10.29 · Kṛṣṇa and the Gopīs Meet for the Rāsa Dance

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

All respects to the tasters of the rāsa dance. Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions in his commentary that Kṛṣṇa disappeared at the beginning of the rāsa dance since he saw the gopīs ’pride in performing the dance. He also mentions that Kṛṣṇa seems to have been conquered by Cupid, since he enjoyed with others’ wives. Bādarāyaṇi began speaking. He spoke from the strength of his greatness. Vyāsa, his father, is called Bādrāyaṇa because he performed great austerities at Badirikāśrama, characterized by worship of Kṛṣṇa. Since he was omniscient, such acts of worship were expected of him. The result of his worship was his son. Śukadeva revealed exceptional qualities of omniscience and prema for the Lord. The analysis of his name Bādarāyaṇi thus indicates his glories. The rāsa dance should be heard by such devotees as this. Another version has Śrī Śuka (parrot) uvāca. This indicates that Śukadeva possessed the softest speech since he had the highest rasa as his very nature. One should hear the rāsa dance topics with such a heart. Śukadeva shows that the main reason for all of Kṛṣṇa’s actions was to give happiness to the gopīs, to fulfill their desires. This produced Kṛṣṇa’s own happiness. Sākṣān manmatha-manmathaḥ: he was the bewilderer of Cupid. (SB 10.32.2) Trailokya-lakṣmy-eka-padaṁ vapur dadhat: his body, the exclusive abode of beauty and opulence within the three worlds, shone brilliantly as the gopīs worshiped him. (SB 10.32.14) gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ lāvaṇya-sāram asamordhvam ananya-siddham dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śrīya aiśvarasya What austerities must the gopīs have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Kṛṣṇa’s form, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equaled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever fresh and extremely rare. SB 10.44.14 This happiness arises from the special experience of Kṛṣṇa’s form, taste, smell, touch and sound, rarely attained even by ātmārāmas and because the nectar of his lips is not available anywhere else. In five chapters, equivalent to the five dear senses, Śukadeva will describe the rāsa dance with the gopīs who were qualified with the most perfect prema. The special nature of Kṛṣṇa’s and the gopīs’ new rāga is described in these chapters. Pītvā mukunda-mukha-sāragham akṣi-bhṛṅgais: with their cup-like eyes, the women of Vṛndāvana drank the honey of the beautiful face of Mukunda. (SB 10.15.43) Gopīnāṁ paramānanda āsīd govinda-darśane: the young gopīs took the greatest pleasure in seeing Govinda. (SB 10.19.16) itthaṁ śarat-svaccha-jalaṁ padmākara-sugandhinā nyaviśad vāyunā vātaṁ sa -go-gopālako ‘cyutaḥ The infallible Lord, accompanied by his cows and cowherd boyfriends, entered that Vṛndāvana forest filled with transparent autumnal waters and cooled by breezes perfumed with the fragrance of lotus flowers. SB 10.21.1 hemante prathame māsi nanda-vraja-kamārikāḥ cerur haviṣyaṁ bhuñjānāḥ kātyāyany-arcana-vratam 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. SB 10.22.1 The gopīs will describe Kṛṣṇa as follows: śarad-udāśaye sādhu-jāta-sat- sarasijodara-śrī-muṣā dṛśā surata-nātha te ’śulka-dāsikā vara-da nighnato neha kiṁ vadhaḥ O Lord of love, in beauty your glance excels the whorl of the finest, most perfectly formed lotus within the autumn pond. O bestower of benedictions, you are killing the maidservants who have given themselves to you freely, without any price. Isn’t this murder? SB 10.31.1 prahasitaṁ priya-prema-vīkṣaṇaṁ viharaṇaṁ ca te dhyāna-maṅgalam rahasi saṁvido yā hṛdi spṛśaḥ kuhaka no manaḥ kṣobhayanti hi Your smiles, your sweet, loving glances, the intimate pastimes and confidential talks that we enjoyed with you—all these are auspicious to meditate upon, and they touch our hearts. But at the same time, O deceiver, they very much agitate our minds. SB 10.31.10 dina-parikṣaye nīla-kuntalair vanaruhānanaṁ bibhrad āvṛtam ghana-rajasvalaṁ darśayan muhur manasi naḥ smaraṁ vīra yacchasi At the end of the day you repeatedly show us your lotus face, covered with dark blue locks of hair and thickly powdered with dust. Thus, O hero, you arouse lusty desires in our minds. SB 10.31.12 rahasi saṁvidaṁ hṛc-chayodayaṁ prahasitānanaṁ prema-vīkṣaṇam bṛhad-uraḥ śriyo vīkṣya dhāma te muhur ati-spṛhā muhyate manaḥ Our minds are repeatedly bewildered as we think of the intimate conversations we had with you in secret, feel the rise of lust in our hearts and remember your smiling face, your loving glances and your broad chest, the resting place of the goddess of fortune. Thus we experience the most severe hankering for you. SB 10.31.17 Remembering all this, Śukadeva then remembers their new relationship, since it should be described in great detail. He thus begins speaking. The word api indicates the previous rāga of the gopīs. One can understand the freshness of their association by previous statements. Till this time they simply desired to enjoy because of the fickleness of their anurāga. Though Kṛṣṇa also had anurāga, waiting for the proper time, he did not show this because of his self-control. These gopīs had attained the middle of kaiśora period, and were the best because of giving happiness to all, being most auspicious and possessing special teachings of the flute. Observing the night that he had promised to the unmarried gopīs (You will enjoy the nights with me. SB 10.22.27) at the beginning of the full moon, he decided to enjoy, giving up his self-control because of heightened anurāga. Though Bhagavān is completely satisfied in himself like the ātmārāma, on seeing the night, he experienced it as an uddīpana. What then to speak of the great prema of the gopīs the ālambana of his love. He had also reached the kaiśora age, which now manifested fully. so ‘pi kaiśora-kavayo mānayan madhusūdanaḥ reme tabhir ameyātmā kṣapāsu kṣapitā hi te Respecting the age of kaiśora, Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with the gopīs for a night of Brahmā. Viṣṇu Purāṇa yuvatīr gopa-kanyāś ca rātrau saṁkālya kālavit kaiśorakaṁ mānayānaḥ saha tābhir mumoda ha Gathering the young gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, knowing the time, respecting the kaiśora age, enjoyed with them. Hari-vaṁśa Kālavit (knower of the time) means that he saw the suitable night. Then he enjoyed with them. Rantuṁ manaś cakre is in the atmanepada to show benefit for himself, according to svaritaṣṭoḥ kartr abhiprāye kriyā-phalam. (Pāṇini 1.3.72) This time was astonishing to him. Using that pretext, the splendor of Vṛndāvana is shown. The nights had fully blossoming jasmine flowers because of the autumn. Since jasmines usually do not bloom in the autumn, the description shows the unprecedented nature of these jasmines. This statement also indicates that all flowers began to blossom at this time. Thus it is indicated that the gopīs (ālambana), time and place were all giving the highest happiness of prema to Kṛṣṇa. Since this enjoyment was special prema caused by the hlādinī-śakti, not material, lusty enjoyment, it is suitable to remove material lust of the listener. The five chapters on rāsa pastimes remove all material attraction. Śrīdhara Svāmī says: dvā-triṁśe virahālāpa-viklinna-hrdayo harih tatrāvirbhūya gopīs tāh sāntvayām āsa mānayan sva-premāmṛtakallola-vihvalī-kṛta-cetasaḥ sadayaṁ nandayan gopīr udgato nanda-nandanaḥ In the thirty-second chapter, Kṛṣṇa afflicted by the conversations of the gopīs in separation, makes his appearance, pacifies them and respects them. Kṛṣṇa appears before the gopīs, whose hearts were thrilled with waves of sweet prema for him, and gives them joy. Śukadeva says: vikrīḍitaṁ vraja-vadhūbhir idaṁ ca viṣṇoḥ śraddhānvito ’nuśṛṇuyād atha varṇayed yaḥ bhaktiṁ parāṁ bhagavati pratilabhya kāmaṁ hṛd-rogam āśv apahinoty acireṇa dhīraḥ Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart. SB 10.33.39 Material lust was excluded, for Kṛṣṇa took close shelter of his yogamāyā, his inconceivable spiritual energy. Wherever Kṛṣṇa plays, this energy is present like the rays of the sun. He possesses this śakti innately. This śakti enables him to accomplish impossible pastimes. Yogamāyā also means “mercy of union” since māyā also means mercy: he took complete shelter of mercy that unites individuals. The verse also indicates that from the first time he saw the gopīs till the full moon his desire kept increasing. On the evening of the full moon, after eating his dinner, coming to the door of the roof top bedroom after leaving his mother, he suddenly decided to enact his pastimes.

Vyāsa performed great austerities at Badarikāśrama. As a result Śukadeva was born as his son. Thus Śukadeva was endowed with omniscience and prema full of rasa. Because this work is uttered by him, it should be full of rasa in execution and result. Thus the word bādarāyaniḥ (son of Vyāsa) is used. And therefore it should be heard with devotion. He showing the principal goal of his avatāra, spreading special prema, through fulfilling the desires of the gopīs, revealing Kṛṣṇa’s happiness and playing with them, in five chapters which are like the five prāṇas. First he shows the ingredients, his attracting the gopīs and his special bhāva that caused this. This pastime took place at the proper time, his kaiśora period. Viṣṇu purāṇa says: so ‘pi kaiśora-kavayo mānayan madhusūdanaḥ reme tabhir ameyātmā kṣapāsu kṣapitā hi te Respecting the age of kaiśora, Kṛṣṇa enjoyed with the gopīs for a night of Brahmā. Viṣṇu Purāṇa yuvatīr gopa-kanyāś ca rātrau saṁkālya kālavit kaiśorakaṁ mānayānaḥ saha tābhir mumoda ha Gathering the young gopīs, Kṛṣṇa, knowing the time, respecting the kaiśora age, enjoyed with them. Hari-vaṁśa Remembering his great beauty at the beginning of the rāsa dance. Śukadeva spoke of his great attractiveness, but was unable to express it clearly: tataś ca paugaṇḍa-vayaḥ-śrītau vraje babhūvatus tau paśu-pāla-sammatau gāś cārayantau sakhibhiḥ samaṁ padair vṛndāvanaṁ puṇyam atīva cakratuḥ Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: When Balarāma and Kṛṣṇa attained the age of paugaṇḍa in Vṛndāvana, the cowherd men allowed them to take up the task of tending the cows. Engaging thus in the company of their friends, the two boys rendered the land of Vṛndāvana most auspicious by imprinting upon it the marks of their lotus feet. SB 10.15.1 The rāsa dance was filled with his kaiśora aspects. This will be described later in the appropriate place. To represent all the rāsa dances, one night, the first at the beginning of his kaiśora period, is described. The word bhagavān indicates that in the rāsa dance he manifested the essence of his unlimited qualities as the Lord. Nanda and others had the highest bliss. Bhagavān however (api) desired to perform a special pastime to become most blissful (rantuṁ manaś cakre), on seeing thos nights—which were indescribable, the best of all times, filled with the highest bliss. Thus they were suitable for his pastime. The plural is used to indicate that the dance took place on many nights. That is revealed at the end. At that time, in the autumn, the jasmines were fully blooming. Though Vṛndāvana is the shelter of everything, and all flowers bloom at al times, in the autumn the jasmines and lotuses especially blossom. And they especially blossomed on those nights. That is the intention also in later saying kumudvantam. Seeing the uddīpanas and considering it was suitable for love, he took the assistance of or made manifest his spiritual energy full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This indicates the highest bliss experienced throught the rāsa dance, superior to all other pastimes, though all the pastimes are full of eternity, knowledge and bliss. This was indicated previously in the eighth chapter concerning the infant pastimes. Or he manifested power and mercy (yogamāyām upāśritaḥ) through his rāsa dance. Or though he always took shelter of his deception (māyā) endowed with self-satisfaction (yoga), now he did not situate himself in this yogamāyā. Rather he now revealed his nature of distributing a wealth of prema of his lotus feet. Or though he usually took shelter of cheating in relationships (yoga), as in the case of the wives of the brāhmaṇas, now he did not cheat in this meeting. He directly met with the gopīs. He met with those gopīs who had come there. Or though he is always served by Lakṣmī (māyā) who is united with him on his chest, she was not present during the rāsa dance. The rāsa dance is hard to attain. Or he took shelter of his flute which makes sounds (māya) for bringing about a meeting (yoga). Or he took shelter in his mind of Rādhā, who is the conclusion (māya) of union (yoga), or who is the attainment (yā) of a wealth (mā) of union (yoga). Padma Purāṇa explains that Rādhā was the cause of the rāsa dance.

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

Śukadeva describes the weight carried by Kṛṣṇa, who is compared the moon eager to enjoy with the eastern direction, and indicates the most auspicious nature of the night as the chief among all nights. The moon is described as the master of stars. This suggests that the stars rose as the family members of the moon. The east was especially colored (vi—lumpan) by the rays colored red. This indicates it was the full moon. Kṛṣṇa developed more desire on this day than other days. That is indicated by the word tadā (at that time). The full moon is also the best uddīpana like the nights filled with jasmine blossoms, and is later indicted with the words “the forest was colored by the rays of the full moon.” (SB 10.29.21) Not only was the east relieved of suffering by the rays of the moon but all people were also relieved of suffering (śucaḥ) caused by the autumn sun or by mental suffering, since by the joy or sorrow of the gopīs who were the very forms of the highest śakti and the shelter of all śaktis, all people experienced either joy or sorrow. It was just like the birth of Kṛṣṇa giving joy to all. The moon and the east were like a man and his beloved, who mutually enjoy because of absolute propriety and attraction. Just as the man who has not seen his followers for a long time wipes away the tears of sorrow of his followers and anoints them with his joyful hand, the moon colored the east. “Not being seen for a long time” indicates the great longing within him. All of this indicates the arousal of Kṛṣṇa’s desire to enjoy.

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

Seeing the moon and feeling his love aroused, he went to the forest, and seeing it tinged with the rays of the moon, he went to the bank of the Yamunā in that forest, still famous today as Rāsaulī village. There he began to play a song using his attractive flute. This verse describes the particular teachings of the flute that appeared on this night, as on others. He had become lethargic for association of all these women who were the most exalted women, in order to give special instructions on his flute for attaining Rādhā, the dearest among them. Seeing a likeness of her face in the moon, he wondered if it was her, and by remembering her at that time, then sang on his flute. In wondering if the moon were Rādhā, some details are given to show the similarity. Kumut means kumuda (night lotus) according to Viśva-prakāśa. The moon was like a lotus, or lotuses bloomed when the moon rose. The adjectives describe the moon, though the moon is not directly mentioned. This is similar to a phrase like ayam udayati mudrā-bhañjanaḥ padminīnām: it (the sun) rises, breaking the locks of the closed lotuses. (Sat-ukti-karṇāmṛtam compiled by Śrīdhara dāsa) Concerning her face, kumut means “giving joy to the earth” since Rādhā is the supreme woman. The moon is complete with sixteen digits (akhaṇda-maṇḍalam). In relation to Rādhā it means “having all elements of her face arranged in proper proportions.” The moon was red like a ball of kuṁkuma. Rādhā’s face was flushed with the reddish tinge of kuṁkuma. The time was suitable for enjoyment. Then the place is shown as suitable for enjoyment. The forest is described. The forest was tinged only slightly by the first faint rays of the moon. Some versions have short gobhi for metrical reasons. The forest was also an uddīpana for love. Kṛṣṇa sang on his flute (not mentioned but understood) in sweet, quiet notes (kalam). Later in the chapter this will be understood when it is said: kā stry aṅga te kala-padāyata-veṇu-gīta- sammohitārya-caritān na calet tri-lokyām Dear Kṛṣṇa, what woman in all the three worlds wouldn’t deviate from religious behavior when bewildered by the sweet, drawn-out melody of your flute? SB 10.29.40 The sweetness attracted the women and softness made each of them think the flute was calling them personally by name. He played the flute so that it was attractive to those who had the appropriate love (vāma-dṛśām manoharam). This means he played a special rāga to incite only mādhurya-rasa. And the next verse explains that the song increased passion (anaṅga-vardhanam). This was called madhyamādi-rāga. It is said concerning the different māyura-rāgas: madhymādir ma-grahānto madhyama-grāma-rāgajaḥ ayaṁ sāyaṁ tu gātavyaḥ śṛṅgāre ṛdhavaritaḥ Madhyādi-rāga arises from the madhyama-grama employing the fourth note at the end, devoid of the second and sixth notes. This rāga should be sung in the evening for mādhurya-rasa. Ma means the fourth note. Ṛdha means the second and sixth notes. Graha means note of the scale (svara). Previously it was said: iti veṇu-ravaṁ rājan sarva-bhūta-manoharam śrutvā vraja-striyaḥ sarvā varṇayantyo ‘bhirebhire O King, when the young ladies in Vraja heard the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, which captivates the minds of all living beings, they all embraced one another and began describing it. SB 10.21.6 Because of the flute’s general message the gopīs were simply bewildered according to their nature. But now, they became attracted because of the special rasa in the notes. There are special varieties of the flute. ardhāṅgulāntaronmānaṁ tārādi-vivarāṣṭakam | tataḥ sārdhāṅgulād yatra mukha-randhraṁ tathāṅgulam ||368|| śiro vedāṅgulaṁ pucchaṁ try-aṅgulaṁ sā tu vaṁśikā | nava-randhrā smṛtā sapta-daśāṅgula-mitā budhaiḥ ||369|| The vaṁsikā is seventeen fingers long with nine holes (12.75 inches). Eight holes for playing notes are half a finger in diameter and spaced half a finger apart. A hole for blowing is placed one and a half fingers from the eighth hole and is one finger in diameter. There are four fingers space remaining at the head of the flute and three fingers space remaining at the end of the flute. BRS 2.1.368-369 daśāṅgulāntarā syāc cet sā tāra-mukha-randhrayoḥ | mahānandeti vyākhyātā tathā saṁmohinīti ca ||370|| bhavet sūryāntarā sā cet tata ākarṣiṇī matā | ānandinī tadā vaṁśī bhaved indrāntarā yadi ||371|| When space between the mouth hole and the first hole for notes is ten fingers, the vaṁśī is called mahānanda (great delight) and sammohinī (the bewitcher). If the space is twelve fingers, the vaṁśi is called ākarṣiṇī (the attractor). If the space is fourteen fingers, the vaṁśī is called ānandinī (bliss-giver). BRS 2.1.370-371 gopānāṁ vallabhā seyaṁ vaṁśulīti ca viśrutā | kramān maṇimayī haimī vaiṇavīti tridhā ca sā ||372|| The ānandinī is a favorite with the cowherd people and is also called vaṁśulī. The vaṁśīs are respectively made of jewels, gold, and bamboo. BRS 2.1.372 At this time Kṛṣṇa played the flute called akarṣiṇī made of gold. He also played a particular song. Vāma-dṛśām mahoharam (attracting the women with beautiful eyes) indicates that women, looking at him with crooked glances, became attracted through all their senses because their minds, the root of all their senses, became attracted. And esoterically even the kāma-bīja is indicated by the combination vāma-ḍṛśaḥ with kalam. This represents the first three letters of kāma-bīja (k-l-ī) . That bīja is described as manoharam—attractor of the mind. Since the deity of the mind is the moon, the meaning of manoharam is “endowed with the moon or candra-bindu.” The sound of the flute is naturally endowed with nāda (spiritual sound). Kalā tu māyā lavakā tu mūrtiḥ kala-kvanad venu-nināda-ramyaḥ: Kṛṣṇa is the embodiment of the kāma-bijā (soft bewildering sound) when he pleasantly and softly plays the flute. (Krama-dīpika)

With the appearance of his special bhāva, he began playing his flute to attract the gopīs, as if using a mantra to bewitch them. Kumut means kumuda (night lotus) according to Viśva-prakāśa. He saw a group of blossoming lotuses (kumudvantam). The gopīs later say vṛdnāvane kumud-kunda-śaśāṅkaramya: does he, whose is the subject of attractive talks worshiped by all, recall those nights in the Vṛndāvana forest, lovely with lotus, jasmine and the bright moon? (SB 10.47.43) Or kumudvantam can mean he saw that everything on earth (ku) had become joyful (mud) because of the rising of the moon. He desired to enjoy because of remembering the face of Lakṣmī (ramānanābhām). “The face of the beloved is always decorated with kuṁkuma but the moon is white. How can they be compared?” The moon was red with fresh kuṁkuma. Kuṁkuma is an uddpīpana for love. The time was suitable for love. Now the suitability of the place is described. The forest everywhere was colored red or made suitable for anurāga with the gentle rays of the rising moon. Or the forest was smeared (añjitam) with the rays of the moon. This is also an uddīpana. He played a sweet song (kalam). Or he played softly (kalam) on his flute. kā stry aṅga te kala-padāyata-veṇu-gīta- sammohitārya-caritān na calet tri-lokyām trailokya-saubhagam idaṁ ca nirīkṣya rūpaṁ yad go-dvija-druma-mṛgāḥ pulakāny abibhran Dear Kṛṣṇa, what woman in all the three worlds wouldn’t deviate from religious behavior when bewildered by the sweet, drawn-out melody of your flute? Your beauty makes all three worlds auspicious. Even the cows, birds, trees and deer manifest the ecstatic symptom of bodily hair standing on end when they see your beautiful form. SB 10.29.40 The sound attracted the beautiful women (vāma-drśām) or the women with crooked glances. This is a general description of the gopīs, since they all had this nature. The sound was attractive because of the message it conveyed or because of its rāga and tāla. This was a special song since at other times the song did not cause the same response.

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

This verse indicates the special power of the flute: others could not hear it, but it attracted the gopīs. The flute song previously produced love for Kṛṣṇa but now it produced increased love. Though the song was attractive and strengthened Cupid, the intention of the verse is to show intense love. That love (anaṅga) was previous situated as a sprouted seed, but now it was bearing shoots. Because they suddenly reached this state, they are compared to persons drinking nectar eagerly. Because of the context, “the women of Vraja” means specific women, the young gopīs, who from previous time had been attracted by Kṛṣṇa, the great attractor, or had unlimited surrender to him. Hearing that song, they now particularly came there. Not informing others (anyonyam alakṣitodyamāḥ), they were able to go there. That is Śrīdhara Svāmī’s explanation. Or they went together in groups without telling others because their minds had lost power of discrimination arising from their attraction to Kṛṣṇa. The word saḥ indicates great desire to remember him. He (saḥ) was most desired by them and by Śukadeva from previous times and at present, because of his attractive form, qualities and flute. They went to the place where the enjoyer stood in an intensely joyfully state. They did not go elsewhere because of the most attractive flute playing.

They heard the song which increased love (which was previously present) for the Lord. In the last verse the song was described as attractive. The intention of the present description of the flute is to show the intensity of the attraction. This love (anaṅga—without material parts) is a type of prema and excludes material lust completely. Or though it is without material parts it has spiritual components. The women of Vraja, having new youth, had their minds attracted or absorbed in Kṛṣṇa previously because of his attractive nature. Hearing this song they went to him. Or though they belonged to groups, they desired to go unseen by others on their own because now they had lost all discrimination, being attracted to him strongly. Or they had not formed groups, but out of rivalry which manifested as part of this special prema, they went alone. Or out of haste, they could not inform their friends that they were going. With their earrings swaying they came. The word “came” is used because Śukadeva had Krṣṇa within himself. Thus the gopīs came to Kṛṣṇa who was in Śukadeva. Or because of describing the event, he also participating in going, and had a vision of Kṛṣṇa appearing close to him. Or ājagmuḥ can mean “they approached him.” Or they went, giving up everything (ā). This is explained later. They came where he, the player of the attractive flute (saḥ), or he who was long desired by their vows, because he was their master or source of attraction (kāntaḥ), was standing. Or kāntaḥ can mean “he who produces lasting (anta) happiness (ka).”

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

Three verses describe how they went to him giving up duties and local custom with disinterest in their bodies because of the agitation caused by the most attractive song, since they were eager to go there with strong determination. First giving up their designated duties is described. They were milking cows but gave up milking or the milk, and went towards the song of the flute. Some when in large groups and others went with only two or three friends, since verse 44 describes that there were hundreds of group leaders. They left because they went most eager, unable to bear delay in time. This reason for going should be given for the following verses also. Others left while boiling milking and others left while cakes were on the fire. “Others (aparāḥ)” should be understood in all the verses. Or they left the milking boiling on the stove without taking it off, and they left cakes on the stove without removing them.

This verse describes how they gave up their duties as wives and mothers. Some gave up serving food and left. Some gave up serving their husbands with warm water and rendering other services. This verse describes how they gave up their normal dressing. They gave up applying candana and other ointments and left the house. Others gave up applying oil and tumeric on their bodies and left. Other gopis in great haste could not distinguish hand from foot or nose from ear, and placed their ornaments in the wrong place. This is an indicationg vibhrama, one of the anubhavas or symptoms of intense love. The scriptures say, "when a person at the time of meeting the lover, out of love dons ornaments and garlands on the wrong bodily parts it is called vibhrama."

The previous verse describes the gopīs neglecting milking, boiling milk and baking cakes in the evening. Some gave up other people and proper conduct, and among them first those who gave up regular friends and servants are described. Some, giving up serving friends and servants, went. Some gave up their objects of great affection—feeding children milk--and left. They were feeding the nephews, not their own children, since this would a conflict with mādhurya-rasa (these gopīs had not given birth to children). Next giving up dharma is described. Some gave up serving their husbands by offering a warm bath water. Some gave up interest in their own bodies: they gave up eating their meal. From this it is understood that because of their absorption in prema for Kṛṣṇa, they did not distinguish between pure and impure. Some, longing for him day and night, began decorating themselves. As describing in Gīta-govinda, some gave up decorating their bodies out of great longing, even though that would please Kṛṣṇa. Others gave applying cosmetics on their bodies. Others gave up cleaning their bodies, for they had given up interest in their bodies. Some were not aware of the correct limbs and put the ornaments on the wrong limbs. Previously this attitude was described as the anubhāva called vibhrama, a strong inclination to reject everything. vallabha-prāpti-velāyāṁ madanāveśa-sambhramāt | vibhramo hāra-mālyādi-bhūṣā-sthāna-viparyayaḥ || When, at the time of going to meet her lover, the heroine places necklaces, flower-garlands and other ornaments in the wrong places, when agitated by the onslaught of intense passion, it is called vibhrama. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 11.39 It should be understood that their identity depended on their prema for the Lord, not on dressing. But later Kṛṣṇa himself dressed them properly. In the list starting from milking, those later in the list are considered superior for having given things more essential for the body. In any case they all went near to Kṛṣṇa.

The previous verse describes the gopīs neglecting milking, boiling milk and baking cakes in the evening. Some gave up other people and proper conduct, and among them, first, those who gave up regular friends and servants are described. Some, giving up serving friends and servants, went. Though they were absorbed in evening duties, they got their happiness in giving up ordinary dutis, informing husbands, friends and servants. Some gave up their objects of great affection whom should not be given up—feeding children milk--and left. They were feeding the nephews, not their own children, since this would a conflict with mādhurya-rasa (these gopīs had not given birth to children). Next, giving up dharma is described. Some gave up serving their husbands in the form of feeding them. They gave up eating their meal. First giving up ordinary duties, though they were dedicated to dharma and chastity, was described. Some ignored their own bodies. They did not eat. This indicates that they dedicated their bodies to the Lord’s pleasure. From this it is understood that because of their absorption in prema for Kṛṣṇa, they did not distinguish between pure and impure for their bodies. Some had been decorating their bodies with sandalwood. By giving up this they showed indifference to their bodies. Some were not aware of the correct limbs and put the ornaments on the wrong limbs. Previously this attitude was described as the anubhāva called vibhrama, a strong inclination to reject everything. vallabha-prāpti-velāyāṁ madanāveśa-sambhramāt | vibhramo hāra-mālyādi-bhūṣā-sthāna-viparyayaḥ || When, at the time of going to meet her lover, the heroine places necklaces, flower-garlands and other ornaments in the wrong places, when agitated by the onslaught of intense passion, it is called vibhrama. Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi 11.39 It should be understood that their identity depended on their prema for the Lord, not on dressing. But later Kṛṣṇa himself dressed them properly. In the list starting from milking, those later in the list are considered superior for having given up things more essential for the body. Or they only gave up their duties. In putting on their clothing in reverse order they gave up the customary dress. The reason is that they were all absorbed in Kṛṣṇa. They were eager (samutsukāḥ). They all went close to Kṛṣna, who is most attractive, the son of Nanda, Śyāmasundara. They did not remain far away out of shame or because of obstacles. They came close because of the great attraction. Not only did they come close to him but they came at great speed because of his attractiveness.

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

They gave up shyness which was hard to give up because of their natural chastity, though their relatives made them aware of external reality by force. Though they were blocked by husbands and others who said, “Where are you going at night outside?” they could not be prevented and they went. Why? They had lost power of discrimination. What was the cause? Their hearts had been stolen by Govinda. The husbands became slack because of the strength of their devotion to Kṛṣṇa which destroyed all obstacles. Some were prevented by husbands who were at home. Others were prevented by parents, since they were not married. rakṣet kanyāṁ pitaḥ prauḍhāṁ patiḥ putras tu vārdhake Abhāve jātayas tv evaṁ na svātantryaṁ kvacit striyaḥ Women should be protected by the father before marriage and by the husband when they are married and by the son when they are old, or the absence of these by other relatives. Women should never be independent. Yājñavalkya Smṛti 1.85

Though reminded by their relatives, they lost all sense of discrimination because of attraction to the Lord. Though they were all prevented by their husbands and others, by showing them dharma and by holding their hands, they could not be stopped. They went. Why? They had lost all discrimination. Why? Because of the king of Gokula (govinda) or “he who rules over the senses.” Those who were scant in materials were robbed by he who was greatest in ownership. Since their minds had been internally stolen by the internal lord, who was most attractive and ruled their lives, they could not be stopped, just as a boat swept away by the current cannot be brought to the shore by persons on the boat or by the captain. Their souls (ātma) had been stolen by Govinda. As a pun, they were thus without life (nivṛtta, nyavartanta). They were without purpose in living. The husbands are mentioned first since they were the chief participants in the auspicious or inauspicious actions of their wives. Then fathers are mentioned, since they had affection, and would be blamed for the irregular conduct of their daughters. Then brothers with special affection, and fear of infamy. Friends were worried about faults to the family. rakṣet kanyāṁ pitaḥ prauḍhāṁ patiḥ putras tu vārdhake Abhāve jātayas tv evaṁ na svātantryaṁ kvacit striyaḥ Women should be protected by the father before marriage and by the husband when they are married and by the son when they are old, or the absence of these by other relatives. Women should never be independent. Yājñavalkya Smṛti 1.85 Four protectors are mentioned in the Bhāgavatam verse. Sons are not mentioned, since the gopīs had not given birth to sons. The order of the list is from most important to less important since the later persons have less control over the relationship. Thus the husbands were the most active in preventing them from leaving, but all were involving since they were all family members. Or in rejecting the first membes, the others feared that gopīs would take shelter of them, and thus they also prevented them. Or some were prevented by husbands who were at home. Others were prevented by parents, since they were not married.

According to the Ujjvala nilamani there are two types of gopis: nitya siddha and sadhana siddha. Sadhana siddha gopis are of two types: yautika and ayautika. Yautikas are of two types: sruti cari and rsicari. In the padma purana four types of gopis are described: "Sruticari, sricari, cowherd women and heavenly women. They are not human." Though they have the forms of humans they are not human. They are devoid of all material qualities. The cowherd women or gopakanya are nitya siddha, for there is never mention of them peforming sadhana. Though they are seen to perform the katyayani vrata as sadhana, this is nothing more than an act performed during their earthly pastimes. They do not need to depend on sadhana to attain the lord since they are nitya siddha. In relation to the stealing of the gopis’ clothing, this is explained in detail. Their status as nitya siddha is also shown in many places. In Brahma samhita they are described as : ananda cinmaya rasa pratibhavita, being endowed with the hladini sakti. BrhadGautamiya tantra says: hladini ya mahasakti . Because the gopis enjoyment with Krsna is without beginning (anadi) they are mentioned in the ten syllable and eighteen syllable krsna mantras. The worship of Krsna through these mantras and the srutis which contain these mantras are without beginning and end. The heavenly women, who in order to please Krsna, were ordered to appeared in Vraja, are actually amsas of the nityasiddha gopis. This is mentioned in Bhagavatam and explained in Ujvala nilamani. That the sruticaris are sadhana siddha is mentioned in the Vamana Purana. The srutis said, "there is no doubt that when you become visible to us with your beauty likea thousands of cupids, we develop intense love for you, and become disturbed with lust. We desire to worship you just as the gopis do to attain enjoyment with you." That the rsicaris are sadhana siddha is shown in this statement from the Ujvala Nilamani. "the great rsis who worshipped Gopala previously had not attained perfection." It is said in Padma Purana, "Previously the sages of Dandakaranya seeing the sweet form of Rama, desired to enjoy with the Lord, remembering the form of gopala." However out of shyness they did not want to enjoy directly with Rama. Like a desire tree which fulfills desires without even asking, Rama fulfilled what was on their mind, though they did not mention it to him. They then took birth from gopis in Gokula and attained their desire. Because of their desire, they attained liberation from the material world. From Kavi Karnapura’s commentary on the tenth canto it is understood that those gopis who had children were prevented from going to meet Krsna, as seen from later verses such as these:. "Your mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and husbands are searching for you." "You have advised us that the proper religious duty for women is to faithfully serve their husbands, children and other relatives." "We have come to you giving up husbands and sons." Following his explanations, all the general import of these verses will be made in summary manner. The rsis who worshiped Gopala, because of seeing the sweetness of Rama, developed a mood of raga to the stage of nista ruci asakti and bhava. Though they were not completely perfect, Yogamayadevi brought them to gokula and had them born to cowherd women as daughters. Among these, some attained association of Radha and other nityasiddha gopis, and thus attained direct association with Krsna when they came of proper age. Whatever contaimination was in the heart was removed, and they attained the stage of prema, sneha etc. Though they got married to cowherd men, by the skillof yogamayadevi they remained untouched by their husbands. These gopis, with spiritual bodies to be enjoyed by Krsna though stopped by their husbands at t he time of Krsna playing his flute on the night of rasa lila, by the help of yogamaya were able to meet Krsna along with the nityasiddha gopis. Other gopis however, not having the fortune to associate with Radha and other nitya siddha gopis, did not attain the level of prema. With some contamination remaining, they married cowherd men, enjoyed with them and had children. After that, on attaining association with the nitya siddha gopis, they become desirous of attaining Krsna directly (purvaragavati). Though they had the mercy of the nitya siddha gopis, because their bodies were not suitable for enjoyment with Krsna, they did not attain the assistance of Yogamaya, and were thus prevented from meeting Krsna on the night of the rasa lila. Being unable to meet Krsna , overcome with calamity, they regarded their husbands and fathers as the greatest enemies. As others remember their mothers and fathers on dying, these goips rememberd Krsna, the friend of their life. Because the husbands stood at the door with sticks in their hands ready to beat them they could not go out and meet Krsna. Though they always thought of Krsna, at this time of great danger, they meditated on Krsna. "O friend of our life, ocean of arts of Vrndavana, may be be your lovers birth after birth. We are not able to see your face at the time of death. Thus we attain you through our minds." Lamenting in this way with closed eyes, they become lost in deep meditation.

Though some could be prevented by such obstacles, they attained a death-like state. The special state of all of them is shown by an example. Among those in this situation, the special condition of some among them is described in three verses. The meaning is this. Among the beloveds of Vraja there are two types: the nitya-siddhas and the sādhana-siddhas. The nitya-siddhas are clear since they are worshipped in the eighteen syllable mantra and the śrutis, unlimited and without beginning (eternal in nature) worship them. These gopīs are equated with Lakṣmī: cintāmaṇi-prakara-sadmasu kalpa-vṛkṣa- lakṣāvṛteṣu surabhīr abhipālayantam | lakṣmī-sahasra-śata-sambhrama-sevyamānaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi ||29|| I worship the Supreme Lord Govinda who affectionately tends the cows in stables whose walls are made of cintāmaṇi, surrounded by desire trees. He is eagerly served by countless gopīs . Brahma-saṁhitā 5.29. śriyaḥ kāntāḥ kāntaḥ parama-puruṣaḥ kalpa-taravo I worship this Goloka, where there are unlimited gopīs and their beloved Kṛṣṇa, the supreme form of God, where the trees and land fulfill all desires. Brahma-saṁhitā 5.53 The excellence of Rādhā is described in Gautamīya-tantra: devī kṛṣṇamayī proktā rādhikā para-devatā | sarva-lakṣmī-mayī sarva-kāntiḥ sammohinī parā || Dear Rādhā, filled with thoughts of Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme goddess. She is the embodiment of all women, possesses all beauty, and is the supreme bewilderer. Ṛk-pariśiṣṭa says: rādhayā mādhavo devo mādhavenaiva rādhikā | vibhrājante janeṣvā Mādhava is revealed to the people through Rādhā and Rādhā is revealed through Mādhava. Though both groups of gopīs are considered great because of general powers, there are some special considerations. Padma Purāṇa describes the sādhana-siddhas at the rāsa dance. dṛṣṭvā rāmaṁ hariṁ tatra bhoktum aicchan su-vigraham te sarve strītvam āpannāḥ samudbhūtāś ca gokule hariṁ samprāpya kāmena tato muktā bhavārṇavāt Some sages on seeing Rāma desired to enjoy with that beautiful form. They all became women and appeared in Gokula. They attained the Lord and gradually became free of the material ocean. This is according to the following logic: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || I respond to persons according to the manner and mood in which they surrender to me. O son of Pṛthā, all blessed men follow these various paths of worship of me, the Lord. BG 4.11 Because of similar sentiments the sages previously were worshippers of Kṛṣṇa. On seeing Rāma their previous memories of worship of Kṛṣṇa arose. They then developed the desire to enjoy with Kṛṣṇa. Out of shyness they did not directly act during Rāma’s time. They achieved their desire from the mercy of Rāma who was generous like a desire tree. They were born in Gokula as women and attained Kṛṣṇa in Gokula according to their desire (kāmena). They were trapped in their houses and they became free from the material world. One cannot say that those born in Gokula do not have material bodies, since there is mixture with material elements in the pastimes of the avatāra. One can see for example the birth of the first six children of Devakī. Bṛhad-vāmana Purāṇa also states that sometimes the Upaniṣads are born as gopīs. It is said: striya uragendra-bhoga-bhuja-daṇḍa-viṣakta-dhiyo vayam api te samāḥ samadṛśo ’ṅghri-saroja-sudhāḥ These women fully absorbed their minds in meditation on Kṛṣṇa’s powerful arms, which are like the bodies of great serpents. We want to become just like the gopīs and render service to his lotus feet. SB 10.87.23 Padma Purāṇa also explains that Gāyatrī was born as a gopī. Viṣṇu speaks to the gopīs when Brahmā marries Gāyatrī in the form of a gopī. mayā jñātvā tataḥ kanyā dattā caiṣā viriñcaye | yuṣmākaṁ tu kule cāhaṁ deva-kāryārtha-siddhaye | avatāraṁ kariṣyāmi mat-kāntā tu bhaviṣyati || Known by me, this girl has been married to Brahmā. But I will appear as an avatāra in your family to execute activities for the devatās and at that time she will be my lover. It was also said: vasudeva-gṛhe sākṣād bhagavān puruṣaḥ paraḥ janiṣyate tat-priyārthaṁ sambhavantu sura-striyaḥ The Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, who has full potency, will personally appear as the son of Vasudeva. Therefore all the wives of the devatās should also appear in order to satisfy him. SB 10.1.23 Four types of gopīs are described in Padma Purāṇa: gopyas tu śrutayo jñeyā ṛṣi-jā gopa-kanyakāḥ deva-kanyāś ca rājendra na mānuṣyāḥ kathañcana It is understood that some of the gopīs are personified Vedic literatures, while others are reborn sages, daughters of cowherds, or devatā maidens. But by no means, my dear King, are any of them ordinary humans. The daughters of cowherds are nitya-siddha, without material bodies. But none of them should be considered to be material persons. Those described as being trapped in their houses in the Bhāgavatam verse were the sages, since these gopīs were serving their husbands within the house (mentioned in verse 6) when they heard the flute, and not outside milking the cows. These were sādhakas since it is said in Padma Purāṇa that they gave up their bodies. In that case, they were born in Gokula, and by means of sādhana became perfected. They were not born with spiritual bodies. Others who appeared similar were completely nitya-siddha. Going in the house to serve their husbands situated there, they had no opportunity at all to leave since their husbands put obstacles at the door. But somehow they left. Because some were situated in sādhaka bodies, obstacles to association with Govinda appeared but the bhakti of the sādhana-siddhas did not become weak. By not leaving the house, they began thinking of him and meditated on him, the attractor of the heart (kṛṣṇam). They closed their eyes because of absorption in meditation and because of intense pain. Or, they were without eyes—devoid of knowledge of other objects.

Though some could be prevented by such obstacles, they attained a death-like state. The special state of all of them is shown by an example. Among those in this situation, the special condition of some among them is described in three verses. Some were aṁśas of Mahālakṣmī or sādha-siddhas, situated in the house. They were prevented by husbands in name only. Or because parents were sitting at the door they could not leave and meet the Lord. Or some gopīs did escape by some path. Or they escaped through holes like birds (vi). They meditated upon Kṛṣna, who attracted all hearts or who was the form of the highest bliss. This is also described in SB 10.31.13. They meditated spontaneously to attain their desired goal. They thought of pastimes with Kṛṣṇa or intimate enjoyment with him. Their eyes were half-closed. Or they closed their eyes for intense meditation or out of pain. Or awareness of all else ceased (milita-locanāḥ).

In order to hide from the materialists the confidential, secret attainment of the gopis, this verse has an external meaning, and to reveal the truth to the devotees conversant with devotion, the verse has an internal meaning. From this verse the materialist can understand that Krsna gave the gopis liberation. The gopis cleansed themselves of all inauspiciousness (dhuta asubha) by enduring the suffering of intense separation from Krsna, and they cleansed themselves of all punya (ksina mangala) by blissfully embracing Krsna in meditation. Having destroyed all prarabdha karmas, thinking of the Lord as their paramour, they attained paramatma and gave up their bodies. The devotees understand the verse differently. By meditation on Krsna, the gopis attained both meeting and separation, unlimited happiness and distress, and at last attained their desire. Thus the meaning is as follows: by the intense pain caused by intolerable separation from their beloved, the gopis caused all inauspiciousness to tremble (dhuta asubha). Seeing the intense pain of the gopis’ separation from Krsna, thousands of inauspicious elements in the form of the mahakalakuta poison emanating from the ocean fires of millions of universes, gave up their identity as tortuous elements, being defeated by the pain experienced by the gopis, and began to tremble. By the supreme bliss of embracing the astonishing body of Acyuta, fully spiritual, filled with prema, endowed with appropriate identity and mood, which made its appearance through their meditation, all material and spiritual forms of auspiciousness became emaciated or insignificant (ksina mangala). Seeing the extreme bliss generated in the gopis by the embrace of Krsna through meditation, all the happiness of millions of universes generated through material objects and the happiness generated from impersonal Brahman with no material object, became withered, inferior and insignificant. To say that because papa and punya can only be destroyed by experiencing pain and pleasure, the gopis’ papa and punya were destroyed by distress and happiness arising from separation and meeting with the Lord is not acceptable to the vaisnava, because separation from the Lord is not caused by sin and meeting the Lord is not caused by piety. (Thus the first meaning of the verse is rejected). According the learned, the destruction of prarabdha karmas takes place during bhajana when a devotee reaches the stage of anarta nivrtti. Paramatma here means he who possesses the highest prema (parama). The gopis attained directly (samyak gatah) the object of supreme prema (paramatma) by thinking of them as their illicit lover (jara buddhya), unlike Rukmini and others, who, thinking of the Lord as their husband, attained him less directly, for the unpredictable excellence of prema is manifest by thinking of Krsna as a paramour rather than as a husband. This is shown in the statement of Uddhava. "Though the gopis gave up the path of proper conduct, which is difficult to reject, they worshiped Krsna who is sought by the Vedas." Particularly when Krsna appears, he performs pastimes in which the low and vulgar become most praiseworthy. "Krsna who bestows sarupya mukti, became the glorious chariot drive of Arjuna, with whip and bridle in his hands." (SB1.9.39) From this statement of Bhisma it is understood that just as Krsna taking the role as a chariot driver is superior to playing the role as king of kings, similarly, the pastimes of Krsna, the lowly srngara rasa is superior to the elevated santa rasa, and in srngara rasa, and the socially unacceptable unmarried love is superior to the acceptable married love. In the same way, the decorations of Krsna made of lowly gunja berries, clay and peacock feathers are superior to the most valuable ornaments made of jewels. The word sangata (they met Krsna) implies that some of those gopis who were restrained by husbands or fathers eventually met Krsna on the night of the rasa lila after escaping, or that some of them were able to meet Krsna on another night. Some may object that it is not fitting that the Lord should enjoy with women who were already enjoyed by another man. The answer to this is given in the verse. These gopis gave up their material bodies made of the material gunas and then met Krsna (jahuh gunamayam deham). Deha is in the singular to show body as a category. Some say that yogamaya made those material bodies disappear without anyone noticing. Others say that the word guna maya indicates only the inferior body. Previous to hearing the flute, these gopies had two bodies, one made of gunas and another which was spiritual. The material bodies enjoyed by their husbands were those that were given up. In this regard the following should be considered. From the stage of beginning the process of bhakti under the guidance of guru, when pure bhakti in the form of hearing, chanting, remembering, offering respects and serving the Lord enter the devotee’s senses such as ears and tongue, the devotee becomes nirguna, having made the transcendental qualities of the Lord the object of his senses. This is shown by such statements as nirguno mad apasraya (the devotee who surrenders to me becomes nirguna). At the same time, when material sound and form become the object of his senses, the devotee is guna maya. Thus one part of the devotee’s body is both nirguna and another part is gunamaya. Thus bhagavatam says, " Just as for those engaged in eating, satisfaction, norusiment and relief from hunger occur by eating, and if there is a little satisfaction, then there is a little nourishment and a little relief from hunger, so, for those engaged in worship of the Lord, if one performs a little hearing or chanting, there is a little realization of the Lord and a little detachment." (sb 11.2.42) According to this reasoning, according to the amount of devotion, there is corresponding amount of nirguna body, and with the increase of devotion and nirguna body there is decrease of the material body. With the appearance of pure prema the gunamaya portion of body is completely destroyed, and the only the nirguna portion remains. Though this is so, the Lord shows the death of the material body through maya, in order not to disturb the opinion of the materialists and protect the secret of bhakti yoga. This is illustrated in the mausala lila and the destruction of the Yadavas. But sometimes, to show the superiority of bhakti there is no death to the body, as in the case of Dhruva. Thus the Bhagavatam shows the nirguna nature of the angas of bhakti such as sraddha and the gunamaya nature of the material heart.: ye neme nirjitah saumya guna jivena citta jah. 11.25.32. the devotee by practice of bhaktiyoga, conquers over the gunas in the heart and being my nirguna bhakta attains a form or mood like mine. (Kapila deva also speaks of the nirguna nature of bhakti. As bhakti is nirguna so the ingredients of worship such as flowers and incense are also nirguna, by the touch of the angas of bhakti.. commentary of visvanath on 11.25.32). The meaning of dhuta asubha can therefore also be: by the pain caused by intolerable separation from Krsna the gopis cast off (vidhuta) up their guna maya bodies (asubha), and by the bliss caused by the embrace of Krsna through meditation, their spiritual bodies (mangala) increased (aksina). By the assistance of yogamaya, the gopis attained liberation from the restraints of the husbands and from the bondage of ignorance (praksina bandhata). But from this one should not think that the gopis died. "All those gopis who were locked in their houses by their husbands and could not attend the rasa lila on the autumn full moon , attained me by thoughts of me." By use of the word kalyana (auspicious) in this verse, the Lord intended to say that though the gopis wanted to give up their bodies because they were stopped by their husbands and were suffering from separation, at the commencement of the most auspicious rasa lila, it would be most inauspicious that they die. Rather they become lucky (kalyana). Later in the Bhagavatam Sukadeva says, ta ucur uddhavas pritas tat-sandesagata-smrtih (they spoke to Uddhava, after hearing from him the message of Krsna and remembering him.) Ta here refers to those gopis restrained from the rasa lila because of their husbands. Yet they remained alive, and were present before Uddhava while Krsna was living in Mathura.. In other words, they gave up their gunamaya bodies without dying. Their giving up of bodies should be understood as giving up the gunamaya nature of their bodies and attaining spiritual bodies, as in the case of Dhruva and others, due to the pain of separation. Alabdha vinirgama (10.29.9) and vraja asthitah (10.47.38) have the same meaning, and dhyana praptacyutaslesa (10.29.10) and mapur mad virya cinmaya (10.47/38) have the same meaning. However, verse 9 says they attained krsna (sangatah) whereas 10.47.38 says alabdha rasa, they did not attain the rasa lila. Therefore it should be understood that among the gopis who were locked in their houses there were two types. A gardner sees seven or eight mangoes ripening on his tree. Understanding they are ripening, he picks them all and takes them home. After placing them in the room, the observant servant of the king picks out those which are most suitable for the king to eat, having the best color, fragrance, tenderness and juice by exposure to the sun. Cleaning those ones, he serves them to the king. Other mangos he understands are not suitable for serving the king, because they are ripe inside and unripe outside, and without good color and fragrance. But those fruits also, by exposure to the sun will ripen on the second or third day and he will then serve them to the king. Similarly among the municari gopis born in Gokula, those who from the beginning gave up their guna maya bodies and attained spiritual bodies , by the assistance of yogamaya were untouched by other men, and in the association of the nitya siddha gopis, met with Krsna for rasa lila. Those who still had external guna maya bodies, by the strong feelings of pain in separation, gave up their conception of guna maya body, and purified of the fault of the touch of other males, attained spiritual bodies. Among those, some met with Krsna that night, arriving after the others had assembled in the forest. Others, who still had a tinge of contamination, met with the Lord later by the arrangement of yogamaya, being purified of that contamination by further pain of separation. Then these gopis who had attained association of the Lord , at the end of the night of the rasa lila returned to their husbands homes along with the nitya siddha gopis. From that day onwards, they were protected by yogamaya from association with their husbands. They became detached from husband, sons and daughters. Their love of Krsna increased even more. Their breasts dried up. Becoming disinterested in raising their children, their friends though they were possessed by ghosts. In this way everything becomes adjusted. Others conclude that the gopis locked in their houses did not have children, for the word apatya can also refer to step children, adopted children or nephews or nieces.

Immediately they attained Kṛṣṇa. This is explained in two verses. The first line explains a transformation caused by great longing. The second line explains a transformation caused by meditation. All inauspiciousness was washed away by the intense pain of separation from their beloved, which was intolerable. All auspiciousness things were increased by the bliss of embracing the Lord who never fails his devotees (acyuta), by meditation. The height of suffering is suggested by the intolerable and intense pain. The height of bliss is suggested by the words Acyuta and bliss. Inauspiciousness in this case refers to a sudden experience of separation arising from suffering, in a condition of previous, eternal association with the Lord. Auspiciousness refers to a sudden experience of meeting the Lord, causing happiness (which would actualize in the future), in a condition of previous eternal association. An intense feeling is produced by these two experiences in the devotee. Though these were previously separately experienced, now they both manifested together. Thus both inauspiciousness and auspiciousness were experienced. In their house, they met Kṛṣṇa. Vāsana-bhāṣya quotes Mārkaṇḍeya’s words: tadānīm eva tāḥ prāptāḥ śrīmantaṁ bhakta-vatsalam dhyānataḥ paramānandaṁ kṛṣṇaṁ gokula-nāyikāḥ At that time the gopīs of Gokula, meditating on Kṛṣṇa, who is the greatest bliss, attained the Lord who is affectionate to his devotees. The words “inauspicious” and “auspicious” cannot mean sin and piety in this case since these two factors give particular material results (material distress and happiness), since sin cannot produce the feeling vipralamba (separation) which is part of prema, and since those gopīs did not take birth because of prārabdha-karma. Padma Purāṇa says na karma-bandhanaṁ janma vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca vidyate: the devotees do not have birth causes by bondage of karma. But then there are statements such as the following: guru-putram ihānītaṁ nija-karma-nibandhanam ānayasva mahā-rāja mac-chāsana-puraskṛtaḥ Suffering the bondage of his past activity, my spiritual master’s son was brought here to you. O great King, obey my command and bring this boy to me without delay. SB 10.45.45 In such cases, the maintaining or not maintaining prārabdha-karma is caused by will of the skilful Lord to cause attachment to the Lord in prema. “Why must they associate with him as a paramour?” This is not so. It was only a state of thinking of him as their paramour because of intense attachment, since he was paramātmānam. He was their husband because he gave enjoyment to the gopīs endowed with special love, by naturally being the protector of all of them (as in the phrase Yadu-pati), since he was the supreme form, the source of all others (paramātmānam). Though they associated with him, thinking of him as a paramour without having him as a husband, they rejected their husbands and their own bodies, because of strong desires to have Kṛṣṇa alone as a husband, and because it was actually impossible for Kṛṣṇa to be a paramour since he is the supreme cause of all forms of the Lord (paramātmānam). Thinking of him as a paramour has a despicable import to them like Putāṇa offering her breast to Kṛṣṇa with a desire to kill him (SB 10.65.36). Viśva-prakāśa says paṭolamūle ramaṇaṁ syāt tathā ramaṇaḥ priyaḥ: the word ramaṇa means a root of a particular plant and a dear person. Amara-koṣa says dharaḥ priyaḥ patir bhartā jaras upapatiḥ samau: dharaḥ, priyaḥ pati and bharta are synonyms for husband and jāra means a paramour (lover outside of marriage). Thus ramaṇa and pati have a different meaning from jāra or paramour. The word jāra or upapati is the opposite of svāmī or pati and is not used among cultured people. It indicates criticism and is used by the uncultured. Thus in Tri-khaṇḍa-śeṣa and by people in general jāra is defined as papa-pati, master of sin. Having indicated the great rāga by which they overcame dharma and people’s opinion and which was criticized as having sentiments for an illicit lover, and having shown the excellence of that rāga, though it is designated as lust by resemblance of actions, it is known to be prema alone since it was only performed for the pleasure of Kṛṣṇa. yat te sujāta-caraṇāmburuhaṁ staneṣu bhītāḥ śanaiḥ priya dadhīmahi karkaśeṣu tenāṭavīm aṭasi tad vyathate na kiṁ svit kūrpādibhir bhramati dhīr bhavad-āyuṣāṁ naḥ O dearly beloved! Your lotus feet are so soft that we place them gently on our breasts, fearing that your feet will be hurt. Our life rests only in you. Our minds, therefore, are filled with anxiety that your tender feet might be wounded by pebbles as you roam about on the forest path. SB 10.31.19 āsām aho caraṇa-reṇu-juṣām ahaṁ syāṁ vṛndāvane kim api gulma-latauṣadhīnām yā dustyajaṁ sva-janam ārya-pathaṁ ca hitvā bhejur mukunda-padavīṁ śrutibhir vimṛgyām The gopīs of Vṛndāvana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Kṛṣṇa, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vṛndāvana, because the gopīs trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet. SB 10.47.61 etāḥ paraṁ tanu-bhṛto bhuvi gopa-vadhvo govinda eva nikhilātmani rūḍha-bhāvāḥ vāñchanti yad bhava-bhiyo munayo vayaṁ ca kiṁ brahma-janmabhir ananta-kathā-rasasya Among all persons on earth, these cowherd women alone have actually perfected their embodied lives, for they have achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Lord Govinda. Their pure love is hankered after by those who fear material existence, by great sages, and by ourselves as well. For one who has tasted the narrations of the infinite Lord, what is the use of taking birth as a high-class brāhmaṇa, or even as Brahmā himself? SB 10.47.58 Thus what is shown is the attainment of the crest jewel of human goals, Kṛṣṇa, filled with the rasa of the highest prema, while rejecting the inferior portions. The accompanying result is described. They gave up their bodies (jahuḥ guṇamayaṁ deham) filled with feelings of separation since all obstacles had immediately been destroyed by the previously described method (meditation) and the experienced sac-cid-ānanda in their bodies. It has been said that thinking of the relationship with Kṛṣṇa as illicit (jāra) was despicable and impure, liable to criticism like Pūtanā who approached Kṛṣṇa to kill him. pūtanā loka-bāla-ghnī rākṣasī rudhirāśanā jighāṁsayāpi haraye stanaṁ dattvāpa sad-gatim Pūtanā was always hankering for the blood of human children, and with that desire she came to kill Kṛṣṇa; but because she offered her breast to the Lord, she attained the greatest achievement. SB 10.6.35 The word “despicable” is used as criticism since the gopīs thought of Supreme Lord a paramour, when he should never be described in such terms. In the case of Pūtanā she is criticized since one should never have the desire to kill the Lord (haraye) who is attractive with all qualities such as mercy. Though not proper, when such actions arise in relation to the Lord, because he is Paramātmā and because he is attractive with all qualities (haraye), and is the benefactor of all beings, the Lord rejected the inferior portions of the actions of the gopīs and Pūtanā. Taking Pūtanā’s shadow of bhakti (offering her breast) as bhakti, the Lord gave her a position as a nurse to represent that motive. Then why would he not give to these gopīs the position of being his beloveds since they had the mood of associating with him with the highest bhakti as described in this verse? This meeting with Kṛṣṇa mentioned in the verse (saṅgatāḥ) takes place in the particular manifestation of Gokula, called Goloka (the eternal manifestation), as indicated by the Lord through Uddhava: yā mayā krīḍatā rātryāṁ vane ’smin vraja āsthitāḥ alabdha-rāsāḥ kalyāṇyo māpur mad-vīrya-cintayā Although some gopīs had to remain in the cowherd village and so could not join the rāsa dance to sport with me at night in the forest, they were nonetheless fortunate. Indeed, they attained me by thinking of my potent pastimes. SB 10.47.37 This statement refers to the first day of the rāsa dance since that was the Lord’s intention of saying that. Though it is possible that this could also occur on other days in Goloka, the following has been said: nāsūyan khalu kṛṣṇāya mohitās tasya māyayā manyamānāḥ sva-pārśva-sthān svān svān dārān vrajaukasaḥ The cowherd men, bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s illusory potency, thought their wives had remained home at their sides. Thus they did not harbor any jealous feelings against him. SB 10.33.37 This means that because of the appearance of suffering caused by husbands and others, by the Lord's māyā they gave up their bodies and those bodies disappeared. Then other bodies similar to those appeared by means of that māyā. (Thus on other days they directly met with Kṛṣṇa.) Even these gopīs of the Lord, absorbed in rāsa, did not know what was happening and did not hear about it until Uddhava spoke SB 10.47.37 quoted above. Or, the verse can be a response to the question “Is it surprising that they went to him by following the sound of his flute?” But even some who were kept within their houses attained him. They destroyed the inauspiciousness of separation (aśubham) by Kṛṣṇa’s mercy (tīvra-tāpa-dhūta). Or they destroyed inauspiciousness of the whole universe by his mercy, for it is said mad-bhakti-yukto bhuvanaṁ punāti: a devotee thus fixed in loving service to me purifies the entire universe. (SB 11.14.24) And their meeting with the Lord (maṅgalāḥ) was nourished (akṣīna) by their bliss. Or by their bliss they nourished the universe with auspiciousness. As in the previous explanation, they gave up their identification with their particular bodies filled with feelings of separation (guṇa-mayam). This is also shown by Brahmā at the time of creation of the universe when he cast off impure bodies. (SB 3.20.28) The meeting with Kṛṣṇa took place within their houses since he made his appearance there internally. Then immediately, all things contrary to their meeting were destroyed (prakśīṇa-bandhanāḥ). That they did not attain the rāsa dance should be understood for that night only, for previous reasons.

Immediately they attained Kṛṣṇa. This is explained in two verses. By a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa’s form and qualities through meditation, they became purified of the inauspiciousness caused by pain arising from intolerable separation from their lover. They attained directly (saṅgatāḥ) Kṛṣṇa (paramātmānam), by thinking of him as their illicit lover (jāra-buddhyā), not by thinking of him as paramātmā. This means that they associated with him in the highest prema eternally. Why did they give up their bodies made of guṇas? This means that they attained eternal bodies beyond the guṇas, suitable for association in prema with the Lord. They attained bodies of eternity, knowledge and bliss to associate with him. They associated with him eternally in the manner of Lakṣmī or some great śakti eternally sitting on his chest. There is a speciality in associating by thinking of Kṛṣṇa as an illicit lover. yā mayā krīḍatā rātryāṁ vane ’smin vraja āsthitāḥ alabdha-rāsāḥ kalyāṇyo māpur mad-vīrya-cintayā O fortunate ladies! Although some gopīs had to remain in the cowherd village and so could not join the rāsa dance to sport with me at night in the forest, they attained me by thinking of my potent pastimes. SB 10.47.36 By mentioning that they were auspicious (kalyāṇyaḥ) and that they thought of his potency (mad-vīrya-cintayā) it is indicated that they attained him in a special way. That will be clear later. The mention of intolerably sharp pain suggests pain of the greatest hell experienced for millions and millions of kalpas. Further more the words acyuta and nirvṛti suggest that the happiness they experienced just from one particle of the ocean of happiness arising from his embrace was millions of times greater than the happiness of liberation or material enjoyment of ruling earth for infinite kalpas. And by relating with the Lord all vāsanās were completely destroyed (pra-kṣīṇa-bandhanāḥ). The inauspicious elements (aśubha) were particular karmas which obstructed eternal association with the Lord. They also had special beneficial karmas causing happiness (maṅgala) since the Lord submitted to their anger and pride. The destruction of karmas was caused by the eternal association with the Lord. It is understood that their fortune was less than others situated there since there was a lack of special bliss of prema just by separation and anger. Or they gave up bodies even though they were made of good qualities since they did not attain Kṛṣṇa by being locked in their houses by husbands and others. They attained association with Kṛṣṇa in other, suitable bodies. Paramātmānam means he who is dearest. He was attained by thinking of him as an illicit lover. Or though by meditation immediately all the locked doors (bandhanāḥ) were completely destroyed, they gave up their bodies even though they were made of all good qualities. Their beauty (bhāḥ) had been quickly (āśu) destroyed by the pain of intolerable separation from their lover. Or their fresh (āśu) beauty (bhāḥ) had been destroyed. By meditation they attained unfailing (acyuta) association with him, without separation such as mayā parokṣaṁ bhajata: I disappeared. (SB 10.32.21) Or the bliss from embraces was unfailing. Or by the bliss experienced by meditation resulting in embraces they gave up their bodies. Why? They had lost all aupsiciousness. Their tilaka and other ornaments were in disarray because of being prevented from leaving by husbands holding them back, or from contacting the doors or walls. They then thought that they were unsuitable to serve the Lord, having lost their beauty because of the pain and having spoiled tilaka because of the prevention. Or by the bliss of embracing the Lord through meditation they did not destroy (akṣīṇa) their auspciousness. They were endowed with qualities suitable for the rāsa dance by which the unlimited happiness of love would be achieved. Even then they gave up their bodies. Why? They suffered (dhūta) from the intolerable, intense pain of separation. They were thus most unfortunate (aśubhāḥ). They feared separation again, and thus gave up their bodies. Or they quickly (āśu) lost (dhūta) their intelligence (bhāḥ) because of the intense pain. Thus they immediately gave up all hope (bandhanāḥ), thinking “I will attain the rāsa dance only by giving up my body.” Otherwise it would have been inappropriate to give up living personally in Vraja, in Vṛndāvana. The fortune of the gopīs who lived in Vṛndāvana was greater than theirs. Since the unhappiness of separation can only be removed by permanent association with the Lord, these gopīs are praised for being discontented with their particual bhāva. By the appearance of special prema, special bliss arises. This is discussed in Bhāgavatāmṛta. Or they made their bodies disappear. Or they attained attachment to Paramātmā by thinking of him as an illicit lover. They destroyed the inauspicious world of three miseries by the intolerable pain of separations since that pain was actually a constituent of the deepest prema for the Lord (which gives bliss). They were auspicious for the world because they nourished it (akṣīṇa) by their bliss from embracing the Lord through meditation. The meditation produced auspiciousness for the world since it increased its happiness. In that condition they gave up their bodies made of the conditions at that time (guṇamaya)—reserve before the elders, steadiness, softness, honesty, ignorance of how to leave the house, being bound inside the house, while desiring to leave. They gave up that body only. Similarly in matters of creation, Bramā gave up his bodies in the sense of giving up certain bhāvas related to creation. That is explained in the Third Canto. Thus they destroyed the obstacles. On other days they had obstacles in attaining pastimes with the Lord internally and externally such as honesty and pain. On that night by the bliss of his embrace through meditation, they attained liberation. It is said later that they attained him. (SB 10.47.37) By bhakti or prīti one attains Vaikuṇṭha. The Lord is controlled by prema. By special prema, by thinking of the Lord as an illicit lover one attains union with the Lord in Vraja as his eternal lover. That is the conclusion. With the manifestation of such love the rāsa dance is to be relished by all completely. That is the conclusion.

Though Pariksit Maharaj understood the meaning of Sukadeva’s words, noticing the doubt on some of the faces of the materialistic men in the assembly, to remove their doubts he asks this question. "Oh muni , one who knows everything! the gopis knew Krsna, the parama purusa (param) as their lover, not as Brahman or God. Thinking of Krsna in a material way (guna dhiya), how could they become purified of the gunas. The upanisads say, tam eva viditva atimrtum eti (knowing him one surpasses death) atmanam atmataya vicaksate ( one sees the Lord by the pure soul.) Such statements in sruti and smrti indicate that knowledge of paramatma is necessary for liberation."

Parīkṣit means “he who sees with complete vision (pari),” or “he who knows the sentiments of everyone.” Even though he knows the glories of the gopīs, he expresses doubt in order to dispel the doubts of other intimate devotees. He expresses doubt like a person propounding brahma-jñāna in order to dispel another doubt of the material doubters. Some versions have rājovaca. Rāja (king) also indicates a person who can perceive everyone’s sentiments. Śukadeva will answer. The meaning of Parīkṣit’s words as meant for external people is easily understood: how could the gopīs who thought of Kṛṣṇa in terms of material guṇas rather than thinking of Brahman without guṇas, give up material guṇas? The internal meaning for the devotees is this. It was said that these gopīs gave up their guṇa-maya bodies. If this means they gave up their bodies which were transformations of the three material guṇas, why should the despicable bodies which by their nature were anyway composed of guṇas be particularly designated as “made of the three guṇas?” As an alternative, one should rather say that they gave up bodies profoundly (maya) endowed with good mental qualities. The present verse asks this by saying “since they thought of the Lord as their lover, not Brahman.” Or, since they are designated as having bodies made of the three guṇas in contrast to their later condition with spiritual bodies, the phrase “composed of guṇas” indicates that they would attain bodies with good mental qualities in their spiritual bodies similar those of their previous bodies. They knew only Kṛṣṇa as their lover, who was excellent because of having all astonishing, attractive qualities. They did not know him as Brahman, a manifestation with no qualities. Their minds were absorbed in his wonderful qualities (guṇa-dhiyām), while rejecting absorption in Brahman. They had spiritual qualities (guṇa) because the qualities of prema arising from absorption in his qualities. They could give up material bodies, but how was it possible for them to give up spiritual qualities in those bodies? Kṛṣṇa appeared to them with all qualities, not just some experience of bliss, devoid of qualities, though that is claimed by the worshippers of Brahman. For worshippers of Brahman, guṇas refers only to material guṇas like sattva. According to them, it is possible to give such qualities. They do not consider the appearance of the spiritual qualities of the Lord. Another meaning can be as follows. Since they knew Kṛṣṇa only as their lover and not with his all-pervading nature as Brahman, and he did not appear within their houses since his pervading nature could not manifest, how could they give up the waves of suffering in separation (guṇa-pravaha) from his association? This is according to the reasoning that the Lord responds according to the nature of the worship. (BG 4.11) Guṇa-dhiyām means “the gopīs who thought of his qualities like beauty and cleverness.” O omniscient sage (mune)!

Parīkṣit means he who, endowed with wealth (śrī), examines others. He asked for the benefit of others, not out of ignorance, not out of doubt. The gopīs knew Kṛṣṇa only (param) as their husband, or as a beautiful person (kāntam), or only as their illicit lover. With their intellects focused on his qualities (guṇa-dhiyām) like beauty, sweetness, skill and compassion, not on tattva, how could they destroy saṁsāra (guṇa-pravāha)? How could they get liberation, the crown jewel of human goals? Tam eva viditvātimṛtyum eti: knowing that, one achieves immortality. (Śvetāśvatāra Upaniṣad 3.8) One destroys saṁsāra by knowing the truth (tattva) about the Lord. Liberation is rare, being the best of all. Or the lover of the gopīs would also have to consider what was mentioned in the scriptures about liberation. Or they knew Kṛṣṇa as the dearest, most attractive lover (param kāntam). Thus their minds were absorbed in his qualities like beauty, sweetness, skill and anurāga, not his svarūpa. How could they, the dear lovers of the Lord, who are served by devotees who deride liberation, attain utterly useless liberation? How could they attain liberation when they considered it most insignificant? O omniscient sage (mune)! You know all about this. You can remove the doubt. nātha yoni-sahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu bhramāmy aham tatra tatrācyutā bhaktir acyutāstu dṛḍhā tvayi Wherever I may wander, O master, among thousands of species of life, in each situation may I have firmly fixed devotion to You, O Acyuta. (Viṣṇu Purāṇa) nāhaṁ brahmāpi bhūyāsaṁ tvad-bhakti-rahito hare tvayi bhaktas tu kīṭo ’pi bhūyāsaṁ janma-janmasu I do not aspire to take birth as a Brahmā if that Brahmā is not a devotee of the Lord. I shall be satisfied simply to take birth as an insect if I am given a chance to remain in the house of a devotee. Nārāyaṇa-vyūha-stava Since the devotees pray for birth in order to increase bhakti, it is improper to stop saṁsāra characterized by birth. Giving up a material body meant for nourishing bhakti out of disgust to accept a spiritual body is not proper. They were aware of his spiritual qualities (guṇa-dhiyam). How could they give up their bodies having a host of qualities like beauty (guṇa-pravāha) which satisified the Lord? They would have to consider their bodies unsuitable for the Lord’s service. Or they gave them up because of unbearable suffering. But it was not proper to give up those bodies. Or though their minds were absorbed in Kṛṣnā’s qualities like his beauty and fragrance or the rāsa dance (guṇa-dhiyām), how could they give up the recurrence or ever freshness of special good fortune of the rāsa dance, or living in Vraja, in Vṛndāvana like other gopīs (guṇa-pravāha)? What could be accomplished by giving up bodies filled with all good qualities pleasing to Kṛṣṇa? Or if they decided to give up their bodies out of lack of intelligence, how could that really occur, since their very natures were in such bodies?

Though Sukadeva knew this was not Pariksit’s question, he made a pretense of scolding him, saying "Are you so foolish to ask such a question? Previously in the seventh canto I have told you that Sisupala attained liberation though he had hatred of the Lord. If he could attain sayujya mukti with that unfavorable attitude, what can we say the gopis attained if they approached Krsna with love?" Hrsikesa (master of the senses) has special significance in this verse. Appearing spontaneously by his causeless mercy, though he is not visible to Brahma and others, making himself visible to the senses of the lowest people on the earth planet by his inconceivable power, in order to deliver them, he shows his remarkable mercy. If he has such mercy to the most fallen, what can we say about (kim uta) those who are objects of affection for that person who is beyond the senses (adhoksaja). Why did Sukadeva reject the recent example of Aghasura in Vrndavana and instead raise an example from later pastimes in Mathura? There is a secret concerning this. Sukadeva was giving a hint to Pariksit by raising this story of Sisupala. Like the gopis who were kept in their houses, Sisupala, at the removal of his guna maya body, attained by the curse because of his extreme materialistic illusion, asuumed his eternal spiritual body as an associate of the Lord. "By the cakra of Visnu the sins of Dantavakra and Sisupala were removed." In other words, by the cakra, their sins were removed rather than being killed, and they attained their positions as attendants of the Lord (siddim gatah). "Jaya and Vijaya after many days as a result of meditating on Krsna s their enemy again attained positions as servants of Narayana." (sb 7.1.47)

Śukadeva endowed with all qualities and powers (śrī) then spoke. Understanding Parīkṣit’s intention of raising doubts to cheat the materialists, Śukadeva takes the opportunity to scold the materialists with slight anger, using unclear words. Śukadeva had already explained the attainment of becoming an associate of the Lord again (siddhim gataḥ). vairānubandha-tīvreṇa dhyānenācyuta-sātmatām nītau punar hareḥ pārśvaṁ jagmatur viṣṇu-pārṣadau These two associates of Viṣṇu—Jaya and Vijaya—by meditation with intense, continuous hatred of the Lord, entered Kṛṣṇa, and then again went to the side of the Lord as his two associates in Vaikuṇṭha. SB 7.1.47 Śiśupāla attained the Lord again along with his spiritual qualities which had remained latent until his hatred for the Lord disappeared. Similarly the gopīs who made Kṛṣṇa their constant object of affection (adhokṣaja-priyāḥ) attained the Lord along with their spiritual qualities with the manifestation of their increasing prema. When I said that the gopīs gave up their bodies made of guṇas (verse 11), I meant that on attaining their spiritual bodies externally and internally by the potency of the svarūpa-śakti of the Lord, they gave up material bodies endowed with material qualities like beauty. There is also an answer to the second meaning of Parīkṣit’s question. According to the principle that I respond according to the worship (BG 4.11), I reveal to those gopīs qualities that they aspire for and not other qualities, though I possess all qualities. Because of their absorption in bhakti, the Lord’s śaktis reveal these qualities at the appropriate time even though they are not deliberately sought. Otherwise the devotees fixed in the Lord’s sweet qualities would not be able to attain him from far away. Please hear an example using kaimutya (quoting an extreme). Even Śiśupāla who hated the Lord attained him by absorption, what to speak of the gopīs? If the Lord did not respond in this way, Śiśupāla could not attain liberation or powers in the spiritual world when he passed out of his body. The two names of the Lord mentioned in this verse Hṛśīkeśa (lord of the senses) and Adhokṣaja (beyond the senses) indicate that he is the cause of liberation and manifests powers in the spiritual world. The names indicate that, without the devotees depending on gaining knowledge of the Lord, his qualities are revealed for perfection of the devotees.

Śukadeva was like parrot endowed with wealth (śrī-śukaḥ), and spoke a little unclearly out of anger. This should also be considered concerning later verses. He knew that Parīkṣit understood his words very well but using his question as an oppoenrtunity, directing himself to sceptics, he answered as if in anger. Śiśupāla hated Kṛṣna, the most beneficient, since he gives power to the senses to operate (hṛṣīkeśam), or how is most beautiful, having hair (keśa) shining like rays or like fine grass (hṛṣī). Though he hated such a Kṛṣṇa, Śiśupāla attained a spiritual body of eternity, knowledge and bliss. Or he achieved liberation, attaining again a body of an associate, which he desired. Previously I related that to you in the Seventh Canto. What then can be said about attaining liberation for the gopīes dear to the son of Yaśoda, who was as if reborn under the axel of the cart (adhokṣaja)? They accepted giving up their bodies out of fear of separation from their beloved, though this is not desired by the devotees. There is another meaning. Śiśupāla achieved his desired perfection. But the gopīs dear to Kṛṣṇa attained eternal union with him because of fear of separation. What else can be said? Thus giving up their bodies out of fear of pain in separation is rejected. Śiśupāla achieved perfection after three births according to the curse of the Kumāras. What then can be said of the gopīs achieving perfection by being dear to Kṛṣṇa? They attained spiritual bodies of eternity, knowledge and bliss, not merging in Brahman with no forms. The gopīs achieved that perfection. They accepted giving up their bodies out of fear of separation, caused by intense prema. It was said that devotees find it unsuitable to accept a body beyond the guṇas. That is a particular bhāva, by thinking with humility. The great devotees, not considering this the highest, are not too pleased with it since it lacks special transformations of prema. But it is not a fault for the gopīs whose minds were highly elevated with affection. There is a third meaning. Though he hated the Lord, Śiśupāla attained his goal of again being the Lord’s associate. He attained the Lord in his general form as bhagavān (hṛṣīkeśam). But the gopīs attained him in a special form (adhokṣaja). They, endowed with the the sweetest prema (priyāḥ) for Kṛṣṇa, the avatarī with great sweetness, attained the perfection of pastimes of prema in Vraja, like other gopīs. I said that they gave up their bodies, but you can understand the real meaning.

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

The power of meditating on the Lord was explained. When the Lord appears in this world, he is capable of making such arrangements for Śiśupāla, an associate of the Lord who temporarily assumed a demonic attitude, and for the gopīs who had strong prema for the Lord. The cause of this is explained through kaimutya in this verse. For supplying all results to sādhana, for bestowing the bliss of his pastimes according to qualification (niḥśreyasārthāya) for any being, the Lord makes his appearance in this world since he is Bhagavān. If he were not capable of creating and destroying the universe by the movement of his brow, how could he descend to relieve the burden of the earth? O king, you also wander about your kingdom in order to protect the people. The nature of Bhagavān is described using four terms. The Lord never decreases when he gives himself to his devotees by manifesting various forms constantly (avyayasya). Why is this so? He is continuous and unlimited (aprameyasya). How is that possible? He is beyond māyā (nirguṇasya). How is this possible? He is the initiator of the movement of the guṇas of māyā. Or, the Lord is born in this world for the benefit of humanity. Otherwise nothing can happen. He is without birth (avyayasya), he is unlimited, and is the abode of qualities like compassion by which he appears in order to bring to life the jīvas who are sleeping. According to Śrīdhara Svāmī, the aim is to destroy the doubts of materially minded persons. “If qualities like desire are useful to Brahman, since the jīvas are one with Brahman by similarity of consciousness, then they are also Brahman. This would also be true of their husbands.” Since the jīva’s Brahman nature is covered, their knowledge is dependent on the senses. The jīvas are covered because they are inclined to material enjoyment and accepting objects in terms of upādhi or superficial designations alone. The Lord however is not dependent on the senses. He is the master of the senses. Being self-revealing, the Lord is uncovered Brahman. How then can Brahman have qualities like material desire? Verse 14 can be a response to the question “How could Brahman in the form of the husbands be considered uncovered?” The Lord who is different from the jīvas or husbands, possessing remarkable qualities like indestructibility and infinity, makes his appearance in this world. The Lord who is uncovered Brahman, is not the similar to the jīvas, what to speak of being identical to them. The Lord’s form is the perfection of the svarūpa-śakti, the supreme variegated object, proved by scriptures which are accepted by the wise. Previously it was explained: nātaḥ paraṁ parama yad bhavataḥ svarūpam ānanda-mātram avikalpam aviddha-varcaḥ paśyāmi viśva-sṛjam ekam aviśvam ātman bhūtendriyātmaka-madas ta upāśrito ’smi O Supreme Lord! I do not see that you are different from your form as the Brahman which is without qualities and only bliss. O form of unrestricted light! I, full of pride in thinking I can get pleasure by body, sense and mind, take shelter of your one form which is spiritual, but which creates this universe. SB 3.7.3

By any relationship with the Lord all people attain the Lord, or a special bhāva, practiced with desire, by the power of the Lord. This is expressed in two verses. The Lord appears (vyakatiḥ) in the world to give bhakti (niḥśreyasa) or to give the goal of liberation (niḥśreyasa), bhakti, or to give the goal of bhakti, prema The Lord appears in order to give the highest benefit, because he is bhagavān. He does not appear to kill Kaṁsa, since by moving his brow he can destroy millions of universes. O king! Kings like you go here and there to benefit mankind. Bhagavān is described by four words. He does not decrease even by giving himself (avyayasya). Why? He is all pervading (apremeyasya). Why? He is beyond the guṇas (nirguṇasya). Why? He is the cause of the guṇas of māyā (guṇātmanaḥ). Or the Lord is born (vyaktiḥ) in order to give benefit. Nothing would happen without him. He is devoid of changes like birth (avyayasya). He is unlimited (aprameyasya). The cause of being born inspite of being unlimited is that he manifests unlimited qualities such as compassion (guṇātmanaḥ). “What is the Lord’s goal?” He performs pastimes which cannot be understood (aprameyasya). Why? Though he is without guṇas, he is the shelter of guṇas. He is not contaminated by the guṇas, being beyond the guṇas. Because he has guṇas or qualities he has love pastimes with the gopīs. “You should say that he appears to please us.” He is the origin of qualities of people beyond the guṇas. By the rāsa dance the universe, attaining the highest prema, became endowed with all good qualities. This will be revealed later in the conversion between Parīkṣit and Śukadeva.

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

This is not only the case when the Lord appears in this world, but occurs at all times. There are two types of kāma: the prema of the gopīs and the desire of Kubjā and others. Anger is exemplified in Śiśupāla and others. Fear is seen in Kaṁsa. Affection is seen in the Vṛṣṇis and the Pāṇḍavas or the people of Vraja. Oneness is seen in the ātmārāmas. Friendship is seen in Kratha, Kauśika and others. In this list, anger and fear are not accepted. The Lord produces auspiciousness even for the person who thinks of Kṛṣṇa, actually endowed with auspicious qualities, as a fearsome person, for a person who secretly hates the Lord or directly show animosity along with envy. How could such low persons fear or hate the Lord? Rather everyone should show affection or friendship. katamo 'pi na venaḥ syāt pañcānāṁ puruṣaṁ prati tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet Any of the five types of persons, but not King Vena, will attain their objectives in relation to the Lord. Therefore, one should somehow think of Kṛṣṇa, by one of the favorable methods. SB 7.1.32 Kenapi upayena means “by any favorable method.” It was also said: yathā vairānubandhena martyas tan-mayatām iyāt na tathā bhakti-yogena iti me niścitā matiḥ One cannot achieve such intense absorption in thought of the Supreme Lord by devotional service as one can through enmity toward him. That is my opinion. SB 7.1.27 This verse indicates that one should surpass the path of worshipping the Lord with reverence according to scriptural knowledge and accept rāgānuga or bhāva-marga. From that point of view, the intensity of meditation in hatred is praised for its absorption in the Lord. That intensity should be maintained along with affection or friendship. In that sense, hatred is mentioned in the present verse. Oneness is also not accepted since the Lord’s qualities do not manifest in that realization. The word eva indicates success by the individual methods listed. Another version has vidadhate instead of vidadhataḥ. The persons who practice affection etc. certainly (hi) realize the Lord according to their particular bhāva (tan-mayatām). The Lord himself says bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām: only by bhakti with full faith can the devotees obtain me, Paramātmā, the object of love. (SB 11.14.21) Padma Purāṇa says: yogibhir dṛśyate bhaktyā nābhaktyā dṛśyate kvacit draṣṭuṁ na śakyo roṣāc ca matsarāc ca janārdhanaḥ The yogīs can see the Lord by devotion. The Lord cannot be seen without devotion. The Lord cannot be seen by anger or hatred. And the Lord says “Covered by my potency I am not visible to all.” (BG 7.25) Though anger and hatred do not give a proper realization of the Lord, at a later time they can produce proper realization by the power of the Lord. Thus anger and hatred are included in the list. The gopīs, having affection for the Lord mentioned in verse 13, are the example of kāma and this is shown to be most excellent. Sometimes vā is seen instead of ca but the meaning is the same.

If people somehow direct themselves even with lust etc. (eva) to the Lord who attracts all hearts or who removes all faults (hareḥ), they attain realization of him. Or persons like the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya by kāma and the Keśi and Kaṁṣa by hatred, attained the Lord. Te (your) can also modify harau: they direct themselves in hatred to your Lord. Another version has vidadhate. Hi means certainly. They become fixed in the Lord (tan-māyatām) or they attain sārūpya. By practicing (nityam), they attain absorption in the Lord. If they only concentrate on the Lord occasionally, by that lack of absorption they would not quickly attain the Lord. There are two forms of sārūpya: one for the devotee and the other for the nondevotee. For the devotee sārūpya gives happiness and for the nondevotee it gives destruction of suffering only. The devotee attains Vaikuṇtha and the nondevotee attains siddhaloka (merging in Brahman). Or the Lord appears in order to benefit humanity. This verse explains how he does this. Those who direct lust etc. to the Lord attain absorption in him. One version has vā with sauhrḍam. As with friendship, so by hatred etc. one can attain absorption in the lord. kāmād dveṣād bhayāt snehād yathā bhaktyeśvare manaḥ āveśya tad-aghaṁ hitvā bahavas tad-gatiṁ gatāḥ Just as by vaidhi-bhakti one can attain one’s spiritual goals, many persons have attained suitable forms after asorbing their minds in the Lord out of lust, hatred, fear, and family relationships filled with affection, and after giving up absorption in enmity of the Lord (in the case of hatred and fear). SB 7.1.30 By external vision, the gopīs could be said to have kāma with Kṛṣṇa as an illicit lover. Or all are grouped together simply to express absorption in the Lord, but there is a greatly different in the result for the different persons. This is described in Bhāgavatāmṛta and Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu. The great devotees also clearly describe the differences. This will be explained later in the appropriate place.

Though this may be astonishing to others, it should not be astonishing for you, who from the wom,b had knowledge of Krsna’s greatness. Though he is a cowherd boy, he is bhagavan, though he is the son of Devaki, he is unborn (aja), though he flirts with the damsels of Vraja, he is the lord of masters of yoga. For Krsna, the source of all avataras, there is nothing astonishing if he liberates all moving and non moving entities (yad etat) (Sridhara swami’s commentary). Or etat vimucyate can also mean that he liberates not only those participating in the pastimes, but also others in this world who now show kama, sneha as mentioned in the previous verse..

Others may be astonished, but you should not be, since from the time in the womb you have known the glories of the Lord. Śukadeva uses the word bhavatā out of respect. The reason why there should be no astonishment is given. He is endowed with unlimited qualities (bhagavati). “How then was he born in the womb of Devakī?” He is actually unborn. He is not born like the jīvas but by his own will, out of affection for his devotees. Because he is endowed with all powers he is the master of all masters of yoga. Among the different forms, Kṛṣṇa, the complete manifestation of all qualities, has made his appearance. “Then how does he appear to be the son of Devakī?” He is the lord of lords who are able to easily to what is most difficult to do (yogeśvareśvare). Appearing by his own will, by his special śakti, he becomes the son of Devakī. It is because of his acintya-śakti, because he is Kṛṣṇa, parabrahman in human form, or because he is famous as the ocean of sweetness with inconceivable, infinite glories. Or he is the supreme Lord (bhagavate), without material birth like jīvas (aje). He appears by his mercy. Therefore he is the lord of the bhakti-yogīs like Nārada, to be served with devotion, since he is a special manifestioan of bhakti. Or he is the lord of those having great, astonishing powers, since he displays the most astonishing, unlimited powers. And still he is Kṛṣṇa, the joy of Gokula. Because of him (yataḥ) this world of moving and nonmoving beings, though without sādhana, just by his will, by some relationship, is especially liberated—they attain Vaikuṇṭha. This indicates that the trees and creepers of places like Indraprastha would attain Vaikuṇṭha. Kuntī says: ime jana-padāḥ svṛddhāḥ supakvauṣadhi-vīrudhaḥ | vanādri-nady-udanvanto hy edhante tava vīkṣitaiḥ ||

This thriving land, filled with ripe herbs and fruit-laden trees, forests, mountains and rivers, has grown prosperous by your glance. SB 1.8.40 The word suvṛddhāḥ (ever increasing) indicates that they were qualified for Vaikuṇtha. Or “Since it is very difficult to attain the Lord by sacrifices, yoga and other processes, how can he be attained just by lust or hate?” Nothing is astonishing for the Lord. Even liberated souls should not reject hearing about the rāsa dance, thinking it is filled with material lust. Rather the topic is honored at all times as the highest result by devotees for attaining the highest perfection. This confirms the conclusion previously stated on this topic. Or because of good fortune as gopīs of Kṛṣṇa, these gopīs, destroying all obstacles, in that body immediately attained Kṛṣṇa’s association and the rāsa dance. Placed in their houses by their husbands, being bound by ropes (Verse 9) they were not able to leave. Thinking of participating with Kṛṣṇa in the rāsa dance, they destroyed their bondage of ropes by the power of meditation. By meditation they gave up their bodies bound with ropes by their husbands (guṇamaya). They each thought, “I am not bound up, but free.” Giving up bodies refers to giving up ways of thinking as in the case of Brahmā giving up various bodies at the time of creation. By meditation they freed themselves from the ropes or from the locked doors. In this sense, they gave up their bound up bodies. They then associated with the son of Nanda, though he was also Paramātmā, because of thinking of him as their illicit lover (jarā-buddhyā). Or because he was most dear (paramātmānam) they thought of him as their lover. Otherwise they could not realize him as most dear. This was accomplsiedh by the power of meditation. They made the suffering of material existence insignificant by the intense, intolerable pain of separation and they made the happiness of material existence insiginificant by the happiness of Kṛṣṇa’s embrace. yā mayā krīḍatā rātryāṁ vane ’smin vraja āsthitāḥ alabdha-rāsāḥ kalyāṇyo māpur mad-vīrya-cintayā O fortunate ladies! Although some gopīs had to remain in the cowherd village and so could not join the rāsa dance to sport with me at night in the forest, they attained me by thinking of my potent pastimes. SB 10.47.37 The meaning of the above verse is this. They remained in Vraja (āsthitāḥ) because they were tied up by their husbands. Still by the power of thinking of me, they attained the rāsa dance. Parīkṣit then asks, “How did they give up the bondage of ropes (gunoparama) by thinking of Kṛṣṇa as their lover with qualities, not being beyond qualities? Śukadeva answers. Just as by meditation one becomes free from the bondage of saṁsāra, by special meditation the gopīs became free from the bondage of ropes. What can be said? Even those who hate the Lord can attain their goals.

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

Though it is inappropriate to interrupt topics in relation to the highest rasa of the rāsa dance, you asked this question to create a unified perspective in everyone’s heart. I have, following your request, indicated the conclusion. Then he suddenly begins speaking the topic again without being asked, out of great enthusiasm. Kṛṣṇa saw these women, qualified to live in Vraja, who were not materialistic persons, who had been drawn by the sound of his flute and had become most agitated (tāḥ). They had come very close to him, not keeping far away out of shyness. Seeing them, he spoke with playful words (vācaḥ peśaiḥ). Playful words are of two types: skilful presentation of words (śābdhika) and changing the meaning of the sentence (ārthika). “Use of words” refers to moving his eyebrows, eyes and face while smiling and speaking joyful words easy to understand, with graceful placement of syllables. “Play on meaning” refers to verses which are used as ornaments to intensify the emotions of rasa. There are of four types: statements suggesting indifference, words expressing a request for enjoying with the gopīs, statements with apparently both meanings, and statements expressing the truth (taken literally). By that means the gopīs became bewildered (vimohitāḥ): they became most attracted to him and lost their ability to judge. They became most attracted to him on accepting śabdhika meaning, with statements of request for enjoying and truthful statements. Later, they became devoid of ability to judge by understanding the statements as indifference or with double meaning. Śābdhika words particularly express real emotions. Among the ārthika expressions, those which show feigned indifference are meant to increase the gopīs longing for him, and are not real indifference, for it has already been said that in the autumn Kṛṣṇa desired to enjoy and that he played on his flute to attract the gopīs (verses 1 and 3). It is only playing with words and not the actual meaning. The mind thinks one thing and the words express another thing. This creates despair in their strong desire for him. By that, their discrimination becomes lost. Among the ārthika statements, his requests produce desire in himself. Expressing the desire to meet with them is for joking. His qualification to speak such words cannot be stated since he is the master of speaking, the best of speakers, since he is the topmost in such knowledge by his nature (bhagavān). Or, the word api can be added to each phrase. Though the women of Vraja were famous for their prema, though they had attained this transformation of prema, though they had come close to him, though he saw them, and though he knew their love for him since he was omniscient, he made them extremely agitated by his deceptive words and spoke while joking, since he was the best among clever jokers (vadatāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ).

He saw the women of Vraja, agitated, attractred by his flute (tāḥ). They were all at the age of new youth. Or he saw the women who should have remained in Vraja and should not have gone out of their houses. And they also came close to him. They did not remain at a distance out of shyness. He spoke to them with words like “Welcome.” (SB 10.29.18) He spoke words with playfulness (peśaiḥ), stealing their hearts to the extreme (vimohayan), in order to increase the desire in their hearts. That will be clear later. “How could he bewilder them just by skilful words?” He was the best among poets like Vyāsa or eloquent speakers like Brahmā with four heads. He was filled with all powers (bhagavān). Or he spoke with some deception of words (peśaiḥ). He was skilful at cheating: his words could be interpreted in two contrary ways--as indifferent or requesting association. Though he showed support for dharma, he had a desire to enjoy. Thus he strengthened the gopīs’ love for him through those words, since he was the best speaker.

Or his desire to enjoy with them was evident in SB 10.29.1 and 3. But he hid that and bewildered them with words about dharma, though his mind was otherwise, and with words whch had a different meaning since they could not discern the true meaning of his words. Actually he bewildered them by the beauty or skill of his words, not by an inappropriate bhāva. Or though the women of Vraja, and those who were there now were endowed with natural prema for him, and thought they had come close to him now, though he saw them, though he knew their love since he was Bhagavān, he confused them by speaking deceptive words. Why? He was the best among those who speak skillfully with jokes. He bewildered them as a joke. Or he spoke with skilful words so that they would hear him. Or he bewildered them with his beauty and then spoke. Why? They did not speak (avacaḥ) out of shyness. He spoke to get bliss from hearing their answers since he was the best among those skillful at word play. He thus enjoyed hearing their skillful words. All of this was for the purpose of increasing his and their bhāva. In writing the meaning of the words of he who is most skilful spoken to the gopīs worthy of worship for their skill, they and he are my only goal. I have no other shelter.

In the relationship of men and women experienced in love, the usual custom is that the man shows boldness and enthusiasm and the woman shows anger and intolerance. In the beginning Krsna followed this usual pattern, by nicely welcoming the gopis. "Welcome to you! Has your coming here been pleasant? O fortunate ones (mahabhaga) since birth you have not had sad faces." These words can also have another, less affectionate meaning. "Your coming has been splendid because everything is accomplished. For fortunate souls like you, all acts are already fulfilled, giving pleasure to yourselves and others. So therefore what can I do for you? As I am just a young boy alone in the forest at night, you should say very clearly what intimate things you want me to do, and how I can show you young women hospitality." "O teaser, bold one, if you can so impudently speak before us married women, then it appears that you have no fear of religiousity or the king." This is the expected answer they would give, but if the gopis out of embarrassment because of his suggestions remained silent, then Krsna would consider. "If the gopis do not show the normal anger and unwillingness, I also do not need to show the normal eagerness. Better that I show unwillingness. As in union there is pleasure in the reversal of roles, so let there be reversal in meeting together also. Due to the extreme lack of control caused by hearing the flute, the gopis are acting against their nature and have become submissive. As I have not lost control, I can make a show of stubornness to increase the taste in the pastimes, and later show my true willingess and eagerness." Considering in this way Krsna took up the role of non cooperation and began to ask them with fear and concern. "Is there any disturbance from Indra in Vraja now? For previously also, you had all fled and approached me for protection." Hearing this, the gopis, with faces both smiling and dismayed, asked, "Is he going to play the cheater again today?" Seeing them in this state, Krsna said, "From your silence I conclude there is no disturbance. Then please tell me, why did you come? I cannot understand."

First he speaks politely, showing external indifference. Your coming is very auspicious. Or, have you come comfortably here? O fortunate women with husbands (mahā-bhāgāḥ)! What could I do to please you? It is not possible for me to do anything. Or, what can I do for you, please order me. By treating you married women nicely, I gain special merits in dharma. Previously he said the same thing to the brāhmaṇas’ wives with reverence. Svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgā āsyatāṁ karavāma kim: Welcome, O most fortunate ladies. Please sit down and make yourselves comfortable. What can I do for you? (SB 10.23.25) But he showed indifference, stating “I can do nothing.” Now however, by using the words priyaṁ kim, he indicates his own longing. On seeing them come, however, he was actually most pleased and thus welcomed them. He called them most fortunate because they came there with depending only on him alone, giving up everything else. The phrase mahā-bhāgāḥ indicates that he recognizes the greatness of their prema, on thinking of their sentiments, since he is dependent on his dear devotees. Bhāgāḥ means “worshippers” in this context. By saying priyam he indicated that he was controlled by their prema. This was natural, though he was skilful at bringing his devotees under his control since he was the crest jewel of cleverness. In this way the real meaning of his words can also be understood in later verses he speaks. In this verse Kṛṣṇa then uses joking words. Using polite words in the beginning of his speech, he showed his qualification to speak to an assembly of people. Seeing that they had all gathered at one time with devotion, he then inquired deceptively as if being fearful and respectful. Is everything well in Vraja? “O lion of cleverness! If there were some problem the cowherds would have come here.” He then speaks arrogantly with false anxiety. “There must be some problem concerning women for some of the cowherds. Please tell me the cause or goal in your coming here.” Or seeing them standing there without answering out of shyness, unable to understand his intentions, indicating that they did not speak because of some inauspicious lamentation that should not be heard, to change the topic he asks as if puzzled, “Is everything well in Vraja?” But it should be understood that all the worry is just a deceptive show. Seeing the gopīs not speaking and smiling, acting as if he were pacifying them, he says shyly “Please say the reason for you coming since I cannot understand it .” It was already explained that each of his words is filled with indifference and prayer. The indifferent aspect of his words was explained. The prayerful aspect will now be described. It will also be described in subsequent verses. O most fortunate women! You are fortunate because of the moonlight, the forest, your beauty and favorable followers. In the form of questions, he step by step makes his request. Have you come here with ease? He makes his request: what actions can I perform to please you? I request to do what is most dear to your hearts. When they did not reply, he again requested gradually by saying “Is everything well in Vraja?” He again requests “Please tell me why you have come. Do not be shy.”

"This Krsna who daily enjoys us, destroying our family reputation, our religious principles, or sense control and shyness, today has called us with his flute, and now asks the reason for our coming." Glancing at each other, they chattered in this way. Krsna responded by saying , " re you saying while throwing glances at these creepers ‘We came to pick the night jasmine flowers suitable for deva puja’? Listen, that is improper, according the calculation of time, place and person. Though the moon is shining brightly, it is still night, and very fearful, because it is hard to see the snakes and scorpions hidng in the creepers, roots and leaves. This is the wrong time to pick flowers. Therefore you should return to Vraja. Fierce animals like tigers are roaming around everywhere (ghorasatta nisevita). Because it is night time, even Vrndavana is not a suitable place. Therefore you should return to Vraja." "Then, if that is the case, after resting a while we will go." "By no means should women stay here. (neha stribhih stheyam). Both place and time are unfavorable, and also as persons, you are unsuitable. You are very beautiful women (sumadhyama) and I am a handsome young boy. Though you are supremely chaste and I am a brahmacari according to Gopala tapani Upanisad, though there is no fault in being together, as I am a brahmacari, still we should still not trust our minds." There is another hidden meaning to this verse, revealing the true eagerness of Krsna to welcome the gopis. "If out of embarrassment you do not want to say why you came, though you do not say, I know. I now speak the truth. Night filled with moonlight (rajani) is not fearsome (esa aghorarupa), and is served by gentle animals (aghora sattva nisevita) like deer. Even the tigers are gentle in Vrndavana. One need not fear them in this forest. Or you need not fear your husbands in this forest at all, since they won’t come because of the tigers. Therefore do not go back to Vraja (pratiyata vrajam na). Stay with me. It is good for women to stay here (iha stheyam stribhih)." "Will you keep any type of woman with you?" "All of you, with thin, graceful waists, effulgent with beauty and youth, should stay here." In this way Krsna words express both indifference and expectation by reading them differently. "Though it is night, in the forest and we are young girls, because we form a big group, no one can criticize us." Krsna answers with this verse. "Your friends will be terribly worried about you, and will now be searching everywhere for you.. You should not put them in anxiety. Mothers, fathers, sons, brothers and husbands will be looking for you." However, the sons who were only two or three months old would not be looking. From the description in verse six (they gave up feeding their babies milk" and verse twenty two (go home, for the calves and children are crying) it can be concluded that those sons were only two or three months old. There is however no fault in the fact that Krsna mentions them in this verse, as he was pretending to be ignorant of their age. "Don’t give your friends anxiety and fear by not being present before them." The other meaning of this sentence is, "Do not be worried about your friends coming here searching for you (bandhu sadvasam ma krdhvam), for they cannot find you so deep in the dense forest. You can at leisure enjoy with me tonight."

Fearing their skill at arguing, Kṛṣṇa emphasizes the fearful nature of the night (eṣā). It is not proper for women of good families to come to the forest at night. “It is not a fault to come in a group, and how can there be a fearful night in Vraja?” But the night is full of darkness (ghora-rūpā). And this is not Vraja, since here you have no help, whereas in Vraja there is help. And it is completely filled with wild animals. Therefore return to Vraja. And do not delay. It is not proper to stay here. “But Kṛṣṇa, how can you stay here?” You are women. Men are not weak like women. O women with slender waists! It is not proper for women with good qualities and beauty to remain here according to the logic of “Where there is beauty there are good qualities.” Or the gopīs say, “O king of rasikas! You, like us, have gathered here for play. We have come to gather flowers.” Fearing they would say this, he speaks. The night is dark. This is not in Vraja and at night, not in the day. “What fault is there in performing the rāsa dance?” But it is dark. “O lotus-eyed Kṛṣṇa This night is filled with moon light.” It is filled with wild animals. Or he says, “You as a group should enjoy the night with your husbands. I alone cannot act properly with so many women.” O most fearful boy! We are not afraid of wild animals. “But you beautiful women will be fearful of those who are stronger.” Actually he speaks in this way to reveal the love that that gopīs have for him and to increase longing by joking. As a pun, the meaning is as follows. Do not return to Vraja since the forest is frightening. This full moon night colors all people. No one should go back, since it is dark and filled with wild animals. You should stay near me, since I am strong. Or this night is not dark since the darkness has been removed by the moon light. Since Vṛndāvana by its nature is without darkness or fear, and the night has become like day because of the moonlight, the night is served by the cuckoos, bees and other peaceful animals. Or, the night gives great fear because of evil elements but that is now transformed since it is served by me, who am strong (sattva). This produces fear in all others. He says this to pacify the gopīs. Seeing the gopīs remaining in the back listening to his words and returning his smile, he again spoke. Do not return to Vraja. Remain here. It is suitable for women like you to stay here. Since you are most beautiful with thin waists, it is proper to stay near me.

“O lion among men! By being close to you, the strongest, why should we fear?” Fearing such a response he answers. To the unmarried gopīs he says “Your mothers, fathers and brothers will be looking for you.” To the married gopīs he says “Your husbands and sons will look for you.” It will be established later that this talk is only for joking however. The word ca indicates all those people mentioned and hi means certainly. Even if one among them sees you with me, both the married and unmarried among you will have shame and fear. Do not cause fear for myself and for your relatives by staying here. Or another meaning is as follows. The gopīs say “O most intelligent one! They will not come into this inaccessible forest. If they do come, they will not see us.” He responds with this verse. Do not cause fear in your relatives when they become disturbed on not finding you, for the well bred are affectionate to their friends. (SB 11.2.6) You should return out of affection for them. Or the previous and present verse may be explained as follows. Fearing the gopīs will say, “O Kṛṣṇa with fixed vows! Being by your side, we do not have fear,” he closes his eyes and speaks with gestures. Women should not remain near me since I am a brahmacārī from birth. There is no fault in staying with very young girls or elders, but you are now in your youth, O women with slender waists! “You are a great deceiver. You associate with us plentifully in Vraja.” But not here (iha) in the forest, and not in the night! He makes a face to show the fault. Now I will be defamed by association with you. You must return. “But you are well respected. No one will even know. Do not fear defamation.” Then Kṛṣṇa speaks the present verse. Your relatives, not seeing you, will search for you. And coming here they will see you. Do not create fear for my relatives by getting me defamed. Actually he speaks in this way, creating fear in them, in order to take them to a place deeper in the forest from where he first played his flute. Another meaning is “You should not be afraid of your relatives coming here. They will search and not see you in the darkness of the deep forest.” They will not see you even after thoroughly searching. Therefore do not fear your relatives.” The word hi is used for emphasis.

“O lion among men! By being close to you, the strongest, why should we fear?” Fearing such a response he answers. Mothers are mentioned first because of their great affection. But they cannot wander about in the forest much. Thus fathers are mentioned. They will search out of affection and fear of defamation of the family. Without differentiation of married women, if mothers and fathers are lax, then persons who act like sons will search, because of shame at the fault of their “mothers.” They may not search to hide the illicit act of their mothers or to avoid seeming to be too bold, or being very young, would not be able to wander in the forest. Brothers would then search out of great affection. They may also desist out of shame or for other reasons. The husbands would then search, because they share the faults of their wives. In the list the later ones mentioned are more excellent for searching. Among them the husbands would necessarily come. Or some mothers which search for some daughters, some fathers would search for their dauthers etc. according to who was in the house. Or for any of the reasons mentioned, in some cases mothers would search, or in some cases fathers would search. All of them, not seeing the women in the house or forest, would seach, going here and there. Hi indicates conjecture. If they should come here and see you at my side, you and I would have shame and fear. Do not create fear for me or you family members by staying here. Or “O knower of the great mantra! They will not come to this inaccessible forest. Even if they come they will not see us.” He then speaks in response. Do not create worry for your relatives who are in anxiety about your safety from tigers and other animals, when they realize you are not at home. You should return home out of affection for them. Sādhavo bandhu-vatsalāḥ: cultured people are affectionate to relatives. Or not seeing me (mā), they will search only for you (vaḥ). “O fearless lion! Let them search and let them find us. So what?” You have produced (akṛdhvam) fear in your relatives. The past tense is used to indicate that it would necessarily happen. If you do not return, you will be known as independent and full of fault. Or “O person with great vows! Being at your side, we will not have fear.” Fearing such a statement he speaks while closing his eyes and gesturing. (verse 19) Women should not remain here (iha) at my side. I avoid association with women since I am a brahmacārī from childhood. Even if they are young or old, association with women should not occur. But you have arrived at the age of new youth. O beautiful women! “You are really deceptive. You associated with us in your homes many times.” In the lonely forest (iha) at this time in the evening, there is fault. He makes a face. By association with you I will be defamed. You must go away. “O famous one! No one will know. Do not fear defamation.” But your mothers and fathers will search for you. (present verse) Certainly they will come and see you. Do not create fear in my friends by having me break my vows. Or your (vaḥ) mothers and fathers, fearing that you have left the house and come to me, and not seeing me anywhere, being close by, will search. Coming here, seeing me with you, you will produce fear for my friends who will be angry with you for destroying my fame. Actually he spoke in this way, instilling fear of their elders, to take them far away to a secret place. Or by a play on words, he made them lose fear of their relatives, with indifference to them. Hi means certainly. As if blind, they will search and not see you, though they will look in many places. That is certain (eva). Or hi means although. Though they will not see you will they find you? No. Do not have fear from relatives. Be indifferent to them.

When the gopis began glancing all around in embarrassment, Krsna said, "As you are glancing at the flowering forest, I understand that you came here to see the forest." When they glanced upwards, he said, "I understand you are looking at this forest bathed in the rays of the full moon." When they glanced towards the Yamuna, he said, "By the gentle breeze which has touched the Yamuna the flowering sprouts of the trees are quivering. This increases the beauty of the forest. Now that your desire of seeing the forest has been fulfilled, please return home without delay." The other meaning is as follows. "Vrndavana is most attractive, and it is glowing with the light of the full moon this night. And all around is the Yamuna. And moreover, a cool, perfumed breeze is blowing here. These are the stimulants for love (uddipana) and I also, the main participant (alambana) am here. Thus there will be a test of your skill in tasting love tonight." "Thus, since your desire has been fulfilled in seeing the beauty of the forest (tat) , do not delay and quickly go. O chaste women, serve your husbands. " After saying this to those who were married, he said to the unmarried girls, "Go and milk the cows, for the calves are wailing." Then he said to the municari gopis, "Your babies are crying. Go and feed them milk." The other meaning in requestful mood is as follows. "As you have seen the beauty of the forest, do not go (na yata) for this whole night (ciram). Enjoy with me. You married women should not serve your husbands or mothers in law, because your beauty and youth given by the creator should not be wasted. It is not necessary to feed the cows and babies. What is the use of such things for those who have attraction to me?"

When the gopīs out of anger mixed with love glanced elsewhere, Kṛṣṇa interpreted that glance in another way. The two verses are connected. By glancing away in anger, you have seen the forest with flowers. Looking upwards you have seen it lit by the moon. Looking towards the Yamunā you can understand that the leaves tremble from its breezes. Or, “We are indifferent to our relatives, since we have disobeyed their bewildering orders. Then why should we have fear?” He answers with these verses. But what is the purpose of coming here at night with such effort? Craftily, he meditates for a moment and then says, “Ah! I understand. By good fortunate you have come to see the beauty of my Vṛndāvana in the night. That is fine. Now you have done so.” With his finger he points out everything. “You have seen the flowering trees, colored by the moon, trembling in the breeze of the Yamunā.” The real meaning is as follows: your love will increase by seeing the forest in this condition. Another meaning of verse 21 is as follows. Not only are you free from fear at this place, but in this place you can find real happiness. He points out the uddīpanas for love personally. You have seen the forest endowed with all qualities. Therefore, do not return to the village. Since you have fulfilled your desire of seeing the beauty of the forest (tad), do not delay and go to the village (goṣṭham) roaring (ghoṣayati) with the sounds of cows and songs while churning the yogurt. Or, go to the place where the cowherds live, where everyone makes a living by herding cows. Ghoṣam is sometimes seen instead of goṣṭham. It is proper that all of you go there, since you are cowherd women. Do not delay to serve your husbands, since you are all chaste (satīḥ). Otherwise you will not be considered faithful to them. It is not proper to remain with me though I am the Supreme Lord. The gopīs say, “We should give up husbands who hate and cannot tolerate our service to you, who are most worthy of service. Worshipping your lotus feet, we reject service to our husbands completely.” Fearing such a response, Kṛṣṇa again speaks, taking shelter from the viewpoint of compassion, to produce pity for the children and calves who are crying. You must feed the calves and milk the cows for the children. The cows out of affection show trust when you come close to them. The truth is this. Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad says sa vo hi svāmī bhavati: Kṛṣṇa is your husband. Brahma-samḥitā says śriyaḥ kāntāh kāntaḥ paramapuruṣah: there are many gopīs and one lover, Kṛṣṇa. The ten syllable mantra and the śruti and smṛti statements also show that these gopīs were the wives of Kṛṣṇa. Bhāgavatam says kṛsṇa-vadhvaḥ: they are the wives of Kṛṣṇa. (SB 10.33.9) It is not possible that these supreme Lakṣmīs could marry anyone else. The gopīs’ perception that they were married to others was arranged in order to increase their longing for Kṛṣṇa. Just as Kṛṣṇa took shelter of yogamāyā for the rāsa dance (SB 10.29.1), so the perception that they were married to others arose from yogamāyā. By making false forms of the gopīs, he fooled the cowherds who thought that they were husbands of the gopīs. nāsūyan khalu kṛṣṇāya mohitās tasya māyayā manyamānāḥ sva-pārśva-sthān svān svān dārān vrajaukasaḥ The cowherd men, bewildered by Kṛṣṇa’s illusory potency, thought their wives had remained home at their sides. Thus they did not harbor any jealous feelings against him. SB 10.33.37 Since the real gopīs had no intimate relations with their husbands, they did not have children. The children mentioned in this verse are children belonging to their brothers and others. They treated these children as their sons and thus protected them. In the following verse as well, the word “son” is used to indicate Kṛṣṇa’s son Samba, though in the verse he is mentioned as Balarāma’s son (sa-sūtaḥ): pratigṛhya tu tat sarvaṁ bhagavān sātvatarṣabhaḥ sa-sutaḥ sa-snuṣaḥ prāyāt suhṛdbhir abhinanditaḥ Balarāma, chief of the Yādavas, accepted all these gifts and then departed with his “son” (actually Kṛṣṇa’s son) and daughter-in-law as his well-wishers bid him farewell. SB 10.68.53 Since they did not have breast milk, they fed their brothers’ children cow milk (tān pāyayata). In verse 6 of this chapter, it was said that some gopīs were feeding the infants milk. This does not mean that they fed their own children their breast milk, but rather that they were feeding other children cow milk. If these had been children born from their wombs, these women would have improper for them to be leaders in the dancing and singing in the rāsa dance. The rasa of that dance would have been destroyed. The sons who went looking for these gopīs in the forest in the night must have been much older, and thus their mothers must have been middle-aged. The gopīs were thus not the mothers of the sons mentioned in this chapter. Vaisampāyana says yuvatī gopakanyāś ca rātrau samkālya kālavit: Kṛṣṇa met with the young daughters of cowherds in the night. And Śukadeva has described the gopīs who came as the most beautiful uddīpanas for the dance. Remembering the beauty of these gopīs as ālambanas along with the uddīpana of the night with the moon, Kṛṣṇa decided to perform the rāsa dance (SB 10.29.1). Śukadeva also states that they were younger than Kṛṣṇa. tatrātiśuśubhe tābhir bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ madhye maṇīnāṁ haimānāṁ mahā-marakato yathā A tumultuous sound arose from the armlets, ankle bells and waist bells of the gopīs as they sported with their beloved Kṛṣṇa in the circle of the rāsa dance. SB 10.33.6 vyarocataiṇāṅka ivoḍubhir vṛtaḥ: among the assembled gopīs , the infallible Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared just like the moon surrounded by stars. (SB 10.29.43) Taḍita iva tā megha-cakre virejuḥ: Kṛṣṇa’s young consorts shone like streaks of lightning in a mass of clouds. (SB 10.33.7) Thus when Kṛṣṇa directly says that they have children, he is joking, not finding fault in them. Joking is evident when it is said that he bewildered them by his clever words. Prahasya sa-dayaṁ gopīr ātmārāmo ’py arīramat: joking with the gopīs he enjoyed with them. (SB 10.29.43) Thus the present verse when he speaks of children it is a joke, using imaginary words. If the words were true and thus critical of the gopīs, the greats distaste in rasa would arise, just as it would be unsuitable to criticism water and then drink it. Poets accept proper behavior in the hero. Thus the supreme hero Kṛṣṇa who appeared for showering the most excellent rasa of his pastimes, praised by the greatest poets, would not act in such bad taste. anugrahāya bhaktānāṁ mānuṣaṁ deham āsthitaḥ bhajate tādṛśīḥ krīḍa yāḥ śrutvā tat-paro bhavet When the Lord assumes a humanlike body to show mercy to his devotees, he engages in such pastimes as will attract those who hear about them to become dedicated to him. SB 10.33.36 evaṁ śaśāṅkāṁśu-virājitā niśāḥ sa satya-kāmo ’nuratābalā-gaṇaḥ siṣeva ātmany avaruddha-saurataḥ sarvāḥ śarat-kāvya-kathā-rasāśrayāḥ Although the gopīs were firmly attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose desires are always fulfilled, the Lord was not internally affected by any mundane sex desire. Still, to perform his pastimes the Lord took advantage of all those moonlit autumn nights, which inspire poetic descriptions of transcendental affairs. SB 10.33.36 Thus the husbands were apparent only and the “sons” were sons of others. Another meaning of verse 22 is as follows. Therefore since you have no fear of relatives and all ingredients and beauty of the forest are present, do not go quickly. If you go, go only after great delay, after the end of night. The word ca indicates that mā (do not) should be applied to the other verbs in the sentence. O chaste women! Do not serve your husbands and do not go there. He jokes in order to destroy the happiness of their independent decisions. The calves and children are not crying. Therefore do not feed them. This also indicates their independent nature.

"Oh, I have made a mistake in assuming the causes of your coming. Now I understand the cause. Because your affection for me has increased, your hearts have become controlled by that, and thus you have come. In seeing me, this affection has been satisfied. All living beings have affection for me, as it is my natural quality, not attained by some practice. Thus your affection to me is ordinary, not any particular deep love." The other meaning is as follows. "You have come to me because of your great conjugal love for me. my mind has been brought under your control. (or, I have become attracted to the strength of your minds.) Therefore your coming is very proper. It is not irregular. If all living beings have affection for me, what must be said about you?"

On seeing that the gopīs had become angry, Kṛṣṇa then further agitated them by giving a general example of living entities in order make them return home. On the other hand, instead of coming to see the beauty of the forest, perhaps you have come out of general affection for me, not because of attraction between a woman and man. He shows great indifference. You come out of affection for me because (hi) all living beings show affection for me. By directly mentioning affection he dilutes its force. He uses the word bhavatyaḥ to indicate great respect for them. Or, fearing the gopīs would say “We have given up our relatives, so why mention them at all.” In response Kṛṣṇa speaks the verse, praising himself. Actually he shows indifference in order to increase their love by his skilful play. Another meaning of the words is as follows. Though you have come with some other goal, please take rest for a moment at my request. Out of great rati for me you have come. If so, that is very suitable since all beings have affection for me. What then to speak of you who have such love for me1 He addresses them as bhavatyaḥ out of respect for their prema. Now please enjoy with me as you wish.

On seeing that the gopīs had become angry, Kṛṣṇa then further agitated them by giving a general example of living entities in order make them return home. On the other hand, instead of coming to see the beauty of the forest, perhaps you have come out of general affection for me, not because of attraction between a woman and man. He shows great indifference. You come out of affection for me because (hi) all living beings show affection for me. By directly mentioning affection he dilutes its force. He uses the word bhavatyaḥ to indicate great respect for them. Or, he fears the gopīs would say “We have given up our relatives, so why mention them at all.” In response Kṛṣṇa speaks the verse, praising himself. Actually he shows indifference in order to increase their love by his skilful play. Another meaning of the words is as follows. Though you have come with some other goal, please take rest for a moment at my request. Out of great rati for me you have come. If so, that is very suitable since all beings have affection for me. What then to speak of you who have such love for me. He addresses them as bhavatyaḥ out of respect for their prema. Now please enjoy with me as you wish.

Expecting the objection from the gopis "But we have approached you as lovers" Krsna speaks. "But still you should return to Vraja." In answer the gopis say, "Again and again you say this, but the object of affection should never reject those who are showing their affection. " Krsna answers, "That is true, you are full of affection, but I must speak in order to protect religious principles. Therefore I advise you according to the scriptures. Please listen. Serving the husband, with complete steadiness, is the supreme duty (para dharma). You should also serve the husband’s parents." The other meaning is as follows. "For you women of Vraja (strinam) serving the husband is not your duty, it is others duty (para dharma.) For the scriptures say, "There are five branches of irreligion, appropriately known as irreligion [vidharma], religious principles for which one is unfit [para-dharma], pretentious religion [ābhāsa], analogical religion [upadharma] and cheating religion [chala-dharma]. One who is aware of real religious life must abandon these five as irreligious. Sb.7.15.12" Your real duty is to serve me, since I am Visnu and you are devotees of Visnu. Anything else is not your duty. It is a rule to give up other duties and to serve me. "The best activity is to give up all other dharmas and serve me. (Dharman samtyajya vah sarvan mam bhaje sa ca sattma) (11.11.32)"

“Since we have affection for you, we should serve you.” Fearing such a request, Kṛṣṇa frightens them with rules of dharma in three verses. It is dharma to serve your husbands. This is the correct (paraḥ) dharma since we and others cannot take shelter of any other dharma. “We are already serving them properly.” Do so sincerely (amāyayā). In serving me, the Supreme Lord, there will be deceit. This will produce impurity. Serving your husbands is auspicious for chaste women. You should do it. He encourages them with deception. Actually he is joking since that is not the highest conduct of dharma. Yamarāja, king of dharma says: etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ Pure bhakti to the Supreme Lord, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the real dharma, the supreme object for the human living in this world. SB 6.3.23 Another meaning is as follows. Coming to me is proper, not only because you have affection for me, but also because it is the highest dharma. The highest dharma is serving the husband based on accepting him with true love, not serving a husband based on force. This creates auspiciousness for friends. Bhīṣma, knower of dharma, rejected Ambā as his wife since she had given herself mentally to another man previously. According to dharma he could not become her husband. The gopīs were married to husbands though they had no affection for them. I am their true husband since they have real affection for me. They should serve me. Your hearts since childhood are my witness. This meaning alone will be later established.

Serving is dharma and if it is done purely or according to dharma it is excellent (para). Hi means certainly. One should serve relatives, mothers in lawa and fathers in law. After that (anu) one should take care of others—children, servants and sons. That is also dharma. If it is done purely, it is excellent (para). The two words ca indicate that the service and take care are equally important. O chaste women (kalyāṇyaḥ)! You should do this. Or O women who can see what is auspicious! You should do this. He incites them with a cheating intention. Or it is good that you have come, but I am to be obtained only by the highest dharma and not otherwise. Making them understand by a gesture of teaching them, he then recites this verse. It is actually a joke, said with anger, since what is stated is not the highest dharma. There is another meaning, also a joke. The Lord is attained by bhakti with śravaṇa etc. culminating in prema, which makes artha, dharma, kāma and mokṣa insignificant. He cannot be attained by serving husbands etc. Thus the statement about the highest dharma in the verse is a joke. Sarva-dharmān parityajya: give up all dharmas. (BG 18.66) There is another meaning. The highest dharma is not only serving the husband but also his friends like me. Or o highest devotees (kalyāṇyaḥ)! That is the highest dharma for other, materialistic women, not for you, the best of all women. Those who practice bhakti have no respect for svadharma. Tyaktvā svadharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ hareḥ: giving up one’s dharma for worship of the lotus feet of the Lord is without fault. (SB 1.5.17) This is also described in many places in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, in the discussion of the qualities of the devotee. Or I am the master of the universe (bhartuḥ). Since I am Paramātmā I am really the bhartṛ or maintainer. Service to me is the highest dharma. Or since I protect the cowherds from rain, I am the maintainer of all persons here. The highest dharma is serving me (bhartuḥ). You should serve also my friends like Balarāma. Even nourishing my servants (prajānām) like Śrīdhāmā or the servants of Nanda or all devotees, is the highest dharma. Thus you should serve me purely. Or it is proper that you have come here for the rasa of the Lord. (previous verse) Many words follow showing how it is proper. Service to me is the highest dharma etc. This expresses his form of power. Or hear about the essence of all dharmas. Then in three verses he speaks in a joking way about duty to husbands etc. For you women of Vraja serving husbands is adharma or sin. Doing it purely is the greatest sin, para adharma. If devotees give up their dharma of hearing and chanting and take to serving husbands, it is a great anartha. Thus Gītā says: svadharme nidhanaṁ śreyaḥ paradharmo bhayāvaḥ: attaining death in the course one’s duties is beneficial (leading to heaven) whereas performing others’ duties is full of danger (leading to hell). (BG 3.35) Or serving husbands with cheating to me (a-māyayā), giving up bhakti to me, is adharma. All karmas performd without bhakti are useless and give opposite results. Kiṁ vedaiḥ kim u śāstraiḥ vā kiṁ vā tīrtha-niṣevaṇaiḥ Visṇu bhakti vihīnānāṁ kiṁ tapobhiḥ kim adhvaraiḥ With devotion to the lord what is the use of the vedas, scriptures, serving holy places, austerities or sacrifices? Bṛhad-nāradīya Purāṇa Dharmo bhavaty adharmo pi krṭo bhaktais tavācyuta Pāpaṁ bhavati dharmo pi tavābhaktaiḥ kṛto hare Adharma becomes dharma when performed by your devotees, O acyuta. Dharma becomes sin when performed by non-devotees. Skanda Purāṇa, Revā-khaṇḍa This is also clear in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa in the section glorifying devotees.

"How can we, who have such affection for you, serve husbands who are unappealing, unfavorable, and unsuitable?" "If your husbands are not of good character, but not sinful, then you should still serve them, for the scriptures say, "One should serve the husband who is not fallen." patims tv apatitam bhajet (sb 7.11.28) Only those who are deeply engrossed in sin should be given up. Women who desire happiness in married life (lokepsubhih) should do activities in this way." The other meaning is as follows. Women desiring happiness in married life are expecting meager happiness and fame in this world and the next. Such women should not give up their husbands. But you, who have given up interest in this and the next world, and frolick in my ocean of sweetness, from the very beginning have given up service to your husbands.

“O expert at giving others instructions! We have given up our husbands completely. What is the question of serving them?” But you should not give up a husband even if he has bad conduct, such as being a thief, even if he has bad luck, being unsuccessful in his endeavors (durbhagaḥ), even if he is old, incapable of doing actions (jaḍaḥ), afflicted with grave disease, or cannot even maintain himself. The word api indicates that each of these items is not a cause of rejection of the husband. The men of Vraja are endowed with all good qualities. How can they be rejected? A woman who desires good in this and next life should not do this. If she does she will suffering in this life and the next. But one should give up a sinful person, one who commits serious sins which cause him to fall down (apātakī). Smṛti says patiṁ tv apatitaṁ bhajet: one should worship a husband who is not fallen. Therefore you should not reject your husbands since none of them have committed sin at all. Though he knows that the gopīs have firm attachment to him, he speaks in this manner to increase their longing. Another meaning is as follows. I am actually your husband. As a husband I do not have any faults like bad conduct and therefore should not be rejected. I am endowed with all good qualities, and cannot be rejected. These others are filled with faults and are not their husbands. They should be rejected.

“O expert at giving others instructions! We have given up our husbands completely. What is the question of serving them?” But you should not give up a husband even if he has bad conduct, such as being a thief, even if he has bad luck, being unsuccessful in his endeavors (durbhagaḥ), even if he is old, incapable of doing actions (jaḍaḥ), afflicted with a grave disease, or cannot even maintain himself. The word api indicates that each of these items is not a cause of rejection of the husband. The men of Vraja are endowed with all good qualities. How can they be rejected? The list of qualities is in order of increasing adharma. Misfortune (durbhagaḥ) is more adharmic than weakness (duḥśīlaḥ). Misfortune is unavoidable since it is caused by higher powers. Worse than that is old age. Old age is caused by lack of power. An old man is not desirable to a young woman and cannot fulfill his duties as a householder. If a man is dumb, he cannot distinguish dharma from adharma. A sick person is never respected by anyone. He becomes the source of all faults because he cannot perform his pious acts. Worse than that is the adhana. He becomes devoid of all good qualities because of lack of money and hunger. Women who are chaste, who think of this word and the next (lokepsubhiḥ) should not reject such husbands even if they are inferior. Otherwise they have defamation in this life and hell in the next. But she can reject a greatly sinful man. Thus the apatakī (without sin) should not be rejected. Smṛti says patiṁ tv apatitaṁ bhajet: the woman should serve the husband who is not fallen. Since none in the list are fallen, they should not be rejected. Sometimes, their love for him may diminish on hearing afterwards about dharma. To prevent that, he makes their love stronger by having them first hear about dharma. Or as previously he is joking. He enumerates the bad qualities of the husbands, in contrast to his endowment of six qualities such as good behavior. The meaning using puns as as follows. I am the pati, one who protects you from dangers. Even though you desire good in this and next life, or desire good for husbands and sons, you should not reject me, though I have all bad qualities. But I have not fallen from dharma (apātakī). Rather you should associate with me at all times, with embraces. But I am not like that, having opposite qualities –not being endowed with good qualities and not being devotees solely to you. But why should you, surrendered to me, disregarding all others, not be embraced right now? Or though a husband has all six bad qualities, he is not detestable. I however am also a pati, but endowed with six good qualities. How can I be detestable? It is suitable that you have come, giving up everything. Or the detestable man should be rejected by women who desire good in this and next life. But a husband endowed with all good qualities and who is not fallen should be rejected by women who desire the highest spiritual benefit. Because you are attracted to me with the highest anurāga, you have surpassed respect for good in this life and the next. That is the conclusion. Or showing hatred of the cowherds he speaks. The husband who is not fallen but has bad qualities—anger (duḥśīla),ugliness (durbhagaḥ), old age (vṛddaḥ), foolishness (jaḍaḥ), sickness (rogī), without cows (adhanaḥ) is not be be approached (hātavyaḥ) by the women of Vraja, who desire my planet (lokepṣubhiḥ).

"You naturally had some ordinary affection for me, but stronger attraction which is against religious principles should always be given up Illicit connctions do not lead to svarga loka." "We do not care for svarga loka." " But it will also destroy your reputation." "We don’t care for reputation." "But such affairs are very insignificant." "You are lying, they are not insignificant. They are experienced as most wonderful." "But such affairs are full of difficulties like opposing husbands." "How can that be? For bold women, hard to get, opposing elements are the supreme weapon of attraction in love. Though their suffering appears great, in their hearts they are joyful. This is the conclusion of rasa sastra. Such suffering is rather a cause of joy for us infatuated women." "But this is very fearful for this and the next life, being forbidden by common scriptures." "How can that be? Rasa sastra says, ‘What is forbidden and uncommon for the docile woman becomes very attractive to the heart of the clever, bold woman (nagari)’ therefore these affairs produce more rasa." "This activity is always condemned for women of reputable families. Even if you readily consent to bear all condemnation to fulfill your desires, how can I allow myself to be the cause of your condemnation, as I have such affection for you? Therefore I say, please return to Vraja." The other meaning is as follows. "Everywhere in the world illicit affairs are condemned. But here, you have heard from the mouth of Garga that I am equal to Narayana. Thus even though it is being unfaithful on your part, your association with me cannot be condemned, for as the Supreme lord, I am above all auspicious and inauspicious actions."

“O prince of Vraja! We have not given up our husbands just on your order. They have always been husbands in name only. We should treat you as our husband.” Fearing this statement, Kṛṣṇa speaks this verse. By criticizing their long cherished desire for him and disguising their actions as most abominable, he speaks with hatred. Such actions are unfavorable for attaining Svarga. O desirous women! Since that is not presently visible, you may not consider it. But you must consider fame in this lifetime. Your conduct will destroy that fame. All previously earned reputation will be destroyed. “Who can possible think about such esoteric things?” But this will make you useless and insecure (phalgu). “But you can make us secure with you!” That can be achieved only with great suffering (kṛcchram). “O independent lion! It can be easily achieved by you since you wander at will in Vraja and Vṛndāvana.” By illicit affairs you will obtain fear sometimes from your husbands and others, and fear concerning afterlife. “O Kṛṣṇa with lips worshipped by nectar personified! Depending on you, we will be indifferent to everything. Why do we have to fear anything?” Such conduct and aspiration will for certain (hi) be criticized in your homes and other places also. “O supreme knower of truth! By attaining our desire, criticism is easily tolerable.” You are all born of good families. Since this will tarnish the family, it is most improper for women of good families. Such acts must be completely avoided. Actually however, he speaks in this way to increase their longing. Another meaning is as in the previous verse. The man attained according to one’s love is called the husband and the opposite is called illicit (upapati). Seeing that society takes the opposite meaning, he quotes smṛti scriptures as a joke with clever meaning. Aupapatyam in this verse means “being near the husband.” Being near the husband destroys chances of attaining Svarga: serving such a husband is the complete opposite (para) of dharma.

"Why do you have such thoughts. We did not come for physical contact with you. According to Garga’s words, you are the same asNnarayana, nothing else. Knowing you as Narayana, we have come out of such devotion. Therefore, tonight, let us stay here and serve you lotus feet " Fearing this statement, Krsna answers in this verse, "The pure devotee does not desire samipya ,salokya or other benefits, but rather desires to hear and chant. This is well known. As devotees you must have heard about his." The other meaning is: "These processes such as hearing do not give rise to intense conjugal love as much as direct contact does. Therefore do not go home. (or go to the place with no houses, the groves.)"

Fearing the gopīs would not give up refuting his statements, he showed indifference to hide his attraction. Association cannot be produced as much by proximity as by hearing, seeing him and meditation. By separation there is quick increase of longing; by meeting there is a weakening of that longing. Though their love had reached the highest stage, in jest, he labeled it imperfect. In pūrva-rāga first, before seeing the lover, there is hearing about him. Then one sees him. Then by not meeting him there is internal manifestation of his form (sphūrti). Then there is speaking about him. That is the order. Out of great curiosity, he speaks in this way in order to see the intensity of the prema of the gopīs who had constant, soft, love with obedience to him. The other meaning is as follows. “You have stated that you are our real husband because of our sentiments and these others are not our husbands. That cannot be possible since you are far away and they are very close to us.” No, the special love for that arises from hearing, seeing etc. does not arise to that degree by proximity. Those whom you consider to be your husbands, who are close, are not the objects of that special love. But since people say that intimate love does not arise from hearing etc. to the same extent as intimate meeting, then do not go home. The word na is understood for both verbs. Or do not go to your homes (agṛhān). Or, the word prati can mean give an opposite meaning, in statements of forbiddance. Thus pratiyāta can mean “do not go.” Thus the conversation with the gopīs takes two forms: some of the gopīs took the direct meaning and others by great anurāga found the opposite meaning to his words.

“O Kṛṣṇa, attained only by prema! Svadharma is just an external aṅga of prema.” Hearing and other processes should be undertaken at home. Or “O supreme person! Everything depends on your mercy. Family does not matter.” My mercy is achieved by prema for me. That is accomplished by hearing and other devotional processes, not by physical association. Or “O friend who can bestow all objects! Attaining prema for you, no one can criticize us, since we have then achieved the highest human goal.” You should then undertake the process to attain prema. Taking a scriptural stance, he speaks logically, without affection, with intolerable indifference. One can attain perfection by all or any of the processes mentioned. That is explained in Bhāgavatāmṛta, Uttara-khaṇḍa. One should hear topics of the Lord, see the deity form, meditate on me, and constantly chant my names. evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ Regulated with such devotion, chanting the name of his dear Kṛṣṇa, he develops prema. His heart melts and he laughs loudly, weeps, wails and sings. He dances like a madman without regard for the public. SB 11.2.40 With the development of prema, one can then associate with the Lord. “Seeing the Lord depends on being close to him.” To reject that claim, seeing the Lord is placed in a secondary position, before kīrtana. The list is in order of increasing excellent, ending in kīrtana, which is best. First is hearing, since without that a person is in ignorance. It is said śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca: one should hear and chant. (SB 1.2.14) Thus hearing is first. Then, with a desire to see the Lord one sees the deity form. Then one meditates on that form easily. Then kīrtana spontenously arises. Because of these processes, love for me arises. It does not arise by physical proximity to me. Sannikarṣo hi martyānāṁ anādaraṇa-kāraṇam: for humans direct contact is a cause of disrespect. Since it is against scriptures, or because the mind is fearful, the same result does not come. The love develops to a small extent. Or the love does not develop in the same way, but with great effort since one overrides local rules and ignores all others. Therefore give up coming close and perform hearing etc. Go home, where you can comfortable perform the practices without fear or restrictions. Actually all of this said in jest or to see the intensity of prema of these girls with simple, soft natures full of constant love. The meaning using puns is as follows. You should always have love for me without restrictions, and not produce prema by hearing etc., since perfection is achieved direct association alone, not by hearing and chanting. Love does not develop by hearing to the extent that it develops by physical association. Because of this, go to or worship us, who have not taken wives (agṛhān). In order to bring them under control by exhibiting great qualities, he does not mention about himself, and uses the plural (agṛhān). That is his skill. Or go to other places without houses such as the bank of the Yamunā. Or enter to my groves (gṛhān). You should always stay in these bowers, since they are houses of pastimes or they are my houses. By the kindling of ten verses, the gopīs prema, soft by nature, expanded eagerly into a towering fire, developing all expectations. The reversed order of the verses should be examined. Verse 27 about hearing, causing great pain, is the lower direction (below), like the flaming fire. The tip of the flame, the direction above, is verse 26, causing great fever to the head because of criticizing their aspirations. The other eight previous verses starting with verse 25 and ending with verse 18 are in the eight directions starting with east. Or there were eleven groups, starting with those giving up milking. Eleven groups came. Among them the ten verses are directed to the different groups starting with the last in the list (those with disarrayed clothing and proceeding the first in the list (milking cows). Thus seeing the disarray of ornaments and clothing in one group he addresses them in verse 18 by saying “Is everything well in Vraja?” The first part of the verse is to everyone. Verse 26 is also directed to all of them since it concerns them all. Verse 27 is directed to all of them, since it is an instruction on how to develop prema. Verse 19 (this night is quite frightening, and frightening creatures are lurking about) is directed to the women applying ointment to their eye since they appeared rather fierce with ointment on one eye. Verse 20 (mothers and fathers are searching for you) is directed to those who were cleaning their bodies. With concern for their bodies, they had attachment to bodily relationships. Verse 21 (Now you have seen this Vṛndāvana forest, full of flowers and resplendent with the light of the full moon) refers to the women applying cosmetics since their interest in perfumes is related to the flowers in the forest. Verse 22 (go back to the cowherd village) refers to the women eating their meals with two words tad yāta. Verse 22 (serve your husbands) refers to serving husbands. A command is given, as it is a daily duty. Verse 22 (give milk to the crying babies and calves) refers to feeding children in verse 6. They should go quickly since the children are crying. All the household duties are dependent on serving the husbands. That is the original cause of other duties. This will be explained in detail later. Verse 22 (milk the cows) refers to milking in verse 5. To strengthen service to husbands, he speaks to all of them in verses 23-25. To prevent giving up husbands out of love of Kṛṣṇa, he talks about their love for him in verse 23, in the manner of removing a thorn with a thorn. One puts milk on the fire, cooks it and then serves it. This is comparable to serving friends, children and husbands, with serving husbands as the main duty. They are not mentioned separately as services, but are included in the order to serve the husbands since they are accepted as one. Or he talks in this way as a joke. Being one in mind they answer as one person. The one answer applies to all of them. All Kṛṣṇa’s words are also directed in general to all of them. That was mentioned previously.

Govinda means one who enjoys playing with words (gah vindate). Hearing the external meaning of words of Govinda, thinking them signs of his lack of affection, (though taking the internal meaning of the words, the affection was quite evident) the gopis became dejected. Not seeing a cause for the roughness of his words, and being doubtful of the hidden affection in the words, out of dainya arising from their sthayi bhava, they thought "We are unqualified, therefore Krsna is indifferent to us." Therefore they became dejected. They became lost in thought, their aspirations smashed, "He for who we rejected husbands, fathers, religion fear and sense control has rejected us. We could very humbly hold his feet and cry. Or we could just follow the desire of Krsna, which is hard to understand, and unnaturally return to Vraja by controlling our minds with great effort. Or we could give up our lives. Should we do that in front of him, or away from him? Should we drown our selves in the Yamuna? But if we end our lives, how will we be able to see his sweet face again? After hearing this from him, should we stay here, or should be follow his order and eat vomit in the form of serving our husbands?" They became totally bewildered where to go and what to do. Attracting the cataki birds with the sound of his flute, Krsna then poured the rain of poison upon them. They readily drank the poison and felt completely depressed. Did Krsna give up his normal quality of being easily approachable?

They heard the clear words of Govinda, who, as the king of Gokula, should give benefit to all the people Gokula, what to speak of the gopīs. Those words seemed to express indifference to the gopīs because they had eager natures and the words with two meanings created uncertainty in their aspirations. They experienced pain within (viṣaṇṇāḥ) since their long cherished desire to meet with him was now thwarted. They began to think deeply how to attain their beloved. Though Kṛṣṇa by nature is soft with prema, by our bad fortune he has become most callous. Now maybe we should pacify him by touching his feet. Maybe we should reply to him or maybe we should just be patient for a while. Or maybe we should pretend to go home. Can we understand his deep intentions? Or maybe we should immediately give up our lives in front of him or out of his sight, by entering the Yamunā. In this way they thought.

This verse expresses the gopis’ feelings. Their heads were lowered. This indicates their shame. "We gave up our natural shyness at the invitation of prema, but now again shyness has returned. Prema is the cause of giving up our shyness and this prema is praiseworthy. Prema is defined as that which controls the object of ones love. If the object of our love, Krsna is not controlled, that means that we have no prema. If we do not have prema, then what is the use of our lack of shame?" This was the state of mind, a mixture of remorse and shame. The remorse was expressed in their faces. Their red lips had dried up from the hot breathing caused by lamentation. When the ripe bimba fruit is dried out by the sun, the fullness is destroyed, and spots begin to appear on the fruit. In that way, their lower lips were transformed. The sign of their shame is indicated by their writing on the earth with their left big toes. "O earth, divide yourself, and we will enter you." Lamentation and pain is expressed. The tears mixed with kajjala smeared the kumkuma on their breasts. It was if the great pain due to separation, like a saw, was dividing them in two with that black line. Tears in the plural number with the present tense indicates that excessive tears were flowing. It is not mentioned that the tears flowed and moistened their upper clothes for, the two rivers of tears from their eyes and the heat arising from their lamentation started a war of opposing functions of wetting and drying up. Overcome with great sadness, they stood silently. Because they could not bear the burden of sorrow, they began to lose consciousness. Thus they remained in a blank state like dolls.

They remained silent for a moment, deeply thinking without speaking. Their red lips dried up with hot, long breathing. The present participle suggests that the drying continued continuously. Their lips which were red and soft like the bimba fruit became withered. They drew pictures on the earth with the big toes of their left feet. This is an indication of deep thought. “O earth! Split open, and we will enter within.” At this time they remained upright. They washed the kuṁkuma from their breast with streams of tears mixed with collyrium. This indicates profuse tears. The cause of all of this was their great burden of disappointment. Though not stated, this also includes pain and exhaustion. Also, their complexion changed and they became stunned. The word sma means that it was not impossible that they lament in this way because of his joking words. Or sma indicates astonishment that, by his words, they became grief stricken. See the greatness of their prema. Their deep contemplation did not contradict the fact that they expressed refusal in their answers which follow, since this was possible when well bred women make requests with great desire and since their very nature was to manifest feelings which did not contradict the rasa.

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

Kṛṣṇa, who was dear to them, had spoken as if he was not affectionate. Why did they not withdraw their minds from him? They had given up all other desires completely in order to attain Kṛṣṇa. Thus they could not withdraw their minds from Kṛṣṇa--the form of condensed bliss, attractive to all minds. How was it possible for these gopīs, afflicted so greatly, to speak? They spoke with anger, a transformation of their disappointment, to cover their disappointment. They wiped their eyes: a symptom of the conjunction of disappointment and anger which arises from the nature of anger in love. They wiped their eyes in order to speak while glancing at his face. Because of their great pain, their shyness decreased significantly. However, they spoke weakly because disappointment remained to some degree. Because of the disappointment and anger, they spoke with choked voices. The cause of their depression and their actions was their deep attachment to him (anuraktāḥ).

Kṛṣṇa, who was dear to them, had spoken as if he was not affectionate. Why did they not withdraw their minds from him? They had given up all other desires completely in order to attain Kṛṣṇa. Thus they could not withdraw their minds from Kṛṣṇa--the form of condensed bliss, attractive to all minds. How was it possible for these gopīs, afflicted so greatly, to speak? They gave up weeping out of great grief, wiped their eyes carefully, removing the tears. With great effort they composed themselves. Or in great suffering anurāga is a cause of the power to speak. This is a quality in prema. They wiped their eyes to induce his affection, or as a symptom of great prema or to speak while looking at his face. In great distress, they lost all shyness. They had only slight anger, since he was their beloved or because their love was soft. Or they spoke with choked voices out of great, indescribable anger because of their great attachment. Or they spoke in an abbreviated manner. Why? Because tears choked their voices, from anger born of love. Why? Because of their attachment. Previously of course they were attracted by their nature. Now greater attachment arose with great eagerness by hearing his words. Or having special attraction, they were not depressed though he acted indifferently. Or because of their anurāga, he was still attractive, even with the words he spoke. Thus they spoke to him, because he was their lover (preṣṭham). Previously he had seemingly spoken harsh words. Or taking it as the present tense, he continued to say “Give up worrying, do not cry, be comfortable and return home.” They were seeming harsh words, for actually he was joking. That was explained previously. I offer respects to the gopīs who are the masters of cleverness, who understood the meaning of his words and by whose mercy I have understood the meaning.

"You are giving us instructions about religious principles, but it is inappropriate that you at the same time desire to commit great sins." With this intention the gopis speak to Krsna. "For you to utter such cruel words which are meant to kill, is not fitting for the son of Nanda, who is famous in this place as a pious leader. (though it may be suitable for a leader who wishes to kill everyone.) Though we are numbering in the millions, you have fired your arrow-like words upon all of us, so that we will now give up our bodies and go to the abode of Yama instead of following your order and going home. You go to Vraja after taking the sin of having killed millions of women. If you do not want to accept the sin of killing so many women, then you should adore those women who have give up everything and come to serve your lotus feet." By using the phrase sarva visaya (all things) instead of anya visaya (other things), they indicate that intimate association of the Lord is not to be classed as a material thing. "O desirous women, have you come here to worship me because your husbands have not satisfied your lust?" "Oh one who keeps others at a distance, one hard to attain, one who obstructs the rain, O cloud who rains down poison! Friend of the black cloud, today you have rained down poison on us cataki birds, though we are far from you. Because you are in this form, you did not rain down mercy. Having drunk that poison, we are now dying, but we will not drink the water from the nearby lake. If you want to maintain your nature as being most grateful, you should not reject us." "O gopis, the cakati waits for the cloud, as you have said, but the cloud does not depend on the cataki. For the cloud, it does not matter whether the cataki lives or dies." The gopis replied, "That is true, but you are not a cloud, you are like Narayana, and the most clever. Therefore you should act as Narayana acts. Just as the Lord does not reject those seeking liberation, and fulfils their desires, you should fulfill ours. Narayana reciprocates with those who have given up everything by awarding liberation, because he is under the devotee’s control. We also have given up everything and come to your feet, but why do you not reciprocate with us?"

The following should be considered. Though all the gopīs with similar sentiments could speak the same words at once, since it would not be pleasant that they all spoke together with a loud noise, it should be understood that some of the leaders spoke. Or four leaders spoke the main statements in verses 33, 35, 38 and 41. Or each of them spoke, one after the other. The four groups were situated in the four directions facing him while speaking, just as Kṛṣṇa faced all the cowherd boys around him during the picnic (SB 10.13.8). I offer my respects to the gopīs by whose mercy I can understand their words. I offer respects to the Supreme Lord, the life of the gopīs. We can later consider whether it is dharma or adharma to give up our husbands and worship you. At this moment however, it will be a great fault in dharma if you reject us. With this intent they speak this verse. Out of great pain and agitation they begin with a negative word mā. What to speak of what you said, anything similar (evam) is also not proper to say. Why? Those words, similar to a thunderbolt, break the heart by their harshness (nrśaṁsam). Or those words immediately cause death. Amara-koṣa says that nṛśama means cruel or a killer. It is not proper to say such words explicitly (gaditum), what to speak of using them constantly. You (bhavān) especially should not do so, since you are famous for having a nature that melts with prema. And furthermore you are the master of our life (vibho). You should not speak to us in this manner. Since it was already mentioned that they spoke with anger, their words and intonation was filled with anger in love, even when expressing humility. Even your tender words of respect welcoming us (verse 18) were uttered with the intention of telling us to return home. Since the intention of your words was to obstruct rasa, the meaning of those polite words was actually the opposite. This is their response to Kṛṣṇa’s words of welcome. “O eloquent speakers! What can I do for you?” Expecting this reply from Kṛṣṇa, the gopīs speak. Please respond to us according to our desires since we are devoted to the soles of your feet. This is a statement of humility. They do not mention lotus feet since they have already said that he is hard or cruel. This is an answer to his statement “What can I do to please you.” “Certainly I respond to the wives of the cowherds, but it is proper that you serve your husbands, and not act like this.” We have completely given up all objects of the senses including our husbands since they are unfavorable for worshipping you. This is in response to Kṛṣṇa’s words “Is everything well in Vraja” (verse 18) and instructions to feed the children and calves (verse 22), since all these are included as material sense objects. By this rejection they show their disinterest in their bodies. Because of this, it was unsuitable to tell them that the night was fearful (verse 19). They express this negatively by saying “O Kṛṣṇa you are difficult to attain (duravagraha)! Do not reject us, who have taken shelter of you alone. If you do, you will be at fault.” Fearing he would say, “How am I at fault?” they show that he must protect respective dharmas since he is the Lord who is beyond dharma and adharma. Nārāyaṇa responds even to those who desire liberation, what to speak of those who desire service to him. Or the sentence can mean “Nārāyaṇa responds to those who do not desire liberation--the devotees.” Or it can mean “Nārāyaṇa responds to those who give up everything other than the Lord.” Just as he accepts everyone just by their worship, so you should accept us. Instead of bhajasva, sometimes bhajata is seen. Since you accept all those who have given up all desires during sādhana and perfection (sādhya) and do not reject them, you should accept us. Though the gopīs, fixed in Kṛṣṇa as a cowherd, had no respect for jñāna, jñāna and all other processes served them: yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ The devatās constantly dwell with all good qualities in that person who has pure bhakti for the Lord. There are no good qualities in the non-devotee who chases after temporary material objects with desire for material pleasure. SB 5.18.12 hari-bhakti-mahā-devyāḥ sarvā mukty-ādi-siddhayaḥ | bhuktayaś cādbhutās tasyāś ceṭikāvad anudrutāḥ || All the perfections such as liberation and wondrous enjoyments pursue the great goddess of devotion to the Lord like maidservants. Nārada Pañcarātra The purpose of statements of jñāna among the words of the gopīs is to show the glory of the gopīs and show the astonishing nature of these special devotees impelled by śaktis like jñāna. Or, out of great humility and misery the gopīs speculate about Kṛṣṇa’s great power. O Lord who spreads everywhere inside and outside! You know our inner feelings completely. Please accept us who have surrendered to your feet with devotion. Otherwise your words in the Gītā would be meaningless: ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham | mama vartmānuvartante manuṣyāḥ pārtha sarvaśaḥ || I respond to persons according to the manner and mood in which they surrender to me. O son of Pṛthā, all blessed men follow these various paths of worship of me, the one Lord. BG 4.11 “O respectable gopīs who know the truth! Why do you want material happiness?” We have given up material sense objects: we desire the highest spiritual happiness since pastimes with you are the essence of all goals, being the mature fruit of prema. The deep meaning is “To make your vow that you respond to your devotees true, you should enjoy us, since we have given up everything.” O Kṛṣṇa, you do as you like (duravagraha). Do not reject us who have surrendered to you. Since you are the Supreme Lord, adharma does not touch you. Since it is contrary to the scriptures that state that you keep your promise, breaking your promise is not proper. You should accept those people who give up everything including kingdom and even Vaikuṇṭha and cannot give up you (amumukṣūn te bhaja). Genitive te is used for accusative tvām. Or, you accept those desiring liberation so they can attain you, for you are worshipped by the universe (devaḥ). Otherwise your position as deva would be incomplete. You are rightly (yathā) Svayam Bhagavān (ādi-puruṣaḥ). This verse is similar to the words of the brāhmaṇas’ wives in that it expresses great anguish. The gopīs, being by nature filled with pain, were also skilful in using words. Thus in their words of request refusal can also be seen. You should not utter cruel words such as “What can I do for you” and “Please tell me.” You should by your free will (duravagraham) accept those who have given up everything and worship your feet. But you should give us up completely (ātyaja). Masters accept devotees and not others. An example is given. The Lord accepts those devotees who desire liberation. In this meaning the gopīs speak in a joking manner on the subject.

svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgāḥ priyaṁ kiṁ karavāṇi vaḥ (SB 10.23.25) svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgāḥ priyaṁ kiṁ karavāṇi vaḥ (SB 10.29.18) Since Kṛṣṇa began to speak to the gopīs with the same words that he spoke to the wives of brāhmaṇas, the gopīs reply with words similar to the words of the wives. (svāgataṁ vo mahā-bhāgāḥ priyaṁ kiṁ karavāṇi vaḥ SB 10.23.29) Actually they spoke to get relief from the pain caused by his cheating words. You should not speak such words that you spoke to them. They speak with great pain. Why? The words are cruel, breaking the heart, being hard as diamonds. Or the words directly bring about death. Nṛśaṁṣa means violent or causing death. You should not clearly say (gaditum) such words, or if saying them, you should not put them into action. You are soft with prema. Let others speak such words. Using the word bhavān (you) indicates their respect for him, in order to indicate their initial conciliatory mood. Bhavān also means the moon, which is lord of the contellations (bha). Since you increase love like the moon, you should not speak such words. O lord of our life, or person spreading everywhere inside and outside (vibho)! You know our love. Therefore you should not speak such words. Though you spoke respectfully, reasonably and softly, the meaning of the words was the opposite, since those words obstructed prema-rasa and were spoken to convince us to return home. This verse answers Kṛṣṇa’s first words in verse 18. “O good speakers! What can I do?” Please fulfill our desires (bhajasva) or enjoy with love. Why? Because we have begun to worship (tad bhaktāḥ) the soles of your feet or the dust of your feet, or your shoes. They do not mention lotus feet, since they convey that he is hard because of his harsh words. Or we have begun to worship your feet which are the shelter of all things. Even today the worship is not fully accomplished. They say this with humility and politeness, with a desire to be his servants. Or we have taken shelter of your feet. If you do not fulfill our desires, your words would be meaningless. ye yathamāṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham: I respond according to the devotee’s surrender. (BG 4.11) This is their response to his question “What can I do for you?” (SB 10.29.18) “O wives of cowherds! Why should I respond to you, who are difficult to associate with, since I am detached and not married? Why should I respond to you who are not detached?” We have completely give up all objects of the senses, achieved by husbands etc. and will not accept them again since everything is obtained by attaining your lotus feet, which are the root of everything. Or we gave up everything since it was unfavorable for worshipping you. By giving up senses objects, giving up husbands is understood, since husbands are the root of sense enjoyment. Or “O worshippable ladies who know the truth! Why do you desire happiness from material objects?” We have given up sense objects. We desire the highest spiritual happiness. Playing with you is the essence of unlimited human goals, since it is the manifestation of mature prema. You must also respond to us by giving up everything, as we did, to make your words tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham true. This is a response to his words “Is everything well in Vraja?” (verse 18) What is the use of asking if everything is well, when he acts indifferently, though we have given up everything? “O fickle women! I fear adharma.” They say with anger, “O crest jewel of whimsy (duravagraha)! Or Kṛṣṇa difficult to attain! Do not reject us, who have surrendered to you. Being so hard to attain, you will be sinful if you reject those who have surrendered to you. You will break your vow of keeping your promise. Since you are the supreme Lord you should not be touched by sin. Breaking promises is not proper. Or do not give us up completely (ātyaja) out of stubbornness. “O talkative women! Being full of desire, you are not suitable for me.” True Great persons accept those who worship them while giving up everything. They give an example. As the Lord (deva) you must fulfill the desires of you devotees, especially if you are the greatest person (ādi-puruṣaḥ). You respond to those who desire liberation, so you must respond much more to those who desire you alone. Or the great person responds to the devotees (amumukṣān). Just as he accepts, you should accept us. Or yathā can stand for yathāvat (suitably). The meaning of the example is the same. Just as the great man accepts all who worship in some way, so you should accept us. Or “O chaste women! I should not act in such a way.” The object of worship (deva), even if he is the supreme Lord, accepts those desiring liberation. By giving them liberation he fulfills their desires. Thus there is no fault in fulfilling the desires of devotees. Being omniscient, Kṛṣṇa knew that the gopīs who desired him were special devotees having knowledge of his great powers which assist in creating variety in mahābhāva. He had them engage in skillful use of words to make his mind favorable, in order to announce their greatness, though the descriptions of his powers is unsuitable for his final goal. The gopīs thought, “He will think that we are ignorant of the real nature of the Lord if we do not mention his greatness.” This description of his greatness occurred when they were in great distress, not when they were in bliss. Knowledge of his greatness detracts from their happiness in relation to him. They never change the sweetness of their love. Similarly there is the following statement: na khalu gopīkā-nandano bhavān akhila-dehinām antarātma-dṛk vikhanasārthito viśva-guptaye sakha udeyivān sātvatāṁ kule You are not actually the son of the gopī Yaśodā, O friend, but rather the indwelling witness in the hearts of all embodied souls. Because Brahmā prayed for you to come and protect the universe, you have now appeared in the Sātvata dynasty. SB 10.31.4 O pervader inside and outside (vibho)! You know our love. Therefore respond to us who have taken shelter at your feet. Otherwise your promise to respond in BG 4.11 would be meaningless. Or they speak in anger arising from their love. O person who does not respond to the devotees (bhaktā abhaja)! O person inaccessible (duravagraha) to the devotees (sva)! We gave up all enjoyable things. Or we gave up all material enjoyment and even Vaikuṇṭha. Accept persons who never desire to give up (amumukṣūn) the soles of your feet since you are worshipped by the universe (devaḥ). If you do not accept us, you cannot be worshipped as deva. You must accept us since you are the supreme Lord (ādi-puruṣaḥ) completely (yathā). Otherwise your nature as Bhagavān is not accomplilshed. Generally they speak in order to convince him to accept them, by showing logic. Do not give us up, since we are yours. Sarasvātī, their friend, keeping a second meaning in the painful words of the gopīs, sings their greatness to the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. Do not say words like “Please tell me” since we have give up enjoyment. To start enjoying again would be a fault for us, who have surrendered to you. Give up your stubbornness (duravagraham ātyaja). Just as the Lord responds to persons desiring liberation, you should respond to us. Give ups the highest goal, not material happiness. That is our welcome, or good fortune, the well being of Vraja. Or you should respond without restraint to those who worship your feet, giving up all enjoyment. Give us up completely (ā tyaja). Those who are great respond to the devotees but not to the nondevotees. Then the example of the Lord is given.

One group wanted to defeat Krsna by arguments. "You have said that women’s duty is to serve the husband and others. That may be, and we have no quarrel with that. We have been doing that all the time." "In what way?" "We are always engaged in service to you, the originator of instructions on dharma meant for us. This is according to the reasoning that first one should serve the acarya who teaches dharma, and then one should perform the instructions given. The scriptures say that by service to the acarya sincerely dharma is perfected. Furthermore, if the acarya is the supreme lord himself (ise), how much more we should serve. Because you are the supreme Lord, the soul of all embodied beings (tanu bhrtam), you are most dear. Being most dear you are the best friend. In other words, scriptures say that within the husbands and others, one should serve the supreme lord who resides within them. When the paramatma leaves, the bodies are taken out of the house and burned on the bank of the river. This is the statement of religious scriptures. Therefore by performing service to you, the paramatma, our service to husband becomes perfect. What is the need of serving other husbands or lords who are devoid of paramatma because they have animosity to you." Because the nature of strong prema is to cover knowledge of Krsna’s lordship, how is it that the gopis could be aware of Krsna as God? The characteristics of prema mentioned in the Narada pancaratara and other scriptures is explained in bhakti rasamrta sindhu. Because of separation and meeting, prema has always natural qualities of warmth and coolness. Prema that is due to the waves of bliss brings about tears, shivering and other symptoms in the body. "The bliss of Brahman multiplied by millions of times does not equal one atom in the ocean of happiness of bhakti." And the pain experienced during separation from the Lord by the prema bhakti is millions of times more intense than the pain of separation of a person from his realization of brahman. In the pain of separation, all the qualities of the Lord related to both aisvarya and madhurya are revealed. Separation reveals everything like the sun. Meeting brings about supreme bliss more than millions of moons, and reveals only the Lord’s madhurya aspect. Meeting brings about intoxication with the sweet nectar, like liquor, and this covers the aisvarya. And where during union or meeting, aisvarya is revealed, the prema becomes less perfect. In this verse, expecting separation, the gopis have a realization of Krsna’s aisvarya. This is the working of prema itself. Prema even produces realization of aisvarya or greatness where there is none. What then to speak of where there actually is aisvarya.

When Kṛṣṇa said that the gopīs should serve there husbands as their dharma, they inferred that he was following karma-mīmāṁsa philosophy. Taking support of brahma-mīmāṁsa which is a superior philosophy, taking Kṛṣṇa as the ātmā and defeating his opinion, the gopīs claim that their dharma is not to serve their husbands. They address him as the knower of dharma sarcastically. According to the statements sāstra-yonitvāt (the Lord is known through scriptures) and tat tu samanvayāt (that is the meaning of all texts) (Braham-sūtra 1.1.3-4) the conclusion of all scriptures is that everyone should serve you, the Lord, and no one else. “How do these scriptural statements refer to me?” The gopīs reply with sly words. You are Paramātmā (bhavān) who is dear to all living beings. That which is the object of love is called the ātmā. Since you are the dearest among all ātmās, you are Paramātmā and consequently are the unconditional benefactor of all beings (bandhuḥ). You act as Paramātmā and the friend by your ability to manifest everywhere. You are this person, and thus we conclude that you are the Lord. And thus we should serve you alone. Another meaning is as follows. “O gopīs endowed with proper conduct! You may renounce all material enjoyment, but you should follow your dharma.” They then address him with hatred. Though you give teachings, the shelter of all teachings is you alone. You are the proper goal of scriptural teaching. “How can that be?” You attract the hearts of all beings. You fulfill the desires of everyone. Therefore you are the ātmā, the monitor in the heart and the inspiration for desires. Therefore what fault do we have in being attracted to you? You are at fault. You should be given instructions so you can give up your faults. As with the previous verse, the verse may also be explained in terms of recognizing Kṛṣṇa as the Lord. Śrīdhara Svāmī explains it thus. It is based on impersonal thought, with the word ātmā being used without distinction between the jīva and the Lord. In his explanation, the enjoyer refers to his controlling aspect, just as a king is called an enjoyer. However, if the insignificant jīva were to be taken as the enjoyer, the intended meaning will not be apparent. But the general statement depends on taking the jīva as the subject of the example, and establishing him as the form of all beings. In an alternative meaning Śrīdhara Svāmī takes the verse as a complaint. Others may teach one, but the ātmā cannot teach itself. Thus you are simply ātmā for us, not our teacher. Thus there is no instruction that we should serve our husbands. There are two other meanings according to Vaiṣṇava ideas. You are our shelter (svāmini). devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam O King! One who has given up all varṇāśrama duties and has taken full shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, who offers shelter to all, is not a debtor to or servant of the devatās, great sages, ordinary living beings, relatives or Pitṛs. SB 11.5.41 Having explained the power of worshipping the Lord, then the real meaning is explained. Or, you are the basis of all manifestations such as husbands. Yasya bhāsā sarvam idaṁ vibhāti: by the Lord’s light all things manifest. (Katha Upaniṣad 2.2.15) The word kila emphasizes the various powers of the Lord. Upadeśa-pade means “at the Lord’s lotus feet which are explained by scriptures and guru.” The gopīs speak joking words. You are like Ajita who took the form of Mohinī, a woman, and acted as a woman serving her husband. Why? You are the guru (upadeśa-pade). If the guru does not perform actions as an example, the student cannot learn. You are capable (iśe). One should not think that others cannot have affection for you even in this form of a woman (Mohinī), for by your nature you are dearest to all beings. You have a most attractive nature (bandhur ātmā). The meaning expressing indifference is as follows. O Kṛṣṇa (aṅga)! Following husbands is the worst dharma (su adharma). You who know dharma have said this. This you have stated by word play in verse 24. You are capable (iśe) of saying or doing everything, since you are the teacher. Let those instructions be for you. Why? You are the object of love for the four kinds of living entities in Vṛndāvana. You produce prema (bandhuḥ). You are ātmā. There is mutual exchange of entering each others’ hearts: sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api The pure devotee is my very heart: what pains him pains me. I am the heart of the pure devotee: what pleases him pleases me. My devotees do not know anything else but me, and I do not know more than they do. SB 9.4.68 If you become detached from the unlimited inhabitants of Vṛndāvana then we also can become detached from our husbands who possess dharma and who are much fewer in number than all the inhabitants. Show the same detachment towards us. This is a joke. Or, you have said that the dharma of women is to follow their husbands. Let that be an instruction for you, the instructor and Lord, since you are dear to all beings, the friend and ātmā. We accept you as our husband and thus we should serve you.

“O teachers of proper conduct! In giving up things you have to consider sva-dharma.” They speak with a joking mood. Aṅga is an addressed offering in prema. Things should be offered to you, the supreme Lord, or the master all people in Vraja! You have been addressed as such by Brahmā and Indra in Vṛndāvana. He is addressed in this way in order to refute his words, not to express their bhāva. He always appeared to them as the son of Nanda full of sweetness, eternity, knowledge and bliss. You are the dearest (preṣṭhaḥ), dear to all beings, and you are the friend, or benefactor of all beings, because you are Paramātmā. Kila indicates certainty. Service to you is the highest dharma. Everythinge else should be rejected.

tāvat karmāṇi kurvīta na nirvidyeta yāvatā mat-kathā-śravaṇādau vā śraddhā yāvan na jāyate As long as one does not become detached from daily and periodic duties or has not awakened his faith in hearing topics about me, one must perform one’s prescribed duties of varṇāśrama. SB 11.20.9 Or by you who know dharma it is said women who are attached (raṅga-strīṇām) should serve their husbands. This does not apply to us who are attached only to you. Everything else should be ignored by people like us. They show the reason. Speaking of how he is dearest, they request with logic. You are dearest to all beings, what to speak of us, because you are the benefactor and ātmā. You are naturally dear. Or you give consciousness to everything. You are the helper, internally and externally. Or you make the jīvas beautiful with bhakti or the bind them with chains of prema (bandhura ātmā). Therefore let the svadharma for all beings and us be in you. This is not stated directly as it is secret. Let dharma be in you, since your feet are taught to be worshiped while giving up everything, according to all scriptures or gurus. Considering your lotus feet, svadharma can be given up. Or “O women who know the essence! Let your desires become manifest.” Then they pray with fervor. In this way (evam) may you in person, not as an avatāra, be the ātmā of all beings, including us. May you be the dearest and the benefactor of all beings. The words preṣṭha and bandhu indicate prīti. The prīti is for you, who are the object (pada) of teaching by elders or friends. To avoid being bold they speak indirectly of associating with him at this point. Women can directly attain perfecton and men, can attain perfection in bhāva only, or in another birth, like the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya. They speak in general, out of longing in prema. Or you should be the master (īśe), the object of teaching for us, because you are beautiful by nature (bandura ātmā), the best of all beings. Or let there be cruelty in you, who are the object of all statements by gurus who indicate your worship since you are the supreme Lord or the supreme independent (īśe). (You can do as you like.) They speak with malice. Or let there be cruelty in you, but you are the lord of our lives. You are the very ātmā or body of all us embodied women, the dear friend, the dearest to us all. Because we have bodies, the ātmā is our friend. But you are not dear to us (apreṣṭhaḥ), are you (kila)? Are you thinking that we cannot give up our bodies? We are as if free of our bodies already. Now, for you, we will give up our bodies. This their response to verse 19. They do not fear animals since they are not concerned with their bodies and there is no goal in returning to Vraja since you are the object of worship. There are three meanings without considering his powers. They joke. Let this be in you (tvayī etad astu): you become a woman and perform service for your husband, since you are guru (upadeśa-pade). If the guru does not perform an action, the students will not be inclined to do the action. You are also capable of doing this (iśe), since you are the best (preṣṭḥaḥ) by your nature. No one will have affection for you as a poor imitiation of a woman. The meaning using puns is this. It is the svadharma of women to serve the husband, sons and friends. Friends should be served and you are friend (verse 24). So your desires can be fulfilled. (astu evaṁ etat īśe = astu eva me tat īśe). Let the love be for you, my husband (me īśe) since you are the subject of all scriptural instructions about husbands. “O chaste women! Let that be. The husband should be served. But since I am accepted as a friend, the object of love by all the people of Vraja, without worry experience happiness seeing the forest in the autumn moonlight in beautiful Vṛndāvana.” Though you are dearest to all beings related to Vraja, you have a mischievous nature (bandhura ātmā). Because of that, we do not trust you. Or serving husbands is really (su) adharma for women. You who know dharma have said this. Let that statement be yours since you are the instructor, and are capable of doing or saying anything (īśe). People will not slander you, who have given these instructions. No one will slander you since you are supreme among all beings.