Sri Brhad Bhagatamrtam

Govindaram · July 31, 2003

by

Srila Sanatan Goswami

Part Two Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven Jagad-ananda (The Bliss of the Worlds)

1. Sri Sarupa said: O brahmana, please consider all this and decide what is the goal of life and the best way to attain it.

2 O best of Mathura brahmanas, by the grace of the goddess you also may attain all that I have attained.

3 Know that what you have not attained you will attain. I will see the Lord bestow His great mercy on you.

4 I have told you the most confidential secrets of the Lord, His devotees, and myself.

5-7 Everything of the highest love for the Lord's lotus feet, which I am embarrassed to reveal even in my own heart, and which is so confidential I myself do not know of it directly, in your presence has come from my mouth, for the Lord entered my heart and forced it out.

8. By the symptoms you show I see that you have great faith, which will bring you the greatest result.

9 This morning Queen Radhika instructed me: "O Sarupa, a Mathura brahmana who is My devotee has come to My forest."

10 On My order quickly go there alone, enlighten him, comfort him, and give him Krsna's mercy.

11 Following Her order, I happily came here from far away, not caring for the happiness of Krsna's company.

12 Sri Pariksit said: Seeing that the wealth of spiritual love had not yet appeared in the brahmana, Sarupa placed his hand on the brahmana's head.

13 Then, by the mercy of that great soul, the brahmana could see in his heart everything that Sarupa had seen.

14 Made successful by the very wonderful glory of association with a great soul, the brahmana at once attained his original spiritual form.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that by the great mercy of the Lord one attains the association of a devotee. The value of associating with a devotee is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.7.19:

"By serving the feet of the spiritual master, one is enabled to develop transcendental ecstasy in the service of the Personality of Godhead, who is the unchangeable enemy of the Madhu demon, and whose service vanquishes one's material miseries."*

The Vasistha-sastra explains:

"One should always associate with devotees. Even if they do not teach you directly, their conversations amongst themselves will teach you. Association with wise devotees makes what was empty full. It turns death into immortality. It turns calamity into good fortune."

Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.12.12.) explains:

"My dear King Rahugana, unless one has the opportunity to smear his entire body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realise the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy (brahmacarya), strictly following the rules and regulations of householder life, leaving home as a vanaprastha, accepting sannyasa, or undergoing severe penances in winter by keeping oneself submerged in water or surrounding oneself in summer by fire and the scorching heat of the sun. There are many other processes to understand the Absolute Truth, but the Absolute Truth is only revealed to one who has attained the mercy of a great devotee."*

<font color="red">The value of association with devotees is also explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.23.55, 3.25.25, 4.9.11, 4.24.57-58, 5.12.13, 5.13.21, 7.5.31, 10.51.53, 11.26.31-34, 11.12.1-2, 11.19.33-34, 3.13.4, 4.9.10, 4.9.12, 11.13.36, 5.5.2-3, 11.14.17, 11.2.55, 1.3.18, 11.2.29, 10.47.24, 4.22.39, 10.2.33, 10.87.29, 3.5.39, 11.17.39, and in Bhagavad-gita 7.28, 10.10, 13.18,, 18.54-55. </font color>

15 Now plunged, as Sarupa was, in the nectar ocean of great love and tossed by the waves of many devotional ecstasies, the brahmana cried out: "O Krsna! Krsna! Please show me He who is the crown of youths!"

16 Taking a blade of grass in his teeth, he bowed down before Sarupa and with plaintive words asked both him and the moving and unmoving creatures there: "Where is Krsna? Have you seen Him?"

17 Chanting Krsna's beautiful names, grasping his guru's feet, plunged in an ocean of love and overcome by his guru's affectionate glance, the brahmana wept.

18 At once overcome with great love, standing up, wandering as a madman, and fainting unconscious, he fell on some thorny karira bushes.

19 O mother, from far away came sweet, deep sounds of bamboo flutes, horn bugles, tumburus, vinas and leaf flutes.

20 Awakened by the loud sounds, standing up and running toward them, they saw Gopaladeva, splendid with handsome dark limbs...

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the "they" here are the guru and his disciple.

21 ...who enjoys limitless pastimes, who, so the cows could drink the Yamuna's water, and so He could play with His friends, with dancing limbs moving like the pastimes of a regal elephant, gathered everyone together...

22 ...who was decorated with the ornaments of youth, who was an ocean filled with waves of handsomeness, who filled with bliss the eyes and hearts of the world, whose sweetness became newer and newer at every moment...

23 ...whose handsome form had all transcendental virtues, whose ears were decorated with kadamba-flower earrings, who wore a peacock feather crown, whose conchshell neck was decorated with a strand of pearls, who was splendid with a pair of yellow silk garments...

24 ...whose broad chest was decorated with a great necklace of gunja and with the Srivatsa home of the goddess of fortune, who had a lion's waist, who was strong as hundreds of lions, whose lotus feet were worshipped by the greatest handsomeness...

25 ...who was handsome with garlands of kadamba flowers, gunja, tulasi, peacock feathers, and pravala, and whose broad hips were splendid with a sash of colourful flowers...

26 ...who was handsome with broad arms splendid with golden armlets and bracelets, whose lotus fingers played the bamboo-flute placed to His bimba-fruit lips...

27 ...whose waves of nectar flute-music never heard before enchanted the people of the world, whose restless, playful lotus eyes were decorated with pastimes of slightly crooked glances...

28 ...the glory of the dancing of whose archer's bow eyebrows filled the devotees with love, whose always-smiling handsome lotus face attracted the hearts of the kings of the sages...

29 ...the sesame-flower tip of whose nose was splendid with an elephant-king pearl, who sometimes placed a splendid hand on the black bumble-bees of His curling locks of hair decorated with dust raised by the cows...

30 ...whose broad half-moon forehead was decorated with Yamuna-mud tilaka, whose body was decorated with pictures and designs drawn in different hill-mineral colours, who was an ocean filled with waves of many blissful pastimes...

31 ...who sometimes assumed a graceful three-fold bending posture, who, playing jokes on His flute, made His friends laugh, who decorated the earth with His footprints...

32 ...and who was accompanied by His handsome and fair-complexioned elder brother Balarama, whose age and ornaments were like His, and by His dear friends, who were also like Him.

33 Filled with wonderful bliss by seeing Him, they both fell down offering dandavat obeisances, their peaceful composure destroyed.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the "they" here are the guru and his disciple.

34 Overcome with love for His dear devotees, and bewildered with happiness, Krsna ran to them, fell on them, and embraced them with His great, long arms.

35 His heart melting with mercy,, the Lord bathed them with streams of tears of love. With both hands He pulled them up at once. He made them peaceful.

36 Wiping tears and dust from their limbs, the merciful Lord embraced them again and again. Sitting with them on the ground, with the nectar of His words He pleased the brahmana.

37 The Supreme Lord said: O Janasarma, kindness of Mathura, O saintly one, O moon rising from the ocean of the brahmana's families, is everything well with you?

Note: The brahmana is here placed in his eternal position as a cowherd boy, and the Lord addresses him by his name in the spiritual world: Janasarma. From now on he is known as Janasarma.

38 By seeing you, I and My friends have become happy. My heart is drawn to your mercy. I always gaze at your path.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the words "I always gaze at your path" mean that Krsna anxiously waits for them, thinking "When will they come?"

39 By good fortune you remembered Me. By good fortune after a long time now I can see you. I am your obedient servant. Please stay here and enjoy as you wish.

40 Sri Pariksit said: Overcome with awe, love and bliss, he could not reply. Janasarma could not even gaze on the Lord.

41 His eyes and throat filled with tears, he placed the Lord's lotus feet on his head and wept.

42 Not seeing any proper gift to give, Krsna, the crest jewel of the generous, became agitated. Taking the ornaments from His own body, He decorated the brahmana and made him look like Sarupa.

43 In this way the Lord was merciful to the brahmana and made him a personal friend, like Himself. Then Janasarma attained his desires.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the Lord made him one of His gopa friends. By attaining his original spiritual form, the brahmana's desires were fulfilled. That the devotees desire an attainment like this, and not material things, is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.14, 11.20.34, 9.4.67, 10.16.37 and 10.83.41-43.

44 With a wonderful sound from His mouth, Krsna had the cows drink water, and with a signal from His flute He called them together.

45 After making the cows sit in comfortable places, He and His elder brother played in the water with the two of them and with His other friends.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that "the two of them" are Sarupa and Janasarma.

46 Sometimes, as His friends splashed water, He defeated them with splashes,, and sometimes the Lord who is expert at playing enjoyed His own defeat.

47 Making delightful splashing sounds, and swimming sometimes with and sometimes against Sri Yamuna's currents, He enjoyed many wonderful pastimes.

48 Sometimes, submerging His body in the dark waters of the Yamuna and placing His face in a forest of blue lotuses, playful Krsna hid, unseen by anyone.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that Krsna's body was hidden by the dark water and His face was unrecognisable among the blue lotuses.

49 Searching, and not finding Him, His grief-stricken friends wept terribly.

50 Laughing as He emerged from the forest of lotuses, happy Krsna played with His friends, their eyes wide with a flood of happiness.

51 He decorated them with waterflower garlands strung on lotus stems and they also decorated Him. Then they emerged from the water.

52 To enjoy lunch He had the gopas make many circles on the broad shore of the Yamuna, and He placed His elder brother in the middle.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that this is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.1.

53 Wonderfully going here and there among them as if playfully dancing, He enjoys serving them the many wonderful foods they had brought from home.

54 Then He served them, as they wished, the fruits they playfully gathered from the wonderful and splendid Vrndavana trees, which always bear the fruits and flowers of every season.

55-7 He served them mangoes, talas, bilvas, badaras, amalakas, coconuts, panasas, grapes, bananas, nagarangas, kariras, kharjuras, pomegranates, and other sweet, ripe fruits. To please them, He took a little from each one. Sitting next to each one, the infallible Lord both fed and ate.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that Krsna sat next to each boy. Each boy thought that Krsna was sitting next to him alone.

58-9 Tasting everything and deciding what was the most delicious, each boy would respectfully offer it to Krsna, praising it, and placing it with his own hand in Krsna's mouth. Tasting the delicious food, joking, and making funny faces, Krsna charmed them and made them laugh.

60-1 Drinking and giving them to drink many kinds of bitter and sweet nectar drinks and Yamuna water in gourd cups, the Lord who is expert at enjoying many kinds of happy pastimes pleased all the gopas.

62 Then He chewed fragrant betelnuts mixed with camphor and brought from home, and He also chewed betelnuts and betel leaves found in the forest.

63-6 Then He took and distributed the wonderful garlands His friends made of tulasi, malati, jati, mallika, kunda, kubjaka, lavanga,, ketaki, jhinti, karavira, the two kinds of satapatri, palasa, navamalli, odra, damanaka, kadamba, nipa, bakula, naga, punnaga, campaka, kutaja, asoka, mandara, karnikara, asana, arjuna, patala, priyaka, and many other flowers and their leaves.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the two kinds of yuthikas are the white and golden kind, and the two kinds of karaviras and satapatris are the white and red kind.

67 Then He anointed His limbs with powder made from sandal, aguru, musk, kunkuma, and other fragrant things brought from the forest.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the boys crushed these things with stones and made of the powder a paste with water.

68-9 Then, in a beautiful forest grove scented with fragrant flowers and pleasant with humming bees, on an excellent bed made of new soft leaves and flowers, served by boys expert in combing and decorating His hair, singing, massaging His lotus hands and feet, reciting prayers, and fanning Him, and His soft pillow the body of a dear friend named Sridama, He slept.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that this is described in Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.16 and 10.15.18.

70 With hundreds of different playlets and funny expressions on His lotus face, He won over the discriminating audience of His friends expert in comedy and made them happy. In this way He and Balarama enjoyed many happy pastimes.

71 By sounding signals on His flute and horn making the cows stand up and walk, He enjoyed pastimes near Govardhana Hill.

72 Each boy eagerly claiming "I am first!" with wonderful and colourful forest ornaments they decorated Him according to His own wish.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami gives haritala tilaka, a peacock feather crown, and a gunja necklace as examples of these forest ornaments.

73 Then, placing the newcomer, the brahmana now named Janasarma, in Sarupa's hand, Krsna, who gives happiness to Vraja, enjoyed the pastime of entering the gopa village at evening.

74 O you who by Lord Gopinatha's mercy have become a great saint, reflecting on it please accept this answer to your question.

Note: In this verse Maharaj Pariksit is speaking to his mother.

75 Mother, please try with a great effort to go to Sri Goloka, which is a deep ocean of the greatest transcendental bliss. Simply by going there one is able to enjoy many sublimely sweet and blissful pastimes with the Lord.

76 These pastimes are not always manifested to one who simply goes to Mathura-mandala on the earth. However, they will be manifested to one who is flooded with the mercy of a devotee dear to the Lord. Therefore, O mother, please take the dust of they who are dear to the Lord.

77 O mother, by describing Goloka, which brings eternal love for the Lord's glorious lotus feet touched by the glory of the kunkuma on the gopis' breasts, I have answered your sweet and profound question and I have dispelled your doubts.

78 Far above Vaikuntha, Goloka is splendidly manifest. It is attained only by a flood of love for the feet of the gopis' handsome lover. It gives a great result beyond what one can desire. It gives a treasure of spiritual love to they who meditate on it.

79 Now please hear the words of the great sages describing this, words that will please your heart.

80 "Above Svargaloka is Brahmaloka, where Brahma and the sages reside. Also there is the abode of Lord Shiva and the abode of the effulgent liberated souls.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that this and the following texts are taken from Indra's prayers to Lord Krsna in the Hari-vamsa. The statements of this verse are also confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.5.42 and Bhagavad-gita 10.12 and 10.20.

81-2 "O Krsna, Your splendid realm of Vaikuntha is very great, but far above it is Goloka, the splendid realm of the cows, where the great souls go. Although we have all asked Grandfather Brahma about it, none of us know any place above Goloka.

83-5 "Svargaloka is the realm of virtuous person who are peaceful and self-controlled and have performed pious deeds. Brahmaloka is the realm of they who have performed spiritual austerities. Goloka is far above them. O Krsna, O saintly one, You personally stay in Goloka and protect everyone from all calamities.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the word "brahmaloka" here means Vaikunthaloka.

86 "O son of Kunti, in many different forms I wander in the material world, in the spiritual world, and in the eternal realm of Goloka."

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that this verse, quoted from the Skanda Purana, is spoken by Lord Krsna to Arjuna.

87-8 Sri Janamejaya said: O best of the Vaishnavas, I had heard these verses before, from Vaisampayana, but now that I hear them from you a new understanding shines in my heart. Ah, the glory of the devotees is very wonderful.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the verses referred to here are the quotations from Hari-vamsa found in Texts 80-85.

89 Fearing that this description will now end, my heart has become unhappy. Please give some more nectar, so it will be happy.

90-1 O child, happy to hear the description of Goloka's glories, with wonderful and sweet love your father sang from two stories many verses that confirm these descriptions, beautiful verses that are the essence of the Sruti and Smrti. I wander in this material world and speak these verses. In this way I become free from the unhappiness of separation from your father.

Srila Sanatana Gosvami explains that the two stories are Brahma-samhita and the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, which are both quoted in the following verses.

92 "I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who resides in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own spiritual figure and who embodies the ecstatic potency (hladini). Their companions are Her confidantes, who embody extensions of Her bodily form and who are imbued and permeated with ever-blissful spiritual rasa."**

Note: This verse is Brahma-samhita 5.37.

93 "Below the planet named Goloka Vrndavana are the planets known as Devi-dhama, Mahesa-dhama, and Hari-dhama. These are opulent in different ways. They are managed by the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Govinda, the original Lord. I offer my respectful obeisances unto Him."*

Note: This verse is Brahma-samhita 5.43.

94 "The damsels of Vrndavana, the gopis, are super goddesses of fortune. The enjoyer in Vrndavana is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna. The trees there are all wish-fulfilling trees, and the land is made of transcendental touchstone. The water is all nectar, the talking is singing, the walking is dancing, and the constant companion of Krsna is His flute. The effulgence of transcendental bliss is experienced everywhere. Therefore Vrndavana-dhama is the only relishable abode."**

Note: This verse is Brahma-samhita 5.44.

95 In Goloka numberless milk-cows always emit transcendental oceans of milk. In Goloka is eternal existence of transcendental time, who is ever present and without past or future and hence is not subject to the quality of passing away even for the space of half a moment. That realm is known as Goloka only to a very few self-realised souls in this world."**

Note: This verse is Brahma-samhita 5.56.

96 "Dear friends, just imagine how fortunate the land of Vrndavana is were the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself is present, always decorated with flower garlands, and engaged in tending the cows along with His brother, Lord Balarama. He is always accompanied by His cowherd boy friends, and He plays His transcendental flute. The residents of Vrndavana are fortunate to be able to constantly see the lotus feet of Krsna and Balarama, which are worshipped by great demigods like Lord Shiva, Lord Brahma, and the goddess of fortune."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.44.13.

97 "The gopis and cows of Vrndavana are so fortunate that they have been able to supply their breast milk to You. Persons who are engaged in performing great sacrifices cannot attain the perfection of understanding You, but simply by devotional service these innocent village women and cows are able to satisfy You with their milk. You have drunk their milk to satisfaction, yet You are never satisfied by those engaged in performing sacrifices."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.31.

98 "How greatly fortunate are Nanda Maharaj, the cowherd men, and all the other inhabitants of Vrajabhumi! There is no limit to their good fortune, because the Absolute Truth, the source of transcendental bliss, the eternal Supreme Brahman, has become their friend."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.32.

99 "My dear Lord, no one can actually appreciate the good fortune of these residents of Vrndavana. We are all demigods, controlling deities of the various senses of the living entities, and we are proud of enjoying such privileges, but actually there is no comparison between our position and the position of these fortunate residents of Vrndavana because they are actually relishing Your presence and enjoying Your association by dint of their activities."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.33.

100 "My dear Lord, I am therefore not interested in either material opulences or liberation. I am most humbly praying at Your lotus feet for You to please give me any sort of birth within this Vrndavana forest so that I may be able to be favoured by the dust of the feet of some of the devotees of Vrndavana. Even if I am given the chance to grow just as the humble grass in this land, that will be a glorious birth for me. But if I am not so fortunate to take birth within the forest of Vrndavana, I beg to be allowed to take birth outside the immediate area of Vrndavana so that when the devotees go out they will walk over me. Even that would be a great fortune for me. I am just aspiring for a birth in which I will be smeared by the dust of the devotees' feet. I can see that everyone here is simply full of Krsna consciousness. They do not know anything but Mukunda. All the Vedas are indeed searching after the lotus feet of Krsna."*

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.34.

101 "My Lord, sometimes I am puzzled as to how Your Lordship will be able to repay, in gratitude, the devotional service of these residents of Vrndavana. Although I know that You are the supreme source of all benediction, I am puzzled to know how You will be able to repay all the service that You are receiving from these residents of Vrndavana. I think of how You are so kind, so magnanimous, that even Putana,, who came to cheat You by dressing herself as a very affectionate mother, was awarded liberation and the actual post of a mother. And other demons belonging to the same family, such as Aghasura and Bakasura, were also favoured with liberation. Under the circumstances I am puzzled. These residents of Vrndavana have given You everything: their bodies, their minds, their love, their homes. Everything is being utilised for Your purpose. So how will You be able to repay their debt?"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.35.

102 "O Krsna, as long as people are not Your devotees their desires are thieves, their homes are prisons, and their love for others is a pair of shackles binding their feet."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.36.

103 "I can also understand that Your appearance as a small cowherd boy, a child of the cowherd men, is not at all a material activity. You are so much obliged by their affection that You are here to enthuse them with more loving service by Your transcendental presence. In Vrndavana there is no distinction between material and spiritual because everything is dedicated to Your loving service. My dear Lord, Your Vrndavana pastimes are simply to enthuse Your devotees. If someone takes Your Vrndavana pastimes to be material, he will be misled."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.37.

104 "My dear Lord, I have nothing to say about people who advertise that they have already realised God, or that by their realisation they have themselves become God. But as far as I am concerned, I admit frankly that for me it is not possible to realise You by my body, mind, or speech. What can I say about You, or how can I realise You by my senses?"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.38.

105 "My dear Lord, You are the Supreme Lord of all creation, although I sometimes falsely think that I am the master of this universe. I may be the master of this universe, but there are innumerable universes, and there are innumerable Brahmas also who preside over these universes. But actually You are the master of them all. As the Supersoul in everyone's heart, You know everything. Please, therefore, accept me as Your surrendered servant. I hope that You will excuse me for disturbing You in Your pastimes with Your friends and calves."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.39.

106 "My dear Lord Krsna, Your very name suggests that You are all-attractive. The attraction of the sun and moon are all due to You. By the attraction of the sun You are beautifying the very existence of the Yadu dynasty. With the attraction of the moon You are enhancing the potency of the land, the demigods, the brahmanas, the cows and the oceans. Because of Your supreme attraction, demons like Kamsa and others are annihilated. Therefore it is my deliberate conclusion that You are the only worshipable Deity within the creation. Accept my humble obeisances until the annihilation of the material world. As long as there is sunshine within this material world, kindly accept my humble obeisances."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.14.40.

107 "It is quite natural for these Vrndavana inhabitants to thus receive a great personality like You. The herbs, creepers, and plants are also so fortunate to touch Your lotus feet. And by Your touching the twigs with Your hands, these small plants are also made glorious. As for the hills and the rivers, they are too now glorious because You are glancing at them. Above all, the damsels of Vraja, the gopis, attracted by Your beauty, are the most glorious, because You embrace them with Your strong arms."*

Note: This verse is Srimad Bhagavatam 10.15.8.

108 "Dear friends, our Vrndavana is proclaiming the glories of this entire earth because this planet is glorified by the lotus footprints of the son of Devaki. Besides that, when Govinda plays His flute, the peacocks immediately become mad. When all the animals and trees and plants, either on the top of Govardhana Hill or in the valley, see the dancing of the peacock, they all stand still and listen to the transcendental sound of the flute with great attention."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.10.

109 "Of all the devotees this Govardhana Hill is the best! O my friends, this hill supplies Krsna and Balarama, along with Their calves, cows, and cowherd friends, with all kinds of necessities - water for drinking, very soft grass, caves, fruits, flowers, and vegetables. In this way the hill offers respects to the Lord. Being touched by the lotus feet of Krsna and Balarama, Govardhana Hill appears very jubilant."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.18.

110 "The scorching heart of the autumn sunshine was sometimes intolerable, and therefore the clouds in the sky appeared in sympathy above Krsna and Balarama and Their boy friends while They engaged in blowing their flutes. The clouds served as a soothing umbrella over their heads just to make friendship with Krsna."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.16.

111 "Even the river Yamuna, being desirous to embrace the lotus feet of Krsna after hearing the transcendental vibration of His flute, broke her fierce waves to flow very nicely with lotus flowers in her hands, just to present flowers to Mukunda with deep feeling."*

112 "Just by Krsna's association the trees, plants, and other vegetation in the forest immediately became Krsna conscious. A Krsna conscious person sacrifices everything for Krsna. Although trees and plants are not very advanced in consciousness, by the association of Krsna and His friends they also become Krsna conscious. They want to deliver everything-whatever they have-their fruits, flowers, and the honey incessantly falling from their branches."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.35.9.

113 "I think that the drones that are buzzing all around You must have been Your devotees in their past lives. They cannot leave Your company because no one can be a better, more affectionate master than You. You are the original and supreme Personality of Godhead, and the drones are just trying to spread Your glories by chanting every moment. I think some of them must be great sages, devotees of Your Lordship, and they are disguising themselves in the form of drones because they are unable to give up Your company for even a moment."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.6.

114 "Krsna would play His flute, and together the sounds became so sweet to hear that together the aquatics, the cranes, swans, and ducks, and other birds were charmed. Instead of swimming or flying they became stunned. They closed their eyes and entered a trance of meditation in worship of Krsna."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.35.11.

115 "My dear mother, the birds, who are all looking at Krsna playing on His flute, are sitting very attentively on the branches and twigs of different trees. From their features it appears that they have forgotten everything and are engaged only in hearing Krsna's flute. This proves that they are not ordinary birds. They are great sages and devotees, and just to hear Krsna's flute they have appeared in Vrndavana forest as birds."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.14.

116 "Blessed are all these foolish deer because they have approached Maharaj Nanda's son, who is gorgeously dressed and is playing on His flute. Indeed, both the doe and the bucks worship the Lord with looks of love and affection."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.11.

117 "My dear friends, the cows are also charmed as soon as they hear the transcendental sound of the flute of Krsna. It sounds to them like the pouring of nectar, and they immediately spread their long ears just to catch the liquid nectar of the flute. As for the calves, they are seen with the nipples of their mother pressed in their mouths, but they cannot suck the milk. They remain struck with devotion, and tears glide down their eyes, illustrating vividly how they are embracing Krsna heart to heart."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.13.

118 "When Krsna plays His flute, all the cows and other animals of Vrndavana, although engaged in eating, simply take a morsel of food in their mouths and stop chewing. Their ears raise up and they become stunned. They do not appear alive but like painted animals. Krsna's flute-playing is so attractive that even the animals become enchanted, and what to speak of ourselves."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.35.5.

119 "The wanton aborigine girls also became fully satisfied when they smeared their faces and breasts with the dust of Vrndavana, which was reddish with the touch of Krsna's lotus feet. The aborigine girls had very full breasts, and they were also very lusty, but when their lovers felt their breasts they were not very satisfied. When they came out into the midst of the forest they saw that while Krsna was walking some of the leaves and creepers of Vrndavana turned reddish from the kunkuma powder which fell from His lotus feet. His lotus feet were held by the gopis on their breasts, which were also smeared with kunkuma powder, but when Krsna travelled in Vrndavana forest with Balarama and His boy friends, the reddish powder fell on the ground of the Vrndavana forest. So the lusty aborigine girls, while looking toward Krsna playing on His flute, saw the reddish kunkuma powder on the ground and immediately took it and smeared it over their faces and breasts. In this way they became fully satisfied, although they were not satisfied when their lovers touched their breasts."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.17.

120 "Sometimes Krsna would go to a somewhat distant place to see the beauty of the forest. Then all the other boys would run to accompany Him, each one saying, 'I shall be the first to run and touch Krsna! I shall touch Krsna first!' In this way they enjoyed life by repeatedly touching Krsna,"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.6.

121 "In this way, all the cowherd boys used to play with Krsna, who is the source of the Brahman effulgence for jnanis desiring to merge into that effulgence, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead for devotees who have accepted eternal servitorship, and who for ordinary person is but another ordinary child. The cowherd boys, having accumulated the results of pious activities for many lives, were able to associate in this way with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. How can one explain their good fortune?"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.11.

122 "Yogis may undergo severe austerities and penances for many births by practicing yama, niyama, asana, and pranayama, none of which are easily performed. Yet in due course of time, when these yogis attain the perfection of controlling the mind, they will still be unable to taste even a particle of dust from the lotus feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What then can we describe about the great fortune of the inhabitants of Vrajabhumi, Vrndavana, with whom the Supreme Personality of Godhead personally lived and who saw the Lord face to face."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.12.12.

123 "When Krsna would feel tired and fatigued, He would sometimes take shelter of the root of a big tree, or the lap of a cowherd boy, and lie down"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.16.

124 "When He would lie down with a boy or a root as His pillow, some of the boys would come and massage His legs, and some would fan His body with a fan made from leaves."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.17.

125 "Some of the more talented boys would sing in very sweet voices to please Him."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.15.18.

126 "O learned brahmana, Mother Yasoda's breast milk was sucked by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. What past auspicious activities did she and Nanda Maharaj perform to achieve such perfection in ecstatic love?"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.46.

127 "Thereafter, O Maharaj Pariksit, best of the Bharatas, when the Supreme Personality of Godhead became the son of Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda, they maintained continuous, unswerving devotional love in parental affection. And in their association all the other inhabitants of Vrndavana, the gopas and gopis, developed the culture of Krsna-bhakti."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.8.51.

128 "O Maharaj Pariksit, best of the Kurus, Nanda Maharaj was very liberal and simple. He immediately took his son Krsna on his lap as if Krsna had returned from death, and by formally smelling his son's head, Nanda Maharaj undoubtedly enjoyed transcendental bliss."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.43.

129 "Because of mother Yasoda's hard labour her whole body became covered with perspiration, and the flowers and comb were falling from her hair. When child Krsna saw His mother thus fatigued, He became merciful to her and agreed to be bound."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.9.18.

130 "Neither Lord Brahma, nor Lord Shiva, nor even the goddess of fortune, who is always the better half of the Supreme Lord, can obtain from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the deliverer from this material world, such mercy as was received by mother Yasoda."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.9.20.

131-2 "The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is the bestower of many benedictions, including liberation (kaivalya) or oneness with the Brahman effulgence. For that Supreme Personality of Godhead the gopis always felt material love, and Krsna sucked their breasts with full satisfaction. Therefore, because of their relationship as mother and son, although the gopis were engaged in various family activities, one should never think that they returned to this material world after leaving their bodies."*

Note this verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.6.39-40.

133 "In the evening Krsna and Balarama, along with the boys and cows, returned to Vrndavana playing their flutes. As They approached the village, all the gopis became very joyous. Throughout the day the gopis used to think of Krsna while He was in the forest, and in His absence they were considering one moment to be like twelve years."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.19.16.

134 "The gopis' mind and intelligence became absorbed in thoughts of Krsna. They all imitated the activities of Krsna and His speeches. Due to their heart and soul being completely given to Krsna, they began to chant His glories, completely forgetting their family interests."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.30.43.

135 "What austerities must the gopis have performed! With their eyes they always drink the nectar of Lord Krsna's form, which is the essence of loveliness and is not to be equalled or surpassed. That loveliness is the only abode of beauty, fame, and opulence. It is self-perfect, ever-fresh, and extremely rare."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.44.15.

136 "The gopis are so fortunate that they can see and think of Krsna twenty four hours a day, beginning from their milking the cows or husking the paddy, or churning the butter in the morning. When engaged in gather fuel, riding on swings, taking care of crying babies, cleaning their houses, and washing their floors,, they are always absorbed in the thought of Krsna.* There hearts full of love for Him and their throats stopped with tears, they always sing of His glories."

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.44.15.

137 "My dear friends, we must accept the gopis' activities to be the highest form of piety. Otherwise how could they have achieved the opportunity of seeing Krsna both morning and evening when He goes to the pasturing-ground with His cows and cowherd boy friends and returns inn the evening? They frequently see Him playing on His flute and smiling very brilliantly."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.44.16.

138 "I am not able to repay My debt for your spotless service even within a lifetime of Brahma. Your connection with Me is beyond reproach. You have worshipped Me, cutting off all domestic ties, which are difficult to break. Therefore please let your own glorious deeds be your compensation."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.32.22.

139 "My dear gentle friend Uddhava, please go immediately to Vrndavana and try to pacify My father and mother, Nanda Maharaj and Yasoda-devi, and the gopis. They are very much grief-stricken, as if suffering from great ailments. Go and give them a message. I hope their ailments will be partially relieved."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.36.3.

140 "The gopis are always absorbed in thoughts of Me. They have dedicated body, desire, life and soul to Me. I am anxious not only for the gopis, but for anyone who sacrifices society, friendship, love and personal comforts for Me. It is My duty to protect such exalted devotees."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.46.4.

141 "The gopis are the most dear. They are always thinking of Me in such a way that they remain overwhelmed and almost dead in anxiety due to separation from Me."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.46.5.

142 "They are keeping alive simply by thinking that I am returning to them very soon."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.46.6.

143 "When Akrura took Balarama and Myself to Mathura, the gopis, their hearts full of love for Me, became overcome with the pain of separation. They could not see happiness anywhere."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.12.10.

144 "O gentle one, when I, their beloved, was with them in Vrndavana, the gopis' nights passed as half a moment. Now, without Me, they pass as a kalpa."

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.12.11.

145 "Their hearts tied to Me, the gopis were not aware even of their own selves. They became like sages absorbed in meditation and unaware of the world of material names and forms, or like rivers that have entered the ocean."

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.12.12.

146 "Desiring Me as their paramour, and unaware of My true nature, hundreds and thousands of gopis attained Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead."

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.12.13.

147 "Among all the living entities who have accepted the human form of life, the gopis are super excellently successful in their mission. Their thought is thoroughly absorbed in the lotus feet of Krsna. Great sages and saintly persons are also trying to be absorbed in meditation upon the lotus feet of Krsna, who is Mukunda Himself, the giver of liberation,, but the gopis, having lovingly accepted the Lord, are automatically accustomed to this habit. They do not depend on any yogic practice. The conclusion of that one who has attained the gopis' condition of life does not have to take birth as Lord Brahma or be born in a brahmana family or be initiated as a brahmana."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.58.

148 "The gopis were not born of any highly cultured family. They were born of cowherd men, and yet they developed the highest love of Krsna. For self-realisation or God-realisation there is no need to take birth in a high family. The only thing needed is ecstatic development of love of God. In achieving perfection in Krsna consciousness no other qualification is required than to be constantly engaged in the loving service of Krsna. Krsna is the supreme nectar, the reservoir of all pleasure. The effect of taking up Krsna consciousness is just like that of drinking nectar. With or without one's knowledge, it will act."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.59.

149 "When Lord Sri Krsna was dancing with the gopis in the rasa-lila, the gopis were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This transcendental favour was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or other consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never was such a thing even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, whose bodily lustre and aroma resemble the lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly women who are very beautiful according to material estimation?"*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.60.

150 "The gopis of Vrndavana 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, Krsna, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers, or herbs in Vrndavana, because the gopis trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.61.

151 "When in the rasa dance the gopis embraced to their breasts Lord Krsna's lotus feet, which are worshipped by Laksmi, Brahma, the demigods whose every desire is fulfilled, and the masters of yoga, they become free of all suffering."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.62.

152 "I constantly pray to be honoured by the dust of the gopis' lotus feet. The gopis' chanting of the transcendental pastimes of Lord Krsna has become celebrated all over the three worlds."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.47.63.

153 "My dear gopis, what auspicious activities must the flute have performed to enjoy the nectar of Krsna's lips independently and leave only a taste for us gopis, for whom that nectar is actually meant! The forefathers of the flute, the bamboo trees, shed tears of pleasure. His mother, the river on whose bank the bamboo was born, feels jubilation, and therefore her blooming lotus flowers are standing like hair on her body."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.21.9.

154 "Lord Sri Krsna is He who is known as Jana-nivasa, the ultimate resort of all living entities, and who is also known as Devaki-nandana or Yasoda-nandana, the son of Devaki and Yasoda. He is the guide of the Yadu dynasty, and with His mighty arms He kills everything inauspicious, as well as every man who is impious. By His presence He destroys all things inauspicious for all living entities, moving and inert. His blissful smiling face always increases the lusty desires of the gopis of Vrndavana. May He be all glorious and happy."*

Note: This verse is Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.90.48.

155 Sri Janamejaya said: I have found the goal of life! I have found the goal of life! O my lord, O my guru, you have explained to me the confidential glory of Goloka!

156 Sri Jaimini said: O dear one, you have spoken the truth. Anyone who with devotion hears, chants, or remembers this story, attains that supreme abode.

157 Obeisances to unlimitedly merciful Lord Krsna, who is the son of the gopas' king, who is the supreme guru, who gives devotional service to the devotees, and who is very pleased by their service.