Lilas Of Lord Krishna

At the sudden disappearance of the Lord, the damsels of Vraja (Vrajanganas) became disconsolate. As they were not able to find Him, they were greatly distressed like the she-elephants which miss their leader. Their hearts began to burn in the fire of separation. Their hearts had been so much taken up by the gestures, piercing glances, delightful conversation, sports and frolics and movements of Sri Krishna, that they began to act like Him in a variety of ways. So they imitated His deeds and even called themselves Krishna.

They all sang loudly together His praise and searched for Krishna from forest to forest. They enquired of the trees, the whereabouts of the best of Purushas, who, like ether, is present inside the hearts of all beings and also in the outside world.

Gopis Intimate Lord Krishna

They wandered here and there. They were fatigued in their search for Krishna. They developed a still deeper stage of divine love. They perfectly identified themselves with Lord Krishna and began to imitate the various sports of the Lord. One identified herself with a cart, while another crying as infant Krishna gave a kick with one foot and overturned the cart.

Another lady imitated the acts of the Daitya Trinavarta and carried another lady who acted the part of infant Krishna. One Gopi began to crawl like baby Krishna dragging the feet jingling sounds. One Gopi, acted as Sri Krishna and another as Sri Balarama. Many others acted as cowherd boys. One acted as Vatsasura and another as Bakasura. One struck at another who acted as Vatsasura and another at some one who acted as Baka.

They had literally become crazy in love of Sri Krishna.

Having thus questioned the trees and creepers of Brindavan about the whereabouts of Krishna, they noticed that footprints of the Lord in a certain part of the forest. Then they said, 'evidently these are the foot-prints of the high-souled son of Nanda, as they show the marks of a flag (Dhvaja), a lotus (Padma), a mace (Gada), a thunderbolt (Vajra), goad (Ankusa), barley (Yava), etc. Tracing those footprints a little further, they found they were mixed up with the footprints of a girl. Then they were very much afflicted in their hearts.

Gopis Found Footprints Of Sri Krishna

The Gopis wondered who was the girl, who has gone resting her arm on the shoulder of the son of Nanda. Certainly that girl has fervently adored the Almighty Lord Krishna and specially propitiated Him. That is the reason why Govinda is pleased to take her apart, leaving us all behind.

These footprints of the girl greatly pain gopis' hearts, because she has led Achyuta away and is alone enjoying the nectar of His lips in seclusion.

Lord Krishna delights only in the Self or Atman. He is the Perfect Lord. He is one and indivisible. He is ever pure. He is free from impurities (Mala), desires, cravings. He is the Lord of Maya. Maya cannot touch Him. He experiences oneness but not duality. He was not attracted by the amours of these damsels of Vraja. How can the ordinary lust of human beings be attributed to Him? Yet the Perfect Lord sported with that girl merely to show to the world how wretched and miserable is the condition of one who is under the sway of lust.

Thus illustrating the ways of women, those Gopis roamed from forest to forest showing unto one another the footprints of Krishna.

Those Gopis who had been following the footprints of the Almighty Lord saw at a distance their companion forsaken by the Lord, bewildered and distressed. They all approached her and heard from her, how she enjoyed the special favour of Lord Krishna and how, through her own wickedness she lost it? The Gopis were highly astonished when they heard this.

Thereafter, they again searched for Him in the forest so long as the moon was shining. They gave up the search when darkness set in.

Their hearts were absorbed in the Lord. They talked of Him alone. They imitated His sportful activities. They were totally unified with Him. They sang only of His excellent qualities. They did not think of their homes. Thus deeply merged in the contemplation of Lord Krishna, the Gopis returned to the same sands in the bed of Yamuna and began to sing in chorus about Sri Krishna's qualities, yearning for His return.