-bakulāmra-kadamba-nīpāḥ
ye ’nye parārtha-bhavakā yamunopakūlāḥ
śaṁsantu kṛṣṇa-padavīṁ rahitātmanāṁ naḥ
Synonyms
cūta — O mango creeper; priyāla — O priyāla tree (a kind of śāla tree); panasa — O jackfruit tree; āsana — O āsana tree (a yellow śāla); kovidāra — O kovidāra tree; jambu — O rose-apple tree; arka — O arka plant; bilva — O bel–fruit tree; bakula — O mimosa tree; āmra — O mango tree; kadamba — O kadamba tree; nīpāḥ — O nīpa (a smaller kind of kadamba); ye — who; anye — others; para — of others; artha — for the sake; bhavakāḥ — whose existence; yamunā-upakūlāḥ — living near the bank of the river Yamunā; śaṁsantu — kindly tell; kṛṣṇa-padavīm — the path Kṛṣṇa has taken; rahita — who have been deprived; ātmanām — of our minds; naḥ — to us.
Translation
O cūta, O priyāla, O panasa, āsana and kovidāra, O jambu, O arka, O bilva, bakula and āmra, O kadamba and nīpa and all you other plants and trees living by the banks of the Yamunā who have dedicated your very existence to the welfare of others, we gopīs have lost our minds, so please tell us where Kṛṣṇa has gone.
Purport
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, the cūta is a mango creeper, whereas the āmra is a mango tree. He goes on to explain that the nīpa, though not a very prominent tree, bears large flowers, and that the gopīs’ desperation to find Kṛṣṇa is clearly shown by the fact that they approached the insignificant arka plant.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī gives the following information about Vṛndāvana’s trees: “The nīpa is ‘the dust kadamba,’ and it has large flowers. The kadamba proper has smaller flowers and a very pleasant fragrance. The kovidāra is a particular kind of kañcanāra [mountain ebony tree]. Even though the arka plant is very insignificant, it always grows near Lord Gopīśvara [the Śiva deity in Vṛndāvana forest] because it is dear to him.”
Devanagari
स्पर्शोत्सवोत्पुलकिताङ्गरुहैर्विभासि ।
अप्यङ्घ्रिसम्भव उरुक्रमविक्रमाद् वा
आहो वराहवपुष: परिरम्भणेन ॥ १० ॥
Text
sparśotsavotpulakitāṅga-nahair vibhāsi
apy aṅghri-sambhava urukrama-vikramād vā
āho varāha-vapuṣaḥ parirambhaṇena
Synonyms
kim — what; te — by you; kṛtam — performed; kṣiti — O earth; tapaḥ — austerity; bata — indeed; keśava — of Lord Kṛṣṇa; aṅghri — by the feet; sparśa — on account of being touched; utsava — due to the joyful experience; utpulakita — standing on end in jubilation; aṅga-ruhaiḥ — with your bodily hairs (the grass and growing plants on your surface); vibhāsi — you appear beautiful; api — perhaps; aṅghri — by the feet (of Kṛṣṇa present now on your surface); sambhavaḥ — generated; urukrama — of Lord Vāmanadeva, Lord Kṛṣṇa’s dwarf incarnation, who covered the entire universe in three mighty steps; vikramāt — because of the stepping; vā — or; āha u — or else perhaps; varāha — of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation as a boar; vapuṣaḥ — by the body; parirambhaṇena — because of the embrace.
Translation
O mother earth, what austerity did you perform to attain the touch of Lord Keśava’s lotus feet, which has brought you such great joy that your bodily hairs are standing on end? You appear very beautiful in this condition. Was it during the Lord’s current appearance that you acquired this ecstatic symptom, or was it perhaps much earlier, when He stepped upon you in His form of the dwarf Vāmanadeva, or even earlier, when He embraced you in His form of the boar Varāhadeva?
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains the thoughts of the gopīs as follows: “‘Perhaps the trees and plants [mentioned in the previous verses] did not hear our question because they were in trance, meditating on Lord Viṣṇu. Or perhaps, since they will not tell us where Kṛṣṇa has gone, they are hardhearted even though they live in a holy place. Anyway, what is the use of unnecessarily criticizing the residents of a holy place? We cannot tell if they really know where Kṛṣṇa has gone. So let us find someone who definitely knows where He is.’ Thus the gopīs concluded that since Lord Kṛṣṇa had to be somewhere on the earth, the earth herself must know His whereabouts.
“Then the gopīs thought, ‘Since Kṛṣṇa always walks on the earth, she is never separated from Him and thus cannot understand how much His parents, girlfriends and servants suffer in His absence. Let us ask her what austerities she has performed to gain the great fortune of being constantly touched by the feet of Lord Keśava.’”
Devanagari
स्तन्वन् दृशां सखि सुनिर्वृतिमच्युतो व: ।
कान्ताङ्गसङ्गकुचकुङ्कुमरञ्जिताया:
कुन्दस्रज: कुलपतेरिह वाति गन्ध: ॥ ११ ॥
Text
tanvan dṛśāṁ sakhi su-nirvṛtim acyuto vaḥ
kāntāṅga-saṅga-kuca-kuṅkuma-rañjitāyāḥ
kunda-srajaḥ kula-pater iha vāti gandhaḥ
Synonyms
api — whether; eṇa — of the deer; patni — O wife; upagataḥ — has been encountered; priyayā — together with His beloved; iha — here; gātraiḥ — by His bodily limbs; tanvan — producing; dṛśām — of the eyes; sakhi — O friend; su-nirvṛtim — great pleasure; acyutaḥ — the infallible Lord Kṛṣṇa; vaḥ — your; kāntā — of His girlfriend; aṅga-saṅga — because of the physical contact; kuca — on the breast; kuṅkuma — by the vermilion powder; rañjitāyāḥ — colored; kunda — of jasmine flowers; srajaḥ — of the garland; kula — of the group (of gopīs); pateḥ — of the master; iha — around here; vāti — is blowing; gandhaḥ — the fragrance.
Translation
O friend, wife of the deer, has Lord Acyuta been here with His beloved, bringing great joy to your eyes? Indeed, blowing this way is the fragrance of His garland of kunda flowers, which was smeared with the kuṅkuma from the breasts of His girlfriend when He embraced Her.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī provides the following charming commentary on this verse:
“The gopīs spoke to a doe, ‘O friend, wife of the deer, from the bliss in your clear eyes we can tell that Śrī Kṛṣṇa has expanded your joy with the beauty of His limbs, His face and so forth. You are eager to realize the ecstasy of seeing Kṛṣṇa, and thus your eyes are following Him. In fact, He is never lost to you.’
“Then the gopīs, seeing the doe continue to walk in her natural way, exclaimed, ‘Oh, are you telling us that you have seen Kṛṣṇa? Look! As this deer walks she constantly turns her head back to us, as if to say, “I will show Him to you; just follow me and I will show you Kṛṣṇa.” In this merciless Vṛndāvana, she is the only merciful person.’
“As the gopīs follow the doe they happen to lose sight of her, and they cry out, ‘Oh, why can’t we see the deer who is showing us the way to Kṛṣṇa?’
“One gopī suggests that Kṛṣṇa must be somewhere in the vicinity and that the deer, being afraid of Him, must have hidden herself to avoid the possible mistake of revealing His presence. Conjecturing in this way, the gopīs detect a fragrance that has by chance blown their way, and they repeatedly declare with great joy, ‘Yes! Yes! This is it! By Kṛṣṇa’s physical contact with His girlfriend, His jasmine garland was smeared with the kuṅkuma powder on Her breasts, and the fragrances of all these things are reaching us.’ Thus the gopīs smelled the aroma of the two lovers’ bodies, of Kṛṣṇa’s jasmine garland, and of the cosmetic powder on the breasts of His lover.”
Devanagari
रामानुजस्तुलसिकालिकुलैर्मदान्धै: ।
अन्वीयमान इह वस्तरव: प्रणामं
किं वाभिनन्दति चरन् प्रणयावलोकै: ॥ १२ ॥
Text
rāmānujas tulasikāli-kulair madāndhaiḥ
anvīyamāna iha vas taravaḥ praṇāmaṁ
kiṁ vābhinandati caran praṇayāvalokaiḥ
Synonyms
bāhum — His arm; priyā — of His beloved; aṁse — on the shoulder; upadhāya — placing; gṛhīta — holding; padmaḥ — a lotus; rāma-anujaḥ — Kṛṣṇa, the younger brother of Balarāma; tulasikā — swarming around the tulasī mañjarīs (which are ornamenting His garland); ali-kulaiḥ — by the many bees; mada — with intoxication; andhaiḥ — who are blind; anvīyamānaḥ — being followed; iha — here; vaḥ — your; taravaḥ — O trees; praṇāmam — the bowing down; kim vā — whether; abhinandati — has acknowledged; caran — while walking by; praṇaya — imbued with love; avalokaiḥ — with His glances.
Translation
O trees, we see that you are bowing down. When the younger brother of Rāma walked by here, followed by intoxicated bees swarming around the tulasī mañjarīs decorating His garland, did He acknowledge your obeisances with His affectionate glances? He must have been resting His arm on the shoulder of His beloved and carrying a lotus flower in His free hand.
Purport
The gopīs saw that the trees, bent over with abundant fruits and flowers, were offering obeisances to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The gopīs supposed Kṛṣṇa must have recently passed that way, since the trees were still bowing down. Because Śrī Kṛṣṇa had left the gopīs to go with His favorite consort, they were jealous and thus imagined that He had become fatigued from His loving affairs and was resting His left arm on the soft shoulder of His beloved. The gopīs further imagined that Kṛṣṇa must have been carrying a blue lotus in His right hand to drive away the bees eagerly trying to attack His beloved’s face after smelling its aroma. The scene was so beautiful, the gopīs imagined, that the maddened bees had left the tulasī garden to follow the two lovers.
Devanagari
नूनं तत्करजस्पृष्टा बिभ्रत्युत्पुलकान्यहो ॥ १३ ॥
Text
apy āśliṣṭā vanaspateḥ
nūnaṁ tat-karaja-spṛṣṭā
bibhraty utpulakāny aho
Synonyms
pṛcchata — just ask; imāḥ — from these; latāḥ — creepers; bāhūn — the arms (branches); api — even though; āśliṣṭāḥ — embracing; vanaspateḥ — of the tree; nūnam — certainly; tat — of Him, Kṛṣṇa; kara-ja — by the fingernails; spṛṣṭāḥ — touched; bibhrati — they are bearing; utpulakāni — joyful eruptions on the skin; aho — just see.
Translation
Let us ask these creepers about Kṛṣṇa. Even though they are embracing the arms of their husband, this tree, they certainly must have been touched by Kṛṣṇa’s fingernails, since out of joy they are manifesting eruptions on their skin.
Purport
The gopīs reasoned that the creepers would not show signs of rapture merely by physical contact with their husband, a tree. Thus the gopīs concluded that although the creepers were embracing the strong limbs of their husband, they must have been touched by Lord Kṛṣṇa as He moved through the forest.
Devanagari
लीला भगवतस्तास्ता ह्यनुचक्रुस्तदात्मिका: ॥ १४ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇānveṣaṇa-kātarāḥ
līlā bhagavatas tās tā
hy anucakrus tad-ātmikāḥ
Synonyms
iti — thus; unmatta — maddened; vacaḥ — speaking words; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; kṛṣṇa-anveṣaṇa — by searching for Kṛṣṇa; kātarāḥ — distraught; līlāḥ — the transcendental pastimes; bhagavataḥ — of Him, the Supreme Personality of Godhead; tāḥ tāḥ — each of them; hi — indeed; anucakruḥ — they acted out; tat-ātmikāḥ — becoming absorbed in thought of Him.
Translation
Having spoken these words, the gopīs, distraught from searching for Kṛṣṇa, began to act out His various pastimes, fully absorbed in thoughts of Him.
Devanagari
तोकयित्वा रुदत्यन्या पदाहन् शकटायतीम् ॥ १५ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇāyanty apibat stanam
tokayitvā rudaty anyā
padāhan śakaṭāyatīm
Synonyms
kasyācit — of one of the gopīs; pūtanāyantyāḥ — who was acting like the witch Pūtanā; kṛṣṇāyantī — another, who was acting like Kṛṣṇa; apibat — drank; stanam — from the breast; tokayitvā — acting like an infant; rudatī — crying; anyā — another; padā — with her foot; ahan — struck; śakaṭā-yatīm — another, who was imitating a cart.
Translation
One gopī imitated Pūtanā, while another acted like infant Kṛṣṇa and pretended to suck her breast. Another gopī, crying in imitation of infant Kṛṣṇa, kicked a gopī who was taking the role of the cart demon, Śakaṭāsura.
Devanagari
रिङ्गयामास काप्यङ्घ्री कर्षन्ती घोषनि:स्वनै: ॥ १६ ॥
Text
eko kṛṣṇārbha-bhāvanām
riṅgayām āsa kāpy aṅghrī
karṣantī ghoṣa-niḥsvanaiḥ
Synonyms
daityāyitvā — imitating a demon (namely Tṛṇāvarta); jahāra — carried away; anyām — another gopī; ekā — one gopī; kṛṣṇa-arbha — of the infant Kṛṣṇa; bhāvanām — who was assuming the mood; riṅgayām āsa — crawled about; kā api — one of them; aṅghrī — her two feet; karṣantī — dragging; ghoṣa — of tinkling bells; niḥsvanaiḥ — with the sounding.
Translation
One gopī took the role of Tṛṇāvarta and carried away another, who was acting like infant Kṛṣṇa, while yet another gopī crawled about, her ankle bells tinkling as she pulled her feet.
Purport
The gopīs started imitating all of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, beginning from His earliest activities as a baby.
Devanagari
वत्सायतीं हन्ति चान्या तत्रैका तु बकायतीम् ॥ १७ ॥
Text
gopāyantyaś ca kāścana
vatsāyatīṁ hanti cānyā
tatraikā tu bakāyatīm
Synonyms
kṛṣṇa-rāmāyite — acting like Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Balarāma; dve — two gopīs; tu — and; gopāyantyaḥ — acting like Their cowherd boyfriends; ca — and; kāścana — some; vatsāyatīm — who was imitating the calf demon, Vatsāsura; hanti — killed; ca — and; anyā — another; tatra — there; ekā — one; tu — moreover; bakāyatīm — another, who was imitating the crane demon, Bakāsura.
Translation
Two gopīs acted like Rāma and Kṛṣṇa in the midst of several others, who took the role of cowherd boys. One gopī enacted Kṛṣṇa’s killing of the demon Vatsāsura, represented by another gopī, and a pair of gopīs acted out the killing of Bakāsura.
Devanagari
वेणुं क्वणन्तीं क्रीडन्तीमन्या: शंसन्ति साध्विति ॥ १८ ॥
Text
kṛṣṇas tam anuvartatīm
veṇuṁ kvaṇantīṁ krīḍantīm
anyāḥ śaṁsanti sādhv iti
Synonyms
Translation
When one gopī perfectly imitated how Kṛṣṇa would call the cows who had wandered far away, how He would play His flute and how He would engage in various sports, the others congratulated her with exclamations of “Well done! Well done!”
Devanagari
चलन्त्याहापरा ननु ।
कृष्णोऽहं पश्यत गतिं
ललितामिति तन्मना: ॥ १९ ॥
Text
calanty āhāparā nanu
kṛṣṇo ’haṁ paśyata gatiṁ
lalitām iti tan-manāḥ
Synonyms
kasyāñcit — of one of them; sva-bhujam — her arm; nyasya — placing (on the shoulder); calantī — walking about; āha — stated; aparā — another; nanu — indeed; kṛṣṇaḥ — Kṛṣṇa; aham — I am; paśyata — just see; gatim — my movements; lalitām — graceful; iti — with these words; tat — in Him; manāḥ — with her mind fully absorbed.
Translation
Another gopī, her mind fixed on Kṛṣṇa, walked about with her arm resting on the shoulder of a friend and declared, “I am Kṛṣṇa! Just see how gracefully I move!”
Devanagari
इत्युक्त्वैकेन हस्तेन यतन्त्युन्निदधेऽम्बरम् ॥ २० ॥
Text
tat-trāṇaṁ vihitaṁ maya
ity uktvaikena hastena
yatanty unnidadhe ’mbaram
Synonyms
mā bhaiṣṭa — don’t any of you fear; vāta — the wind; varṣābhyām — and rain; tat — from that; trāṇam — your deliverance; vihitam — has been arranged; mayā — by me; iti — thus; uktvā — speaking; ekena — with one; hastena — hand; yatantī — endeavoring; unnidadhe — she lifted; ambaram — her upper garment.
Translation
“Don’t be afraid of the wind and rain,” said one gopī. “I will save you.” And with that she lifted her shawl above her head.
Purport
Here a gopī enacts Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastime of lifting Govardhana Hill.
Devanagari
दुष्टाहे गच्छ जातोऽहं खलानां ननु दण्डकृत् ॥ २१ ॥
Text
śirasy āhāparāṁ nṛpa
duṣṭāhe gaccha jāto ’haṁ
khalānām nanu daṇḍa-kṛt
Synonyms
āruhya — rising up; ekā — one of the gopīs; padā — with her foot; ākramya — climbing above; śirasi — the head; āha — said; aparām — to another; nṛpa — O King (Parīkṣit); duṣṭa — wicked; ahe — O snake; gaccha — go away; jātaḥ — have taken birth; aham — I; khalānām — on those who are envious; nanu — indeed; daṇḍa — of punishment; kṛt — as the imposer.
Translation
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] O King, one gopī climbed on another’s shoulders and, putting her foot on the other’s head, said, “Go away from here, O wicked snake! You should know that I have taken birth in this world just to punish the envious.”
Purport
Here the gopīs enact Kṛṣṇa’s chastisement of Kāliya.
Devanagari
चक्षूंष्याश्वपिदध्वं वो विधास्ये क्षेममञ्जसा ॥ २२ ॥
Text
dāvāgniṁ paśyatolbaṇam
cakṣūṁṣy āśv apidadhvaṁ vo
vidhāsye kṣemam añjasā
Synonyms
Translation
Then another gopī spoke up: My dear cowherd boys, look at this raging forest fire! Quickly close your eyes and I will easily protect you.
Devanagari
बध्नामि भाण्डभेत्तारं हैयङ्गवमुषं त्विति ।
भीता सुदृक् पिधायास्यं भेजे भीतिविडम्बनम् ॥ २३ ॥
Text
tanvī tatra ulūkhale
badhnāmi bhāṇḍa-bhettāraṁ
haiyaṅgava-muṣaṁ tv iti
bhītā su-dṛk pidhāyāsyaṁ
bheje bhīti-viḍambanam
Synonyms
baddhā — tied up; anyayā — by another gopī; srajā — with a flower garland; kācit — one gopī; tanvī — slender; tatra — there; ulūkhale — to the grinding mortar; badhnāmi — I am binding; bhāṇḍa — of the storage pots; bhettāram — the breaker; haiyam-gava — of the butter saved from the previous day’s milk; muṣam — the stealer; tu — indeed; iti — thus speaking; bhītā — afraid; su-dṛk — with beautiful eyes; pidhāya — covering; āsyam — her face; bheje — assumed; bhīti — of fear; viḍambanam — the pretense.
Translation
One gopī tied up her slender companion with a flower garland and said, “Now I will bind this boy who has broken the butter pots and stolen the butter.” The second gopī then covered her face and beautiful eyes, pretending to be afraid.
Devanagari
व्यचक्षत वनोद्देशे पदानि परमात्मन: ॥ २४ ॥
Text
vrṇdāvana-latās tarūn
vyacakṣata vanoddeśe
padāni paramātmanaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
While the gopīs were thus imitating Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes and asking Vṛndāvana’s creepers and trees where Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Soul, might be, they happened to see His footprints in a corner of the forest.
Devanagari
लक्ष्यन्ते हि ध्वजाम्भोजवज्राङ्कुशयवादिभि: ॥ २५ ॥
Text
nanda-sūnor mahātmanaḥ
lakṣyante hi dhvajāmbhoja-
vajrāṅkuśa-yavādibhiḥ
Synonyms
Translation
[The gopīs said:] The marks of a flag, lotus, thunderbolt, elephant goad, barleycorn and so forth on these footprints clearly distinguish them as belonging to that great soul, the son of Nanda Mahārāja.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, in his commentary on this verse, gives the following scriptural information about the symbolic markings on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa:
“In the following verses the Skanda Purāṇa states the particular places on His feet where Kṛṣṇa carries the mark of the flag and also other marks, and the reasons for these marks:
mūle cakraṁ bibharty ajaḥ
tatra bhakta-janasyāri-
ṣaḍ-varga-cchedanāya saḥ
‘At the base of the large toe on His right foot, the unborn Lord carries the mark of a disc, which cuts down the six [mental] enemies of His devotees.’
dhatte kamalam acyutaḥ
dhyātṛ-citta-dvirephāṇāṁ
lobhanāyāti-śobhanām
‘At the bottom of the middle toe of that same foot Lord Acyuta has a lotus flower, which increases the greed for Him in the minds of the beelike devotees who meditate on His feet.’
bhakta-pāpādri-bhedanam
pārṣṇi-madhye ’ṅkuśaṁ bhakta
cittebha-vaśa-kāriṇam
‘At the base of His small toe is a thunderbolt, which smashes the mountains of His devotees’ reactions to past sins, and in the middle of His heel is the mark of an elephant goad, which brings the elephants of His devotees’ minds under control.’
yavam aṅguṣṭha-parvaṇi
‘The joint of His right large toe bears the mark of a barleycorn, representing all kinds of enjoyable opulences.’
“The Skanda Purāṇa also states:
aṅkuśo vai tad-agrataḥ
‘A thunderbolt is found on the right side of His right foot, and an elephant goad below that.’
“The ācāryas of the Vaiṣṇava sampradāya explain that since the particular feet under discussion are Lord Kṛṣṇa’s, we should know that the thunderbolt is at the base of His small toe and the elephant goad below the thunderbolt. An elephant goad on the heel belongs rather to Lord Nārāyaṇa and other viṣṇu-tattva expansions.
“Thus the Skanda Purāṇa describes six marks on Kṛṣṇa’s right foot — the disc, flag, lotus, thunderbolt, elephant goad and barleycorn. And the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī mentions even more marks — a vertical line beginning at the middle of His foot and continuing as far as the juncture between His big toe and second toe; an umbrella below the disc; at the base of the middle of His foot, a group of four svastikas in the four cardinal directions; at the four points where each svastika meets the next, four rose apples; and in the middle of the svastikas, an octagon. This makes eleven marks on Kṛṣṇa’s right foot.”
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī describes the marks on Kṛṣṇa’s left foot as follows: “At the base of the large toe is a conchshell with its mouth facing the toe. At the base of the middle toe are two concentric circles, representing the inner and outer sky. Below this mark is Cupid’s unstrung bow, at the base of the bow is a triangle, and surrounding the triangle is a group of four waterpots. At the base of the triangle is a half-moon with two more triangles touching its points, and below the half-moon is a fish.
“All together, then, there are nineteen distinguishing marks on the soles of Lord Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”
Devanagari
वध्वा: पदै: सुपृक्तानि विलोक्यार्ता: समब्रुवन् ॥ २६ ॥
Text
anvicchantyo ’grato ’balāḥ
vadhvāḥ padaiḥ su-pṛktāni
vilokyārtāḥ samabruvan
Synonyms
taiḥ taiḥ — by those various; padaiḥ — footprints; tat — His; padavīm — path; anvicchantyaḥ — tracing out; agrataḥ — forward; abalāḥ — the girls; vadhvāḥ — of His special consort; padaiḥ — with the footprints; supṛktāni — thoroughly intermingled; vilokya — noticing; ārtāḥ — distressed; samabruvan — they spoke.
Translation
The gopīs began following Kṛṣṇa’s path, as shown by His many footprints, but when they saw that these prints were thoroughly intermixed with those of His dearmost consort, they became perturbed and spoke as follows.
Devanagari
अंसन्यस्तप्रकोष्ठाया: करेणो: करिणा यथा ॥ २७ ॥
Text
yātāyā nanda-sūnunā
aṁsa-nyasta-prakoṣṭhāyāḥ
kareṇoḥ kariṇā yathā
Synonyms
kasyāḥ — of one certain gopī; padāni — the footprints; ca — also; etāni — these; yātāyāḥ — who was going; nanda-sūnunā — together with the son of Nanda Mahārāja; aṁsa — upon whose shoulder; nyasta — placed; prakoṣṭhāyāḥ — His forearm; kareṇoḥ — of a she-elephant; kariṇā — by the he-elephant; yathā — as.
Translation
[The gopīs said:] Here we see the footprints of some gopī who must have been walking along with the son of Nanda Mahārāja. He must have put His arm on Her shoulder, just as an elephant rests His trunk on the shoulder of an accompanying she-elephant.
Devanagari
यन्नो विहाय गोविन्द: प्रीतो यामनयद् रह: ॥ २८ ॥
Text
bhagavān harir īśvaraḥ
yan no vihāya govindaḥ
prīto yām anayad rahaḥ
Synonyms
anayā — by Her; ārādhitaḥ — perfectly worshiped; nūnam — certainly; bhagavan — the Personality of Godhead; hariḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; īśvaraḥ — the supreme controller; yat — inasmuch as; naḥ — us; vihāya — rejecting; govindaḥ — Lord Govinda; prītaḥ — pleased; yām — whom; anayat — led; rahaḥ — to a secluded place.
Translation
Certainly this particular gopī has perfectly worshiped the all-powerful Personality of Godhead, Govinda, since He was so pleased with Her that He abandoned the rest of us and brought Her to a secluded place.
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī explains that the word ārādhitaḥ refers to Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. He comments, “The sage Śukadeva Gosvāmī has tried with all endeavor to keep Her name hidden, but now it automatically shines forth from the moon of his mouth. That he has spoken Her name is indeed Her mercy, and thus the word ārādhitaḥ is like the rumbling of a kettledrum sounded to announce Her great good fortune.”
Although the gopīs spoke as if jealous of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, they were actually ecstatic to see that She had captured Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī quotes the following detailed description of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s footprints, as given by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī in his Śrī Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: “At the base of the large toe of Her left foot is the mark of a barleycorn, below that mark is a disc, below the disc is an umbrella, and below the umbrella is a bracelet. A vertical line extends from the middle of Her foot to the juncture of Her large and second toes. At the base of the middle toe is a lotus, below that is a flag with a banner, and below the flag is a creeper, together with a flower. At the base of Her small toe is an elephant goad, and upon Her heel is a half-moon. Thus there are eleven marks on Her left foot.
“At the base of the large toe of Her right foot is a conchshell, and below that a spear. At the base of the small toe of Her right foot is a sacrificial altar, below that an earring, and below the earring a club. Along the base of the second, third, fourth and small toes is the mark of a mountain, below which is a chariot, and on the heel is a fish.
“Thus all together there are nineteen distinguishing marks on the soles of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī’s lotus feet.”
Devanagari
यान् ब्रह्मेशौ रमा देवी दधुर्मूध्र्न्यघनुत्तये ॥ २९ ॥
Text
govindāṅghry-abja-reṇavaḥ
yān brahmeśau ramā devī
dadhur mūrdhny agha-nuttaye
Synonyms
dhanyāḥ — sanctified; aho — ah; amī — these; ālyaḥ — O gopīs; govinda — of Govinda; aṅghri-abja — of the lotuslike feet; reṇavaḥ — the particles of dust; yān — which; brahmā — Lord Brahmā; īśau — and Lord Śiva; ramā devī — Ramādevī, the wife of Lord Viṣṇu; dadhuḥ — take; mūrdhni — on their heads; agha — of their sinful reactions; nuttaye — for the dispelling.
Translation
O girls! The dust of Govinda’s lotus feet is so sacred that even Brahmā, Śiva and the goddess Ramā take that dust upon their heads to dispel sinful reactions.
Purport
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī, who quotes from śāstra, each day in the late afternoon, as Kṛṣṇa returned from the cow pastures with His cowherd boyfriends, great demigods like Brahmā and Śiva would come down from heaven and take the dust of His feet.
Great personalities like the goddess Ramā (the wife of Viṣṇu), Śiva and Brahmā are not at all sinful. But in the ecstasy of pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness they feel themselves fallen and impure. Thus, desiring to purify themselves, they blissfully take the dust of the Lord’s lotus feet on their heads.
Devanagari
यैकापहृत्य गोपीनां रहो भुङ्क्तेऽच्युताधरम् ।
न लक्ष्यन्ते पदान्यत्र तस्या नूनं तृणाङ्कुरै:
खिद्यत्सुजाताङ्घ्रितलामुन्निन्ये प्रेयसीं प्रिय: ॥ ३० ॥
Text
kurvanty uccaiḥ padāni yat
yaikāpahṛtya gopīnām
raho bhunkte ’cyutādharam
tasyā nūnaṁ tṛṇāṅkuraiḥ
khidyat-sujātāṅghri-talām
unninye preyasīṁ priyaḥ
Synonyms
tasyāḥ — of Her; amūni — these; naḥ — for us; kṣobham — agitation; kurvanti — create; uccaiḥ — exceedingly; padāni — the footprints; yat — because; yā — who; ekā — alone; apahṛtya — being taken aside; gopīnām — of all the gopīs; rahaḥ — in seclusion; bhuṅkte — She enjoys; acyuta — of Kṛṣṇa; adharam — the lips; na lakṣyante — are not seen; padāni — the feet; atra — here; tasyāḥ — Her; nūnam — certainly; tṛṇa — by the blades of grass; aṅkuraiḥ — and the growing sprouts; khidyat — being caused pain; sujāta — tender; aṅghri — of whose feet; talām — the soles; unninye — He has lifted up; preyasīm — His beloved; priyaḥ — Her dear Kṛṣṇa.
Translation
These footprints of that special gopī greatly disturb us. Of all the gopīs, She alone was taken away to a secluded place, where She is enjoying the lips of Kṛṣṇa. Look, we can’t see Her footprints over here! It’s obvious that the grass and sprouts were hurting the tender soles of Her feet, and so the lover lifted up His beloved.
Devanagari
गोप्य: पश्यत कृष्णस्य भाराक्रान्तस्य कामिन: ।
अत्रावरोपिता कान्ता पुष्पहेतोर्महात्मना ॥ ३१ ॥
Text
padāni vahato vadhūm
gopyaḥ paśyata kṛṣṇasya
bhārākrāntasya kāminaḥ
atrāvaropitā kāntā
puṣpa-hetor mahātmanā
Synonyms
imāni — these; adhika — very much; magnāni — merged; padāni — footprints; vahataḥ — of Him who was carrying; vadhūm — His consort; gopyaḥ — O gopīs; paśyata — just see; kṛṣṇasya — of Kṛṣṇa; bhāra — by the weight; ākrāntasya — oppressed; kāminaḥ — lusty; atra — in this place; avaropitā — placed down; kāntā — the girlfriend; puṣpa — of (gathering) flowers; hetoḥ — for the purpose; mahā-ātmanā — by the very intelligent.
Translation
Please observe, my dear gopīs, how in this place lusty Kṛṣṇa’s footprints are pressed more deeply into the ground. Carrying the weight of His beloved must have been difficult for Him. And over here that intelligent boy must have put Her down to gather some flowers.
Purport
The word vadhūm indicates that even though Śrī Kṛṣṇa was not officially married to Rādhārāṇī, He had in fact made Her His bride in the Vṛndāvana forest.
According to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, the gopīs use the word kāminaḥ here to indicate the following thoughts: “We actually love Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but still He has rejected us. Therefore His private dealings with Rādhārāṇī prove that this young prince of Vraja has carried Her away because of lust. If He were interested in love, He would have accepted us instead of that cowherd girl Rādhārāṇī.”
These thoughts reveal the mood of the gopīs who are rivals of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Of course, the gopīs who are Her direct allies were jubilant to see Her good fortune.
Devanagari
प्रपदाक्रमण एते पश्यतासकले पदे ॥ ३२ ॥
Text
priyārthe preyasā kṛtaḥ
prapadākramaṇa ete
paśyatāsakale pade
Synonyms
Translation
Just see how in this place dear Kṛṣṇa collected flowers for His beloved. Here He has left the impression of only the front part of His feet because He was standing on His toes to reach the flowers.
Devanagari
तानि चूडयता कान्तामुपविष्टमिह ध्रुवम् ॥ ३३ ॥
Text
kāminyāḥ kāminā kṛtam
tāni cūḍayatā kāntām
upaviṣṭam iha dhruvam
Synonyms
keśa — of Her hair; prasādhanam — the decorative arrangement; tu — furthermore; atra — here; kāminyāḥ — of the lusty girl; kāminā — by the lusty boy; kṛtam — done; tāni — with those (flowers); cūḍayatā — by Him who was making a crown; kāntām — His consort; upaviṣṭam — seated; iha — here; dhruvam — certainly.
Translation
Certainly Kṛṣṇa sat down here with His girlfriend to arrange Her hair. The lusty boy must have made a crown for that lusty girl out of the flowers He had collected.
Purport
The ācāryas explain that Śrī Kṛṣṇa wanted to decorate Rādhārāṇī’s hair with the forest flowers He had collected. Therefore They sat down together facing the same direction, with Rādhārāṇī between Kṛṣṇa’s knees, and Kṛṣṇa proceeded to arrange Her hair with flowers and make a flower crown for Her, coronating Her as the goddess of the forest. Thus the romantic young boy and girl played and joked together in Vṛndāvana.
Devanagari
कामिनां दर्शयन् दैन्यं स्त्रीणां चैव दुरात्मताम् ॥ ३४ ॥
Text
ātmārāmo ’py akhaṇḍitaḥ
kāmināṁ darśayan dainyaṁ
strīṇāṁ caiva durātmatām
Synonyms
reme — He enjoyed; tayā — with Her; ca — and; ātma-rataḥ — He who takes pleasure only within Himself; ātma-ārāmaḥ — completely self-satisfied; api — although; akhaṇḍitaḥ — never incomplete; kāminām — of ordinary lusty men; darśayan — showing; dainyam — the degraded condition; strīṇām — of ordinary women; ca eva — also; durātmatām — the hardheartedness.
Translation
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:] Lord Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with that gopī, although He enjoys only within, being self-satisfied and complete in Himself. Thus by contrast He showed the wretchedness of ordinary lusty men and hardhearted women.
Purport
This verse directly refutes the superficial criticism materialistic people sometimes direct against Lord Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. The philosopher Aristotle claimed that ordinary activities are unworthy of God, and with this idea in mind some people declare that since the activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa resemble those of ordinary human beings, He cannot be the Absolute Truth.
But in this verse Śukadeva Gosvāmī emphatically points out that Lord Kṛṣṇa acts on the liberated platform of spiritual self-satisfaction. This fact is indicated here by the terms ātma-rata, ātmārāma and akhaṇḍita. It is inconceivable to ordinary people that a handsome young boy and a beautiful young girl enjoying romantic conjugal affairs in the forest moonlight can be engaging in pure activity, free from egoistic desire and lust. Yet while Lord Kṛṣṇa is inconceivable to ordinary persons, those who love Him can easily realize the absolute, pure nature of His activities.
One may argue that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and that therefore the devotees of Kṛṣṇa are only imagining the Lord’s activities to be pure. This argument ignores many significant facts. For one, the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, of developing love for Kṛṣṇa, demands that a devotee strictly follow four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no gambling, no intoxication and no eating of meat, fish or eggs. When one is freed from material lust and rises to the liberated platform, beyond material desire, one realizes the absolute beauty of Lord Kṛṣṇa. This process is not theoretical: it has been practiced and completed by many thousands of great sages, who have left us their shining example and their brilliant teachings concerning the path of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.
Certainly beauty is in the eye of the beholder. However, real beauty is perceived by the soul’s eye and not by the lusty eye of the material body. Therefore the Vedic literature repeatedly stresses that only those freed from material desire can see the beauty of Lord Kṛṣṇa with the eye of the pure soul, anointed with love of Godhead. It may finally be noted that upon realizing the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa one becomes free of all tinges of sex desire, a state of mind that can hardly result from meditating upon material sexual affairs.
One final note: The conjugal pastimes of Kṛṣṇa perfectly round out His qualification as the Supreme Absolute Truth. The Vedānta states that the Absolute Truth is the source of everything, so certainly the Absolute cannot lack any of the beautiful things of this world. It is only because romantic affairs exist in a pure, spiritual form in the Absolute that they can manifest in a perverted, material form in this world. Thus the apparent beauty of this world is not to be absolutely rejected; rather, beauty should be accepted in its pure, spiritual form.
Since the beginning of time men and women have been inspired to poetic rapture by the art of romance. Unfortunately, romance in this world usually leads to crushing disappointment, brought about by a change of heart or by death. Thus although we may at first find romantic affairs beautiful and enjoyable, they are eventually spoiled by the onslaught of material nature. Still, it is unreasonable to totally reject the concept of romance. Rather, we should accept conjugal attraction in its absolute, perfect, pure form, as it exists within God, without a tinge of material lust or selfishness. That pure conjugal attraction — the supreme beauty and pleasure of the Supreme Truth — is what we are reading about here in the pages of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Devanagari
यां गोपीमनयत्कृष्णो विहायान्या: स्त्रियो वने ॥ ३५ ॥
सा च मेने तदात्मानं वरिष्ठं सर्वयोषिताम् ।
हित्वा गोपी: कामयाना मामसौ भजते प्रिय: ॥ ३६ ॥
Text
cerur gopyo vicetasaḥ
yāṁ gopīm anayat kṛṣṇo
vihāyānyāḥ striyo vane
variṣṭhaṁ sarva-yoṣitām
hitvā gopīḥ kāma-yānā
mām asau bhajate priyaḥ
Synonyms
iti — thus; evam — in this manner; darśayantyaḥ — showing; tāḥ — they; ceruḥ — wandered; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; vicetasaḥ — completely bewildered; yām — which; gopīm — gopī; anayat — He took; kṛṣṇaḥ — Lord Kṛṣṇa; vihāya — abandoning; anyāḥ — the other; striyaḥ — women; vane — in the forest; sā — She; ca — also; mene — thought; tadā — then; ātmānam — Herself; variṣṭham — the best; sarva — of all; yoṣitām — women; hitvā — rejecting; gopīḥ — the gopīs; kāma-yānāḥ — who are impelled by lusty desire; mām — Me; asau — He; bhajate — is accepting; priyaḥ — the beloved.
Translation
As the gopīs wandered about, their minds completely bewildered, they pointed out various signs of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. The particular gopī whom Kṛṣṇa had led into a secluded forest when He had abandoned all the other young girls began to think Herself the best of women. “My beloved has rejected all the other gopīs,” She thought, “even though they are driven by Cupid himself. He has chosen to reciprocate with Me alone.”
Purport
Previously all the gopīs had become proud of their association with Kṛṣṇa and then suddenly lost His association. Only Rādhārāṇī remained with Him. Now She has also become proud of that association and will suffer a similar fate. The Lord arranges all this to reveal the gopīs’ unparalleled devotion for Him, a devotion whose intensity fully manifests in moments of separation.
Devanagari
न पारयेऽहं चलितुं नय मां यत्र ते मन: ॥ ३७ ॥
Text
dṛptā keśavam abravīt
na pāraye ’haṁ calituṁ
naya māṁ yatra te manaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
As the two lovers passed through one part of the Vṛndāvana forest, the special gopī began feeling proud of Herself. She told Lord Keśava, “I cannot walk any further. Please carry Me wherever You want to go.”
Devanagari
ततश्चान्तर्दधे कृष्ण: सा वधूरन्वतप्यत ॥ ३८ ॥
Text
skandha āruhyatām iti
tataś cāntardadhe kṛṣṇaḥ
sā vadhūr anvatapyata
Synonyms
Translation
Thus addressed, Lord Kṛṣṇa replied, “Just climb on My shoulder.” But as soon as He said this, He disappeared. His beloved consort then immediately felt great remorse.
Purport
Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was exhibiting the pride of a beautiful girl who has brought Her boyfriend under control. Thus She told Kṛṣṇa, “Please carry Me wherever You want to go. I can’t walk anymore.” Śrī Kṛṣṇa now disappears from Her sight, intensifying Her ecstatic love more and more.
Devanagari
दास्यास्ते कृपणाया मे सखे दर्शय सन्निधिम् ॥ ३९ ॥
Text
kvāsi kvāsi mahā-bhuja
dāsyās te kṛpaṇāyā me
sakhe darśaya sannidhim
Synonyms
Translation
She cried out: O master! My lover! O dearmost, where are You? Where are You? Please, O mighty-armed one, O friend, show Yourself to Me, Your poor servant!
Purport
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura describes the following moving exchange:
“Rādhā says, ‘My Lord, I am being burned in the great fire of separation from You, and My life air is about to leave My body. Even with the greatest endeavor I cannot maintain My life. But You are the Lord of My life, and so You can quickly save Me simply by glancing upon Me. Please do so immediately. I beg You to save My life, not for My sake but rather for Yours. After giving up all the other gopīs, You’ve brought Me so far to a secluded place in the forest just to enjoy special pleasure with Me. If I die You will not be able to find conjugal happiness anywhere else. You will remember Me and thus lament in Your sorrow.’
“Kṛṣṇa replies, ‘So let Me become unhappy. What does that matter to You?’
“‘But You are most dear to Me. I will feel Your unhappiness millions of times more than You. Even if I’ve already died, I still will not be able to tolerate the pain that even one spot on the nails of Your lotus feet may experience. Indeed, to prevent such pain I am ready to throw My life away millions and millions of times. So kindly show Yourself and drive away that unhappiness.’
“‘But if Your life air is on the verge of leaving Your body, what can I do to stop that?’
“‘Simply by the touch of Your arms, which are a medicinal herb with the power to revive the dead, My body will return to its healthy, normal condition, and My life air will automatically come back and remain in My body.’
“‘But You know the forest path Yourself without My help, so why did You order Me, the king’s son and a very young and gentle boy who is to be respected? Why did You command, “Take Me wherever You wish”? Why do You anger Me like this?’
“Rādhā cries out, ‘Please show Yourself to Your wretched maidservant. Be merciful to Me! Be merciful! When I ordered You, I was overcome by sleepiness. I was so tired from playing with You. Therefore please excuse what Your poor servant said. Please don’t be angry. It was only because You treated Me like such a close friend, though I am unworthy, that I spoke like that to You.’
“‘All right, My love, I am very pleased with You, so please come to Me.’
“‘But I’ve been blinded by lamentation. I can’t see where You are. Please tell Me where You are.’”
Devanagari
अन्विच्छन्त्यो भगवतो मार्गं गोप्योऽविदूरित: ।
ददृशु: प्रियविश्लेषान्मोहितां दु:खितां सखीम् ॥ ४० ॥
Text
anvicchantyo bhagavato
mārgaṁ gopyo ’vidūritaḥ
dadṛśuḥ priya-viśleṣān
mohitāṁ duḥkhitāṁ sakhīm
Synonyms
śrī-śukaḥ uvāca — Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī said; anvicchantyaḥ — searching out; bhagavataḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; mārgam — the path; gopyaḥ — the gopīs; avidūritaḥ — not far away; dadṛśuḥ — saw; priya — from Her beloved; viśleṣāt — because of the separation; mohitām — bewildered; duḥkhitām — unhappy; sakhīm — their friend.
Translation
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: While continuing to search out Kṛṣṇa’s path, the gopīs discovered their unhappy friend close by. She was bewildered by separation from Her lover.
Devanagari
अवमानं च दौरात्म्याद् विस्मयं परमं ययु: ॥ ४१ ॥
Text
māna-prāptiṁ ca mādhavāt
avamānaṁ ca daurātmyād
vismayaṁ paramaṁ yayuḥ
Synonyms
Translation
She told them how Mādhava had given Her much respect, but how She then suffered dishonor because of Her misbehavior. The gopīs were extremely amazed to hear this.
Purport
It was natural for Rādhārāṇī to ask Kṛṣṇa to carry Her, for this request was consistent with the loving mood of Their relationship. Now, however, in great humility She describes Her behavior as wicked. Hearing of these affairs, the other gopīs are astonished.
Devanagari
तम: प्रविष्टमालक्ष्य ततो निववृतु: स्त्रिय: ॥ ४२ ॥
Text
jyotsnā yāvad vibhāvyate
tamaḥ praviṣṭam ālakṣya
tato nivavṛtuḥ striyaḥ
Synonyms
Translation
In search of Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs then entered the depths of the forest as far as the light of the moon shone. But when they found themselves engulfed in darkness, they decided to turn back.
Purport
The gopīs entered a part of the forest so dense that even the light of the full moon couldn’t penetrate it. This scene is also described in the Viṣṇu Purāṇa:
padam atra na lakṣyate
nivartadhvaṁ śaśāṅkasya
naitad dīdhiti-gocaraḥ
“One gopī said, ‘Kṛṣṇa has entered such a dark part of the forest that we cannot possibly see His footprints. Therefore let us turn back from this area, which even the light of the moon cannot reach.’”
Devanagari
तद्गुणानेव गायन्त्यो नात्मगाराणि सस्मरु: ॥ ४३ ॥
Text
tad-viceṣṭās tad-ātmikāḥ
tad-guṇān eva gāyantyo
nātmagārāṇi sasmaruḥ
Synonyms
tat-manaskāḥ — their minds filled with thoughts of Him; tat-ālāpāḥ — conversing about Him; tat-viceṣṭāḥ — imitating His activities; tat-ātmikāḥ — filled with His presence; tat-guṇān — about His qualities; eva — simply; gāyantyaḥ — singing; na — not; ātma — their own; āgārāṇi — homes; sasmaruḥ — remembered.
Translation
Their minds absorbed in thoughts of Him, they conversed about Him, acted out His pastimes and felt themselves filled with His presence. They completely forgot about their homes as they loudly sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa’s transcendental qualities.
Purport
Actually there is no separation from Kṛṣṇa for the pure devotees of the Lord. Although apparently abandoned by Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs were actually tightly connected to Him by the spiritual process of śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ, hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord.
Devanagari
समवेता जगु: कृष्णं तदागमनकाङ्क्षिता: ॥ ४४ ॥
Text
kālindyāḥ kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāḥ
samavetā jaguḥ kṛṣṇaṁ
tad-āgamana-kāṅkṣitāḥ
Synonyms
Translation
The gopīs again came to the bank of the Kālindī. Meditating on Kṛṣṇa and eagerly hoping He would come, they sat down together to sing of Him.
Purport
As stated in the Kaṭha Upaniṣad (1.2.23), yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ: “The Supersoul can be realized by that person whom He chooses.” Thus the gopīs fervently pray that Kṛṣṇa come back to them.
Thus end the purports of the humble servants of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda to the Tenth Canto, Thirtieth Chapter, of the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, entitled “The Gopīs Search for Kṛṣṇa.”