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After breaking the pride of all the devatas headed by Brahma, Krsna conquered the god of love. Seeing the beautiful full moon night of the sarad season, Krsna desired to enjoy the rasa dance. In this transcendental pastime, Krsna tested the enchanting power of His coveted companion the flute, embraced all the young gopis in His arms, and relished the pure love of the Vraja kumaris, who had previously worshiped Katyayani without deviation. By this time, the Vraja kumaris' attraction to Krsna flowed like a rushing stream of nectar. The fruit of their prema had been maturing from the day that Krsna accepted them. Understanding that their prema had ripened, Krsna thought, "Tonight I will enjoy rasa-lila with My dearest Radhika, the gopis, and all of these young girls." To facilitate His pastime, He lengthened the night to the equal the duration of Brahma's night. He strengthened the determination of the young girls who had been kept in their parents' houses on previous nights. On that night, the young girls, being maddened with the desire to please Krsna, easily overcame all obstacles and took shelter of the forest. Those effulgent, well-behaved young gopis, whom He had already accepted, quickly ran into the forest. Seeing them standing before Him like the presiding deities of the full moon night, eager to satisfy His desires, Krsna said, "You have come here with great endeavor." After saying this, Krsna thought how to keep His promise to them. Knowing their intentions and Krsna's desire to enjoy intimate pastimes with them, Yogamaya, the Lord's own internal potency, made all necessary arrangements. The nights in which Krsna enjoyed His rasa-lila surpassed the splendor of the spring, summer, and autumn seasons combined. The best flowers of those three seasons simultaneously bloomed and inundated the forest with incomparable aromas. The pleasing, indistinct sounds of cuckoos vibrated in all directions. The south wind blew gently carrying the fragrance of honey-laden madhavi blossoms. Swarms of intoxicated young bees moved among the mallika creepers drinking the nectar from the half-opened blossoms. Their loud buzzing resembled the trumpeting conchshell of the spring festival. Lazy herons and love-crazed ducks swam about in the various lakes. Bees played in the blooming clumps of lotus flowers. The bright full moon rose quickly and moved into position for its service. Rising in the pink sky, it looked like a round dye tub for Cupid to color the cloth of the hearts of young men and women. It looked like a golden earring reflected on the passion-flushed cheeks of the goddess of fortune. The rising moon appeared like a copper clock in the sky announcing the time for relishing the sweet rasa dance. The moon appeared like the blissful face of the wife of Indra, the Lord of the eastern direction. As the moon, anxious to see Krsna, continued rising it turned yellow in color like fresh sprouts. Millions of stars twinkled attractively in the clear autumn sky. The moon appeared like a swan dyed yellow from touching the pollen of the golden lotus flowers growing in the lakes of the eastern direction. It appeared like an offering of butter churned from the ocean of yogurt by the embodiment of time. As the moon continued its upward journey, it turned more and more white in color. It looked like a white pavilion of the king of seasons supported by the ropes of its fine rays. Just as lovers burning in separation often look through half-closed eyes, similarly, at this time due to its brilliant rays, one could only view the moon through squinting eyes. The full moon looked like a plump white dove sitting in his nest of the sky fixed in the pavilion of the universe. The moon and its spots looked like a crystal box with reflections of betel nuts on it. But if you say that a crystal box does not move, then we say that the moon appears like a sparkling silver boat crossing the ocean of the sky under the direction of the captain of time. If you say that the spots on the moon make it inauspicious, then we say that it is still beautiful and auspicious. It is just like a silver pot decorated with ornamental leaves, belonging to the bride of the night. The moon glitters like the diamond earring of the playful Lord Balarama. It is like an egg produced by the swan of fame of the autumn season. The moon is like a cool, soft pillow to relieve Cupid's fever caused by his own pride. It is like a malati mala tied in the hair of the spotless effulgence of the goddess of twilight. This indicates that chaste women worship the Moon. Against the dark blue sky the white moon appears like the Pancajanya conchshell hanging on the darkened body of Visnu. It is the silver umbrella of Cupid. Materialists are satisfied with the successful harvests produced by its nourishing rays. It looks like a splendid crystal bowl holding ghee for a.yajna. The moon, situated in the milky ocean of the sky, is like an oyster-shell box filled with priceless pearls. It is the looking glass of the goddess of auspiciousness, the candana tilaka on the maiden of the night, or a city of camphor to soothe the eyes. The beautiful full moon appears like a huge white lotus floating in a lake of bliss, a pile of foam on the ocean of sweetness, or the palace of the goddess of beauty. The full moon looks like a sandy bank of the Akash Ganga (milky way). Just as love-intoxicated cuckoos are always ornamented with sweet cooing, the moon is decorated with fifteen attractive phases. Just as a pious king is endowed with treasures collected from His circle of followers, the moon possesses an orb of radiance. Just as Rama always accompanies Laksmana and the sarasa bird always stays with his wife, similarly, the moon always exists with its spots. Just as a devotee removes misery and gives joy to the earth, the moon relieves suffering and gives happiness. Just as a sadhu's good instructions act as medicine to cure a person's faulty intelligence, similarly, the moon gives herbs and plants as medicines to cure all diseases. Just as Kamadeva stimulates desires, the moon increases mutual attraction. As a man of discrimination destroys the darkness of ignorance, the moonlight removes the darkness from the earth. As Sugriva is the master of his wife named Tara, similarly, the moon is the lord of the stars (tara). Though the ocean is always filled with sharks and snakes (sada ahi makara), the moon is always full of cooling rays (sada hema kard). In this way, the moon, replete with all good qualities and auspiciousness, illuminated Vrndavana with its rays of light. In the splendid sarad season the king of the stars gradually rose to the top of the sky. The moonlight filtering through the leaves and creepers created a wonderful combination of shading and lighting. The moon rays seemed to be coming through a sieve and spreading in a thousand pencil rays across the forest floor. Acting as a skillful light designer, the moon produced a perfect atmosphere for the auspicious rasa dance. The moon hung from the umbrella of the sky, which was embellished with the pearl-like stars. The effulgent rays of the moon seemed like the filaments of a huge camara belonging to the demigods. The moon resembled a white lotus flower strung on a white silk thread through the center of an umbrella of pearls formed by the stars in the sky. Eager to enliven the earth, the moon emanated a unique radiance, which soothed and satisfied the minds of the people, and churned the hearts of all beautiful ladies. The intoxicating nectar of the full moon maddened the world with desire. Encouraged by the splendor of the full moon, Krsna took shelter of His effulgent, all-enchanting flute. Endowed with matchless fame, Krsna's flute pleases the minds of everyone, and forcibly attracts the young gopis 01 Vrndavana. Without making any distinctions that flute enthuses everyone in heaven and earth. Though Krsna's flute has the power to attract al living entities, by the will of the Lord only certain ones such as the deer, cows, birds, and young gopis can hear it. Seeing the rising moon, Krsna vibrated captivating tunes on His sweet murali. Hearing it, each gopi thought that Krsna called her alone. As they absorbed themselves in the blissful vibration, the gopis became oblivious to all other sounds. Manifesting its own personality, the flute sound transcended all obstacles and impediments in order to bring supreme fortune to the gopis. The flute's sweet song uprooted the gopis' hearts, drank up their intelligence, liquidated their self-control, and blurred their vision. Their minds entered a state of insanity and their bodies shook in ecstasy. They thought only of the path leading to Krsna. The flute sounded a death-blow to proper conduct and family reputation. It was the Agama sastra for destroying one's patience and self-control. It cast an unbreakable spell upon the Vraja. gopis. Suffering intense pains of lust from hearing the seductive calling of Krsna's murali, the gopis desired only to meet Krsna. Though soft and sweet, the sound of the flute acted like a mad elephant intent on enjoying his pastimes. Showing great skill, he broke through the fences of their families, destroyed their self-restraint, and turned the innocent young girls into wanton ladies. The flute sound created extraordinary effects when it touched the ears of that excellent gopi Radhika. It turned Her into an intoxicated person. Becoming dizzy, Radharani lost all shyness and self-control. Her intelligence bewildered; She uttered nonsense words. This state of intoxication differed from the type caused by wine, which reddens the eyes. Radhika's eyes did not turn red from the intoxicating sound of the flute, but they filled with tears instead. But will the eyes not become red from wiping away the tears of love? The sound of Krsna's flute is the joy of all joys, the secret of all secrets, the festival of all festivals, and the impeller of all impellers to force one to meet with Him. Upon hearing their own names blended in the melody of Krsna's flute, the Vraja kumaris, though far away from Krsna, felt very close to their object of love. Although they had no prior arrangement for a rendezvous, and though engaged in their daily chores, all the gopis at once decided to go to Krsna. Immediately upon hearing the dancing notes of the flute, the gopis left the village of Vrndavana. They moved as if under the influence of a malefic star, or like puppets strung on a single thread, or rain falling from a cloudless sky. Their irrepressible prema flashed like lightning within them. The unexpected appearance of their cherished object of love baffled their intelligence. The gopis resembled golden creepers that had been broken and thrown into a lake of intense attraction. They looked like land lotuses crushed by the intoxicated elephants of their desires. Verily, they existed as the embodiments of loving hankering. Due to their acute longing for Krsna, the gopis lost all fear of criticism. The young girls looked immensely beautiful with their earrings swinging as they moved hastily along the path. They totally concentrated on the object of their desire. Pursuing the sound of the flute, they appeared like golden lights shaking in the wind, or flames spreading light in all directions. The sadhana siddha gopis (sruti-caris & muni-caris) were one group among the many famous Vraja gopis attending the rasa dance. These gopis happily spent their days obeying their parents and performing their daily duties. But upon hearing Krsna's flute song, they immediately abandoned their engagements of cooking, milking cows, fetching water and so on. That alluring sound made them fly in the sky on the wings of their anxious hearts. Some gopis left rice boiling on the stove and quickly went to Krsna. Others abruptly left the circle of their relatives and ran out to the forest path. Some lotus-eyed gopis, who were feeding milk to the babies of the married gopis, put them on the ground and raced away. The muni-cari gopis, who had been the sages of Dandakaranya, maintained parakiya bhava for Krsna within the core of their hearts. Although carefully attending their husbands, they left them immediately upon hearing the sweet melody of Krsna's flute. They felt each moment away from Krsna to be like millions of years. Some of the muni-cari gopis were taking their evening meals and joking with their families, but upon hearing Krsna's flute song they instantly stopped eating and rushed off to Krsna. When beckoned by the murali, the sruti-cari gopis, although having painted sandal pulp designs on only one of their breasts, fled rapidly from their houses. Forcibly attracted by the vibration of Krsna's flute, the older sruti-cari gopis left the massaging of their maid servants aside and hastened to the forest without even buttoning their blouses. If the sadhana siddha gopis felt such affliction, one can just imagine the condition of the eternal consorts of Krsna. The nitya-siddha gopis possessed totally auspicious, eternal spiritual bodies. Permeated with joy, all their limbs longed for the sweet festival of Krsna's loving embrace. In their anxiety to meet Krsna they dressed and ornamented themselves in haphazard ways. They fastened their necklaces on their waists, diamond belts on their chests, anklets on their arms, and bracelets on their ankles. They set their hip ornaments in their hair and their hair ornaments on their hips. Losing all sense of reality, the gopis applied kajala to only one eye, aha to one foot, and kunkuma to one breast. In this condition, their bodies looked even more attractive, and clearly indicated their hearts’ burning desire for Krsna. Some gopis draped their upper garments around their legs, and their under garments on their arms. It appeared their limbs behaved as close friends exchanging clothes with each other. They tied their sas around their ankles. As they walked, the tassels on the ends of these saris slid along on the ground. The gopis looked like freed elephants dragging their chains behind them. Some gopis held their untied sashes in their lotus-bud hands as they ran excitedly down the footpath to meet Krsna. An excited gopi, who had applied wet lac dye to only one foot, stained one side of the path as she raced down the path to Krsna. The young gopis appeared as beautiful as Parvati, the daughter of the Himalayas. With their veils flapping in the pleasant breeze, the gorgeous bodies of the gopis seemed like moving flags of Cupid, advertising their willingness to submit to Krsna. The tinkling of anklets tied on one foot appeared to be talking to a mute, since their constant clatter met no response from the other foot. Their armlets haphazardly placed on only one arm made their arms look more beautiful and auspicious. Even a branch from a celestial tree could not compare with the loveliness of their limbs. Though the sound of Krsna's flute entered both ears, some of the gopis hung earrings on only one ear. They could not be blamed for this mistake caused by the flute. After infatuating their hearts the flute song goaded them quickly on the path to their beloved. Shot by the arrow of Cupid, their minds reeled in agitation and their throats choked from the rapid expulsion of their life airs. Swelling with expectancy and desire, the gopis hastily left their houses. They looked like prisoners released from a life sentence as they happily hurried into the forest. Darting here and there, the restless glances of the gopis looked like a shower of blue lotus petals initiating the festival of meeting Krsna. Although desirous, some groups of gopis could not meet Krsna. The husbands of the married rsi-cari gopis prevented them from leaving the village. The sruti-cari gopis, previously the personified Upanisads, were kept home by their fathers, brothers and friends. Posing as well-wishers, these relatives acted as their greatest enemies. Some of these gopis, however, who burned with attraction for Govinda, could not be stopped by anyone. Of course, no one could stop the all-worshipable nitya-siddha gopis who forever display the highest degree of ecstatic love, mahabhava. There are two types of love seen in the rsi-cari gopis. Those gopis who had attained perfection in their love for Krsna after intense practice encountered no impediments in meeting the Lord. Other gopis who had not quite perfected their love of Krsna could not get out of their houses. Even though they used ladders to escape from their houses, their cruel l^sbands still stopped them. Tolerating the obstructions caused by their "wn imperfection, these unfortunate gopis entered a deep state of mediation on Krsna. Such mental absorption brought them inconceivable good tortune. Seeing that they could not go the forest with all their friends, they felt totally useless and burned with unbearable sorrow in separation from Krsna. This repentant mood exhausted their bad karmas and freed them from all material contamination. By fully surrendering to Krsna they no longer felt the unhappiness caused by depending on their husbands and friends. As the materiality of their bodies diminished to nil, they experienced pralaya (devastation or the final stage of developed emotions). Now that their karmic bonds were cut, they gave up their bodies made of the three qualities of material nature, just as a snake casts off its old skin. To attain the direct association of Krsna, who is sought throughout the Vedas, they received gorgeous spiritual bodies endowed with all auspicious attributes meant for serving the Lord. Immediately, they joined the nitya-siddha gopis and blissfully approached Krsna. Thus they achieved Krsna's association without giving up their bodies or taking another birth. It is not surprising that those with strong desires for material enjoyment cannot attain liberation. Spiritual desires, however, are of a different nature. Though spiritual desires are indestructible, they have the power to completely destroy one's material qualities. By desiring to serve the Lord the gopis received non-material bodies. Without following any other process, these gopis proved that attraction to Krsna is the greatest power in the universe. Seeing the approaching gopis, Krsna, the younger brother of Balarama who embodies all arts, decided to bewilder them by acting deceptively. Dressed in shimmering yellow cloth, Krsna stood in an attractive threefold bending form on the bank of the Yamuna. Krsna spoke to discourage the gopis with His words while simultaneously encouraging them with the hidden meaning of His language. Noticing the joy and anticipation on their faces, Krsna said, "Please come! Welcome! All good fortune to you! What can I do for you? Why have you come here? Why don't you speak?" Seeing their worried countenances, He continued, "0 lotus-eyed girls! You seem to be wandering about as if still trapped in your houses. If you say that you have come here out of curiosity, I cannot believe you because of your disarrayed clothing. It is not proper for women to look so odd in public. Your beautiful ornaments are all in the wrong places on your bodies. It seems you have decorated yourselves in a thoughtless way. "0 lotus-eyed girls, I am worried that your health is in great danger. By running here so hastily, you appear on the brink of exhaustion. The drops of perspiration hanging from your earrings seem like pearls. The artful designs on your foreheads have become smeared. Due to heavy breathing your soft lips appear dried out and your bodices are heaving." Reading their minds, Krsna spoke more frankly, "Has something disastrous happened? If it had, your wanton actions would have made your husbands unhappy. How am I to tell whether your actions are beneficial or harmful? Did you half-ornament your bodies for fun? Or is everything disarrayed due to your haste and longing to see Me? "Actually it is not possible for someone trapped in a cave to suddenly come out independently. I doubt your husbands gave you permission to go to the forest. Maybe you gopis have come because of your desire to enjoy independently. But how could that be, because this is not the proper time for pleasure. Just see the inauspicious twilight is quickly approaching! The forest is full of dangerous beasts. I feel no fear, but this is no place for women to look for fun. It is certainly astonishing that you have fearlessly come here. Please listen to Me. It will be better for you to immediately leave this place." [There are inner meanings to the words Krsna speaks here to the gopis. These hidden meanings reveal Krsna's heartfelt intentions to enjoy with His eternal consorts. For example, in the previous section Krsna means to say, "There is no cause to fear this forest. In Vrndavana there are no ferocious and dangerous animals. Whether I am alone or with others, this forest gives great pleasure. Since You have come to Me, You should have no fear of this forest. Therefore, I recommend that you stay here with Me."] Krsna: "0 restless-eyed gopis\ Perhaps you have come here with a desire to see the forest flowers and smell their fragrance." [Krsna really means, "Smelling the natural fragrance of your bodies has excited My attraction. Now I do not know what will happen by looking at you. Although you have seen the forest, you have not seen the creepers in detail. Now listen to Me and understand all these things."] Krsna: "Look! It seems that the intoxicated bees, humming within the flowering creepers, are criticizing you, like close friends. Therefore, you should not stay here but go back to your homes. With their smiling flowers the trees are also hinting that you should go home." [Here Krsna means to say, "The bees are criticizing you for returning to your houses. Though you desire to leave this place, the trees are preventing you with their flower smiles."] Krsna: "Look! The rays of light passing through the leaves of the trees and mixing with the shade at their bases looks so picturesque. The birds, mistaking them for sesame seeds, are pecking at those spots of light. Oh! Look there! Vrndavana is fragrant with sandalwood trees and filled with the drawn out sounds of cuckoos. The gentle wind carries the sweet scent of blue lotuses picked up from embracing the waves of the Yamuna. Though we deep forest is very attractive on account of its variety of trees and ^ngbirds, it is not proper for women to come here alone in the dead of "^ht to see them. You should accept my words, go serve your husbands, snd respect your in-laws. Therefore go back to Vraja!" [Krsna intends to say, "It is good that you have come here to see the forest. Now just stay here with Me and do not go back to Vraja."] After speaking to the married ladies, Krsna addressed the unmarried gopis, "0 young girls with beautiful smiles, please hear Me! The helpless babies, and the young boys and girls are crying at home. Go feed them milk the cows, and let the calves drink their fill. Do not let your broad intelligence fall into illusion." [The inner meaning here is, "Do not go feed the children or milk the cows, and do not have doubts about My fulfilling all your cherished desires."] Then Krsna spoke to all the gopis, "Your mothers, fathers, brothers and husbands are looking for you everywhere. Therefore You must return home. Do not pretend to be ignorant by saying, 'We do not know anything.' " [Krsna is really saying, "You should not fall into illusion and forget your desired goal. Please stay here and realize all your desires."] Krsna continued, "Please go! Do not stand here any longer! 0 lotus-eyed gopis. I do not know why you are not moving from this forest. Why did you come here in the first place? If you intended to see Me, then it has already been fulfilled. You can see Me at any time. It is not right that chaste women like yourselves see Me like this." [Here Krsna intends to say, "Do not leave My forest grove but stay here a long time. 0 lotus-eyed gopis. If you ask the reason for your coming here, then I will tell you. You think I do not know your motives? I know everything. Just by seeing you I am not satisfied, so we must engage in more confidential affairs. If a person comes to you out of attraction, it is wrong to ask him to leave."] Krsna: "Direct association with Me does not give as much pleasure as meditating upon Me, hearing about Me, and seeing My Deity form; Therefore You should go home. 0 lotus-eyed gopis! It is not proper for persons such as you to steal love from someone like Me." [The inner meaning here is, "Direct association with Me is far superior to meditating upon Me, hearing about Me, or seeing My Deity form-Therefore do not go! 0 lotus-eyed girls, just stay with Me and plunder My love."] Krsna: "0 all-attractive gopis, you should not renounce your service to your husbands. You are all following the path of morality. Women who love their husbands should not act like persons addicted to sin." [The inner meaning is, "The service you are giving to your husbands should be rendered to Me. Now that I have seen you, I have lost interest in anything else. Since you desire Me only and not your husbands, you should not reject Me."] Krsna: "A intelligent woman should never reject her husband even if he is full of faults, misbehaved, deaf, dumb, diseased, penniless, or like a vine dropping all its flowers and about to die. What to speak of a husband who is faultless. Certainly, he can never be given up. This is law of the Vedas and the common tradition. Your pure character is imbued with these two norms of conduct, yet you stand here fearlessly. Attraction to a man other than one's husband is always dangerous. It is contrary to both norms, Besides bringing defamation, it is condemned, especially for persons like you." [inner meaning, "Since you are adhering to both standards on this extraordinary night, you are safe and should stay here with Me. The attraction you have for Me will give peace of mind and deliver you from all fear. You will not be criticized at all because you are not acting against any principles."] Krsna: "A proper wife has only one husband, and should not even look at another man. Chaste women do not do what you are now doing. Respecting My words, you should accept this beneficial instruction and immediately leave this forest." [inner meaning, "Ordinary women cannot even see Me, the best of husbands, what to speak of touching Me! Nothing in the universe can compare with your good fortune. Now follow My instructions and do not go home!"] In this way, Krsna, the full moon of all sixty-four arts, stood beautifully bedecked with a garland as He tested the gopis' love with His clever riddles. His outer remarks directly opposed His inner motives. Krsna's speaking resembled the autumn season where one gets relief from the hot sun by entering the cool water of a deep lake. Krsna's behavior resembled a jack-fruit, which is externally rough and prickly, but sweet inside, or like a juicy coconut with a hard shell. Knowing His nature, one should not give up thinking that He is too difficult to attain. The intelligent and determined person can easily penetrate His hard shell and taste the delicious interior. Krsna resembles a banana flower that is soft and sweet within but hard on the outside. Fear-"^ the hard skin, one should not abandon the honey nectar within. One should bear whatever hardships come from external causes. Just we a saskuli pistaka. sweetmeat, Krsna concealed His soft interior with a rough exterior. Whether for testing or joking, such instructions are always perfect when coming from the master of comedy. Through the special usage of words, Krsna conveyed His inner attraction and attachment to the gopis with external expressions such as, "Welcome, welcome," "It is wrong to be attracted to other men," and "You should go." Krsna spoke in a tricky way with the gopis in order to solve a difficult problem. He wanted to create unity among the opposing parties of Radha and Candravali so that everyone could fully taste the rasa. Superficially He seemed indifferent, but within He relished the essence of sweetness. Blinded by their attachment, the gopis only took the outer meaning. They could not perceive the hidden reality of His words. As their prospects for pleasure dried up, the gopis' suffering reached intolerable proportions. On hearing Krsna's disheartening words, the gopis felt as if they were stabbed by a million swords, stung by scorpions, bitten by black snakes, burnt by raging fires, cut by lethal razors, afflicted by high fevers, pierced by spears, or poisoned in every limb of their bodies. The whole planet seemed empty, the three worlds hopeless, the universe devoid of bliss, the directions burned with pain, and the earth was a tasteless pile of ashes. They felt like they were dying a slow death. In those difficult moments, they lost consciousness and appeared like dolls made only of hard bones. Within a few minutes they recovered from fainting with the help of the goddess of consciousness. But due to the emotions swirling in their hearts, they were hurled into an even more extreme state of suffering. Tears streamed from their eyes, their faces faded, their lips trembled, and drops of perspiration formed on their cheeks. They breathed erratically, their limbs hung limply, and their beautiful armlets slipped off their arms. The gopis felt ashamed of their love since they did not give up their lives after hearing their lover's indifferent words. Having accepted Krsna as their one and only shelter, they now wanted to enter the lowest planet out of shame. They drew lines on the ground with the toes of their lotus feet that shined like brilliant five-pronged engraving instruments. The life airs of the gopis, which were already fragile by nature, were now broken to pieces by the axe of Krsna's harsh words. Although immensely disturbed, their life airs could not escape because vapor blocked their throats. As this vapor condensed, it poured from their eyes as tears. Dead silent, the gopis looked like figures painted on the canvas of the sky. The halahala poison of suffering, incapable of being contained within the gopis' throats, dripped out of the doors of their eyes as tears mixed with their kajala. Astonishingly, those tears disappeared when they fell upon their tortured breasts. Did those tears enter their hearts that were previously poisoned by the loss of their life airs? The hot breath rushing out of their noses wilted their flower garlands and the delicate flower petals of their lips. Tears, stained black with kajala and looking like juice squeezed irona the essence of beauty, fell incessantly from the lotus faces of the gri61 stricken gopis. Somehow this did not discolor their nose pearls. Although their nose pearls resembled drops of liquid beauty, they did not fall bk6 their tears. Like seeds they waited to produce the fruits of prema rasa. Eager to reveal their individual emotional moods of pride or submission, and to transform the anxiety of love, the gopis replied to Krsna. Like the sweet humming of bees mad to taste the honey of His face, the gopis tried repeatedly to convey their exact desires. Filling the darkness with the sparkle of their blackened tears, some submissive gopi group leaders such as Bhadra spoke quietly conveying their sadness. Padma and other submissive leaders, who have rows of radiantly white bud-like teeth, darkened the night with their half-closed eyes that seemed like blind bees supported by the fragrance of their faces. They spoke impudently to Krsna. Some bold sakhis like Visakha spoke sweet words with ornamental intonation. Her words, saturated with intense attraction, escaped the comprehension of Sarasvati. Creating a forest of blue lotus flowers in the sky with their furtive glances, and clusters of golden lotuses with their forms, some bold leaders like Radhika spoke with ferocious anger. Overcome with pride and posses-siveness, Radhika, Lalita, and Syama, their eyes reddened and their faces sprinkled with hot drops of perspiration, spoke to Madhava in an angry mood. The beautiful Candravali and other submissive sakhis hesitatingly divulged their strong desires in soft voices full of entreaty. Their breasts moistened with blackened tears, some of the Vraja kumaris like Dhanya-sakhi, spoke in choked voices due to their infatuation and uncontrollable attraction for Krsna. Gopi Gita As much as possible we will try to present what each of the distraught gopis spoke to reveal their natural sentiments. Of course, even Brhaspati, the guru of the devatas, would not attempt such a task, which requires realization of smgara-rasa, the highest form of transcendental love. 0 rasika Vaisnavas\ Please do not make fun of my boldness. This is an attempt to curb the pride of the so-called scholars of rasa. I commit no offense in doing so, for though a person may be very unqualified, insignificant, and prematurely eager, he can still aspire to taste that rarest sweet substance of love. The most beautiful of all the gopis spoke first. "Alas, 0 Krsnacandra! You should not deliberately hurl us into lamentation with your harsh words, ^ich burn our hearts like a painful ulcer. To please the earth, the cloud showers rain not poison. Your words are illogical and senseless. When it Ssts a chance to drink water from a cloud, even a lowly cataki bird gives u? his friends and relatives just as one vacates a dark hole." Though angry, some other gopis spoke pleasing words in a humorous tone. "You have taught us that the proper duty of a woman is to serve he husband, sons and friends. As a siksa-guru, may You keep that instruction to Yourself. For Your teaching does not apply to women like us." [As Krsna previously spoke with hidden meanings, the gopis also have inner meanings to their statements given here. The inner meaning to the previous sentence is "First, You lure us innocent girls into a lonely forest at night. And then You act like a guru, giving instructions about duty."] Then Krsna replies, "Are you telling a hidden joke?" The gopi responds, "This is not a joke!" One gopi said, "0 Madhusudana! The aspersions You cast on us are simply comical. Who is the lord of one who rejects her husband? You could say that the son of another wife would take that role. But we will never accept that, 0 lord of all creation. 0 ocean of perfect qualities whose feet are worshipped by Laksmi, You are the real master of all women. No one but You can kill the enemy of our mental anguish." Another gopi said, "0 dear one! Any intelligent person is attracted you, the soul of the three worlds. What intelligent woman will worship her husband, sons, or friends, who are merely temporal beings producing various miseries? Worshiping You is the best path both for a simple or cultured person. "0 remover of misery! You manifest unlimited variety in Your personality. You alone attract our minds and should be our master. In comparison with You, the sweetest nectar means nothing to us. Be pleased with us, for those who have surrendered unto You should not lose spirit and sink into lamentation. We have come to You in the prime of our youth. Do not cut down the tender creepers of our desires which are as fresh as lotus petals covered with dew." Someone else said, "0 Hari! After stealing our hearts You have brought us here. How can we return to Vraja? 0 Lord, our feet refuse to move one step from Your lotus feet. 0 gallant thief! It is not proper for You to create a drought, for it will dry up the crops of dignity in the minds of the married women." One other gopi said, "Wash off the dirt of this duplicitous joking. Sprinkle nectar on our lips, which are burning like fire and as red as ripe bimba fruits. Quickly extinguish the fire caused by Your cruel, exasperating words. By giving up our bodies in the fire of disappointment, which were kindled by the wood of Your indifference toward us because of our improper desires, we will receive new bodies to attain Your association. Then You will repent for murdering innocent women. In any case, whether we are accepted or rejected by You, we will experience suffering because of the fear of separation from You." Some other gopi said, "0 one crowned with a peacock feather! Since we have already felt unlimited bliss from touching Your lotus feet once before we have no attraction for any other man. You are eternally situated with a perfect form and shelter of matchless beauty. We attained so much pleasure upon meeting You that we cannot think of touching another person. Therefore please accept us! After crossing the material realm in order to enjoy with You, we do not deserve to suffer in agony. Being dear to the residents of Vrndavana, You should protect Your loving servants." In the mood of reverential servants, the sruti-cari gopis said, "In this Vrndavana, married women are attracted to Your lotus feet, just as Laksmi-devi in Vaikuntha, though situated on Your chest, must compete with Tulasi-devi to worship You. 0 deliverer of distressed and surrendered souls, do not abandon us!" Having similar desires, the muni-can gopis said, "0 ocean of mercy! We left our houses and came to You. Be pleased with us, whose minds are agitated due to the intoxicating bliss of tasting the petals of Your lotus feet. 0 crest-jewel of all men! You have purchased us with Your reddish lips, sparkling smile, pleasing youthful appearance, and Your nectarean words, which have the power to destroy any amount of pain. Now engage us in Your service. Our minds have become strong from receiving the merciful sidelong glances of Your reddened eyes." Other gopis with desires similar to the sruti-cari gopis said, "We have become very greedy to please You after seeing Your sweet lips, nectarean smile, and the swinging jeweled earrings reflected on Your cheeks. Our hankering to serve You has been further enhanced by seeing Your pink lotus hands and splendid arms which extend to Your knees, and which can deliver anyone from fear. Please restore our lives with the honey of Your sweet smile. Immediately embrace us in Your mind, as we are filled with love in the mood of Your servants." Then the nitya-siddha gopis said, "0 opulent one, who bestows all auspi-ciousness! 0 jewel among men! You are the abode of all good qualities. Since You are all-attractive, what fault is there then if we are attracted to You? Upon hearing the sound of the flute, what woman in the three worlds would not become attracted? 0 glorious and beautiful one! Who would not be lured from their position of chastity? Who would not sacrifice their character, and give up the reputation of their family? "Since You are the cause of all wonder in the eyes of the three worlds, the reservoir of all auspiciousness, the shelter of absolute beauty, the sweet-^t of the sweet, and the pleasurable object of all the endeavors of young women, even the female deer, birds and animals become struck with love snd show goose bumps on their bodies upon seeing You." Again the sruti gopis spoke, "0 great one! It is well known that you destroy the suffering of the inhabitants of Vrndavana. You are the origin of Narayana and the protector of the devatas. You cannot reject us, therefore, after we have come to You in the middle of this forest. "0 friend of the distressed! Do not be so stubborn! 0 ocean of mercy! Please place Your cooling lotus hands on our burning breasts and heads and remove the pain in our hearts. Delight our minds. May You be successful in removing all of the pain from our hearts caused by Your indifference. What more can be said?" Then Radhika's inner circle of friends spoke to Krsna, "After putting the bait of conjugal affairs on the hook of Your flute song, You pulled us here with the rope of Your good qualities. Then after piercing us with the rod of harsh words. You roasted us in the fire of indifference. Please tell us why You did this." Krsna replied, "My dear gopisi I play on My flute because of the boundless nature of My bliss. It is not My fault if married women become agitated by the sound. Why are you finding faults in My flute which comes from a pure family? It is not crooked but naturally straight and free from knots throughout its length." The gopis said, "You are at fault! Because when playing the flute, You call out each of our names." Krsna defends Himself by saying, "No, I do not blow into the flute at all. The wind blows through the flute by itself and makes a sound. On its own, the'flute clearly calls out your names because it knows all of you." The gopis reply, "Even so, it is Your fault. As You are a respectable personality, You should not associate with this unworthy flute. The flute has many holes (faults), its limbs are hard, and it is hollow inside. Obviously Your flute is not born in a good family, and with its extremely talkative nature it ruins the reputation of others. Therefore, Your flute is not qualified to talk with cultured persons such as ourselves." Krsna said, "0 gopisi I see your great boldness in belittling the constant companion of My lotus hands. This flute is the very form of bliss and knowledge. It is the essence of all sound, the goddess of music, and the cream of the Vedas and Upanisads. Out of great love for Me, it has taken on a curious body with nine holes." Although the word play of Radhika's associates had reached its limits, Krsna, brimming with the greatest eagerness, persisted in delivering clever retorts. When the gopis, the perfect embodiments ofrasa, detected a slight smile on Krsna's face they understood that the indifference of the crest jewel of wit had come to an end. Full of desire to enjoy, that conqueror of a thousand Cupids used the limit of intelligence to present crazy, illogical arguments. Feeling self-satisfied, Krsna smiled and immediately caressed the best of the gopis. Following the elephant of desire. He entered the midst of the gopis and sported here and there in the ocean of their attraction. At that time the birds loudly sang, "Victory! Victory!" The creepers smiled and the leaves of the trees stood on end. Eager to talk among their friends, the female deer gathered in groups to marvel at the scene. The joyous flowers moistened the earth with their tears of dripping nectar. In the battle of love, the gopis, being completely endowed with prema, served as wish-fulfilling gems satisfying Krsna's every desire for rasa. Being free from anger and full of all wonderful qualities, the selfless gopis united in friendship. Seeing Nandanandana anxious to play with the gopis, Vrnda-devi and her vanadevis, the birds, beasts, and trees submerged in an ocean of nectarean rasa. It seemed they now emerged from that ocean with new bodies after having perished in the fire of separation from Krsna. Appearing like a powerful new cloud surrounded by a garland of lightning, Krsna and the sweet-faced gopis flooded all directions with waves of bliss as they played together. Bedecked with a beautiful garland extending to His feet and fanned by the wind from buzzing bees, Damodara walked amongst the trees and creepers while the gopis enthusiastically praised His character with sweet voices full of love. To increase their pleasure, Yogamaya acted invisibly and inconceivably to miraculously create the perfect setting. In great happiness, Yogamaya provided the gopis with dresses and ornaments just suitable for their evening pastimes in the forest. Until now the gopis' clothes and ornaments appeared in disarray due to hastily dressing and rushing from their homes upon hearing Krsna's beckoning flute. Being jewels in the battle of love, they qualified to be reborn in all splendor. Ornamented in this way, Krsna blissfully milked the gopis' pride. Using His fingernail, Krsna wrote love messages on a leaf and gave it to His beloved sakhis. Then He showed His expertise in personally decorating them. He picked the best flowers and creepers to make their bodices, armlets, and other ornaments. Quickly He fashioned malati flower necklaces, kadamba forehead ornaments, sthala padma (land lotus) earrings, kunda flower chokers, and waist-belts made from bakula, kesara, and naga-kesara flowers. He tossed pollen over their hair, and colored their cheeks with pollen from lodhra flowers. Then the gopis decorated their cherished one. They hung kesara flowers on Krsna's ears, ketaki flowers in His hair, 'and mallika necklaces on His chest. Some gopis put asoka flowers on His turban. Other gopis offered Him yuthi flower bangles and bracelets, and bound His belly with a belt of bakula flowers. Krsna's remarkable rasa-lila, which had now commenced, included four different kinds of activities—forest pastimes, lovemaking, dancing, and water sporting, which distinguished it from all other lilas. In a lonely place in the forest, Krsna relished intimate pastimes with the beautiful gopis of Vrndavana. As the maudlin sound of maddened bees and cuckoos echoed through the trees, the gopis lost themselves in Cupid's enchantment. Those beautiful ladies, whose brilliant golden complexions conquered the pride of the moonlight, merrily sprinkled Krsna's body with fine golden pollen from white lotus flowers. The jingling of the gopis' bangles initiated a fresh battle of love. Krsna retaliated by making some flower bombs and firing them at the gopis. Although the gopis bombarded Him from all directions with flower pollen, Krsna easily defeated them. Parrots and other birds shrieked, "Jaya! Jaya! Jaya!" to announce Krsna's victory. Filled with a hero's pride, Krsna then pounded Radhika and Her sakhis with a volley of flower bombs. But Srimati's angry sidelong glances crushed Him into submission. Then Radhika's pet sarika birds warbled incessantly, "We have won! We have won!" In this way, Krsna engaged in newer and newer pleasure pastimes at every moment. Radha plucked some fragrant, honey-filled punnaga flowers. When startled bees darted from the flowers, She quickly pulled back Her lotus hands and trembled in fright. Noticing this, Krsna shouted, "Hey there! No wonder You are shaking since You have defeated the punnaga (best of men, or white lotuses)!" As Krsna laughingly said this, Radhika shyly lowered Her head and smiled. Then the clever gopis, piercing Krsna's heart with the arrows of their loving glances, took the flowers they had collected for making ornaments, and pelted the Lord while shouting at Him with sweet voices. Meanwhile, Radhika stood on Her tiptoes, and stretched up Her vine-like arms to pick a special flower from a tree. Suddenly Her lower garment slipped off. As She looked nervously, Krsna seized the opportunity to sneak up behind Radhika and lift Her up. At this, Radha blushed in embarrassment. The intense unlimited happiness the gopis felt spread to the flowers. As a result, the bees went mad from the naturally sweet scent of the flowers and would not leave them. Similarly, the gopis became addicted to the sweet pastimes they relished with the lord of their life. Feigning a calamity, one gopi said, "Oh some pollen has fallen in my eye!" Her bangles chimed as she pretended to rub her eye with her lotus hands. With a look of concern, Krsna quickly approached her and said, "Oh no! Do not be disturbed. Let Me see!" On the pretext of blowing away the pollen, Krsna moved close to her face and planted a tender loving kiss on her eye. In this festival of flowers, Krsna churned the waves of love in the hearts of those gopis already overcome with love. Pleased by their bold glances, Krsna desired to enjoy with them. The perfect time had come for delighting in endless pastimes of love. When Radha tried to pick flowers beyond Her reach, the trees behaved like close friends, and bent down their branches so She could easily pluck them. Fatigued from the flower fighting, Damodara and His band of loving gopis walked to the Yamuna to sport in her refreshing waters. Under the rays of the full moon, the banks of the Yamuna looked as white as fragrant camphor dust. The sandy banes were purified by the hand of Kalindi's waves and caressed by a lotus-scerted breeze. Admiring the pleasant setting, Krsna and His divine consorts wandered along the splendid banks of the Yamuna. The brilliance of the riverbank, matching the effulgence of the lovely moonlit night, provided an ideal romantic atmosphere for a festival of love. The playful lotus-eyed Krsna, who is the embodiment of sweetness, totally fearless, ever blissful, and overwhelmed in love, mingled with the different gopi group leaders, whc murmured like affectionate parrots. Krsna dallied here and there in the decorative kunjas that sheltered various birds. Inside the flower cottages, Krsna freely enjoyed with His beloved gopis, the crest jewels among all women. Far greater than either Rukmini or Laksmi, the Vraja gops alone are qualified to serve that auspicious person with their auspicious bodies. Though the gopis' love radiated the essence of purity, Krsna tainted their love with overwhelming passion, in order to feel the pressure of their hard breasts and experience their biting and scratching. There are varieties of vaidagdhi (cleverness in love) depending on the nature and age of the individual g)pis. This artful skill in love produced extraordinary joy in both Damodara and the gopis. For example, although internally the gopis had strong desires for Krsna, when they spoke they denied them. The unpredictable behavior of the gopis manifested naturally from a mixture of their willingness to serve Krsna and their obstinacy (yamya-bhava or stubborn reluctance). Such actions as obstructing Krsna's advances with their hands to show their shyness, casting angry glances without redness in the eyes, and crying without tears, which arose from their vamya-bhava, gave Krsna immense satisfaction. The gopis' incessant criticisms of Krsna hid their sweet smiles, and their knitted eyebrows communicated their false anger. In reality, these expressions revealed the intense attachment to Krsna they held in their hearts. The gopis'wu\d turn away when He tried to kiss them. And they would cover their ips with their hands when He tried to drink the nectar therein. They pushed Him away when He tried to embrace them. All such displays of unwillingness actually indicated consent to their beloved. Desiring to lock them in His heart, Krsna surrounded the gopis with His long, graceful arms and forcefully embraced them one by one. Holding their braids in His left hand and raising their chins with His right hand Krsna lovingly gazed at their gentle bashful faces. Relaxed as a lone bee engrossed in a cluster of lotus flowers, Krsna happily tasted the nectar of the gopis' lips. After being embraced and kissed by the supreme enjoyer the gopis, being controlled by the joyous fragrance of intoxicated love and filled with constant delight, acted like submissive lovers. Now Krsna scratched their lotus-bud breasts with His fingernails, as if relieving the itch of attachment that had risen in their hearts. The breasts of the gopis looked more attractive when decorated with these nail marks shining with a copper hue. Their blossoming breasts seemed like sprouts arising from the long dormant seeds of attachment sown in their hearts. Krsna, whose touch bestows pleasure and removes all suffering, excited their beautiful limbs with the touch of His delicate petal-like fingers, which acted like a medicinal herb to cure all their afflictions. When His lotus hand touched their breasts, it moved around in continuous circles. When His hand touched their thick braided hair, it caressed it from end to end. Coming to their waists, His hand seemed to tire from, the broad expanse, and took refuge in the lake of their navels, trying to open them to reveal something within. Due to the intensity of love, the gopis yielded to the fickleness of their minds, gave up all shyness, and submerged in ecstasy. Washed in waves of beauty, they captivated the mind of their beloved. With their sweet, tireless, vine-like arms the gopis held Krsna in a tight embrace of love strengthened by contacting His qualities. Such playful combat is considered an aspect oiprema. It is not contrary to conjugal rasa, but rather essential to it, being one of the pure ingredients of the total mixture. Immersed in this prema rasa, the gopis repeatedly kissed Krsna with their sweetly smiling lotus faces. When Krsna lips were surrounded by the soft lips of the gopis and washed by the brilliant radiance of their teeth, His face appeared like a rising moon surrounded by thirsty cakora birds. Overwhelmed with the highest bliss, the Krsna bee went mad with the desire to play in the garden of creepers (the young gopis). He wanted to be tightly enveloped in the branches of their arms, pressed strongly by the flower buds of their breasts, and to be bruised by the thorns of their fingernails. The rasa-lila cannot take place unless the minds of all the gopis are in harmony. To accomplish this and to make the a\l gopis of one mind through the fire of separation, Krsna once disappeared from the assembly of His conjugal lovers. In the battle of love the gopis had attained the highest good fortune of tasting madhurya-rasa in the association of Krsna. Thus the Vraja gopis showed indifference to the opulence of any women within in the three worlds. They sailed in the turbulent currents of prema within the river of love-madness, which is the natural habitat of the God of love. When He broke the boat of the gopis' confidence, they had to bail out the water of pride from their hearts. He purposely bewildered them by His own will, as if placing them on a wheel and spinning them around. Just as badly digested food produces laziness, the gopis' attainment of good fortune weakened and withered away due the intoxication of pride. In treating the disease of consumption due to pride, a person must be treated with a nourishing herbal medicine to drive away the symptoms of disease. There is nothing to compare with the purity of a piece of white cloth. Dyeing it with the juice of the lodhra plant will change its color. The purity of the gopis' love had been colored by the pride of love, which is unfavorable for the growth of bliss. Krsna instantly created a situation of pain in separation, which acted as a solvent to remove the false color. After spreading darkness amidst the moon light of the gopis' bliss, and producing deadly kalakuta poison in the newly created milk ocean of the gopis' love, Krsna, the embodiment of all arts, suddenly disappeared. The thought of this happening seemed as unlikely as throwing fire on delicate filaments of saffron, or lightning striking without clouds, or the pain of a snakebite without a snake. Thus, the gopis experienced this torment in their hearts, which constantly flowed with a variety of praiseworthy and pleasurable pastimes.