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KB 1970-1-46 / Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis
46 / Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis
When the gopis saw Uddhava, they observed that his features
almost exactly resembled the features of Krsna, and they
could understand that he was a great devotee of Krsna's. His
hands were very long, and his eyes were just like the petals
of the lotus flower. He was dressed in yellow colored garments
and wore a garland of lotus flowers. His face was very
beautiful. Having achieved the liberation of sarupya and
having the same bodily features as the Lord, Uddhava looked
almost like Krsna. In Krsna's absence, the gopis had been
coming dutifully to visit mother Yasoda's house early in the
morning. They knew that Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda were
always griefstricken, and they had made it their
first duty to come and pay their respects to the most exalted
elderly personalities of Vrndavana. Seeing the friends of
Krsna, Nanda and Yasoda would remember Krsna Himself and be
satisfied, and the gopis also would be pleased by seeing Nanda
and Yasoda.
When the gopis saw that Uddhava was representing Krsna even in
his bodily features, they thought that he must be a soul
completely surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
They began to contemplate, "Who is this boy who looks just
like Krsna? He has the same eyes like lotus petals, the same
raised nose and beautiful face, and he is smiling in the same
way. In all respects he is resembling Krsna,
Syamasundara, the beautiful dark boy. He is even dressed
exactly like Krsna. Where has this boy come from? Who is the
fortunate girl who has him for her husband?" Thus they all
talked among themselves. They were very anxious to know about
him, and because they were simply unsophisticated village
girls, they surrounded Uddhava.
When the gopis understood that Uddhava had a message from
Krsna, they became very happy and called him to a secluded
place to sit down. They wanted to
talk with him very freely and did not want to be embarrassed
before unknown persons. They began to welcome him with
polite words, in great submissiveness. "We know that you are a
most confidential associate of Krsna and that He has therefore
sent you to Vrndavana to give solace to His father and mother.
We can understand that family affection is very strong. Even
great sages who have taken to the renounced order of life
cannot give up family
members. Krsna has therefore sent you to
His father and mother; otherwise He has no further business in
Vrndavana. He is now in town. What does He have to know about
Vrndavana Village or the cows' pasturing grounds? These things
are not at all useful for Krsna because He is now a man in the
city.
"Surely He has nothing to do with persons who do not happen to
be His family members. Why
should one bother about those who are
outside the family, especially and specifically those
who are attached as the wives of others. Krsna is
interested in them as long as there is a need of
gratification, like the bumblebees who have interest in the
flowers as long as they want to take the honey out of them. It
is very natural and psychological that a
prostitute does not care for her paramour as soon as he loses
his money. Similarly, when the citizens find that a government
is incapable of giving them full protection, they leave the
country. A student, after finishing his education, gives up
his relationship with the teacher and the school. A rich man,
after taking his reward from his worshiper, gives him up.
When the fruit season is over, the birds are no longer
interested in the tree. Just after eating in the house of a
lord, the guest gives up his relationship with the host. After
a forest fire, when there is a scarcity of green grass, the
deer and other animals give up the forest. And so a man, after
enjoying his girl friend, gives up his connection with
her." In this way, all the gopis began to indirectly accuse
Krsna by citing so many similes.
Uddhava understood that the gopis of Vrndavana were all simply
absorbed in the thought of Krsna and His childhood activities.
While talking about Krsna with Uddhava, they forgot all about
their household business. They even forgot about themselves as
their interest in Krsna increased more and more.
One of the gopis, namely Srimati Radharani, was so much
absorbed in thoughts of Krsna by dint of Her personal touch
with Him that She actually began to talk with a bumblebee
which was flying there and trying to touch Her lotus feet.
While another gopi was talking with Krsna's messenger
Uddhava, Srimati Radharani took that bumblebee to be a
messenger from Krsna and began to talk with it as follows. "
Bumblebee, you are accustomed to drinking honey from the
flowers, and therefore you have preferred to be a messenger of
Krsna, who is of the same nature as you. I have seen on your
moustaches the red powder of kunkuma, which was smeared on the
flower garland of Krsna while He was pressing the
breast of some other girl who is My competitor. You are
feeling very proud by touching that
flower, and your moustaches have become reddish. You have
come here carrying a message for Me. You are anxious to touch
My feet. But My dear bumblebee, let me warn you -- don't touch
Me! I don't want any messages from your unreliable master. You
are the unreliable servant of an unreliable master." It may be
that Srimati Radharani purposely addressed that bumblebee
sarcastically in order to criticize the messenger Uddhava.
Indirectly, Srimati Radharani saw Uddhava as not only
resembling Krsna's bodily features but as being equal to Krsna.
In this way She indicated that Uddhava was as unreliable as
Krsna Himself. Srimati Radharani wanted to give specific
reasons why She was dissatisfied with Krsna and His messengers.
She addressed the bumblebee, "Your master Krsna is exactly of
your quality. You sit down on a flower, and after taking a
little honey you immediately fly away and sit in another
flower and taste. You're just like your master Krsna.
He gave us the chance of tasting the touch of His lips and
then left altogether. I know also that the goddess of
fortune, Laksmi, who is always in the midst of the lotus
flower, is constantly engaged in Krsna's service. But I do not
know why she has become so captivated by Krsna. She is
attached to Him, although she knows His actual
character.
As far as
we are concerned, we are more intelligent than that goddess of
fortune. We are not going to be cheated anymore by Krsna or
His messengers."
According to expert opinion, Laksmi, the goddess of fortune
is a subordinate expansion of Srimati Radharani. As Krsna has
numerous expansions of Visnu-murtis, so His pleasure potency,
Radharani, also has innumerable expansions of goddesses of
fortune. Therefore the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji, is always
anxious to be elevated to the position of the gopis.
Srimati Radharani continued: "You foolish bumblebee, you are
trying to satisfy Me and get a reward by singing the glories
of Krsna, but it is a useless attempt. We are bereft of
all our possessions. We are away from our homes and families.
We know very well about Krsna. We know even more than you. So
whatever you make up about Him will be old stories to us.
Krsna is now in the city and is better known as the friend of
Arjuna. He now has many new girl friends, and they are
no doubt very happy in association with Him. Because
the lusty burning sensation of their breasts has been
satisfied by Krsna, they are now happy. If you go there and
glorify Krsna, they may be pleased to reward you. You are just
trying to pacify Me by your behavior as a flatterer, and
therefore you have put your head under My feet. But I know the
trick which you are trying to play. I know that you are a
messenger coming from a great trickster, Krsna.
Therefore please leave Me.
"I can understand that you are very expert in reuniting two
opposing parties, but at the same time you must know that I
cannot place My reliance upon you, nor upon your master Krsna.
We left our families, husbands, children and relatives only
for Krsna, and yet He did not feel any obligation in exchange.
He has left us for lost. Do you think we can place
our faith in Him again? We know that Krsna cannot be long
without the association of young women. That is His
nature. He is finding difficulty in Mathura because He is no
longer in the village among innocent cowherd girls. He is in
the aristocratic society and must be feeling difficulty in
making friendships with the young girls. Perhaps you have
come here to canvass again or to take us there. But why should
Krsna expect us to return there? He is greatly qualified to
entice all other girls, not only in Vrndavana or Mathura, but
all over the universe. His wonderfully enchanting smile is so
attractive and the movement of His eyebrows so beautiful
that He can call for any woman from the heavenly, middle or
plutonic planets. Maha-Laksmi, the greatest of all
goddesses of fortune, also hankers to render Him some service.
In comparison to all these women of the universe, what are we?
We are very insignificant.
"Krsna advertises Himself as very magnanimous, and He is
praised by great saints. His qualifications could be perfectly
utilized if He would only show us mercy because we are
downtrodden and neglected by Him. You poor messenger,
you are only a less intelligent servant. You do not know much
about Krsna, how ungrateful and hardhearted He has been, not
only in this life, but in His previous lives also. We have all
heard this from our grandmother, Paurnamasi. She has informed
us that Krsna was born in a ksatriya family previous to this
birth and was known as Ramacandra. In that birth, instead of
killing Vali, an enemy of His friend, in the manner of a
ksatriya, He killed him just like a hunter. A hunter takes a
secure hiding place and then kills an animal without facing it.
So Lord Ramacandra, as a ksatriya, should have fought with
Vali face to face, but instigated by His friend, He killed
him from behind a tree. Thus He deviated from the religious
principles of a ksatriya. Also, He was so attracted by the
beauty of Sita that He converted Surpanakha, the sister of
Ravana, into an ugly woman by cutting off her nose and ears.
Surpanakha proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as
a ksatriya, He should have satisfied her. But He was so
selfish that He could not forget Sitadevi and converted
Surpanakha into an ugly woman. Before that birth as a ksatriya,
He took His birth as a brahmana boy known as Vamanadeva and
asked charity from Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was so
magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had, yet Krsna as
Vamanadeva ungratefully arrested him just like a crow and
pushed him down to the Patala kingdom. We know all about Krsna
and how ungrateful He is. But here is the difficulty: in spite
of His being so cruel and hardhearted, it is very difficult
for us to give up talking about Him. Not only are we
unable to give up this talk, but great sages and
saintly persons are also engaged in talking about Him. We
gopis of Vrndavana do not want to make any more friendships
with this blackish boy, but we do not know how we shall be
able to give up remembering and talking about His activities."
Since Krsna is absolute, His so-called unkind activities are
as relishable as His kind activities. Saintly
persons and great devotees like the gopis cannot give up Krsna
in any circumstances. Lord Caitanya therefore prayed, "Krsna,
You are free and independent in all respects. You can either
embrace Me or crush Me under Your feet -- whatever You like.
You may make Me brokenhearted by not letting Me see You
throughout my whole life, but You are my only object of love."
"In My opinion," Srimati Radharani continued, "one should
not hear about Krsna, because as soon as a drop of the nectar
of His transcendental activities is poured into the ear, one
immediately rises above the platform of duality, attraction
and rejection. Being completely freed from the attraction
of material attachment, one gives up the attachment for this
material world, family, home, wife, children and
everything which is materially dear to every person. Being
dispossessed of all material acquisition, one makes his
relatives and himself unhappy. Then he wanders in search of
Krsna, either as a human being or in other species of life,
even as a bird
. It is very difficult to actually understand Krsna,
His name, His quality, His form, His pastimes, His
paraphernalia and His entourage."
Srimati Radharani continued to speak to the black messenger of
Krsna. "Please do not talk any more about Krsna. It is
better to talk about something else. We are already doomed,
like the black-spotted she-deer in the forest who are
enchanted by the sweet musical vibration of the hunter. In the
same way, we have been enchanted by the sweet words of Krsna,
and again and again we are thinking of the rays of the
nails of His toes. We are becoming more and more
lustful for His association; therefore, I request you not to
talk of Krsna anymore."
This talk of Radharani with the bumblebee messenger
and Her accusing Krsna, and, at the same
time, Her inability to give up talking about Him,
are symptoms of the topmost transcendental ecstasy, called
mahabhava. The ecstatic mahabhava manifestation is
possible only in the persons of Radharani and Her associates.
Great acaryas like Srila Rupa Gosvami and Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakur have analyzed these mahabhava
speeches of Srimati Radharani, and they have described the
different sentiments such as udghurna, bewilderment, and
jalpapratijalpa, talking in different ways.
In Radharani is found the science of ujjala, or the
brightest jewel or love of God. While Radharani was talking
with the bee and the bee was flying hither and thither, it all
of a sudden disappeared from Her sight. She was in full
mourning due to separation from Krsna and was feeling ecstasy
by talking with the bee. But as soon as the bee disappeared,
She became almost mad, thinking that the messenger-bee might
have returned to Krsna to inform Him all about Her talking
against Him. "Krsna must have been very sorry to hear it," She
thought. In this way She was very much overwhelmed with
another type of ecstasy.
In the meantime, the bee, flying hither and thither, appeared
before Her again. She thought, "Krsna is still kind to Me. In
spite of the messenger carrying disruptive messages, He is
so kind that He has again sent the bee to take Me to Him."
Srimati Radharani was very careful this time not to say
anything against Krsna. "My dear friend, I welcome you," She
said. "Krsna is so kind that He has again sent you. Krsna is
so kind and affectionate to Me that He has sent
you back, fortunately, in spite of your carrying My message
against Him. My dear friend, you
can ask from Me whatever you want. I shall give you anything
because you are so kind upon Me. You have come to take Me to
Krsna because He is not able to come here. He is surrounded
by new girl friends in Mathura. But you are a tiny
creature. How can you take Me there? How will you be able to
help Me in meeting Krsna while He is taking rest there along
with the goddess of fortune and embracing her to His chest?
Never mind. Let us forget all these things about My going
there or sending you. Please let Me know how Krsna is faring
in Mathura. Tell Me if He still remembers His foster father,
Nanda Maharaja, His affectionate mother, Yasoda, His cowherd
friends and His poor friends like us, the gopis. I am sure
that He must sometimes sing about us. We served Him just like
maidservants, without any payment. Is there any possibility
that Krsna will again come back and place His arms around us?
His limbs are always fragrant with the aguru scent. Please
put all these inquiries to Krsna."
Uddhava was standing near, and he heard Radharani talking in
this way, as if She had become almost mad after Krsna. He was
exceedingly surprised at how the gopis were accustomed to
think of Krsna constantly in that topmost ecstasy of
mahabhava love. He had brought a message in writing from
Krsna, and now he wanted to present it before the gopis, just
to pacify them. He said, "My dear gopis, your mission of human
life is now successful. You are all wonderful devotees of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore you are eligible to
be worshiped by all kinds of people. You are worshipable
throughout the three worlds because your minds are wonderfully
absorbed in the thought of Vasudeva, Krsna. He is the goal of
all kinds of pious activities and ritualistic performances,
such as giving in charity, rigidly following the austerity of
vows, undergoing severe penances and igniting the fire of
sacrifice. He is the purpose behind the chanting of different
mantras, the reading of the Vedas, controlling the senses and
concentrating the mind in meditation. These are some of the
many different processes for self-realization and attainment
of perfection of life. But actually they are only meant
for realizing Krsna and dovetailing oneself in the
transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead." This is the last instruction of Bhagavad-gita
also; although there are descriptions of different kinds of
processes of self-realization, at the end Krsna recommended
one should give up everything and simply surrender unto Him.
All other processes are meant for teaching one how to
surrender ultimately unto the lotus feet of Krsna. The
Bhagavad-gita also says that this surrendering process is
completed by a sincere person executing the processes of
self-realization in wisdom and austerity after many births."
Since the perfection of such austerity was completely
manifested in the life of the gopis, Uddhava was fully
satisfied upon seeing their transcendental position. He
continued to say: "My dear gopis, the mentality which you have
developed in relationship with Krsna is very, very difficult
to attain, even for great sages and saintly persons. You have
attained the highest perfectional stage of life. It is a great
boon for you that you have fixed your mind upon Krsna and
have decided to have Krsna only, giving up your family,
home, relatives, husbands and children for the sake of the
Supreme Personality. Because your mind is now fully absorbed
in Krsna, the Supreme Soul, universal love has automatically
developed in you. I think myself very fortunate that I have
been favored, by your grace, to see you in this situation."
When Uddhava said that he had a message from Krsna, the gopis
were more interested in hearing the message than in hearing
about their exalted position. They did not very much like
being praised for their high position. They showed their
anxiety to hear the message which Uddhava had brought from
Krsna. Uddhava said, "My dear gopis, I am especially deputed
to carry this message to you, who are such great and gentle
devotees. Krsna has specifically sent me to you because I am
His most confidential servitor."
The written message which Uddhava brought from Krsna was not
delivered to the gopis by Uddhava,
but he personally read it before them. The message was very
gravely written, so that not only the gopis, but all empiric
philosophers might understand how pure love of God is
intrinsically integrated with all the different energies of
the Supreme Lord. From Vedic information it is understood that
the Supreme Lord has multi-energies, parasya saktir vividhaiva
sruyate. Also, the gopis were such
intimate personal friends of Krsna that while He was writing
the message for them, He was much moved and could not
write distinctly. Uddhava, as the student of Brhaspati, had
very sharp intelligence, so instead of handing over the
written message, he thought it wise to read it personally and
explain it to them.
Uddhava continued: "These are the words from the Personality
of Godhead. 'My dear gopis, My dear friends, please know that
separation between ourselves is impossible at any time, at any
place or under any circumstances, because I am all-pervading.'"
This all-pervasiveness of Krsna is explained in the Bhagavad-
gita, both in the Ninth and Seventh chapters.
Krsna is all-pervasive in His
impersonal feature; everything is resting in Him, but He is
not personally present everywhere. In the Seventh Chapter
also, it is stated that the five gross elements, earth, water,
fire, air and sky, and the three subtle elements, mind,
intelligence, and ego, are all His inferior energies. But
there is another, superior energy, which is called the living
entity. The living entities are also directly part and parcel
of Krsna. Therefore Krsna is the source of both the material
and spiritual energies. He is always
intermingled with everything as cause and effect. Not only the
gopis, but all living entities are always inseparably
connected with Krsna in all circumstances. The gopis, however,
are perfectly and thoroughly in cooperation in their
relationship with Krsna, whereas the living entities under the
spell of maya are forgetful of Krsna.
They think themselves as separate identities having no
connection with Krsna.
Love of Krsna, or Krsna consciousness, is therefore the
perfectional stage of real knowledge in understanding things
as they are. Our minds can never be vacant. The mind is
constantly occupied with some kind of thought, and the subject
matter of such thought cannot be outside the eight elements of
Krsna's energy. One who knows this philosophical aspect of all
thoughts is actually a wise man, and he surrenders unto Krsna.
The gopis are the typical example of this perfectional stage
of knowledge. They are not simple mental speculators. Their
minds are always in Krsna. The mind is nothing but the energy
of Krsna. Actually, any person who can think, feel, act and
will cannot be separated from Krsna. But the stage in which he
can understand his eternal relationship is called
Krsna consciousness. The diseased condition in which he cannot
understand his eternal relationship with Krsna is the
contaminated stage, or maya. Since the gopis are on the
platform of pure transcendental knowledge, their minds are
always filled with Krsna consciousness. For example, as there
is no separation between fire and air, so there is no
separation between Krsna and the living entities. When the
living entities forget Krsna, they are not in their normal
condition. As for the gopis, because they are always thinking
of Krsna they are on the absolute stage of perfection in
knowledge. The so-called empiric philosophers sometimes think
that the path of bhakti is meant for the less intelligent, but
unless the so-called man of knowledge comes to the platform of
bhakti, his knowledge is certainly impure and imperfect.
Actually, the stage of perfecting one's eteranl
relationship with Krsna is love in separation. But that is
also illusory because there is no separation. The gopis
were never seperated from Krsna. Even
from the philosophical point of view, there
was no separation.
The cosmic manifestation is also not separate from
Krsna. "Nothing is separate from Me; the whole
cosmic manifestation is resting on Me and is not separate from
Me. Before the creation, I was existing." This is confirmed
in the Vedic literature: before
creation, there was only Narayana. There were
no Brahma and no Siva as assistants. The whole cosmic
manifestation is manipulated by the three modes of material
nature. Brahma is the incarnation of the
quality of passion. It is said that Brahma created this
universe, but Brahma is the secondary creator; the original
creator is Narayana. This is also confirmed by Sankaracarya:
narayanah paro 'vyaktat. "Narayana is transcendental, beyond
this cosmic creation."
Krsna creates, maintains, and annihilates the whole cosmic
manifestation by expanding Himself in different incarnations.
Everything is Krsna, and everything is depending on Krsna,
but He is not perceived in the material energy. Material
energy is called maya, or illusion. In the spiritual
energy, however, Krsna is perceived at every step, in all
circumstances. This perfectional stage of understanding is
present in the gopis. As Krsna is always aloof from the
cosmic manifestation, although it is completely dependent on
Him, so a living entity is also completely aloof from his
material conditional life. The material body has
developed on the basis of spiritual existence. In the Bhagavad-
gita the whole cosmic manifestation is accepted as the mother
of the living entities, and Krsna is the father. As the father
impregnates the mother by injecting the living entity within
the womb, so all the living entities are injected
by Krsna in the womb of the material nature. They come out in
different bodies according to their different fruitive
activities. In all circumstances, the living entity is
aloof from this material conditioned life.
If we simply study our own bodies, we can understand how a
living entity is always aloof from this bodily encagement.
Every action of the body is taking place by the
interaction of the three modes of material nature. We can see
at every moment many changes taking place in bodies, but
the spirit soul is aloof from all changes. One can neither
create nor annihilate nor interfere with the actions of
material nature. The living entity is therefore entrapped by
the material body and is conditioned in three stages, namely
while awake, asleep and unconscious. The mind is acting
through all the three conditions of life; the living entity
in his sleeping or dreaming condition sees something as real,
and in his awake condition he sees the same thing as unreal.
It is concluded, therefore, that under certain circumstances
he accepts something as real, and under other circumstances he
accepts the very same thing as unreal. These matters are the
subject matter of study for the empiric philosopher or the
sankhya-yogi. In order to come to the right conclusion,
sankhya-yogis undergo severe austerities and penances. They
practice control of the senses and renunciation.
All these different ways of determining the ultimate goal of
life are compared to rivers. Krsna is the
ocean. As the rivers flow down toward the ocean, all attempts
for knowledge flow toward Krsna. After many, many births of
endeavor, when one actually comes to Krsna, he attains the
perfectional stage. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita
: "All are
pursuing the path of realizing Me, but those who have adopted
courses without any bhakti find their endeavor very
troublesome." Kleso 'dhikataras tesam: Krsna cannot be
understood unless one comes to the point of bhakti.
Three paths are enunciated in the Gita: karma-yoga,
jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. Those who are too addicted to
fruitive activities are advised to perform actions which will
bring them to bhakti. Those who are addicted to the
frustration of empiric philosophy are also advised to
realize bhakti. Karma-yoga is
different from ordinary karma, and jnana-yoga is
different from jnana. Ultimately, as stated by the
Lord in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati:
only through execution of devotional service can one
understand Krsna. The perfectional stage of devotional service
was achieved by the gopis because they did not care to know
anything but Krsna. It is confirmed in the Vedas, yasmin eva
vijnate sarvam eva vijnatam bhavanti. This means
that simply by knowing Krsna all other knowledge is
automatically acquired.
Krsna continued: "Transcendental
knowledge of the Absolute is no longer necessary for you. You
were accustomed to love Me from the very beginning of your
lives." Knowledge of the Absolute Truth is specifically
required for persons who want liberation from material
existence. But one who has attained love for Krsna is already
on the platform of liberation. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
anyone engaged in unalloyed devotional service is to be
considered situated on the transcendental platform of
liberation. The gopis were not actually feeling any pangs of
material existence, but they were feeling the separation of
Krsna. Krsna therefore said, "My dear gopis, in order to
increase your superexcellent love for Me, I have purposely
separated Myself from you. I have done this so that you may be
in constant meditation on Me."
The gopis are in the perfectional stage of meditation. The
yogis are generally more fond of meditation than the execution
of devotional service to the Lord, but they do not
know that the perfectional stage of devotion is the attainment
of the perfection of the yoga system. This
constant meditation on Krsna by the gopis is confirmed in the
Bhagavad-gita to be the topmost yoga. Krsna knew very well the
psychology of women. When a woman's beloved is away, she
thinks of him meditatively, and He is
present before her. Krsna wanted to teach through the behavior
of the gopis. One who is constantly in trance like the
gopis surely attains the lotus feet of Krsna.
Lord Caitanya taught people in general the method of
vipralambha, which is the method of rendering service
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the feeling of
separation. The six Gosvamis also taught worship of Krsna in
the feeling of the gopis in separation. The prayers of
Srinivasa Acarya about the Gosvamis explain these
matters very clearly. Srinivasa Acarya said that the
Gosvamis were always absorbed in the ocean of transcendental
feelings in the mood of the gopis. When they lived in
Vrndavana they were searching for Krsna, crying, "Where is
Krsna? Where are the gopis? Where are You,
Srimati Radharani?" They never said, "We have now seen Radha
and Krsna, and therefore our mission is fulfilled." Their
mission remained always unfulfilled; they never met Radha and
Krsna. At the time of the rasa dance, those gopis who could
not join the rasa-lila with Krsna gave up their bodies simply
by thinking of Him. Absorption in Krsna consciousness by
feeling separation is thus the quickest method for attainment
of the lotus feet of Krsna. By the personal statement of Krsna,
the gopis were convinced about the strength of feelings of
separation. They were actually experiencing the supernatural
method of Krsna worship and were much relieved and happy to
understand it.
They began
to speak as follows: "We have heard that King Kamsa, who was
always a source of trouble for the Yadu dynasty, has now been
killed. This is good news for us. We hope, therefore, that the
members of the Yadu dynasty are very happy in the association
of Krsna, who can fulfill all the desires of His devotees. My
dear Uddhava, kindly let us know whether Krsna sometimes
thinks of us while in the midst of highly enlightened
society girls in Mathura. We know that the women and girls in
Mathura are not village women. They are enlightened and
beautiful. Their bashful smiling glances and other feminine
features must be very pleasing to Krsna. We know very well
that Krsna is always fond of the behavior of beautiful women.
It seems, therefore, that He has been entrapped by the women
of Mathura. My dear Uddhava, will you kindly let us know if
Krsna sometimes remembers us while He is in the midst of other
women?"
Another gopi inquired: "Does He remember that night in the
midst of kumadini flowers and moonlight, when Vrndavana became
exceedingly beautiful? Krsna was dancing with us, and the
atmosphere was surcharged with the sound of foot bells. We
exchanged pleasing conversation then. Does He remember that
particular night? We remember that night, and we feel
separation. Separation from Krsna makes us agitated, as if
there were fire in our bodies. He proposed to come back
to Vrndavana to extinguish the fire, just as a cloud appears
in the sky to extinguish the forest fire by its downpour."
Another gopi said, "Krsna has killed His enemy, and He has
victoriously achieved the kingdom of Kamsa. Maybe He is
married with a king's daughter by this time and living very
happily among His kinsmen and friends. Therefore, why should
He come to this village of Vrndavana?"
Another gopi said, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and He is self-
sufficient. He has no business either with us, the girls in
the Vrndavana forest, or with the city girls in Mathura. He is
the great Supersoul; He has nothing to do with any of us,
either here or there."
Another gopi said, "It is an unreasonable hope for us to
expect Krsna to come back to Vrndavana. We should try instead
to be happy in disappointment. Even Pingala, the great
prostitute, said that disappointment is the greatest pleasure.
We all know these things, but it is very difficult for us to
give up the expectation of Krsna's coming back again. Who can
forget a solitary conversation with Krsna, on whose breast the
goddess of fortune always remains, in spite of Krsna's not
desiring her? My dear Uddhava, Vrndavana is the land of rivers,
forests and cows. Here the vibration of the flute is heard,
and Krsna, along with His elder brother, Sri Balarama, enjoyed
the atmosphere in our company. Thus the environment of
Vrndavana is constantly reminding us of Krsna and Balarama.
The impression of His footprints is on the
land of Vrndavana, which is the residential
place of the goddess of fortune, but such signs cannot
help us to get Krsna."
The gopis further expressed that Vrndavana was still full of
all opulence and good fortune; there was no scarcity or want
in Vrndavana as far as material necessities were concerned,
but in spite of such opulence they could not forget Krsna and
Balarama.
"We are constantly remembering various attractive features of
beautiful Krsna, His walking, His smiling and His joking
words. We have all become lost by the dealings of Krsna, and
it is impossible for us to forget Him. We are always praying
for Him, exclaiming, 'Dear Lord, dear husband of the goddess
of fortune, dear Lord of Vrndavana and deliverer of the
distressed devotees! We are now fallen and merged into an
ocean of distress. Please, therefore, come back again to
Vrndavana and deliver us from this pitiable condition.'"
Uddhava minutely studied the transcendental abnormal condition
of the gopis in their separation from Krsna, and he thought it
wise to repeat all the pastimes of Sri
Krsna over and over again. Materialistic persons are always
in a burning condition on account of the blazing fire of
material miseries. The gopis also were burning in a
transcendental blazing fire due to separation from Krsna. The
blazing fire which was exasperating the gopis, however, is
different from the fire of the material world. The gopis
constantly want the association of Krsna, whereas the
materialistic person wants the advantage of
material comforts.
It is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakur that Krsna saved
the cowherd boys from the blazing forest fire within a second,
while their eyes were closed. Similarly, Uddhava advised the
gopis that they could be saved from the fire of separation by
closing their eyes and meditating on the activities of Krsna
from the very beginning of their association with Him. From
the outside, the gopis could visualize all the pastimes of
Krsna by hearing the descriptions of Uddhava, and from inside
they could remember those pastimes. From the instruction of
Uddhava, the gopis could understand that Krsna was not
separate from them. As they were constantly thinking of Krsna,
Krsna was also thinking of them constantly while at Mathura.
Uddhava's messages and instructions saved the gopis from
immediate death, and the gopis acknowledged the benediction
from Uddhava. Uddhava practically acted as the preceptor
spiritual master of the gopis, and they in return they
worshiped him as they would worship Krsna. It is recommended
in authoritative scriptures that the spiritual master should
be worshiped on the level of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, because of his being His very confidential servitor,
and it is accepted by great authorities that the spiritual
master is the external manifestation of Krsna. The gopis were
relieved from their transcendental burning condition by
realizing that Krsna was with them. Internally, they
remembered His association within their hearts, and externally
Uddhava helped them to appreciate Krsna by
conclusive instructions.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the
scriptures as adhoksaja, which indicates that He is beyond the
perception of all material senses. Although He is beyond the
perception of material senses, He is present in everyone's
heart. At the same time, He is present everywhere by His all-
pervasive feature of Brahman. All three
transcendental features of the Absolute Truth (Bhagavan the
Personality of Godhead, Paramatma the localized Supersoul,
and the all-pervasive Brahman) can be realized simply by
studying the condition of the gopis in their meeting with
Uddhava, as described by the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
It is said by Srinivasa Acarya that the six Gosvamis were
always merged in thoughts of the activities of the gopis.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also recommended the gopis' method of
worship of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as
superexcellent. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has also recommended
that anyone who hears from the right source about the dealings
of the gopis with Krsna and who follows the instructions
will be elevated to the topmost
position of devotional service and will be able to give up the
lust of material enjoyment.
All the gopis were solaced by the instruction of Uddhava, and
they requested him to stay in Vrndavana for a few days more.
Uddhava agreed to their proposal and stayed with them not only
for a few days, but for a few months. He always kept them
engaged in thinking of the transcendental message of Krsna and
His pastimes, and the gopis were feeling as if they were
experiencing direct association with Krsna. While Uddhava
remained in Vrndavana, the inhabitants enjoyed his association.
As they discussed the activities of Krsna, the days passed
just like moments. Vrndavana's natural atmosphere, with the
presence of the River Yamuna, its nice orchards of trees
decorated with various fruits, Govardhana Hill, caves,
blooming flowers -- all combined to inspire Uddhava to narrate
Krsna's pastimes. The inhabitants enjoyed Uddhava's
association in the same way as they enjoyed the association
of Krsna.
Uddhava was attracted by the attitude of the gopis because
they were completely attached to Krsna, and Uddhava was
inspired by the gopis' anxiety for Krsna. He began to offer
them his respectful obeisances and composed songs in praise of
their transcendental qualities as follows: "Among all the
living entities who have accepted the human form of life, the
gopis are superexcellently 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 is 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."
Sri Uddhava confirmed the statement of Bhagavad-
gita spoken by Lord Krsna; one who takes shelter of Him for
the right purpose, be he a sudra or lower
, will attain the highest goal of
life. The gopis have set the standard of devotion for the
whole world. By following in the footsteps of the gopis
by constantly thinking of Krsna, one can attain the highest
perfectional stage of spiritual life. 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-realization or God realization 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. The active principle of
Krsna consciousness will manifest itself everywhere;
it does not matter how and where one has taken his birth.
Krsna will bestow His benediction upon anyone who takes to
Krsna consciousness, without any doubt. The supreme
benediction attained by the gopis in spite of their being born
in the family of cowherd men was never attained even by the
goddess of fortune herself, and certainly not by the denizens
of heaven, though their bodily forms are like lotuses. The
gopis are so fortunate that during rasa-lila Krsna personally
embraced them with His arms. Krsna kissed them face to face.
Certainly it is not possible for any women in the three worlds
to achieve this except the gopis.
Uddhava appreciated the exalted position of the gopis and
wished to fall down and take the dust of their feet on his
head. Yet he did not dare to ask the gopis to offer the dust
from their feet; perhaps they would not be agreeable.
He therefore desired to have his head smeared with the
dust of the gopis' feet without their knowledge. He desired to
become only an insignificant clump of grass or herbs in the
land of Vrndavana.
The gopis were so much attracted to Krsna that when they heard
the vibration of His flute, they instantly left their
families, children, honor and feminine bashfulness and ran
towards the place where Krsna was standing. They did not
consider whether they were passing over the road or through
the jungles. Imperceptibly, the dust of their feet was
bestowed on small grasses and herbs of Vrndavana. Not daring
to place the dust of the gopis' feet on his own head
, Uddhava aspired to have a future birth in
the position of a clump of grass and herbs. He would then be
able to have the dust of the gopis' feet.
Uddhava appreciated the extraordinary fortune of the gopis,
who relieved themselves of all kinds of material
contamination by placing on their high, beautiful breasts
the lotus feet of Krsna, which are not only
worshiped by the goddess of fortune, but by such exalted
demigods as Brahma and Lord Siva, and which are meditated on
by great yogis within their hearts. Thus Uddhava
desired to be able to constantly pray to be honored 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.
After living in Vrndavana for some days, Uddhava desired to go
back to Krsna, and he begged permission to leave from Nanda
Maharaja and Yasoda. He had a farewell meeting with the gopis,
and taking permission of them also, he mounted his chariot
to start for Mathura.
When Uddhava was about to leave, all the inhabitants of
Vrndavana, headed by Maharaja Nanda and Yasoda, came to bid
him good-bye and presented him with various kinds of valuable
goods secured in Vrndavana. They expressed their feelings with
tears in their eyes due to intense attachment for Krsna. All
of them desired benediction from Uddhava. They desired
always to remember the glorious activities of Krsna and
wanted their minds to be always fixed upon His lotus feet,
their words always engaged in glorifying Krsna, and
their bodies always engaged in bowing down and
constantly remembering Him. This prayer of the inhabitants of
Vrndavana is the superexcellent type of self-realization. The
method is very simple: to fix the mind always on the lotus
feet of Krsna, to talk always of Krsna without passing on to
any other subject matter, and to engage the body in Krsna's
service constantly. Specifically in this human form of life,
one should engage his life, his resources, words and
intelligence for the service of the Lord. Such kinds of
activities only can elevate a human being to the highest level
of perfection. This is the verdict of all authorities.
The inhabitants of Vrndavana said: "By the will of the supreme
authority and according to the results of our own work, we may
take our birth anywhere. It doesn't matter where we are born,
but our only prayer is that we may simply be engaged in Krsna
consciousness." A pure devotee of Lord Krsna never desires to
be promoted to the heavenly planets, or even to Vaikuntha or
Goloka Vrndavana, because he has no desire for his own
personal satisfaction. A pure devotee regards both heaven and
hell to be on an equal level. Without Krsna, heaven is hell;
and with Krsna, hell is heaven. When Uddhava had sufficiently
honored the worship of the pure devotees of Vrndavana, he
returned to Mathura and to his master, Krsna. After offering
respects by bowing down before Lord Krsna and Balarama, he
began to describe the wonderful devotional life of the
inhabitants of Vrndavana. He presented all of the gifts given
by the inhabitants of Vrndavana to Vasudeva, the father of
Krsna, and Ugrasena, the grandfather of Krsna.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-sixth
Chapter of Krsna, "Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the
Gopis."
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KB 47: Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis
CHAPTER FORTY–SEVEN
Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the Gopis
When the gopis saw Uddhava, they observed that his features
almost exactly resembled those of Krsna, and they
could understand that he was a great devotee of Krsna's. His
arms were very long and his eyes were just like the petals
of the lotus flower. He was dressed in yellow garments
and wore a garland of lotus flowers. His face was very
beautiful. Having achieved the liberation of sarupya and thus
having the same bodily features as the Lord, Uddhava looked
almost like Krsna. In Krsna's absence, the gopis had been
coming dutifully to visit Mother Yasoda's house early in the
morning. They knew that Nanda Maharaja and Mother Yasoda were
always grief-stricken, and they had made it their
first duty to come and pay their respects to the most exalted
elder personalities of Vrndavana. Seeing the friends of
Krsna, Nanda and Yasoda would remember Krsna Himself and be
satisfied, and the gopis also would be pleased by seeing Nanda
and Yasoda.
When the gopis saw that Uddhava was representing Krsna even in
his bodily features, they thought he must be a soul
completely surrendered unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
They began to contemplate, "Who is this boy who looks just
like Krsna? He has the same eyes like lotus petals, the same
raised nose and beautiful face, and he is smiling in the same
way. In all respects he resembles Krsna,
Syamasundara, the beautiful blackish boy. He is even dressed
exactly like Krsna. Where has this boy come from? Who is the
fortunate girl who has him for her husband?" Thus they
talked among themselves. They were very anxious to know about
him, and because they were simple, unsophisticated village
girls, they surrounded Uddhava.
When the gopis understood that Uddhava had a message from
Krsna, they became very happy and called him to a secluded
place and offered him a nice sitting place. They wanted to
talk with him very freely and did not want to be embarrassed
before unknown persons. They welcomed him with
polite words, in great submissiveness: "We know that you are a
most confidential associate of Krsna and that He has therefore
sent you to Vrndavana to give solace to His father and mother.
We can understand that family affection is very strong. Even
great sages who have taken to the renounced order of life
cannot give up family affection cent percent. Sometimes they
think of their family members. Krsna has therefore sent you to
His father and mother; otherwise He has no further business in
Vrndavana. He is now in town. What does He have to know about
Vrndavana village or the cows' pasturing grounds? These
are not at all useful for Krsna because He is now a man of the
city.
"Surely He has nothing to do with persons who do not happen to
be His family members. Friendships with those outside the
family continue as long as there is some selfish interest in
them; otherwise, why should one bother about those
outside the family? Specifically,
a person attached to the wives of others is
interested in them as long as there is a need of sense
gratification, just as bumblebees have interest in
flowers as long as they want to take the honey out of them. It
is psychologically very natural that a
prostitute does not care for her paramour as soon as he loses
his money. Similarly, when the citizens find that a government
is incapable of giving them full protection, they leave the
country. A student, after finishing his education, gives up
his relationship with the teacher and the school. A priest,
after taking his reward from the worshiper, gives him up.
When the fruit season is over, birds are no longer
interested in the tree. Just after eating in the house of a
host, the guest gives up his relationship with him. After
a forest fire, when there is a scarcity of green grass,
deer and other animals give up the forest. And so a man, after
enjoying his girlfriend, gives up his connection with
her." In this way, all the gopis indirectly accused
Krsna by citing many examples.
Uddhava understood that the gopis of Vrndavana were all simply
absorbed in the thought of Krsna and His childhood activities.
While talking about Krsna with Uddhava, they forgot all about
their household business. They even forgot about themselves as
their interest in Krsna increased more and more.
One of the gopis, namely Srimati Radharani, was so much
absorbed in thoughts of Krsna by dint of Her personal touch
with Him that She actually began to talk with a bumblebee
which was flying there and trying to touch Her lotus feet.
While the other gopis were talking with Krsna's messenger
Uddhava, Srimati Radharani took that bumblebee to be a
messenger from Krsna and began to talk with it as follows: "
Bumblebee, you are accustomed to drinking honey from flower to
flower, and therefore you have preferred to be a messenger of
Krsna, who is of the same nature as you. I can see on your
mustaches the red powder of kunkuma which was smeared on the
flower garland of Krsna while it was pressed against the
breasts of some other girl who is My competitor. You feel
very proud because of having touched that
garland, and your mustaches have become reddish. You have
come here carrying a message for Me, anxious to touch
My feet. But My dear bumblebee, let Me warn you -- don't touch
Me! I don't want any messages from your unreliable master. You
are the unreliable servant of an unreliable master."
It may be that Srimati Radharani purposely addressed the
bumblebee sarcastically in order to indirectly criticize the
messenger Uddhava. Like the other gopis, Srimati Radharani saw
that Uddhava's bodily features resembled Krsna's, but She also
saw Uddhava as being equal to Krsna. Indirectly, therefore,
She indicated that Uddhava was as unreliable as Krsna Himself.
Srimati Radharani wanted to give specific reasons why She was
dissatisfied with Krsna and His messenger.
She addressed the bumblebee, "Your master Krsna is exactly of
your quality. You sit down on a flower, and after tasting a
little honey you immediately fly away and sit on another
flower and taste. Similarly, only once did your master
Krsna give Me the chance to taste the touch of His lips,
and then He left Me altogether. I know also that the goddess
of fortune, Laksmi, who is always in the midst of the lotus
flower, is constantly engaged in Krsna's service. But I do not
know how she has become so captivated by Krsna and why she is
so much attached to Krsna, although she knows His actual
character. Maybe she is so much captivated by Krsna's sweet
words that she cannot understand His real character. As far as
We are concerned, We are more intelligent than the goddess of
fortune. We are not going to be cheated anymore by Krsna or
His messengers."
According to expert opinion, Laksmi, the goddess of fortune,
is a subordinate expansion of Srimati Radharani. As Krsna has
numerous expansions of visnu-murtis, so His pleasure potency,
Radharani, also has innumerable expansions of goddesses of
fortune. Therefore the goddess of fortune, Laksmiji, is always
eager to be elevated to the position of the gopis.
Srimati Radharani continued: "You foolish bumblebee, you are
trying to satisfy Me and get a reward by singing the glories
of Krsna, but it is a useless attempt. We gopis are bereft of
all our possessions. We are away from our homes and families.
We know very well about Krsna. We know even more than you. So
whatever you make up about Him will be old stories to us.
Krsna is now in the city and is better known as the friend of
Arjuna. He now has many new girlfriends, who are
no doubt very happy in His association. Because
the lusty, burning sensation of their breasts has been
satisfied by Krsna, they are now happy. If you go there and
glorify Krsna, they may be pleased to reward you. You are just
trying to pacify Me by your behavior as a flatterer, and
therefore you have put your head under My feet. But I know the
trick you are trying to play. I know that you are a
messenger coming from an even greater trickster, Krsna.
Therefore, please leave Me.
"I can understand that you are expert in reuniting two
opposing parties, but at the same time you must know that I
cannot place My reliance upon you, nor upon your master, Krsna.
We left our husbands, children and relatives only
for Krsna, yet He did not feel any obligation in exchange.
At last He left us forlorn. Do you think we can place
our faith in Him again? We know that Krsna cannot live for a
moment without the association of young women. That is His
nature. He is finding difficulty in Mathura because He is no
longer in the village among innocent cowherd girls. He is in
aristocratic society and must be feeling difficulty in
making friendships with other young girls. Perhaps you have
come here to canvass again or to take us there. But why should
Krsna expect us to go there? He is greatly qualified to
entice all other girls, not only in Vrndavana or Mathura but
all over the universe. His wonderfully enchanting smile is so
attractive and the movements of His eyebrows are so beautiful
that He can call for any woman from the heavenly, middle or
Plutonic planets. Even Maha-Laksmi, the greatest of all
goddesses of fortune, hankers to render Him some service.
In comparison to all these women of the universe, what are we?
We are very insignificant.
"Krsna advertises Himself as magnanimous, and He is
praised by great saints. His qualifications would be perfectly
utilized if He would only show us some mercy, for we are
so much downtrodden and neglected by Him. You poor messenger,
you are only a less intelligent servant. You do not know much
about Krsna, how ungrateful and hardhearted He has been, not
only in this life but in His previous lives also. We have all
heard this from our grandmother Paurnamasi. She has informed
us that Krsna was born in a ksatriya family previous to this
birth and was known as Ramacandra. In that birth, instead of
killing Vali, an enemy of His friend, in the manner of a
ksatriya, He killed him just like a hunter. A hunter takes a
secure hiding place and then kills an animal without facing it.
So Lord Ramacandra, as a ksatriya, should have fought with
Vali face to face, but, instigated by His friend, He killed
him from behind a tree. Thus He deviated from the religious
principles of a ksatriya. Also, He was so attracted by the
beauty of Sita that He converted Surpanakha, the sister of
Ravana, into an ugly woman by cutting off her nose and ears.
Surpanakha proposed an intimate relationship with Him, and as
a ksatriya He should have satisfied her. But He was so
henpecked that He could not forget Sita-devi and converted
Surpanakha into an ugly woman. Before that birth as a ksatriya,
He took His birth as a brahmana boy known as Vamanadeva and
asked charity from Bali Maharaja. Bali Maharaja was so
magnanimous that he gave Him whatever he had, yet Krsna as
Vamanadeva ungratefully arrested him just like a crow and
pushed him down to the Patala kingdom. We know all about Krsna
and how ungrateful He is. But here is the difficulty: in spite
of His being so cruel and hardhearted, it is very difficult
for us to give up talking about Him. And it is not only we
who are unable to give up this talk, but great sages and
saintly persons also engage in talking about Him. We
gopis of Vrndavana do not want to make any more friendships
with this blackish boy, but we do not know how we shall be
able to give up remembering and talking about His activities."
Since Krsna is absolute, His so-called unkind activities are
as relishable as His kind activities. Therefore saintly
persons and great devotees like the gopis cannot give up Krsna
in any circumstances. Lord Caitanya therefore prayed, "Krsna,
You are free and independent in all respects. You can either
embrace Me or crush Me under Your feet -- whatever You like.
You may make Me brokenhearted by not letting Me see You
throughout My whole life, but You are My only object of love."
"In My opinion," Srimati Radharani continued, "no one should
hear about Krsna, because as soon as a drop of the nectar
of His transcendental activities is poured into the ear, one
immediately rises above the duality of attraction
and rejection. Being completely freed from the contamination
of material attachment, one gives up attachment for this
material world, including family, home, wife, children and
everything else materially dear to every person. Being
deprived of all material acquisitions, one makes his
relatives and himself unhappy. Then he wanders in search of
Krsna, either as a human being or in other species of life,
even as a bird, and voluntarily accepts the profession of a
mendicant. It is very difficult to actually understand Krsna --
His name, His qualities, His form, His pastimes, His
paraphernalia and His entourage."
Srimati Radharani continued to speak to the black messenger of
Krsna: "Please do not talk anymore about Krsna. It is
better to talk about something else. We are already doomed,
like the black-spotted she-deer in the forest who are
enchanted by the sweet musical vibration of the hunter. In the
same way, we have been enchanted by the sweet words of Krsna,
and by thinking of the rays of His
toenails again and again, we are becoming more and more
lusty for His association. Therefore, I request you not to
talk of Krsna anymore."
These talks of Radharani with the bumblebee messenger,
including Her accusing Krsna in so many ways and at the same
time expressing Her inability to give up talking about Him,
are signs of the topmost transcendental ecstasy, called
maha-bhava. The ecstatic maha-bhava manifestation is
possible only in the persons of Radharani and Her associates.
Great acaryas like Srila Rupa Gosvami and Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura have analyzed these maha-bhava
speeches of Srimati Radharani and described their
different varieties, such as udghurna, or bewilderment, and
jalpa-pratijalpa, or talking in different ways.
These are the signs of ujjvala-rasa, or the
brightest jewel of love of God.
While Radharani was talking with the bee and the bee was
flying hither and thither, it all of a sudden disappeared from
Her sight. She was in full mourning due to separation from
Krsna and felt ecstasy by talking with the bee. But as soon as
the bee disappeared, She became almost mad, thinking that the
messenger-bee might have returned to Krsna to inform Him all
about Her talking against Him. "Krsna must be very sorry to
hear it," She thought. In this way She was overwhelmed by
another type of ecstasy.
In the meantime, the bee, flying hither and thither, appeared
before Her again. She thought, "Krsna is still kind to Me. In
spite of the messenger's carrying disruptive messages, He is
so kind that He has again sent the bee to take Me to Him."
Srimati Radharani was very careful this time not to say
anything against Krsna. "My dear friend, I welcome you," She
said. "Krsna is so kind that He has again sent you. Krsna is
so kind and affectionate to Me that He has fortunately sent
you back, in spite of your carrying My message
against Him. All good fortune to you, My dear friend. Now you
may ask from Me whatever you want. I shall give you anything
because you are so kind to Me. You have come to take Me to
Krsna because He is not able to come here, being surrounded
by new girlfriends in Mathura. But you are a tiny
creature. How can you take Me there? How will you be able to
help Me meet Krsna while He is taking rest there
with the goddess of fortune and embracing her to His chest?
Never mind. Let us forget all these things about My going
there or sending you. Please let Me know how Krsna is faring
in Mathura. Tell Me if He still remembers His foster father,
Nanda Maharaja, His affectionate mother, Yasoda, His cowherd
friends and His poor friends like us, the gopis. I am sure
He must sometimes sing about us, who served Him just like
maidservants, without any payment. Is there any possibility
that Krsna will come back and place His aguru-scented
hand on our heads?
Please put all these inquiries to Krsna."
Uddhava was standing near, and he heard Radharani talking in
this way, as if She had become almost mad for Krsna. He was
exceedingly surprised at how the gopis were accustomed to
thinking of Krsna constantly in that topmost ecstasy of
maha-bhava love. He had brought a message in writing from
Krsna, and now he wanted to present it before the gopis, just
to pacify them. He said, "My dear gopis, your mission of human
life is now successful. You are all wonderful devotees of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead; therefore you are eligible to
be worshiped by all kinds of people. You are worshipable
throughout the three worlds because your minds are wonderfully
absorbed in the thought of Vasudeva, Krsna. He is the goal of
all pious activities and ritualistic performances,
such as giving charity, rigidly following the austerity of
vows, undergoing severe penances and igniting the fire of
sacrifice. He is the purpose behind chanting different
mantras, reading the Vedas, controlling the senses and
concentrating the mind in meditation." These are some of the
many different processes for self-realization and attainment
of perfection of life. But actually they are meant only
for realizing Krsna and dovetailing oneself in the
transcendental loving service of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead. This is the last instruction of the Bhagavad-gita
also; although there are descriptions of different
processes of self-realization, at the end Krsna recommends
that one give up everything and simply surrender unto Him.
All other processes are meant for teaching one how to
surrender ultimately unto the lotus feet of Krsna. The
Bhagavad-gita also says that this surrendering process is
completed by a sincere person after executing the processes of
self-realization in wisdom and austerity for many births.
Since the perfection of such austerity was completely
manifested in the lives of the gopis, Uddhava was fully
satisfied upon seeing their transcendental position. He
continued: "My dear gopis, the mentality you have
developed in relationship with Krsna is very, very difficult
to attain, even for great sages and saintly persons. You have
attained the highest perfectional stage of life. It is a great
boon for you that you have fixed your minds upon Krsna and
have decided to have Krsna only, giving up your families,
homes, relatives, husbands and children for the sake of the
Supreme Personality. Because your minds are now fully absorbed
in Krsna, the Supreme Soul, universal love has automatically
developed in you. I think myself very fortunate that I have
been favored, by your grace, to see you in this situation."
When Uddhava said that he had a message from Krsna, the gopis
were more interested in hearing the message than in hearing
about their exalted position. They did not very much like
being praised for their high position. They showed their
anxiety to hear the message Uddhava had brought from
Krsna. Uddhava said, "My dear gopis, I am especially deputed
to carry this message to you, who are such great and gentle
devotees. Krsna has specifically sent me to you because I am
His most confidential servitor."
Uddhava did not
deliver to the gopis the written message brought from Krsna,
but he personally read it to them. The message was very
gravely written, so that not only the gopis but all empiric
philosophers might understand how pure love of God is
intrinsically integrated with all the different energies of
the Supreme Lord. From Vedic information it is understood that
the Supreme Lord has multi-energies: parasya saktir vividhaiva
sruyate [Cc. Madhya 13.65, purport]. Also, the gopis were such
intimate personal friends of Krsna that while He was writing
the message for them He was so moved that He could not
write distinctly. Uddhava, as a student of Brhaspati, had
very sharp intelligence, so instead of handing over the
written message, he thought it wise to read it personally and
explain it to them.
Uddhava continued: "These are the words of the Personality
of Godhead: ‘My dear gopis, My dear friends, please know that
separation between ourselves is impossible at any time, at any
place or under any circumstances, because I am all-pervading.'
"
This all-pervasiveness of Krsna is explained in the Bhagavad-
gita, in both the Ninth and Seventh chapters. In the
Ninth Chapter Krsna is described as all-pervasive in His
impersonal feature; everything rests in Him, but He is
not personally present everywhere. And in the Seventh Chapter
it is stated that the five gross elements (earth, water,
fire, air and sky) and the three subtle elements (mind,
intelligence and ego) are all His inferior energies, but that
there is another, superior energy, which is called the living
entity. The living entities are also directly part and parcel
of Krsna. Therefore Krsna is both the material
and the efficient cause of everything. He is always
intermingled with everything as cause and effect. Not only the
gopis but all living entities are always inseparably
connected with Krsna in all circumstances. The gopis, however,
are perfectly and thoroughly in cognition of this
relationship with Krsna, whereas the living entities under the
spell of maya, the illusory energy, are forgetful of Krsna
and think themselves separate identities having no
connection with Him.
Love of Krsna, or Krsna consciousness, is therefore the
perfection of real knowledge in understanding things
as they are. Our minds can never be vacant. The mind is
constantly occupied with some kind of thought, and the subject
matter of such thought cannot be outside the eight elements of
Krsna's energy. One who knows this philosophical aspect of all
thoughts is actually a wise man, and he surrenders unto Krsna.
The gopis are the epitome of this perfectional stage
of knowledge. They are not simple mental speculators. Their
minds are always in Krsna. The mind is nothing but the energy
of Krsna. Actually, any person who can think, feel and
will cannot be separated from Krsna. But the stage in which he
can understand his eternal relationship with Krsna is called
Krsna consciousness. The diseased condition in which he cannot
understand his eternal relationship with Krsna is the
contaminated stage, or maya. Since the gopis are on the
platform of pure transcendental knowledge, their minds are
always filled with Krsna consciousness. For example, as there
is no separation between fire and air, there is no
separation between Krsna and the living entities. When the
living entities forget Krsna, they are not in their normal
condition. As for the gopis, because they are always thinking
of Krsna, they are on the absolute stage of perfection in
knowledge. The so-called empiric philosophers sometimes think
that the path of bhakti is meant for the less intelligent, but
unless the so-called man of knowledge comes to the platform of
bhakti, his knowledge is certainly impure and imperfect.
Actually, the stage of forgetfulness of our eternal
relationship with Krsna is separation. But that is
also illusory because there is no such separation. The gopis
were not situated in that illusory condition of life,
so even from the philosophical point of view, for them there
was no separation.
Uddhava continued reading
Krsna's message: " ‘Nothing is separate from Me; the whole
cosmic manifestation is resting on Me and is not separate from
Me. Before the creation, I was existing.' " This is confirmed
in the Vedic literature: eko narayana asin na brahma
nasanah. "Before creation, there was only Narayana. There was
no Brahma and no Siva." The whole cosmic
manifestation is manipulated by the three modes of material
nature. It is said that Brahma, the incarnation of the
quality of passion, created this
universe. But Brahma is the secondary creator: the original
creator is Narayana. This is confirmed by Sankaracarya:
narayanah paro 'vyaktat. "Narayana is transcendental, beyond
this cosmic creation." In this way, nothing within this cosmic
manifestation is separate from Krsna, although Krsna's
original form is not visible in everything.
Krsna creates, maintains and annihilates the whole cosmic
manifestation by expanding Himself in different incarnations.
Everything is Krsna, and everything depends on Krsna,
but He is not perceived in the material energy, and
therefore it is called maya, or illusion. In the spiritual
energy, however, Krsna is perceived at every step, in all
circumstances. This perfectional stage of understanding is
represented by the gopis. As Krsna is always aloof from the
cosmic manifestation although it is completely dependent on
Him, so a living entity is also completely aloof from his
material, conditioned life although the material body has
developed on the basis of spiritual existence. In the Bhagavad-
gita the whole cosmic manifestation is accepted as the mother
of the living entities, and Krsna is the father. As the father
impregnates the mother by injecting the living entity within
the womb, Krsna injects all the living entities into
the womb of the material nature. They come out in
different bodies according to their different fruitive
activities. But in all circumstances, the living entity is
aloof from this material, conditioned life.
If we simply study our own bodies, we can understand how a
living entity is always aloof from this bodily encagement.
Every action of the body takes place by the
interactions of the three modes of material nature. We can see
at every moment many changes taking place in our bodies, but
the spirit soul is aloof from all changes. One can neither
create nor annihilate nor interfere with the actions of
material nature. The living entity is therefore entrapped by
the material body and conditioned in three stages, namely
while awake, asleep and unconscious. The mind acts
throughout all three conditions of life; the living entity
in his sleeping or dreaming condition sees something as real,
and when awake he sees the same thing as unreal.
It is concluded, therefore, that under certain circumstances
he accepts something as real and under other circumstances he
accepts the very same thing as unreal. These matters are the
subject of study for the empiric philosopher or the
sankhya-yogi. To come to the right conclusion,
sankhya-yogis undergo severe austerities and penances,
practicing control of the senses and renunciation.
All these different ways of determining the ultimate goal of
life are compared to rivers, and Krsna is compared to the
ocean. As the rivers flow down toward the ocean, all attempts
for knowledge flow toward Krsna. After many, many births of
endeavor, when one actually comes to Krsna, he attains the
perfectional stage. Krsna says in the Bhagavad-gita, kleso '
dhikataras tesam avyaktasakta-cetasam: [Bg. 12.5] "All are
pursuing the path of realizing Me, but those who have adopted
courses without any bhakti find their endeavor very
troublesome." Krsna cannot be
understood unless one comes to the point of bhakti.
Three paths are enunciated in the Bhagavad-gita: karma-yoga,
jnana-yoga and bhakti-yoga. Those who are too much addicted to
fruitive activities are advised to perform actions which will
bring them to bhakti. Those who are addicted to the
pursuit of empiric philosophy are also advised to act in
such a way that they will realize bhakti. Karma-yoga is
therefore different from ordinary karma, and jnana-yoga is
different from ordinary jnana. Ultimately, as stated by the
Lord in the Bhagavad-gita, bhaktya mam abhijanati: [Bg. 18.55]
only through execution of devotional service can one
understand Krsna. The perfectional stage of devotional service
was achieved by the gopis because they did not care to know
anything but Krsna. It is confirmed in the Vedas, kasmin nu
bhagavo vijnate sarvam idam vijnatam bhavatiti. This means
that simply by knowing Krsna one automatically acquires all
other knowledge.
Uddhava continued reading Krsna's message: " ‘Transcendental
knowledge of the Absolute is no longer necessary for you. You
were accustomed to loving Me from the very beginning of your
lives.' " Knowledge of the Absolute Truth is specifically
required for persons who want liberation from material
existence. But one who has attained love for Krsna is already
on the platform of liberation. As stated in the Bhagavad-gita,
anyone engaged in unalloyed devotional service is to be
considered situated on the transcendental platform of
liberation. The gopis did not actually feel any pangs of
material existence, but they felt the separation of
Krsna. Krsna therefore said, "My dear gopis, to
increase your superexcellent love for Me, I have purposely
separated Myself from you so that you may be
in constant meditation on Me."
The gopis are in the perfectional stage of meditation. Yogis
are generally more fond of meditating than
of executing devotional service to the Lord, but they do not
know that the perfection of the yoga
system is the attainment of devotion. This
constant meditation on Krsna by the gopis is confirmed in the
Bhagavad-gita to be the topmost yoga. Krsna knew very well the
psychology of women. When a woman's beloved is away, she
thinks of him more in meditation than when he is
present before her. Krsna wanted to teach through the behavior
of the gopis that one who is constantly in trance like the
gopis surely attains His lotus feet.
Lord Caitanya taught people in general the method of
vipralambha-seva, which is the method of rendering service
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the feeling of
separation. The Six Gosvamis also taught worship of Krsna in
the feeling of the gopis in separation. The prayers composed
by Srinivasacarya about the Gosvamis explain these
matters very clearly. Srinivasacarya said that the
Gosvamis were always absorbed in the ocean of transcendental
feelings in the mood of the gopis. When they lived in
Vrndavana they were searching for Krsna, crying, "Where are
You, Krsna? O gopis, where are You? Where are You,
Srimati Radharani?" They never said, "We have now seen Radha
and Krsna, and therefore our mission is fulfilled." Their
mission remained always unfulfilled; they never met Radha and
Krsna.
Krsna reminded the gopis that at the time of the rasa dance
those gopis who could not join Him for the rasa-lila gave up
their bodies simply by thinking of Him. Absorption in Krsna
consciousness by feeling separation is thus the quickest
method for attainment of the lotus feet of Krsna. By the
personal statement of Krsna, the gopis were convinced about
the strength of feelings of separation. They were actually
experiencing the supernatural method of Krsna worship and were
much relieved by understanding that Krsna was not away from
them but always with them.
The gopis therefore received Uddhava very happily and began
to speak as follows: "We have heard that King Kamsa, who was
always a source of trouble for the Yadu dynasty, has now been
killed. This is good news for us. We hope, therefore, that the
members of the Yadu dynasty are very happy in the association
of Krsna, who can fulfill all the desires of His devotees. My
dear Uddhava, kindly let us know whether Krsna sometimes
thinks of us while in the midst of the highly enlightened
society girls in Mathura. We know that the women and girls in
Mathura are not village women. They are enlightened and
beautiful. Their bashful smiling glances and other feminine
features must be very pleasing to Krsna. We know very well
that Krsna is always fond of the behavior of beautiful women.
It seems, therefore, that He has been entrapped by the women
of Mathura. My dear Uddhava, will you kindly let us know if
Krsna sometimes remembers us while in the midst of other
women?"
Another gopi inquired, "Does He remember that night in the
midst of kumuda flowers and moonlight, when Vrndavana became
exceedingly beautiful? Krsna was dancing with us, and the
atmosphere was surcharged with the sound of foot bells. We
exchanged pleasing conversation then. Does He remember that
particular night? We remember that night, and we feel
separation. Separation from Krsna makes us agitated, as if
there were fire in our bodies. Does He propose to come back
to Vrndavana to extinguish that fire, just as a cloud appears
in the sky to extinguish a forest fire by its downpour?"
Another gopi said, "Krsna has killed His enemy, and He has
victoriously achieved the kingdom of Kamsa. Maybe He is
married with a king's daughter by this time and living
happily among His kinsmen and friends. Therefore, why should
He come to this village of Vrndavana?"
Another gopi said, "Krsna is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, the husband of the goddess of fortune, and He is self-
sufficient. He has no business either with us, the girls in
the Vrndavana forest, or with the city girls in Mathura. He is
the great Supersoul; He has nothing to do with any of us,
either here or there."
Another gopi said, "It is an unreasonable hope for us to
expect Krsna to come back to Vrndavana. We should try instead
to be happy in disappointment. Even Pingala, the great
prostitute, said that disappointment is the greatest pleasure.
We all know these things, but it is very difficult for us to
give up the expectation of Krsna's coming back. Who can
forget a solitary conversation with Krsna, on whose chest the
goddess of fortune always remains, in spite of Krsna's not
desiring her? My dear Uddhava, Vrndavana is the land of rivers,
forests and cows. Here the vibration of the flute was heard,
and Krsna, along with His elder brother, Sri Balarama, enjoyed
the atmosphere in our company. Thus the environment of
Vrndavana constantly reminds us of Krsna and Balarama.
On the land of Vrndavana are the
impressions of His footprints, the residence
of the goddess of fortune, and because of such
signs we cannot forget Krsna."
The gopis further expressed that Vrndavana was still full of
all opulence and good fortune; there was no scarcity or want
in Vrndavana as far as material necessities were concerned.
But in spite of such opulence they could not forget Krsna and
Balarama.
"We constantly remember various attractive features of
beautiful Krsna -- His walking, His smiling, His joking
words. We have all become lost by the dealings of Krsna, and
it is impossible for us to forget Him. We always pray
to Him, exclaiming, ‘Dear Lord, dear husband of the goddess
of fortune, dear Lord of Vrndavana and deliverer of the
distressed devotees! We have now fallen and merged into an
ocean of distress. Please, therefore, come back to
Vrndavana and deliver us from this pitiable condition.' "
Uddhava minutely studied the transcendental abnormal condition
of the gopis in their separation from Krsna, and he thought it
wise to repeat again and again all the pastimes they had
enjoyed with Him. Materialistic persons are always
burning in a blazing fire of
material miseries. The gopis were burning in a
transcendental blazing fire due to separation from Krsna. The
blazing fire exasperating the gopis, however, is
different from the fire of the material world. The gopis
constantly wanted the association of Krsna, whereas
materialistic persons constantly want the advantage of
material comforts.
It is stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura that Krsna saved
the cowherd boys from the blazing forest fire within a second,
while their eyes were closed. Similarly, Uddhava advised the
gopis that they could be saved from the fire of separation by
closing their eyes and meditating on the activities of Krsna
from the very beginning of their association with Him. From
the outside, the gopis could visualize all the pastimes of
Krsna by hearing the descriptions of Uddhava, and from within
they could remember those pastimes. From the instructions of
Uddhava, the gopis could understand that Krsna was not
separate from them. As they were constantly thinking of Krsna,
Krsna was also thinking of them constantly at Mathura.
Uddhava's messages and instructions saved the gopis from
immediate death, and the gopis acknowledged the benediction
from Uddhava. Uddhava practically acted as the preceptor
spiritual master of the gopis, and in return they
worshiped him as they would worship Krsna. It is recommended
in authoritative scriptures that the spiritual master
be worshiped on the level of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead because of being His very confidential servitor,
and it is accepted by great authorities that the spiritual
master is the external manifestation of Krsna. The gopis were
relieved from their transcendental burning condition by
realizing that Krsna was with them. Internally, they
remembered His association within their hearts, and externally
Uddhava helped them associate with Krsna by his
conclusive instructions.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead is described in the
scriptures as adhoksaja, which indicates that He is beyond the
perception of all material senses. Although beyond the
material senses, He is present in everyone's
heart. At the same time, He is present everywhere by His all-
pervasive feature of Brahman. One can realize all three
transcendental features of the Absolute Truth (Bhagavan, the
Personality of Godhead; Paramatma, the localized Supersoul;
and the all-pervasive Brahman) simply by
studying the condition of the gopis in their meeting with
Uddhava, as described in Srimad-Bhagavatam.
It is said by Srinivasacarya that the Six Gosvamis were
always merged in thoughts of the activities of the gopis.
Caitanya Mahaprabhu has also recommended the gopis' method of
worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead as
superexcellent. Srila Sukadeva Gosvami has also recommended
that anyone who hears from the right source about the dealings
of the gopis with Krsna and who follows the instructions laid
down by the previous acaryas will be elevated to the topmost
position of devotional service and be able to give up the
lust of material enjoyment.
All the gopis were solaced by the instructions of Uddhava, and
they requested him to stay in Vrndavana for a few days more.
Uddhava agreed to their proposal and stayed with them not only
for a few days but for a few months. He always kept them
engaged in thinking of the transcendental message of Krsna and
His pastimes, and the gopis felt as if they were
experiencing direct association with Krsna. While Uddhava
remained in Vrndavana, the inhabitants enjoyed his association.
As they discussed the activities of Krsna, the days passed
just like moments. Vrndavana's natural atmosphere, with the
presence of the river Yamuna, its nice orchards of trees
decorated with various fruits, Govardhana Hill, caves,
blooming flowers -- all combined to inspire Uddhava to narrate
Krsna's pastimes. The inhabitants enjoyed Uddhava's
association in the same way that they enjoyed the association
of Krsna.
Uddhava was attracted by the attitude of the gopis because
they were completely attached to Krsna, and he was
inspired by the gopis' anxiety for Krsna. He offered
them his respectful obeisances and composed songs in praise of
their transcendental qualities as follows: "Among all the
living entities who have accepted the human form of life, the
gopis are superexcellently successful in their mission. Their
thought is eternally absorbed in the lotus feet of Krsna.
Great sages and we ourselves also try to be
absorbed in meditation on the lotus feet of Krsna,
but the gopis,
having lovingly accepted the Lord, are automatically
accustomed to this and do not depend on any yogic
practice. The conclusion is 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."
Sri Uddhava confirmed Lord Krsna's statement in the Bhagavad-
gita that one who takes shelter of Him for
the right purpose, be that person a sudra, a woman or a
member of a low-grade family, will attain the highest goal of
life. The gopis have set the standard of devotion for the
whole world. One who follows in the footsteps of the gopis
by constantly thinking of Krsna can attain the highest
perfectional stage of spiritual life. The gopis were born
not of any highly cultured family but of cowherd
men, yet they developed the highest love of Krsna, who is
the Supersoul, the Supreme Personality of Godhead and the
Supreme Brahman. For self-realization or God realization there
is no need to take birth in a high family. The only thing
needed is development of ecstatic love of God. For
achieving perfection in Krsna consciousness, no
qualification is required other than to be constantly engaged
in the loving service of Krsna, 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. The active principle of
Krsna consciousness will equally manifest itself everywhere;
it does not matter how and where one has taken his birth.
Krsna will bestow His benediction upon anyone who takes to
Krsna consciousness, without any doubt.
Uddhava continued: "The supreme benediction attained by the
gopis in spite of their being born in the families of cowherd
men was never attained even by the goddess of fortune herself,
and certainly not by the denizens of heaven, though the bodily
scent of the women there is exactly like the scent of the
lotus. The gopis are so fortunate that during the rasa-lila
Krsna personally embraced them with His arms and kissed them
face to face. Certainly it is not possible for any women in
the three worlds to achieve this except the gopis.
"Therefore I wish to take birth as one of the plants or
creepers in Vrndavana, who are so fortunate that the gopis
trample them. The gopis have so lovingly served Krsna, Mukunda
Himself, the giver of liberation, who is searched after by
great sages and saintly persons. For His sake they left
everything -- their families, their children, their friends,
their homes and all worldly connections."
Uddhava appreciated the exalted position of the gopis and
wished to fall down and take the dust of their feet on his
head. Yet he dared not ask the gopis to offer the dust
from their feet; perhaps they would not be agreeable.
Therefore, to have his head smeared with the
dust of the gopis' feet without their knowledge, he desired to
become only an insignificant clump of grass or herbs in the
land of Vrndavana.
The gopis were so much attracted to Krsna that when they heard
the vibration of His flute they instantly left their homes,
families, children, honor and feminine bashfulness and ran
toward the place where Krsna was standing. They did not
consider whether they were passing over the road or through
the jungles. Imperceptibly, the dust of their feet was
bestowed on small grasses and herbs of Vrndavana. Not daring
to place the dust of the gopis' feet on his own head in this
life, Uddhava aspired to have a future birth in Vrndavana in
the position of a clump of grass or herbs. He would then be
able to have the dust of the gopis' feet.
Uddhava appreciated the extraordinary fortune of the gopis,
who were relieved of all material pangs and
anxieties by placing on their beautiful high breasts
the lotus feet of Krsna, which are worshiped not only
by the goddess of fortune but by such exalted
demigods as Brahma and Lord Siva, and which
great yogis meditate upon within their hearts. Thus Uddhava
prayed to be constantly honored by the
dust from the lotus feet of the
gopis, whose chanting of Lord Krsna's
transcendental pastimes has become celebrated all over the
three worlds.
After living in Vrndavana for some time, Uddhava desired to go
back to Krsna, and he begged permission to leave from Nanda
Maharaja and Yasoda. He had a farewell meeting with the gopis,
and, taking permission from them also, he mounted his chariot
to start for Mathura.
When Uddhava was about to leave, all the inhabitants of
Vrndavana, headed by Maharaja Nanda and Yasoda, came to bid
him good-bye and presented him with various kinds of valuable
goods secured in Vrndavana. They expressed their feelings with
tears in their eyes due to intense attachment for Krsna. All
of them desired a benediction from Uddhava. They desired
to always remember the glorious activities of Krsna and
wanted their minds to be always fixed upon His lotus feet,
their words to be always engaged in glorifying Him, and
their bodies to be always engaged in bowing down as they
constantly remembered Him. This prayer of the inhabitants of
Vrndavana is the superexcellent type of self-realization. The
method is very simple: to fix the mind always on the lotus
feet of Krsna, to talk always of Krsna without passing on to
any other subject matter, and to engage the body in Krsna's
service constantly. Especially in this human form of life,
one should engage his life, resources, words and
intelligence for the service of the Lord. Only such
activities can elevate a human being to the highest level
of perfection. This is the verdict of all authorities.
The inhabitants of Vrndavana said, "By the will of the supreme
authority and according to the results of our own work, we may
take our birth anywhere. It doesn't matter where we are born,
but our only prayer is that we may simply be engaged in Krsna
consciousness." A pure devotee of Lord Krsna never desires to
be promoted to the heavenly planets, or even to Vaikuntha or
Goloka Vrndavana, because he has no desire for his own
personal satisfaction. A pure devotee regards heaven and
hell to be on an equal level. Without Krsna, heaven is hell;
and with Krsna, hell is heaven.
When Uddhava had been fully honored and worshiped by the pure
devotees of Vrndavana, he returned to Mathura and to his
master, Krsna. After offering respects by bowing down before
Lord Krsna and Balarama, he described the wonderful devotional
life of the inhabitants of Vrndavana. Then he presented to
Vasudeva, Krsna's father, and Ugrasena, Krsna's grandfather,
all the gifts given by the inhabitants of Vrndavana.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Forty-seventh
Chapter of Krsna, "Delivery of the Message of Krsna to the
Gopis."
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