Content
Śrī Rādhā-saubhāgya-śravaṇa-saubhāgyam
The Good Fortune of Śrī Rādhā
1. Snigdhakaṇṭha said: It is briefly said in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam: "As the moon, graceful with black marks resembling a deer, is surrounded by a host of stars, so magnanimous, infallible Kṛṣṇa, the splendor of His jasmine-flower teeth glistening in His broad smiles, was surrounded by many gopīs, their faces blossoming with affectionate glances."
2. The first line of this stanza is, with its literary ornaments, described in the following words. When beloved Kṛṣṇa's hand touched them, the gopīs thought this must be Kṛṣṇa's hand. Then they clearly saw Kṛṣṇa standing before them.
3. The second line is described in these words: With unblinking eyes millions of gopīs gazed at their beloved Kṛṣṇa. They were very glorious. Casting pure nectar glances, Kṛṣṇa expanded into many forms. Who can describe His pastimes?
4. As a lion casts a backward glance (siṁhāvaloka-nyaya) the second and third lines of the stanza are described in these words: From direction after direction the gopīs gazed at Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa gazed back at every gopī. At the same moment the two eyes of Kṛṣṇa gazed at the two eyes of each gopī. These were Kṛṣṇa's activities.
5. The second half of the stanza is described in these words: The poets say Kṛṣṇa was like a moon shining among the many stars of the gopīs. Smiling, splendid, playful Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs were more glorious than the moon and the stars.
6. Then, expertly speaking many joking words, Kṛṣṇa boldly and forcibly enjoyed pastimes with the gopīs. The gopīs' bodices and other garments were now in disarray. Smiling, and tears of bliss in His eyes, Kṛṣṇa gazed at the gopīs' bodies. In this way He enjoyed pastimes.
7. In this way Kṛṣṇa felt great bliss. With His glorious handsomeness He passionately attracted the gopīs to come with Him into the forests by the Yamunā's bank.
8. Joyful Kṛṣṇa pulled the gopīs to His right side. They were like glistening moons at His side.
9. Kṛṣṇa enjoyed pastimes of touching the youthful gopīs, who followed Him, left Him, and, filled with passionate desires, secretly met Him again in secluded places.
10. Seeking happinesses unattainable in any other way, all-glorious forestflower-garlanded Kṛṣṇa wandered in a beautiful forest filled with delicate glorious flowers and restless flying black bees.
11. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs sang many songs. They could see each other's spiritual glories. They became the glorious blissful abode of the heart's desires fulfilled. Kisses, embraces, and all that follow brought hundreds of thousands of blisses to Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs.
12. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī gives the following description (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.44): "Singing songs, glorified in song, wearing a vaijayantī garland, leading hundreds of beautiful gopīs, and decorating the forest with His glories, Kṛṣṇa wandered in the forest."
13. The songs Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs sang are described by Śrī Parāśara Muni in these words (Viṣṇu Purāṇa): "Kṛṣṇa sang songs glorifying the moon, the moonlight, and the lotus lake. The gopīs sang Kṛṣṇa's names again and again."
14. Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs sang:
vidhur ayam āgatavān śaradaṁ prati samprati
itavān vidhur atha na hi bhavatīḥ prati
mādhava jaya gokula-vīra jaya jaya kṛṣṇa hare
"The moon has entered the autumn season. Still, the moon has not approached you."
"O Mādhava, all glories to You! O hero of Gokula, all glories to You! O Kṛṣṇa, O Hari, all glories to You!"
15. kumudākara-calanaṁ na bhaved iti seyam
kaumudikāgād idam unneyam
keśava jaya śarma-śarīra jaya jaya kṛṣṇa hare
"The moon cannot personally come here, so the brilliant moonlight has come in its place."
"O Keśava, all glories to You! O handsome Kṛṣṇa, all glories to You! O Hari, all glories to You!"
16. kusuma-vanī madhupair iyam aṣcati kāntim
mama bhavatīṣu prathataytu kāntim
śyāmala jaya hārda-śarīra jaya jaya kṛṣṇa hare
"This beautiful flower-garden filled with bumblebees has aroused My desire for you."
"O dark-complexioned Kṛṣṇa, all glories to You! O Deity of amorous love, all glories to You! O Kṛṣṇa, O Hari, all glories to You!"
17. puṣpita-kuṣja-caye vṛndācita-śobhā
bhavad-anugataye kila kṛta-lobhā
mohana jaya samvidi dhīra jaya jaya kṛṣṇa hare
"Vṛndā-devī has made these flower groves very beautiful. I yearn to follow you into these groves."
"O charming Lord, all glories to You! O hero in the arts of amorous love, all glories to You! O Kṛṣṇa, O Hari, all glories to You!"
18 and 19. The songs of Kṛṣṇa and the teenage gopīs are described in the following confidential words spoken by Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.29.45-46): "In this way both the Lord and the gopīs reached the cool sandy bank of the Yamunā where there were lilies and lotus flowers. In such a transcendental atmosphere, both the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa began to enjoy one another. While they were walking on the bank of the Yamunā, Kṛṣṇa would sometimes put His arms around a gopī's head, breast, or waist. Pinching one another and joking and looking at one another, they enjoyed. When Kṛṣṇa touched the bodies of the gopīs their lust to embrace Him increased. They all enjoyed these pastimes."*
20. The glorious gopīs' desire to enjoy with passionate Kṛṣṇa did not become slackened as They wandered and wandered in the forest.
21. As the gopīs' passion did not slacken, Kṛṣṇa glanced at the Yamunā, flowing as it moved the hands that were its waves. Kṛṣṇa also glanced at the sandy riverbank, which glistened gloriously as if its sand were splendid waves of cooling camphor. Day after day He had seen both river and riverbank.
22. The all-glorious full moon beautifully shone on the sandy riverbank. The splendor was almost too much for the eyes to bear.
23. The sandy riverbank was beautiful as if it had been painted on canvas by an expert artist's brush. There fragrant lotus breezes blew from the Yamunā.
24. Glancing at this beautiful scene, Kṛṣṇa expanded into many forms. Standing beside each gopī, He enjoyed many pastimes. A small part of this great secret is revealed here.
25. The amorous pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs are described in these words: Krsna extended His arms to embrace the gopīs, but He could not embrace them for long. Why was that? He was so overcome with bliss He no longer had firm control over His arms.
26. Kṛṣṇa and His gopī beloveds had no power to stop embracing each other. They were like a tree and a flowering vine. The tree and vine have no power to abandon their embrace.
27. As They wandered from place to place, Kṛṣṇa and His gopī beloveds passionately embraced. Overcome with intense pleasure from those embraces, Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs fell unconscious. Only Their intense desire to enjoy more amorous pastimes revived them. Thus They became like sleepers becoming again awake.
28. Then one gopī, as she withrew to a secluded place, tugged Śrī Kṛṣṇa's hand. On the pretext of reciprocating that aroused gopī's touch, Śrī Kṛṣṇa touched Her also.
29. Śrī Kṛṣṇa said to another gopī, "Why do You hide Your face? None of Your gopī friends followed You here. Ah! Is that a swarm of black bees about Your face?" Speaking these words, Śrī Kṛṣṇa, on the pretext of wiping away a swarm of black bees, stroked the black hair of that gopī's head.
30. Again and again His attempts to touch another gopī were rejected. Still, infallible Kṛṣṇa touched that gopī's belt. Fearless supplicants are seen to act in that way.
31. Embarrassed, another beautiful gopī tried to tightly cover Herself with Her garments. Kṛṣṇa's hand She pushed away. Still, on the pretext of wiping dust away, Kṛṣṇa touched Her bodice.
32. "O girl with the restless eyes, I see that Your blossoming breasts cannot bear even the slightest most gentle touch. The touch of My talon fingernails will bring no pain to Your breasts." Speaking these words, Śrī Kṛṣṇa smiled.
33. Śrī Kṛṣṇa became like a black bee drawn to the lotus flower of another gopī's face. He became like a lion poised to attack the elephant's bulging forehead of that gopī's breasts. To arouse that gopī's amorous desires, were k's actions not right?
34. In his book the sage Pāṇini affirms that right actions, which are fit subjects for discussion, are of one kind, and wrong actions, which are not fit for discussion, are of two kinds.
35. The gopīs began to think their beloved Kṛṣṇa, who is the most axalted of all persons, was subordinate to them and under their control. They became very proud. As citizens flee from a country where many different proud kings vie for power, so Kṛṣṇa fled from the gopīs. He disappeared from their sight.
36. Kṛṣṇa thought, "They have forgotten that I am supreme. I am the supreme enjoyer. Still these gopīs think they are not different from Me. Even Rādhā thinks She is equal to Me. She thinks She is the crest jewel of all goddesses. Still, Rādhā has come here to fulfill My desire. Ah! Now will be a great festival to please Me. On this glorious full-moon autumn night the nectar of the rāsa dance will soon manifest its full and perfect glory. The nectar of the rāsa-dance will now reveal the true glory of these gopīs. Because these glorious gopīs are proud, I will be a little indifferent to them. In this way I will transform them into My maidservants. Taking all-glorious Rādhā with Me, I will disappear."
37. Thinking in this way, and acting to arrange certain events in the future, to each gopī beloved, each gopī beloved now languid in hand, foot, and other limb, Śrī Kṛṣṇa said, "Drawn by the jingling of your anklets, here I stand, though we should not stay here long. Yearning to enjoy pastimes with you, I followed you, but I think you are now fatigued. I eagerly searched for you. Now is not the time for you to be fatigued." After speaking these words, Śrī Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared. Accompanied by Śrī Rādhā, He quickly departed.
38. After a moment they felt Kṛṣṇa's absence to be unbearable. Each gopī stood up wandered here and there searching for Kṛṣṇa. Singling and in pairs, they gradually met each other. Talking amongst themselves, they vowed to find Kṛṣṇa. Going here and there, they searched for the path Kṛṣṇa had taken.
39. Gathering together, the gopīs thought of searching for their beloved Kṛṣṇa. Alas! They had no power to find him. Distressed, the gopīs were rapt in thinking of Kṛṣṇa. Meditating in this way, each gopī thought the opther gopīs were in truth Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thinking this, the gopīs embraced each other.
40. Overwhelmed with love for Kṛṣṇa and the thirst to attain Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs thought they had become Lord Kṛṣṇa, the protector of all.
41. Somehow the gopīs returned to external consciousness. To protect their lives, they sang the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, beginning with His childhood pastimes. Overcome with love for Him, they hugged each other.
42. Longing to find Kṛṣṇa, and wandering here and there, the gopīs asked questions of the trees and vines. The gopīs acted like madwomen.
43. Filled with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, and singing songs glorifying His pastimes, the gopīs were overcome with love for Kṛṣṇa. Then a great wonder fell upon them. Overcome with thoughts of Him, each fair-limbed gopī thought she had become dark Kṛṣṇa Himself.
44. Saying, "Even now I think of Him. Thinking of Him, I feel that may heart burns in flames of sorrow.", ah, ah, the gopīs, overwhelmed with feelings of separation from Lord Kṛṣṇa, asked questions of the trees. They said, "Ah, Kṛṣṇa has broken my heart." They sang many songs. Many fears maddened their hearts. Then they imitated the ferocious horrible demons.
45. In this way the gopī became rapt in thinking of these pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Approaching each other, they asked many questions. Then they slowly departed from that place. Rapt in asking questions, they departed.
46. Thinking the trees filled with blooming flowers were mocking them and laughing, and the trees with bowed-down branches were turning proudly turning their faces away from them, and the trees covered with buzzing bees were angrily criticizing them, the gopīs asked them about Kṛṣṇa and then quickly departed.
47. Then the gopīs asked questions of the earth, saying, "O earth, what austerities did you perform to attain the touch of Śrī Hari's feet? Is it because Lord Trivikrama stepped on you or because and Lord Varāha hugged you that the blades` of grass that are the hairs of your body stand now erect with bliss?
48. "Because you are known as 'Pṛthvī' (the expansive one) and 'Kṣamā' (the all-tolerant one), and because the touch of Śrī Kṛṣṇa's feet fills you with bliss, we approach you to ask for news of Kṛṣṇa."
49. As they wandered here and there, asking questions of the trees and other beings, the gopīs hugged Śrī Kṛṣṇa's fragrance carried by a breeze, a breeze, a breeze like the life's breath of all the worlds. With wise and affectionate hearts, Śrī Rādhā's gopī-friends approached a doe. Filled with love and joy, the gopīs acted in a wonderful way.
50 and 51. The gopīs said to a doe (Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.30.11-12), "It appears that Kṛṣṇa, who is the the Supreme Nārāyaṇa Himself, must have passed through this way along with His companion Lakṣmī, the goddess of fortune. Otherwise, how is it possible that the aroma of His garland, which is smeared with the red kuṅkuma from the breast of the the goddess of fortune can be perceived in the breeze blowing here? It appears that They must have passed through here and touched your bodies, and thus you are feelings so pleasant and are looking toward us with sympathy. Will you kindly, therefore, inform us which way Kṛṣṇa has gone? Kṛṣṇa is the well-wisher of Vṛndāvana. He is as kind to you as to us. Therefore after leaving us He must have been present in your company. O fortunate trees, we are thinking of Kṛṣṇa, the younger brother of Balarāma. While passing through here, with one hand resting on the shoulder of the goddess of fortune and the other hand whirling a lotus flower, He must have been very pleased to accept your obeisances, and He must have glanced at you with great pleasure."*
52. The first three lines of these two stanzas may be paraphrased, "O you with glorious eyes, like us human girls you have also taken shelter of the land of Vṛndāvana. You are happy in the same way we human girls are happy. Therefore we are not unlike each other. We are friends." With hearts glistening with joy, the gopīs spoke these words. Then the gopīs said the word "priyayā", which here means, "Lord Kṛṣṇa was embraced by His most-glorious beloved." Then the gopīs spoke the word "dṛśām", which here means, "What has come before us? The sight of the handsomeness of Your body fills our eyes with the most sublime bliss."
53. Next, the reason why these amorous pastimes are glorified is given in the passage beginning with the word "kānta". The passage beginning with the word "kunda-srajaḥ" means, "The jasmine-garland worn by Lord Kṛṣṇa, the tilaka marking of the royal dynasty of Gokula, has a sweet fragrance unattainable in any other place, a sweet fragrance swiftly carried by the breeze. What is that garland's nature? Because of the supreme spiritual purity of Lord Kṛṣṇa's gopī-beloved and because Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself yearns to attain it, that garland is the abode of sublime spiritual glory. Because it is touched by the limbs of Lord Kṛṣṇa's gopī-beloved, that garland is smeared with the kuṅkuma that anointed that gopī's breasts. Because it always embraces that gopī's breast, that garland is gloriously fragrant. This we know for certain.
54. From the sight of Lord Kṛṣṇa, joy was born. Now, from Lord Kṛṣṇa's absence, the thirst to attain Him became manifest. The gopīs thought Kṛṣṇa and His gopī-beloved must have met.The gopī then joyfully offered respectful obeisances to these particular pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Thinkiing the great and graceful trees bowed down with many leaves and flowers were like menservants in Lord Kṛṣṇa's palace, the gopīs offered respectful obeisances, and then, speaking the passage beginning with the words "bāhum", proceeded to describe many of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.
55. The udāsīnā (neutral) gopīs said, "Please ask these vines: Previously, when they were embraced by the trees, they did not burst into blooming flowers. But now, by the touch of Pūtanā's enemy Kṛṣṇa, they are suddenly covered with blossoming flowers. This shows the wonderful power of Kṛṣṇa's fingernails and toenails.
56. At this the gopīs were filled with wonder. Then, Śrī Kṛṣṇa's supremely graceful and glorious lotus-footprints were scattered before the unbelieving eyes of these and the other gopīs. Seeing these footprints, the gopī made the following conjecture:
57. "Acting like a silent sage, the earth gave no reply. The earth paused, thought, and then, by revealing Kṛṣṇa's footprints bearing the flag, lotus, and other auspicious marks, wrote the words, 'Kṛṣṇa came this way.'"
58. A little further on another set of footprints was manifested beside the first.
59. The gopīs then saw another set of footprints. Step by step, these prints were different than the first. They were smaller and made a more gentle depression. They were not as narrow at the extremities. They were marked with the flag and other auspicious marks. They were at the left of the first set of footprints.
60. The gopīs thought "Here Kṛṣṇa's footprints are mingled with the footprints of some doe-eyed gopī. Why were Her footprints not here before? Kṛṣṇa must have held Her to His chest, carried Her, and set Her down in this place. Among all the theives in this world, Kṛṣṇa is famous as the most expert thief that steals the most precious treasure.
61. "On the left and right this couple's footprints touch. I think They must have walked with Their arms about each other's shoulders.
62. Hearing these words of the sādhāraṇī gopīs, Rādhā's gopī-friends again spoke, "Like two wild elephants They must have enjoyed many glorious pastimes That festival of unchained wild pastimes in this secluded forest place nourishes the bliss we feel now."
63. Then Rādhā's gopī friends again said, "We must understand that this particular gopī must have served Kṛṣṇa with greater affectionate love than ourselves. Because of this, although He has left us, He could not leave Her company. He has taken Her along with Him."*
64. This verse may be explained in the following words: In this verse the word "anayā" means "by a supremely moral girl". "īśvaraḥ" means "He who is the master of the eternal spiritual potency and is the master who accepts the devotional service offered by the devotees", and 'ārādhitaḥ" means "worshiped in a way that nevcer ends and can never be stopped." This īśvara is not a mere demigod. He is Śrī Hari, the master of dik-pālas that control the directions. This īśvara is neither the destroyer Śiva nor the creator Brahmā. Lord Hari is svaya'm bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead from whom all avatāras are manifest. It is not otherwise. Lord Hari (Kṛṣṇa) is not Himself expanded from any other form of Godhead.
65. The wonderful features of Lord Kṛṣṇa are causeless. They have no origin. Manifesting the splendor of His spiritual qualities and handsome spiritual form, Śrī Kṛṣṇa forcibly enters every person's heart. He will never leave us. Neither have we the power to shun Him. His attitude to us is always that of love. He never hates us. The festivalof amorous pastimes He enjoyed with the gopīs in a secluded place was an expression of His spiritual love for them. He enjopyed blissful and glorious pastimes in the gopīs' company. He did not enjoy those pastimes alone. The gopīs said, "Even when Kṛṣṇa abandoned us, we were filled with wonder at His glorious spiritual qualities. We did not turn on Him and hate Him."
66. We think in the following way: The girl named Rādhā is glorious and fortunate. The creator Brahmā created Her with extraordinary names, qualities, and beauty. Destiny certainly favors Her. Because She is rapt in worshiping (rādh) Lord Kṛṣṇa, She is called Rādhā (the worshiper). Her name may be interpreted "She who worships Kṛṣṇa" or "She who is worshiped by Kṛṣṇa". The Nirukti confirms this explanation.
67. The udāsīnā gopīs then spoke these words describing Śrī Rādhā: "Ah! Look! Brahmā, Śiva, and Lakṣmī place on their heads the glorious dust touched by invincible Śrī Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. Let us praise the good fortunate of all who have seen this dust."
68. Then, one of Rādhā's rivals spat out the following words, which were like a great coil of smoke from the growing fire of envy burning within her: "O saintly girl, look! The footprints of this wicked-hearted girl no longer follow Lord Kṛṣṇa's delightful footprints, That girl must have been very bold. First She sipped the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa's lips, nectar we all find to be delightful, and then She suddenly disappeared."
69. To these words Śrī Rādhā's gopī friends gave the following reply: "Aha! Why are Rādhā's footprints marked with auspicious signs no longer visible here? O gopī-friends, Holding Her to His chest, dear Kṛṣṇa must have begun to carry His delicate-limbed beloved."
70. To those words, Śrī Rādhā's rivals gave this reply: "Look! For a long time amorous Kṛṣṇa carried that gopī on His chest. When Her garments and other things became disarrayed, He became aroused. Here His footprints are pressed very deeply. Here are sprinkled drops of His perspiration, drops mixed with kuṅkuma and flower-garland fragments. Here He pushed aside the vines as He walked on the path."
71. To these words Śrī Rādhā's friends replied, "Here the footprints become faint. Here, averse to Her beloved, the beautiful gopī must, with gracefully bent knees, rested on Śrī Kṛṣṇa's thighs."
72. Then Śrī Rādhā's rivals said, "Here amorous Kṛṣṇa must have rearranged amorous Rādhā's flower crown when it became disrrayed and begun to fall apart."
73. Then they also said, "These crooked footprints on path after path reveal Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa's pastimes, pastimes that stand beyond the boundary of ordinary shyness and modesty.
74. "In this place the gopīs, Vṛndā-devī, and Vṛndā's associates decorated the gateway leading to the vine-palaces. They all yearned to see Śrī Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa enter through that gate.
75. "Vṛndā-devī arranged that the forest here was filled with sweet flowers endowed with sweet pollen. Yearning to gather that sweet pollen, a host of black bees became the guards stationed at that gateway. If any unauthorized person tried to enter there, the flying bees at once attacked with the arrows of their stingers.
76. "As the black bees long praised the glories of that place, and as the trees and plants swayed to and fro, the gopīs entered and gazed at that wonderful, unprecedented, sublime place.
77 and 78. "The cuckoos cooed the fifth note. The bees hummed deep sweet notes. Stirred by the breeze, the orchestra of leaves rustled glorious music. The peacocks gracefully danced. Also present were the devotees full of love for the divine couple, the couple who glisten like a dark cloud and a glistening lightning flash. That place was filled with many wonderful and colorful flowers, with many glorious couches, with many fans and cāmara wisks, with boxes filled with fragrant betelnuts, with cups filled with camphor, sandal, and aguru, and with secluded flower-vine cottages. The gopīs sang the glories of this place.
79. "In this place a great host of flowers was placed at Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's feet. Reclining on a couch, Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa were served with massages. In that place are fans, cāmara wisks, swings, fragrant betelnuts, and many other objects for the divine couple's enjoyment.
80. "Why do you ask? You know Kṛṣṇa abandoned me just as He abandoned you. Quickly go to that place and find Kṛṣṇa. These birds and other flying creatures yearn to carry me there as they fly. Ah! Who will accept me now that I am overcome with sorrows?
81. "This bed anointed with musk and sprinkled with drops of kuṅkuma is now in disarray. It bears all the signs of its demise. All my friends talk amongst themselves of its end. How can it not be on the verge of destruction?"
82. Recalling a pastime of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, another gopī said, "When Rādhā was startled by the gopīs' sudden tumultuous entrance through the forest grove's gateway, Her lover, Kṛṣṇa, frantically tried to cover Her with His own garment. He did not succeed.
83. "Disarray swallowed up Rādhā's struggle to adorn Herself with garments and ornaments when with upraised ears She heard the gopīs' tumultuous arrival. Frantic struggle swallowed up Śrī Rādhā Herself. At that moment, taking His beloved Rādhā with Him, Śrī Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared.
84. Now this description will be considered. Lord Kṛṣṇa is not an ordinary lusty teenage boy. Nor are the gopīs ordinary lusty teenage girls. To refuite the idea that They are a lusty boy and lusty girls, some explanations will here be given.
85. Lusty persons all have bodies of dead material energy, bodies like those of walking corpses. Lord Kṛṣṇa, however, has a spiritual body of intense bliss. The gopīs, who are headed by Rādhā, are His glorious spiritual potencies.
86. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.60.45) Queen Rukmiṇī describes the external material body of the conditioned souls in these words: "A man within this world is just a dead body. In fact, superficially the living entity is covered by this body, which is nothing but a bag of skin decorated with beards and moustaches, hairs on the body, nails on the fingers, and hairs on the head. Within this decorated bag there are bunches of muscles, bundles of bones, and pools of blood, always mixed up with stool, urine, mucus, bile, and polluted air, and enjoyed by various kinds of insects and germs. A foolish woman accepts such a dead body as her husband and, in sheer misunderstanding, loves him as her dear companion. This is only possible because such a woman has never tasted the evr-blissful flavor of Your lotus feet."*
87. It is also said in the scriptures: "The syllable 'kṛṣ' refers to eternal existence, and the sullable 'ṇa' refers to spiritual pleasure. These two syllables combine to form the name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the Absolute Truth."
88. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said: "The Supreme Truth has a humanlike form." In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.22) it is also said: "O Lord Kṛṣṇa, Your form is of eternal spiritual pleasure and eternal spiritual knowledge."
89. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.32.10) it is said: "Surrounded by the gopīs, who were now relieved of their sorrows, Lord Kṛṣṇa, who is the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, enjoyed many pastimes. Thus the Supreme Lord enjoyed with His spiritual potencies."
90. Bhāva (ecstatic spiritual love) is not the same as material lust. Prema (pure spiritual love) is more glorious even than bhāva. Prema is described in the following words. The yearning to meet, meeting, embraces, kisses, and other amorous activities of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa seem exactly like those of ordinary amorous couples. However, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's amorous pastimes are free of any impurity or imperfection. They are all-glorious, all-blissful, and all-auspicious.The amorous activities of other couples are not like Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's pastimes. They are merely the conditioned soul's selfish struggle to please himself.
91. The gopīs, who are the goddesses of prema personified, will later declare (in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 10.31.19): "Dear Kṛṣṇa, certainly You know how much we are saddened when You go out of Vṛndāvana village to tend the cows in the forest. How we are afflicted simply to think that Your soft lotus feet are being pricked by the dry grass and the tiny stones in the forest. We are so attached to You that we always think simply of Your lotus feet."*
92. Sometimes it is said that prema (pure spiritual love) is under the domain of lust. Such statements are metaphors only. They are not factually true. That is hte conclusion of the smṛti-śāstras. For this reason is given the following famous description of the spiritual benefit attained by hearing of Śrīv Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa's pastimes of prema.
93. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.33.40) it is said: "If a person hears from the right source of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa, who is Viṣṇu Himself, and the gopīs, who are expansions of His energy, he will be relieved of the most dangerous type of disease, namely lust. He will be elevated to the huighest position of spiritual life."*
94. That spiritual path of prema always brings newer and newer bliss to the mahat (exalted), mahattara (very exalted), and mahattama (most exalted) souls that strive to follow it.
95. Later in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.47.58) Śrī Uddhava will declare: "Among all the living entities who have accepted the human form of life, the gopīs are superexcellently successful in their mission. Their thought is thoroughly absorbed in the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Great sages and saintly persons are also trying to be absorbed in meditation upon the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, who is Mukunda Himself, the giver of liberation, but the gopīs, having lovingly accepted the Lord, are automatically accustomed to this habit. They do not depend on any yoga practice. The conclusion is that one who has attained the gopīs' condition of life does not have to take birth as Lord Brahmā or be born in a brāhmaṇa family or be initiated as a brāhmaṇa."*
96. Thirsting to engage in a prema relationship, Śrī Kṛṣṇa places Himself under the control of His devotee. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.32.22) He tells the gopīs: "I cannot repay your continual love for Me, even throughout the lifetimes of the demigods in the heavenly planets. It is impossible to repay you or show gratitude for your love. Therefore please be satisfied with your own pious activities. You have displayed exeplary attraction for Me, overcoming the greatest difficulties arising from family connections. Please be satisfied with your highly exemplary character, for it is not possible for Me to repay your debt."*
97. The gopīs' other transcendental virtues may be inferred from the following words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.18.12): "All the demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religion, knowledge, and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva."*
98. It is also said: "Though learned and intelligent, materialistic philosophers cannot understand even a single atom of the philosophy revealed in the limitless rasa-śāstras. All their activities of being plunged in an ocean of love are dull an pathetic in comparison to Śrī Kṛṣṇa's amorous pastimes with the gopīs, pastimes filḷed with glorious splendor."
99. Amongst all the gopīs Śrī Rādhā is the most glorious. Her glories are wonderful and extraordinary. She is referred to in these words of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.30.28): "We must understand that this particular gopī must have served Kṛṣṇa with greater affectionate love than ourselves. Because of this, although He has left us, He could not leave Her company. He has taken Her along with Him."*
100. Considering all these explanations, I have come to the following conclusion: Even though He is self-satisfied, and even though His every desire is always fulfilled, Śrī Kṛṣṇa always enjoys blissful pastimes with Śrī Rādhā. He is the abode of perfect love for Śrī Rādhā. I think His pastimes with Her make the activities of a lusty boy and girls in this world seem pathetic and insignificant.
101. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is self-satisfied (ātmārāma). His form is filled with transcendental bliss. His every desire is always fulfilled. He bears thw auspicious markings of supreme opulence. He is the extraordinary beloved of millions of gopīs. Still, He abandons the company of a great host of gopīs and stays with Śrī Rādhā alone. He is attached to Her.
102. Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa's loving affairs are like a flowing river. In some places that river has many twisting crooked turns. In other places it is very swift. In other places the water is very deep. In other places are many violent whirlpools. In other places it is seen to flow with gentle peace.
103. In Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (15.102) it is said: "The ways of prema are naturally crooked, like the movements of a snake. The divine couple may act with a sensible reason, and sometimes They may act without any sensible reason at all."
104. One of these crooked pastimes is described in the following words: "Her closed eyes are like new flower buds. Her neck is tilted back. Her arms are languid. Her thighs are stunned. Now Śrī Kṛṣṇa is fulfilling Her desire. She smiles and smiles. Why does She not now knit Her eyebrows in disapproval, as She did before?"
105. When in activity after activity Kṛṣṇa affectionately worships r, then pride comes and touches Her. By the process of philosophical debate no one has the power to understand Rādhā's feelings of pride. For example, Rādhā thinks:
106. "I do not know My own good fortune that now I have My beloved's association. Leaving the other gopīs behind, He met beautiful Me and took Me deep into this forest."
107. Eager to proceed, Kṛṣṇa begged Rādhā to continue walking, but She suddenly became very lazy.
108. Then Rādhā said, "The touch of Your body has made My limbs languid and weak. I cannot walk any further. Carry Me wherever You like."
109. Hearing these words, Kṛṣṇa felt aloof and uninterested. Although full of love for Śrī Rādhā, now He felt love's aspect of anger. With a mocking smile He said, "Why are You troubled? Grasp My shoulders and climb up on them."
110. Angered and humiliated, Rādhā looked down. Glancing at Rādhā, and in His heart thinking of Her welfare, Śrī Kṛṣṇa playfully disappeared. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa disappeared, Śrī Rādhā was wonderstruck. She was like a white lotus flower suddenly bereft of the moon.
111. Again and again Rādhā lamented, "O master, O lover, O dearest beloved, O mighty-armed one, where did You go? Where are You? O master of My life, please show Yourself before Your troubled maidservant.
112. "With great determination I will search for You and find You."
113. When Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the crest-jewel of the wise, thought, "That gopī I just now abandoned will meet with the many gopīs I abandoned previously. When they all gather together I will enjoy with them a great rāsa-dance festival," the many gopīs met that one gopī who had fallen unconscious, overcome with love for Lord Kṛṣṇa. The doe-eyed gopīs, who had been searched for Kṛṣṇa, whose heart is like clear crystal, gathered around that fallen, unconscious gopī.
114. As Śrī Kṛṣṇa continued to hide from them, the gopīs said (of the fallen, unconscious gopī), "Is that a campaka garland fallen to the ground? Is it a crescent moon? Is it the goddess that rules over all glistening rays of beauty? Is it the personified beauty of Vṛndāvana forest? Alas! Alas! It cannot be any of these things. What is it?" As bees swarm around a lotus flower, with agitated hearts the doe-eyed gopīs gathered around that fallen unconscious gopī.
115. Even the gopīs who only pretended to be Rādhā's friends felt their hearts melt. Other gopīs, Śrī Rādhā's true friends, who considered Her as dear as life, at once fell down unconscious. To those gopīs fate had given no shelter. Instead, fate placed on their extraordinary situation a great good fortune.
116. When, from its resting place on Śrī Rādhā's limbs, the fragrance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa entered their nostrils, the gopīs, whose eyes were more beautiful than the does' eyes, and who were like expansions of Śrī Rādhā's form, and who were beautiful like Śrī Rādhā Herself, fell unconscious.
117. Seeing the bodice that, wet with kuṅkuma, anointed with red sindūra, broken, and disarrayed, covered Śrī Rādhā's fair breasts, the gopīs became joyful.
118. Although Her body also carried Śrī Kṛṣṇa's fragrance, when She smelled Śrī Kṛṣṇa's fragrance on the other gopīs' bodies, Śrī Rādhā at once regained consciousness.
119. Surrounding Rādhā, whose condition was now like theirs, Rādhā's faithful gopī friends hugged each other. Bitterly they wept. Weeping, they said to Rādhā, "It is said, 'Five people gathered together cannot be unhappy'. Therefore, happy in each other's company, we will not be troubled by even the greatest sorrows." Then the gopīs asked, "Why did Kṛṣṇa abandon You? Please tell us. Why are You so filled with sorrow?"
120. Lamenting Her misfortune, Śrī Rādhā said, "Where did Kṛṣṇa take Me? Why did He take Me? What did I do wrong? I do not know. All I know is that now I am bereft of Him and it must be because of My own misdeeds."
121. Rādhā wept without restraint. Some of Her sorrowing friends trued to console Her. They wiped the tears from Her face, arranged Her garments, and made Her stand up. Standing together with Rādhā, they asked, "Where can we find Kṛṣṇa?"
122. Śrī Rādhā said, "Gentle-hearted Kṛṣṇa happily enjoys pastimes not far from here. Gokula's pure, profound, and modest prince acted rightly. Out of compassion for us He first accepted and then abandoned us.
123. "We should follow the trail marked with Kṛṣṇa's footprints. That is best for us." As if they were walking in the forest to pick flowers, the gopīs searched fro Kṛṣṇa's footprints, which bear the mark of the flag and other auspicious marks. Searching, they entered a place in the forest thick with trees and vines. From that place they did not emerge.
124. The gopīs said amongst themselves, "Perhaps because of our shameful actions Śrī Kṛṣṇa does not wish to come before our eyes. Perhaps He will go far from this place. We should look for Him on the riverbank. He once said to us, 'Wherever I go, you should also come.' Perhaps, to drive away the ambarrassment He may feel by breaking His own words, He will again come before our eyes."
125. Talking in this way, and searching for Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs wandered here and there in the forest. Filled with humbleness, they sang many songs.
126. As the people in the assembly listened with rapt attention, the narrator (Snigdhakaṇṭha) brought his narration to a conclusion by saying, "O queen of Vṛndāvana, if You are not present, then handsome Kṛṣṇa will not accept even many millions of other gopīs."