Bhagavada Vahini - Chapter 37

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Bhagavada Vahini by Sathya Sai Baba

 

Chapter 37

Gopala, Gopas and Gopis

 

 

 

" Maharaja! Parikshith! Who can describe the supreme supra-world charm

of Krishna, whose lovely Form was the very embodiment of sweetness?

How can any one describe it in words? You want me to relate to you

stories of Krishna; but, they belong to a realm, beyond the reach of

human vocabulary. God has incarnated often and demonstrated during

each advent, many supra-worldly miracles; but, in this Krishna

incarnation, He exhibited a unique attraction. Did He but smile once,

revealing the pearly line of teeth? Those who had the spring of love

in their hearts, those who had the spell of devotion in their hearts,

and even those who had mastered their senses and overcome their inner

reactions, felt an upsurge of emotion rising in them, an upsurge of

affectionate adoration! Did He but touch them softly with His tender

Hand? They lost all consciousness of their bodies, they were so

immersed in bliss that thenceforward they lived in tune with Him! Now

and then, He used to make fun, relate humorous tales. On those

occasions, the listeners felt that there were few more fortunate than

they, few superior to them in the entire world!

 

The Gopas <http://vahini.org/glossary/g.html#Gopas> and Gopis, the

men and women of Vraja, might be engaged in their daily avocations;

but, let them but see Krishna once, while so engaged - they stood

entranced by His Loveliness, rooted to the spot, like images carved

in stone. The women of Vraja had surrendered their minds, their very

breath to Krishna, whom they recognised as love and compassion

personified. No scholar, however high his attainments, can find

language adequate to describe their nature and experience. In fact,

language has to be dumb; it can only fail.

 

The devotion and dedication of the Gopas and Gopis, filled with

elevated emotions knew no limits or bounds. No less a person than

Uddhava exclaimed on seeing them 'Alas! I have laid waste all these

years of my life, isn't it? Having been in the cool comforting

presence of Krishna-chandra so long, so near Him in fact, I have not

gained access into His Love and His Glory. My heart is not yet

illumined by even a fraction of the devotion and love, that these

Gopis have for the Lord. Verily, if one has to take birth, one must

be born as a Gopa or Gopi! Why be born otherwise and live a life sans

meaning, sans significance? If I have no luck to be born as a Gopa or

Gopi, let me become a green floral bower in Brindavan, or a jasmine

creeper there or, if I do not merit that fortune, let me at least

grow as a blade of grass on the lawns frequented by the Gopas, Gopis

and Krishna. Uddhava lamented thus. He yearned in devoted anguish;

his heart was filled with yearning; in fact, he was saved by that

very anguish. "

 

To state that this relationship between Krishna and the Gopis was low

and lascivious is, therefore, only to reveal that the person is too

easily led into wrong conclusions. Such statements are not worth

attention. "

 

Maharaja! None but the pure in heart can understand the sport of

Krishna.

 

Parikshith was very happy when he heard this. He asked the sage with a

smile on his lips, " Master! When did Uddhava proceed to Brindavan? Why

did he go there? What was the reason that prompted him to leave

Krishna's presence and go? Please describe the incident to me. "

 

Suka began the description, as desired " 0 King! Uddhava can never be

away from Krishna, even for a moment. He can never leave the Presence.

But, Krishna Himself sent him to Brindavan, in order to communicate

his message to the Gopis; so, he had no option. He had to go; the

separation became inevitable. But, Krishna gave him just one day to

fulfill his mission; he directed that he should not stay there longer

than a day. In spite of this, that one day of separation seemed an

age for Uddhava, when he proceeded to Brindavan. "

 

However, on reaching Brindavan, Uddhava was sorry that the hours were

flying fast and that he had to leave the place so soon. " Alas, that I

have to go away from these people so quick! How happy would I be if

all my life were spent in their company! I have unfortunately not

acquired that merit " - these were the sad thoughts that worried

Uddhava.

 

Did you note, Maharaja, that there is really no difference between the

Lord and the Bhaktha <http://vahini.org/glossary/b.html#Bhaktha's> ?

Uddhava felt more anguish when he had to leave the presence of the

Gopis, than when he had to leave the presence of Krishna Himself! His

Ananda in both places was the same. There is really no distinction

between Gopi and Gopala, the Bhaktha and Bhagavan.

<http://vahini.org/glossary/b.html#Bhagavan> The hearts of the Gopis

had got transformed into altars where He was installed. Their inner

cravings were satiated by drinking the nectar of Krishna-rasa. Uddhava

was able to realize their agony at the separation from Krishna, the

sincerity of their affectionate attachment to Him, their eagerness to

hear about Him, their anxiety about Him, and their earnestness to hear

and obey His Message. The Gopas and Gopis never for a moment allowed

their attention to wander away from stories of Krishna, from

descriptions of the sport of Krishna and from the narratives of His

activities and achievements. The splendour of the sweetness of Krishna

cast such powerful influence on Vraja that the living appeared

lifeless and the lifeless appeared living! Uddhava saw with his own

eyes the boulders of Govardhana-giri melt in tears of joy. He saw

also the Gopis transfixed like stone images, when their hearts were

filled with Divine joy. He took these experiences of his as wonderful

and illuminating.

 

While describing these characteristics of the devotion of the Gopis,

the sage Suka was so overcome with joy that tear-drops fell from his

eyelids and he lost awareness of all external things and entered

Samadhi

<http://vahini.org/glossary/s.html#Samadhi> so often, that the holy

men and rishis <http://vahini.org/glossary/qr.html#Rishis> who were

listening to him and watching him were filled with ecstasy and an

irrepressible yearning to visualize the Krishna-chandra who thrilled

Suka so deeply.

 

Meanwhile, Suka opened his eyes. He said " Maharaja! How lucky was this

Uddhava! While showing him the places where they sported with Krishna,

the Gopis took him to Govardhanagiri also. When he saw the place the

wonder of Uddhava increased even more. For, he could see on the rocks

and the hard ground the footprints of Krishna, the Gopas and the

Gopis, as clear as when they walked long ago in that area. When they

neared the Govardhanagiri, the Gopis felt the agony of separation

from Krishna, so poignantly that they broke into sobs. They were

aware of Him only; they merged in thoughts of Him only. When all of

them called out in one voice 'Krishna!', the trees that stood around

were thrilled into exhilarated horripilation. They swayed their arms

and began to moan in sadness. Uddhava observed with his own eyes how

separation from Krishna had affected and afflicted, not only the

Gopas and Gopis of Brindavan, but,even its hills and trees. Maharaja!

What shall I say more? Uddhava saw scenes that transcend belief. He

was overwhelmed with amazement; he was also humbled. "

 

At this, the King was eager to know further, He said, " Master! How did

that happen? If there is no objection, please enlighten me on that

point also " . When he prayed thus, Suka answered, " Raja! The awareness

of the Gopis had become one with the consciousness of Krishna; so,

they noticed nothing else, none else. Every stone, every tree they

saw, they saw as Krishna; they held on to it calling out Krishna,

Krishna. That made the stones and trees feel the agony of separation

from Krishna, and they too melted in the heat of that grief, so that

tear-drops fell from the points of the leaves. The stones softened

with the tears they exuded.See, how amazing these scenes must have

been! The axiom, 'All is alive' (Sarvam Sajivam) was proved true, in

this manner, to him. The stones and trees of Brindavan demonstrated

to Uddhava that there is nothing that is devoid of consciousness and

life.

 

Those who are unable to grasp the glory of the Gopis, the Bhakthi that

melted stone and drew sobs of grief from the trees, have no right to

judge and pronounce a verdict; if they do, they only reveal that their

intelligence is more inert than rocks and boulders. Inert minds can

never grasp the splendours of the Krishna-chandra, who is the

sovereign of the Universe, who captivates the Universe by His Beauty

and Power. Only the clearest and the purest Intelligence can grasp it.

 

Similarly, Uddhava noticed at Brindavan that evening a novel feature.

As Brahmins <http://vahini.org/glossary/b.html#Brahmins> and the

other twice-born persons engage at sunset in the worship of Fire

through ceremonial ritual, the Gopis lit the hearths in their homes,

bringing cinders or live flames from neighbouring houses in shells or

plates of clay. But, Uddhava noticed that the first house to light

the lamp and hearth was the house of Nanda, the house where Krishna

grew and played; he saw that as soon as the light shone in Nanda's

house, the Gopis went to that place, one after the other, with lamps

in their hands, to have them lit auspiciously there from. They

carried the lamps thus lit, to their own homes. Uddhava sat on the

step of the Village Hall and watched the lamps go by.

 

Meanwhile, one Gopi took too long a time to light her lamp at the

house of Krishna; the others who came behind her got impatient; they

had no chance to have their lamps lit. Yasoda who was in the inner

apartments came out and seeing her, cried out, '0, what calamity is

this!' and tried to awaken her with a pat on the back. But, she did

not open her eyes. Those around her dragged her gently away from the

lamp and laid her down so that she may rest a while. Her fingers had

got badly burnt and charred. With great effort, she was brought back

into consciousness. On inquiry, she revealed that she saw Krishna in

the flame of the lamp, and in that joyful experience, she did not

know that her fingers were in the flame and were being burnt; she

felt no pain at all.

 

Uddhava was astounded at this incident, which was another wonderful

instance of the devotion of the Gopis. "