Why does Krsna take off the clothes of the gopis???

[krsna]

 

This pastime is so intimate...

 

/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Guest guest]

He owns them ...created them...so when does it....not like humans doing it....not mundane

 

[Kulapavana]

some pastimes are for very advanced devotees. there are entire segments of Krsna Book I simply skip over. there are very deep, multi-layered meanings to such pastimes.

 

here, one of the meanings is deep surrender.

[krsna]

 

 

 

 

 

 

When O when, will I become advanced enough to taste the unlimited sweetness of Sri Sri Radha Madhava's Congugal Loving pastimes in Sri Vrindavana???

[Guest guest]

The meaning is, they prayed for Him to become their Husband, and so He fulfilled their desire.

 

>>> When O when, will I become advanced enough to taste the unlimited sweetness of Sri Sri Radha Madhava's Congugal Loving pastimes in Sri Vrindavana???

 

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira

pulakair nicitam vapuh kada tava nama-grahane bhavisyati /images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[krsna]

 

 

 

/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[krsna]

 

/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[krsna]

 

/images/graemlins/blush.gif

[Guest guest]

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Stealing the Garments of the Unmarried Gopé Girls

According to Vedic civilization, unmarried girls from ten to fourteen years of age are supposed to worship either Lord Çiva or the goddess Durgä in order to get a nice husband. But the unmarried girls of Våndävana were already attracted by the beauty of Kåñëa. They were, however, engaged in the worship of the goddess Durgä in the beginning of the Hemanta season (just prior to the winter season). The first month of Hemanta is called Agrahäyana (October-November), and at that time all the unmarried gopés of Våndävana began to worship goddess Durgä with a vow. They first ate haviñyänna, a kind of food prepared by boiling together mung dhal and rice without any spices or turmeric. According to Vedic injunction, this kind of food is recommended to purify the body before one enacts a ritualistic ceremony. All the unmarried gopés in Våndävana used to daily worship goddess Kätyäyané early in the morning after taking a bath in the river Yamunä. Kätyäyané is another name for goddess Durgä. The goddess is worshiped by preparing a doll made of sand from the bank of the Yamunä. It is recommended in the Vedic scriptures that a deity may be made from different kinds of material elements: it can be painted, made of metal, made of jewels, made of wood, earth or stone or can be conceived within the heart of the worshiper. The Mäyävädé philosopher takes all these forms of the deity to be imaginary, but actually they are accepted in the Vedic scriptures to be identical with either the Supreme Lord or a respective demigod.

The unmarried gopés used to prepare the deity of goddess Durgä and worship it with candana pulp, garlands, incense, lamps and all kinds of presentations—fruits, grains and twigs of plants. After worshiping, it is the custom to pray for some benediction. The unmarried girls used to pray with great devotion to goddess Kätyäyané, addressing her as follows: “O supreme external energy of the Personality of Godhead, O supreme mystic power, O supreme controller of this material world, O goddess, please be kind to us and arrange for our marriage with the son of Nanda Mahäräja, Kåñëa.” The Vaiñëavas generally do not worship any demigods. Çréla Narottama däsa Öhäkura has strictly forbidden all worship of the demigods for anyone who wants to advance in pure devotional service. Yet the gopés, who are beyond compare in their affection for Kåñëa, were seen to worship Durgä. The worshipers of demigods also sometimes mention that the gopés also worshiped goddess Durgä, but we must understand the purpose of the gopés. Generally, people worship goddess Durgä for some material benediction. Here, the gopés prayed to the goddess to become wives of Lord Kåñëa. The purport is that if Kåñëa is the center of activity, a devotee can adopt any means to achieve that goal. The gopés could adopt any means to satisfy or serve Kåñëa. That was the superexcellent characteristic of the gopés. They worshiped goddess Durgä completely for one month in order to have Kåñëa as their husband. Every day they prayed for Kåñëa, the son of Nanda Mahäräja, to become their husband.

Early in the morning, the gopés used to go to the bank of the Yamunä to take a bath. They would assemble together, holding one another’s hands, and loudly sing of the wonderful pastimes of Kåñëa. It is an old system among Indian girls and women that when they take a bath in the river they place their garments on the bank and dip into the water completely naked. The portion of the river where the girls and women bathe was strictly prohibited to any male, and this is still the system. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, knowing the minds of the unmarried young gopés, blessed them with their desired objective. They had prayed for Kåñëa to become their husband, and Kåñëa wanted to fulfill their desires.

At the end of the month, Kåñëa, along with His friends, appeared on the scene. Another name of Kåñëa is Yogeçvara, or master of all mystic powers. By practicing meditation, the yogé can study the psychic movement of other men, and certainly Kåñëa could understand the desire of the gopés. Appearing on the scene, Kåñëa immediately collected all the garments of the gopés, climbed up into a nearby tree, and with a smiling face began to speak to them.

“My dear girls,” He said, “please come here one after another and pray for your garments and then take them away. I’m not joking with you. I’m just telling the truth. I have no desire to play any joke with you, for you are tired from observing the regulative principles for one month by worshiping goddess Kätyäyané. Please do not come here all at once. Come alone; I want to see each of you in your complete beauty, for you all have thin waists. I have requested you to come alone. Now please comply.”

When the girls in the water heard such joking words from Kåñëa, they began to look at one another and smile. They were very joyous to hear such a request from Kåñëa because they were already in love with Him. Out of shyness, they looked at one another, but they could not come out of the water because they were naked. Due to remaining in the water for a long time, they felt cold and were shivering, yet upon hearing the pleasing, joking words of Govinda, their minds were perturbed with great joy. They told Kåñëa, “Dear son of Nanda Mahäräja, please do not joke with us in that way. It is completely unjust to us. You are a very respectable boy because You are the son of Nanda Mahäräja, and You are very dear to us, but You should not play this joke on us because now we are all shivering from the cold water. Kindly deliver our garments immediately; otherwise we shall suffer.” They then began to appeal to Kåñëa with great submission. “Dear Çyämasundara,” they said, “we are all Your eternal servitors. Whatever You order us to do, we are obliged to perform without hesitation because we consider it our religious duty. But if You insist on putting this proposal to us, which is impossible to perform, then certainly we will have to go to Nanda Mahäräja and lodge a complaint against You. If Nanda Mahäräja does not take action, then we shall tell King Kaàsa about Your misbehavior.”

Upon hearing this appeal by the unmarried gopés, Kåñëa answered, “My dear girls, if you think that you are My eternal servitors and you are always ready to execute My order, then My request is that, with your smiling faces, you please come here alone, one after another, and take away your garments. If you do not come here, however, and if you lodge complaints to My father, I shall not care anyway, for I know My father is old and cannot take any action against Me.”

When the gopés saw that Kåñëa was strong and determined, they had no alternative but to abide by His order. One after another they came out of the water, but because they were completely naked, they tried to cover their nakedness by placing their left hand over their pubic area. In that posture they were all shivering. Their simple presentation was so pure that Lord Kåñëa immediately became pleased with them. All the unmarried gopés who prayed to Kätyäyané to have Kåñëa as their husband were thus satisfied. A woman cannot be naked before any male except her husband. The unmarried gopés desired Kåñëa as their husband, and He fulfilled their desire in this way. Being pleased with them, He took their garments on His shoulder and began to speak as follows: “My dear girls, you have committed a great offense by going naked in the river Yamunä. Because of this, the predominating deity of the Yamunä, Varuëadeva, has become displeased with you. Please, therefore, just touch your foreheads with folded palms and bow down before the demigod Varuëa in order to be excused from this offensive act.” The gopés were all simple souls, and whatever Kåñëa said they took to be true. In order to be freed from the wrath of Varuëadeva, as well as to fulfill the desired end of their vows and ultimately to please their worshipable Lord, Kåñëa, they immediately abided by His order. Thus they became the greatest lovers of Kåñëa, and His most obedient servitors.

Nothing can compare to the Kåñëa consciousness of the gopés. Actually, the gopés did not care for Varuëa or any other demigod; they only wanted to satisfy Kåñëa. Kåñëa became very ingratiated and satisfied by the simple dealings of the gopés, and He immediately delivered their respective garments, one after another. Although Kåñëa cheated the young unmarried gopés and made them stand naked before Him and enjoyed joking words with them, and although He treated them just like dolls and stole their garments, they were still pleased with Him and never lodged complaints against Him. This attitude of the gopés is described by Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu when He prays, “My dear Lord Kåñëa, You may embrace Me or trample Me under Your feet, or You may make Me brokenhearted by never being present before Me. Whatever You like, You can do, because You have complete freedom to act. But in spite of all Your dealings, You are My Lord eternally, and I have no other worshipable object.” This is the attitude of the gopés toward Kåñëa.

Lord Kåñëa was pleased with them, and since they all desired to have Him as their husband, He told them, “My dear well-behaved girls, I know of your desire for Me and why you worshiped goddess Kätyäyané, and I completely approve of your action. Anyone whose full consciousness is always absorbed in Me, even if in lust, is elevated. As a fried seed cannot fructify, so any desire in connection with My loving service cannot produce any fruitive result, as in ordinary karma.”

There is a statement in the Brahma-saàhitä: karmäëi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhäjäm [bs. 5.54]. Everyone is bound by his fruitive activities, but the devotees, because they work completely for the satisfaction of the Lord, suffer no reactions. Similarly, the gopés’ attitude toward Kåñëa, although seemingly lusty, should not be considered to be like the lusty desires of ordinary women. The reason is explained by Kåñëa Himself. Activities in devotional service to Kåñëa are transcendental to any fruitive result.

“My dear gopés,” Kåñëa continued, “your desire to have Me as your husband will be fulfilled because it is with this desire that you worshiped goddess Kätyäyané. I promise you that during the next autumn season you shall be able to meet with Me, and you shall enjoy Me as your husband.”

Later Kåñëa, in the company of His cowherd boyfriends, took shelter of the shade of some trees and became very happy. Thus He addressed the inhabitants of Våndävana: “My dear Stoka Kåñëa, My dear Varüthapa, My dear Bhadrasena, My dear Sudämä, My dear Subala, My dear Arjuna, My dear Viçäla, My dear Åñabha—just look at these most fortunate trees of Våndävana. They have dedicated their lives to the welfare of others. Individually they are tolerating all kinds of natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, torrents of rain, scorching heat and piercing cold, but they are very careful to relieve our fatigue and give us shelter. My dear friends, I think they are glorified in this birth as trees. They are so careful to give shelter to others that they are like noble, highly elevated charitable men who never deny charity to one who approaches them. No one is denied shelter by these trees. They supply various kinds of facilities to human society, such as leaves, flowers, fruit, shade, roots, bark, flavor extracts and fuel. They are the perfect example of noble life. They are like a noble person who has sacrificed everything possible—his body, mind, activities, intelligence and words—for the welfare of all living entities.”

Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead walked on the bank of the Yamunä, touching the leaves of the trees and their fruits, flowers and twigs, and praising their glorious welfare activities. Different people may accept certain welfare activities to be beneficial for human society, according to their own views, but the welfare activity that can be rendered to people in general, for eternal benefit, is the spreading of the Kåñëa consciousness movement. Everyone should be prepared to propagate this movement. As instructed by Lord Caitanya, one should be humbler than the grass on the ground and more tolerant than the tree. The toleration of the tree is explained by Lord Kåñëa Himself, and those who are engaged in the preaching of Kåñëa consciousness should learn lessons from the teachings of Lord Kåñëa and Lord Caitanya through Their direct disciplic succession.

While passing through the forest of Våndävana on the bank of the Yamunä, Kåñëa sat down at a beautiful spot and allowed the cows to drink the cold and transparent water of the Yamunä. Being fatigued, the cowherd boys, Kåñëa and Balaräma also drank. After seeing the young gopés bathing in the Yamunä, Kåñëa passed the rest of the morning with the boys.

 

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twenty-second Chapter of Kåñëa, “Stealing the Garments of the Unmarried Gopé Girls.”

[riih.qarojamahoamaan]

You must see this in the light of the Bible story. What happened when the first people disobeyed God's command and thought that their eyes opened? they felt ashamed and got dressed. Qr,sna wanted to show the way back to the paradise of immortality: undo what your ancestors did. They were made to get dressed; i make you undress, hide no more your true feelings, cover no more your truth. Your own body shows you are made for joining, admit that. As a naked person shows the need to join to the opposite sex, so a naked soul shows the supreme desire, to be united with the supreme soul. I suggest that all people be naked in the temples, including Christian and Muslim temples, to show they wish to vomit the fruit that our forefathers ate.

[Jaisrikrishna]

jaisrikrishna

[Jaisrikrishna]

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

[chandradas]

Hari Bol,

The tree which Krishna is hiding in is a symbol of the trinity; it`s roots are consecrated to Brahma, the trunk to Vishnu, and it`s branches to Shiva.

[renuka]

 

You must see this in the light of the Bible story. What happened when the first people disobeyed God's command and thought that their eyes opened? they felt ashamed and got dressed. Qr,sna wanted to show the way back to the paradise of immortality: undo what your ancestors did. They were made to get dressed; i make you undress, hide no more your true feelings, cover no more your truth. Your own body shows you are made for joining, admit that. As a naked person shows the need to join to the opposite sex, so a naked soul shows the supreme desire, to be united with the supreme soul. I suggest that all people be naked in the temples, including Christian and Muslim temples, to show they wish to vomit the fruit that our forefathers ate.

Why speculate and complicate like this. This is a beautiful pastime with the Gopis who are His transcendental girl friends. The very fact that we are not able to partake in this mellow is the indication of our immaturity.

Anartha nivriti (getting rid of offenses) should come first. Think about higher levels later. Meanwhile study more about His devotees. It can help.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

Vyasa saw our world. He knew that 'hair' would be the sign of good looks - he knew that justice would have a price - he knew everything about our 'modern' world. He presents things in the scriptures that He knows we are going to need - these may take the form of sacred dialogues narrations of great events and of course pastimes of the Lord.

 

He knew in modern kali yuga times people would become very lusty - thus he presents these pastimes as an alternative to the lusty soul - an alternative to expression of these desires in a conditioned and sinful manner.

 

Thus if we sincerely hear these pastimes [while engaged in devotional service] from a bonafide source - i.e.: an authorized Teacher - then - over time we shall become less inclined to think of the lusty affairs of the conditioned soul.

 

We should never consider these pastimes to be like the activities of conditioned living entities. We should be careful in this regard.

 

YS,

 

BDM

[Guest guest]

everybody must completely submit or surrender everything before god including their shame. So Lord krishna used to steal the clothes of gopis so that they get rid of shamefullness which is nothing but a kind of attachment or desire.

[vrajavasi]

Radhe Krishna

Guest, can u quote the shlokas of Shrimad Bhagawatha which gives following purports cited above by you

 

 

Quote :

 

If you do not come here, however, and if you lodge complaints to My father, I shall not care anyway, for I know My father is old and cannot take any action against Me.”

As far as my knowledge goes, I have read nothing like what is quoted above. Let me come with my objections to the way the pictures are depicted above in violation of description of age of krishna and gopis in Shrimad Bhagawatham at the time of gopi vasthraapaharana leela.

 

Radhe Krishna

[vrajavasi]

Radhe Krishna,

 

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.

 

krsna, Radhe krishna.

 

I read your above thread top to bottom and had my reservations over it. As such I do not belong to ISKCON although I agree with some aspects of this organisation I do not agree with many aspects.

 

My reservations about what is written in the thread "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" got cleared after going through the contents of this thread.

 

I am so sorry to say that pictorial and verbal presentation of the episode is not as per descriptions of shrimad bhagavatham and is in a very bad taste.

 

let me explain why?

 

Gopi vasthraapaharana leela takes place in 22nd adyaya

Govardhanodhaarana leela is explained in 24,25 and 26th adyaya.

 

In 24th shloka of 26th adyaya the age of krishna at the time of Govardhanodhaarana leela is mentioned.

 

"kva sapthahaayano balaha kva mahadrividharanam"

 

krishna was of the age of 7 at the time of govardhana leela.

 

Gopi vasthraapaharana leela takes place before this leela. If not less, the age can not be more than 7 at the time of Gopi vasthraapaharana leela.

 

leaving the picture you posted at #4, the pictures posted at #6,#7,#8 does not at all represent the picture of a 7 year old boy.

 

plus vyakyanam given by a guest at #9 with all ISKCON vocabulary in narrating the events - is given in a bad taste - at times quoting events out of the context of shrimad bhagawatham.

 

paying my obeisance to the service rendered by shri prabhupada for his krishna bhakthi movement and bhagawannama prachaara ( although I do not share my views on many of his viewpoints) - I always admired his humbleness in viewing Shrimad Bhagawatham. Eventhough well qualified eventhough at a very high platform he always considered him not that high to even discuss about intimate leelas of Bhagawan.

 

True to his convictions, when he started writing the commentary of Shrimad Bhagawatham, he reached the abode of God on 14th November 1977 after having written commentary upto 13th adyaya of Dashama Skanda of Shrimad Bhagawatham.

 

Whereas I wondered why he discouraged people not to discuss the intimate leelas of Bhagawan by going through his opinions in the thread "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread", all my doubts got cleared by the way the leela is depicted and discussed in this thread.

 

Atleast in the name of shri prabhupada, atleast krsnaji end your further forays about the leela.

 

with lots of hurt

 

Radhe Krishna

[Guest guest]

 

Radhe Krishna

Guest, can u quote the shlokas of Shrimad Bhagawatha which gives following purports cited above by you

 

 

Quote :

 

If you do not come here, however, and if you lodge complaints to My father, I shall not care anyway, for I know My father is old and cannot take any action against Me.”

As far as my knowledge goes, I have read nothing like what is quoted above. Let me come with my objections to the way the pictures are depicted above in violation of description of age of krishna and gopis in Shrimad Bhagawatham at the time of gopi vasthraapaharana leela.

 

Radhe Krishna

 

no i read this in news paper. Besides, you must be knowing, during draupadi vastraharan, when draupadi prayed to lord krishna half heartedly (holding her saree by both hands as well as using them to pray as well), Lord krishna didn't respond to her call. It was only when she wholeheartedly surrendered herself to lord that he came to save her. If i am wrong please correct me.

[jamadagni dasa]

you got clothes.

they must come off.

[jamadagni dasa]

krishna dosn't actually take "off" their clothes.

you dream your intimate.

[jamadagni dasa]

this pastime is concidersd confidential.

dream that...

[Yogkriya]

 

this pastime is concidersd confidential.

dream that...

[vrajavasi]

Radhe Krishna,

 

For those who have any doubt I suggest please go through the thread "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread". It is very clearly explained over there why such "ApraakruthaShrungaara rasa bharitha" leelaas are not for everyone. Even such an exalted soul like shri Prabhupada - how humble he was to keep distance from Shrungaara rasa leelas or what you call intimate pastimes. And where we are?. Shri krishna himself would mould us in bhakthi and take us to the higher platforms. Till then we can enjoy doing nama japam, recite Shrimad Bhagavatham, Bhagavath Geetha.

 

Radhe Krishna

[Beggar]

 

 

Was Sri Krsna Cheating?

 

 

 

Mathura, India August 30, 2003

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

Devaki has great mamata (sense of posessiveness) towards Lord Krsna, but she also has her own self-interest in mind. She thought to herself, "It doesn’t matter that the gopas, gopis and cows will die in Vrndavana if Krsna does not go there. We can give anything to the Vrajavasis, but we cannot give Krsna."

 

 

After hearing the promise of Devaki to give the Vrajavasis a donation, Padmavati, the mother of Kamsa, became afraid. She thought, "Now there will be a big problem. Devaki may give the whole kingdom to Nanda and Yasoda." Therefore, in a clever way, she began to give many arguments.

Padmavati asked, "Why are you talking so much about what to give to the Vrajavasis? It is a very simple matter. Krsna was only 10 years and 8 months old when He left Vrndavana, so there is nothing to be confused about. We just have to make an account of how much He ate and how much buttermilk He drank in those years. Subtract four years because for the first four years of His life He only drank breast milk from the breast of Yasoda, and there is no cost for that. We will calculate how much they owe Krsna for His cow-grazing, how much food He ate and how much chach (buttermilk) He drank, and whatever we owe we will give them double that amount. So there is nothing to be confused about. We can ask Garga Muni because He is an expert astrologer. His calculation will not be off by even one paisa.

"There are great quantities of buttermilk in Vrndavana – because no one drinks it. After taking the butter out of the milk, what is left is chach. It is so useless that the Vrajavasis throw it down the drain and it goes into one big buttermilk pond in Nandagaon; the price for it is nothing. So take away three or four years of only drinking breast milk, and that means about eight years of drinking buttermilk which costs nothing."

Some people say that Krsna is in the stage of kaisora (teenage years – youth) up to 10 years and 8 months, and some people say that His kaisora-lila goes up to 15 years. Srila Sanatana Gosvami has reconciled this. Krsna has three ages – balya, pauganda and kaisora, and the junction between the three ages is called vayasasandi. Each of these three ages also has three stages. When Akrura came to Vrndavana he saw Krsna as kisora, and when Krsna went to Mathura to fight with Carana and Mustika, the Mathura-ramanis saw Him as the personification of Kamadeva which is His kaisora age.

One specialty of Lord Krsna, and also of Bhagavan Lord Ramacandra, is that when they appear in this world they never look beyond the age of kaisora. When Krsna was in Kuruksetra, for example, He was 125 years old, but He did not have a mustache or beard, and this is one specialty of bhagavat-tattva.

The Srimad-Bhagavatam describes that Krsna's kaisora-lila is performed up to his eleventh year. We can reconcile this by thinking that when He was in Vrndavana and eating a lot of butter He appeared like a 15 year-old. Also, He was the son of Nanda Baba who was a king, so also because of that He appeared as a 15 year-old – older than He actually was.

When Krsna came to Mathura He offered pranama to Mother Devaki, and at that time He told her, "O Mother Devaki, We are your sons." As soon as she heard this, aisvarya-bhava manifested in her heart and she became fearful. Krsna continued, "Unfortunately, after our birth we were taken to Vrndavana, and therefore you could not see our pastimes in our balya, pauganda, and kaisora; ages. You were cheated because you could not see My pastimes." Immense opulence is displayed in Mathura. Jarasandha came seventeen times to fight with Krsna. Sometimes Krsna manifests His four armed form and carries His wheel, club, lotus and conch shell there.

The symptoms of His kaisora age are described in Sri Ujjvala-nilamani, but this is such a confidential subject that it is very rare to find someone who can and will explain it and someone who can understand it.

When Rohini devi and the Dvarakavasis heard the comments of Padmavati – that they should work out how much they owe Nanda Baba and pay him, they simply ignored her, thinking her ignorant.

Lord Krsna had a desire to go to Vrndavana, but at the same time He considered, "If I go to Vrndavana, what will happen to Vasudeva, Devaki and all the other Dvarakavasis if they know I want to leave? They will die if they know I want to leave." Uddhava previously went to Vrndavana for three months, and he somewhat knows the heart of Sri Krsna and the Vrajavasis. Krsna therefore cleverly asked him in front of all the others present, "You know what the Vrajavasis want. You know what I can do for them and what I can give them." Krsna considered. "If I myself say that I want to go to Vrndavana, everyone would blame Me, but if Uddhava says I should go there, then nobody will blame Me. They will all blame Uddhava." He therefore very cleverly asked Uddhava this question, and He also began to cry.

Hearing Krsna’s words Uddhava became astonished and said, "What is this? I went to Vrndavana and promised all the Vrajavasis that I would bring Krsna back by hook or by crook. He is Bhagavan and He is sarvajna (all-knowing), so why is He asking me what the Vrajavasis want? They do not want any type of opulence or payment, and they are not interested in anything material or spiritual in the three worlds. They only want that "my Krsna", "my son", "my beloved" should put His lotus feet here in Vrndavana."

Uddhava became disturbed thinking, "Krsna is very crooked, and clever. He knows everything but still he is asking me if He should go to Vrndavana .This means that He does not really want to go there. He is simply cheating everyone by asking me."

In whatever position Krsna is situated, whether He is in Vrndavana, Mathura, Dvaraka or anywhere else, He is always sarvajna – He knows everything. In Mathura He is fully situated with His aisvarya-sakti and He manifests His mood of knowing everything. In Vrndavana, however, He is simultaneously mugdha, like an ignorant child and not knowing anything, and He is sarvajna meaning He knows everything. Both exist at one and the same time. For example, when Krsna is performing rasa-lila with the gopis and playing on His flute, Draupadi is in Hastinapura calling out to Him, "Dusasana is trying to disrobe me. Oh Krsna, save me, save me!" Does Krsna know this? Yes, He knows even in His situation of being in rasa, because it was He who put Draupadi in Her situation of attempted disrobement.

Thinking in this way, Uddhava considered, "Krsna is very cruel-hearted. He is a cheater. His behavior is very poor, otherwise why would He ask me that question?"

When Akrura went to Vrndavana his heart did not melt, When Uddhava went there, however, his heart melted somewhat and he somewhat understood the moods of the Vrajavasis. By the mercy of the gopis he offered many prayers to their lotus feet, and by their mercy realization came in his heart.

All the Vrajavasis have no self-interest, and of all the Vrajavasis the gopis are the topmost. They are the unique examples of the complete definition of pure bhakti as stated in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.11):

anyabhilasita-sunyam

jnana-karmady-anavrtam

anukulyena krsnanu-

silanam bhaktir uttama

["The cultivation of activities which are meant exclusively for the pleasure of Sri Krsna, or in other words the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavors of the body, mind and speech, and through the expressions of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas), which is not covered by jnana (knowledge aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), and which is devoid of all desires than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna, is called uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service."

The Vrajavasis perform continuous service to Lord Krsna. They are not interested in any type of material opulence from Svarga (heaven) or from anywhere else. This is the difference between the Vrajavasis and the Dvarakavasis. For example, in the previous class we heard how Satyabhama wanted the parijata flower from heaven. So even the Dvarakavasis have some type of desire and want something from Svarga (the heavenly planets). On the other hand the Vrajavasis are not interested in anything material or spiritual. They are only interested in seeing the lotus feet of Krsna again and serving Him.

In the mood of the most exalted gopi, Srimati Radhika, prays,

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam

adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va

yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato

mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

["Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant who has fallen at His lotus feet, or let Him trample Me or break My heart by never being visible to Me. He is a debauchee, after all, and can do whatever He likes, but He is still no one other than the worshipable Lord of My heart." (Sri Siksastakam Verse, 8)]

The gopis' goal is Sri Krsna's happiness. They think "If Krsna is happy in Mathura and Dvaraka, we do not want to force Him to return to Vrndavana. Let Him happily stay there."

Srimati Radharani prayed, "I don't want My own happiness. Krsna can do anything He likes. He can make Me happy by embracing Me or He can crush My heart underneath His feet. Even though He is a debauchee and full of bad qualities, He is my only beloved."

When Uddhava was in Vrndavana and heard the prayers of the gopis and the Vrajavasis, he considered, "Maybe the gopis want to give a return message to Krsna." So he asked them three times, "Is there anything you want to say to Krsna?" Srimati Radhika said, "There is no need to give Him any message. In fact, you should not mention that we are suffering in separation from Him in any way. Tell Him that we are very happily residing here in Vrndavana. His heart is very soft, more so than butter. If He hears that we are suffering in His separation, then perhaps He will also experience great suffering – and He may die."

Uddhava now replied to Krsna, "I can give you advice, but I do not know if my advice is good or bad. You can decide for Yourself."

After Krsna killed Kamsa and Carana and Mustika and their friends, Nanda Baba was waiting on his bullock cart just outside Mathura. He waited throughout the night, but Krsna didn't return. The next day Krsna and Balarama somehow managed to meet with him. Krsna was thinking, "What should I do? Should I stay in Mathura or should I return to Vrndavana with Nanda Baba? He said, "O Nanda Baba. Vasudeva and Devaki are your friends. They have lost six sons. Devaki has no sons and no one to comfort her. What should we do?"

Baladeva is the son of Vasudeva, so Nanda Baba suggested, "Balarama can stay in Mathura for a few days."

Balarama said, "That is not possible. I cannot be separated from Krsna."

They finally agreed that Krsna and Balarama would stay in Mathura for a few days, and then they would both return to Vrndavana.

Krsna had become prince and Devaki had given Him many ornaments such as necklaces and armbands. As a token of His affection Krsna gave all this jewelry to Nanda Baba, and Nanda Baba went back to Vrndavana empty-handed – except for the jewelry.

Nanda Baba promised Mother Yasoda and all the Vrajavasis, "Don't fear. I promise to bring Krsna and Balarama back to Vrndavana." When Nanda Baba came back, however, all he had was one pile of jewelry. All the Vrajavasis became grief-stricken and began to accuse Nanda Baba. They said, "What have you done? Have you sold Krsna and Balarama for this jewelry? Nanda Baba was also overwhelmed with grief. He said, "No, my son Krsna is satyavaka – whatever He says must come true. This jewelry is simply His token of affection for you. When He returns to Vrndavana, as He said He would, and sees that you are not wearing these decorations and ornaments, He will be very unhappy. Therefore, in order to fulfill His desire, please wear these ornaments."

If one is a saranagata-bhakta, fully surrendered, Krsna hears his prayers.

sad-anga saranagati hoibe jahara

tahara prarthana sune sri nanda-kumara

["The prayers of one who submits unconditionally to this six-fold surrender are heard by Sri Nanda-kumara." (Sad-Anga Saranagati verse 5)]

If Lord Krsna is totally absorbed in Vrndavana in rasa-lila, day and night serving Srimati Radhika, and if someone like Draupadi, Gajendra or any saranagata bhakta prays to him from the core of his heart, who will hear him? After all, Krsna is totally absorbed there in Vrndavana. Someone may say that the manifestation of Krsna known as Paramatma will hear. But that devotee is not praying to Paramatma, Ksirodakasayi Visnu, or Lord Narayana. He is praying to Sri Krsna, to Nanda-Kumara; so Krsna is bound to hear. He is mugdha in Vrndavana, forgetful of everything except His loving relationships there, but at the same time He is sarvajna. Yogamaya serves Him there; she always searches for any occasion to serve. Although Krsna may not be aware of all the happenings outside His intimate surroundings, she is aware. This is all inconceivable

When Nanda Baba returned alone with the jewels that Krsna had given him, the gopis and all Vrajavasis were thinking," Fie on us. This is how little Krsna appreciates our love for Him. He is giving us these jewels as a payment – so we are the most unfortunate."

Suppose someone goes to a foreign country and sends money every month to his family – will the family be happy? No, because this is only one type of self-interest on the part of that family member. The gopis were lamenting, "This is how little Krsna values our love. We are the most unfortunate. Fie on us and fie on Nanda Baba."

The only reason the gopis and Vrajavasis did not die was because Krsna had promised that He would return the "day after tomorrow." The priya, lover, is very fortunate because she lives only for the happiness of the priyatam, beloved, and the priyatam is most fortunate because he lives only for the happiness of his priya. Both only live for the happiness of each other. This principle of lover and beloved is described in Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Cc Madhya-lila ch. 13), a most wonderful and astonishing book.

Srimati Radharani puts a flower in the hand of Lalita and, weeping, told her, "O Lalita, when I die you can give this flower to Krsna. I planted a creeper of malati flowers and I will not be able to nourish it after I die, so you can tell Krsna that I died thinking of Him – and give Him this flower."

When Yasoda devi was waiting for Nanda Baba to return to Vrndavana, she had some hope that Krsna would surely return. When she saw him coming with a bag of jewels, however, her last hope was destroyed. She gave up eating, sleeping and all other bodily activities, and simply wept day and night. This was the condition of Yasoda Maiya, so what to speak of the condition of the gopis.

Uddhava now considered, "What can I do? I cannot go there again, because I promised the gopis that I would return and definitely bring Krsna. Nanda Baba was weeping and crying for three days and his life airs had come up to his throat, but he did not die. Just before someone dies their life airs come up to their mouth. Nanda Baba was thinking, 'If Krsna comes back to Vrndavana and we have all died, He will experience great suffering and pain. So we should live – for Krsna's happiness. My son always tells the truth, so we must have faith in His words. When He says He will return, He will certainly return.' With this hope, therefore, the Vrajavasis are maintaining their lives."

Krsna had sent a message with Uddhava saying, "O Nanda Baba, don't worry. I stay here with the Yadus and all your friends like Vasudeva and Devaki – only because they are related to you. I stay with them to give them some happiness." When Nanda Baba saw this message he told all the Vrajavasis, "My son is truthful, He will surely return just as He said." Krsna had written, "Nanda Baba, you are the life of My life. I must come to see you again." Nanda Baba used many types of logic to help all the Vrajavasis understand that, "Krsna has a few duties there, like killing Jarasandha and a few other demons, but when He is finished He will return. This jewelry is not a sign of neglect; it is a sign of His prema for us. When He sees us wearing this jewelry He will become very happy because we fulfilled His desire. All the Vrajavasis complained about the words of Nanda Baba. Uddhava considered that the Vrajavasis were very simple but that Krsna was very crooked – because even after hearing this He did not return to Vrndavana.

Uddhava said, "I went to Vrndavana to try to pacify the Vrajavasis but their separation increased – more and more. O Krsna, don't you know that the Vrajavasis have unlimited love towards You? Their love is like an ocean, and still You neglect them. What is this?!" Uddhava remembered that Krsna had sent a message to the gopis which told them to meditate on Him: "Be in samadhi. Just as the earth is everywhere, so I am everywhere and nothing is separate from Me. This universe is made of earth, air, fire, water, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego – which all comes from Me. You, and everything in this world, are nothing but Me, the Supersoul; I am all-pervading. You can therefore meditate, and you can see Me in your meditation." This was all jnana (knowledge of God's opulence). The Vrajavasis put that jnana in a cloth, threw it in the Yamuna, and it flowed down to Varanasi (a place of studying jnana).

Krsna later gave the same message to the gopis at Kuruksetra, and hearing it they became angry. The gopis are always in a natural samadhi. They always think of Krsna in walking, eating and everything they do. They replied to Krsna's words, "Don't tell us to meditate. We don't want to think of You. We try to forget You and to think of our household affairs, but we cannot. Your instructions for us to perform bhakti, to take us out of the material world, is not very instructive to us.

Srimati Radharani continued, "My mind and Vrndavana are one. You tell Me to think of You in My mind, but My mind and Vrndavana are the same. So therefore, if You put Your lotus feet on the land of Vrndavana, this will be true meditation." Gaura Premanande.