Chapter 22 · Class prep
A printable handout for teaching this chapter. For each verse with Personal Guidance, you'll see Prabhupāda's translation, the essence, two or three practical applications, and a discussion prompt. Press ⌘P / Ctrl P to print as a handout.
BG 22.1
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: During the first month of the winter season, the young unmarried girls of Gokula observed the vow of worshiping goddess Kātyāyanī. For the entire month they ate only unspiced khichrī.
Essence. The young unmarried girls of Gokula observe a month-long Kātyāyanī vow, eating only unspiced khichrī. They prepare bodily before performing sacred ritual — purity of food precedes purity of prayer.
BG 22.2-3
My dear King, after they had bathed in the water of the Yamunā just as the sun was rising, the gopīs made an earthen deity of goddess Durgā on the riverbank. Then they worshiped her with such aromatic substances as sandalwood pulp, along with other items both opulent and simple, including lamps, fruits, betel nuts, newly grown leaves, and fragrant garlands and incense.
Essence. After dawn bath in the Yamunā, the gopīs make an earthen Durgā deity on the bank and worship with sandalwood, lamps, fruit, betel, leaves, garlands, incense. Sacred form is built from local material; God is approached through what's at hand.
BG 22.4
Each of the young unmarried girls performed her worship while chanting the following mantra. “O goddess Kātyāyanī, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.”
Essence. Each girl chants: 'O Kātyāyanī, please make the son of Nanda my husband.' Real petition is specific, named, and unembarrassed. The mantra asks for a concrete Person, not a vague benediction.
BG 22.5
Thus for an entire month the girls carried out their vow and properly worshiped the goddess Bhadrakālī, fully absorbing their minds in Kṛṣṇa and meditating upon the following thought: “May the son of King Nanda become my husband.”
Essence. For a whole month they hold the vow, absorbing the mind in Kṛṣṇa with the single thought: 'May Nanda's son become my husband.' One concrete thought sustained for a month transforms the heart's geography.
BG 22.6
Each day they rose at dawn. Calling out to one another by name, they all held hands and loudly sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa while going to the Kālindī to take their bath.
Essence. Each dawn the girls call each other by name, hold hands, and walk loudly singing Kṛṣṇa's glories to the river. Practice is communal, named, and processional — it does not happen in isolation.
BG 22.7
One day they came to the riverbank and, putting aside their clothing as they had done before, happily played in the water while singing the glories of Kṛṣṇa.
Essence. On the vow's completion day, they playfully bathe in the river, singing Kṛṣṇa's glories. Sacred completion includes celebration; austerity culminates in joy, not in another austerity.
BG 22.8
Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and master of all masters of mystic yoga, was aware of what the gopīs were doing, and thus He went there surrounded by His young companions to award the gopīs the perfection of their endeavor.
Essence. Kṛṣṇa, knowing their endeavor, arrives with friends to grant the perfection of their vow. The Lord notices when our discipline matures and meets it personally — the response is the meeting, not just a benediction at a distance.
BG 22.9
Taking the girls’ garments, He quickly climbed to the top of a kadamba tree. Then, as He laughed loudly and His companions also laughed, He addressed the girls jokingly.
Essence. Taking their garments, He climbs a kadamba tree and laughs while addressing them jokingly. The Lord uses humor and trick at the very moment of mature surrender — even surrender includes play.
BG 22.10
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear girls, you may each come here as you wish and take back your garments. I’m telling you the truth and am not joking with you, since I see you’re fatigued from executing austere vows.
Essence. 'Come here as you wish and take back your garments. I am not joking; I see you are fatigued from austere vows.' The Lord asks them to come in a posture they would never normally accept — but does it with affection, not cruelty.
BG 22.11
I have never before spoken a lie, and these boys know it. Therefore, O slender-waisted girls, please come forward, either one by one or all together, and pick out your clothes.
Essence. 'I have never spoken a lie; ask the boys. Please come forward, one by one or all together.' The Lord stakes the situation on His own credibility and gives them choice — solo or together, but come.
BG 22.12
Seeing how Kṛṣṇa was joking with them, the gopīs became fully immersed in love for Him, and as they glanced at each other they began to laugh and joke among themselves, even in their embarrassment. But still they did not come out of the water.
Essence. Seeing His joking, the gopīs become fully immersed in love, glancing and laughing among themselves even in embarrassment, but still don't come out. Devotional embarrassment can coexist with deepening love — the body refuses while the heart says yes.
BG 22.13
As Śrī Govinda spoke to the gopīs in this way, His joking words completely captivated their minds. Submerged up to their necks in the cold water, they began to shiver. Thus they addressed Him as follows.
Essence. Submerged to their necks in cold water, they shiver while He captivates them with joking words. There is a stage of devotion where the body shivers in resistance and the mind is enraptured at once.
BG 22.14
[The gopīs said:] Dear Kṛṣṇa, don’t be unfair! We know that You are the respectable son of Nanda and that You are honored by everyone in Vraja. You are also very dear to us. Please give us back our clothes. We are shivering in the cold water.
Essence. 'Don't be unfair! You are Nanda's respectable son, honored by everyone, dear to us. Give back our clothes; we shiver.' They appeal to His respectability and to their belovedness in His eyes. Two-sided trust.
BG 22.15
O Śyāmasundara, we are Your maidservants and must do whatever You say. But give us back our clothing. You know what the religious principles are, and if You don’t give us our clothes we will have to tell the king. Please!
Essence. 'O Śyāmasundara, we are Your maidservants and must do whatever You say. But please give back our clothes — or we will tell the king.' Even surrender includes a moment of bargaining; the gopīs threaten, half-playfully.
BG 22.16
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: If you girls are actually My maidservants, and if you will really do what I say, then come here with your innocent smiles and let each girl pick out her clothes. If you don’t do what I say, I won’t give them back to you. And even if the king becomes angry, what can he do?
Essence. 'If you are really My maidservants, come with innocent smiles and pick out your clothes. If not, what can the king do?' The Lord calls their bluff with affection. He won't yield to public-pressure rhetoric; surrender means surrender.
BG 22.17
Then, shivering from the painful cold, all the young girls rose up out of the water, covering their pubic area with their hands.
Essence. Shivering, they rise from the water, hands covering their private parts. They had promised to do as He said and now their own words trap them into a courage they wouldn't have chosen freely.
BG 22.18
When the Supreme Lord saw how the gopīs were struck with embarrassment, He was satisfied by their pure loving affection. Putting their clothes on His shoulder, the Lord smiled and spoke to them with affection.
Essence. Seeing their embarrassed surrender, Kṛṣṇa is satisfied by pure love. He puts their clothes on His shoulder, smiles, and speaks with affection. Embarrassment did not block the Lord's pleasure; it intensified it.
BG 22.19
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] You girls bathed naked while executing your vow, and that is certainly an offense against the demigods. To counteract your sin you should offer obeisances while placing your joined palms above your heads. Then you should take back your lower garments.
Essence. 'You bathed naked — that's an offense against the demigods. To counteract it, bow with joined palms over your heads, then take your lower garments.' Surrender is required without the option of self-covering; the gesture itself is the worship.
BG 22.20
Thus the young girls of Vṛndāvana, considering what Lord Acyuta had told them, accepted that they had suffered a falldown from their vow by bathing naked in the river. But they still desired to successfully complete their vow, and since Lord Kṛṣṇa is Himself the ultimate result of all pious activities, they offered their obeisances to Him to cleanse away all their sins.
Essence. Accepting their fall and trusting that Kṛṣṇa is Himself the ultimate result of all pious activity, they bow to Him to be cleansed of all sin. The shortcut through every prescribed ritual is the Person Himself.
BG 22.21
Seeing them bow down like that, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the son of Devakī, gave them back their garments, feeling compassionate toward them and satisfied by their act.
Essence. Seeing them bow, compassionate Kṛṣṇa returns their garments. The Lord requires the bow but then graciously gives back what He took; He doesn't keep what was set aside in surrender.
BG 22.22
Although the gopīs had been thoroughly cheated, deprived of their modesty, ridiculed and made to act just like toy dolls, and although their clothing had been stolen, they did not feel at all inimical toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Rather, they were simply joyful to have this opportunity to associate with their beloved.
Essence. Though cheated, deprived of modesty, ridiculed, the gopīs feel no animosity — only joy at the chance to associate with Him. 'You may embrace Me or trample Me; whatever You like, You are eternally my Lord.'
BG 22.23
The gopīs were addicted to associating with their beloved Kṛṣṇa, and thus they became captivated by Him. Thus, even after putting their clothes on they did not move. They simply remained where they were, shyly glancing at Him.
Essence. Even after putting their clothes on, the gopīs do not move — captivated, they shyly glance at Him. Real meeting with the Lord makes leaving impossible; even when the official errand is complete, devotees can't walk away.
BG 22.24
The Supreme Lord understood the determination of the gopīs in executing their strict vow. The Lord also knew that the girls desired to touch His lotus feet, and thus Lord Dāmodara, Kṛṣṇa, spoke to them as follows.
Essence. The Lord understands their determination and their desire to touch His feet, and speaks. He knows when devotees are silently asking for more — and answers without their having to phrase it.
BG 22.25
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O saintly girls, I understand that your real motive in this austerity has been to worship Me. That intent of yours is approved of by Me, and indeed it must come to pass.
Essence. 'O saintly girls, your real motive was to worship Me. That intent is approved by Me, and must come to pass.' Hidden true motive matters more than form; once seen and approved, fulfillment is certain.
BG 22.26
The desire of those who fix their minds on Me does not lead to material desire for sense gratification, just as barleycorns burned by the sun and then cooked can no longer grow into new sprouts.
Essence. Desires of those who fix the mind on Kṛṣṇa don't sprout fresh material desire, like sun-roasted, then cooked barleycorns. Purified desire still desires — just no longer to grow material consequences.
BG 22.27
Go now, girls, and return to Vraja. Your desire is fulfilled, for in My company you will enjoy the coming nights. After all, this was the purpose of your vow to worship goddess Kātyāyanī, O pure-hearted ones.
Essence. 'Return to Vraja now; your desire is fulfilled. In My company you will enjoy the coming nights — that was the purpose of your vow.' The Lord names exactly when fulfillment will come and trusts them to wait.
BG 22.28
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus instructed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the young girls, their desire now fulfilled, could bring themselves only with great difficulty to return to the village of Vraja, meditating all the while upon His lotus feet.
Essence. The girls go home only with difficulty, meditating all the while on His feet. Real meeting makes return to ordinary life painful but possible — the meditation continues on the walk back.
BG 22.29
Some time later Lord Kṛṣṇa, the son of Devakī, surrounded by His cowherd friends and accompanied by His elder brother, Balarāma, went a good distance away from Vṛndāvana, herding the cows.
Essence. Some time later Kṛṣṇa, with friends and Balarāma, goes a good distance from Vṛndāvana herding cows. Even after intense pastime, the Lord returns to ordinary work; sweetness and daily duty alternate.
BG 22.30
When the sun’s heat became intense, Lord Kṛṣṇa saw that the trees were acting as umbrellas by shading Him, and thus He spoke as follows to His boyfriends.
Essence. When sun's heat intensifies, Kṛṣṇa sees trees acting as umbrellas and speaks. The Lord notices the trees' service even in His own protection — He doesn't take shelter for granted.
BG 22.31-32
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O Stoka Kṛṣṇa and Aṁśu, O Śrīdāma, Subala and Arjuna, O Viśāla, Vṛṣabha, Ojasvī, Devaprastha and Varūthapa, just see these greatly fortunate trees, whose lives are completely dedicated to the benefit of others. Even while tolerating the wind, rain, heat and snow, they protect us from these elements.
Essence. 'See these greatly fortunate trees — their lives are dedicated to others. They tolerate wind, rain, heat, snow, and protect us from them all.' The Lord praises selfless trees over hard-hearted brāhmaṇas; service outranks ritual status.
BG 22.33
Just see how these trees are maintaining every living entity! Their birth is successful. Their behavior is just like that of great personalities, for anyone who asks anything from a tree never goes away disappointed.
Essence. 'Their birth is successful — they behave like great personalities, for anyone who asks anything from a tree never goes away disappointed.' The mark of a successful life is reliable givingness, not impressive form.
BG 22.34
These trees fulfill one’s desires with their leaves, flowers and fruits, their shade, roots, bark and wood, and also with their fragrance, sap, ashes, pulp and shoots.
Essence. Trees fulfill desires with leaves, flowers, fruits, shade, roots, bark, wood, fragrance, sap, ashes, pulp, shoots — every part. A truly giving life offers something usable in every part of itself.
BG 22.35
It is the duty of every living being to perform welfare activities for the benefit of others with his life, wealth, intelligence and words.
Essence. It is the duty of every being to perform welfare with life, wealth, intelligence, and words. Four channels of contribution — and none of us are exempt from any of them.
BG 22.36
Thus moving among the trees, whose branches were bent low by their abundance of twigs, fruits, flowers and leaves, Lord Kṛṣṇa came to the Yamunā River.
Essence. Moving among trees bent low with twigs, fruits, flowers, and leaves, Kṛṣṇa comes to the Yamunā. The Lord walks under the canopy of generosity He just praised — He honors what He commends by being among it.
BG 22.37
The cowherd boys let the cows drink the clear, cool and wholesome water of the Yamunā. O King Parīkṣit, the cowherd boys themselves also drank that sweet water to their full satisfaction.
Essence. The boys let cows drink the clear cool wholesome Yamunā water, and they drink to their full satisfaction. The Lord's friends share the same water as His animals — there is one stream for all who serve.
BG 22.38
Then, O King, the cowherd boys began herding the animals in a leisurely way within a small forest along the Yamunā. But soon they became afflicted by hunger and, approaching Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma, spoke as follows.
Essence. Herding the cows leisurely in a small forest, the boys grow hungry and feign hunger so Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma will arrange a meal. Friends manage the Lord's needs by pretending their own hunger — devotional creativity.