Lilas Of Lord Krishna

The Gopis began thus to sing loudly and extol the glories of Krishna. They longed to see their beloved Krishna. They wept bitterly and poured forth their lamentations in notes of true music. Thereupon, Sri Krishna appeared in their midst wearing yellow garments and garland of wild flowers, with a smiling and lotus-like countenance capable of attracting the heart of even the God of love.

The moment the Gopis saw Him return, they all stood up with their eyes wide open with joy, just as the limbs revive and do their functions at the return of life.

All the Gopis became very happy. They abandoned all sorrow that had been produced by their separation from Him, just as people who are desirous of attaining the final emancipation overcome all mundane affliction, by attaining Self-realisation.

Surrounded by those Gopis whose cause of grief had then been removed, the glorious Achyuta appeared highly beautiful like the Prime Purusha environed by His Saktis or powers like wisdom, strength, Aisvarya, Sri, etc.

Krishna then, in company of those Gopis, repaired to the sandy bank of the Yamuna that swarmed with bees, attracted by the sweet odour of the full-blown Kunda flowers. The darkness of the night had long been removed by the silvery rays of the autumnal moon. The place became exceedingly delightful. The banks of the river were covered with delicate shining sands that seemed to be levelled by the hand-like waves of the Yamuna.

Krishna's Teachings To gopis

Gopis spread out their veils smeared with saffron dust, from their bodies and made a seat for their beloved Sri Krishna. Thereafter the Almighty Lord who is enthroned in the inmost heart of great Yogis, sat upon those veils. He appeared exceedingly beautiful when He sat in the midst of the assembly of Gopis. He was worshipped by them. Then He assumed a form which seemed to combine in it all the beauty of the three worlds.

Lord Krishna said, "These are of four classes. 1. Those who find delight only in Atman and know nothing of the external world. 2. Those who have obtained the objects of their desires. 3. Those who are ungrateful. 4. Those who injure their well-wishers.

O friends! I do not belong to any of these classes. I do not attach Myself to those who are devoted to Me. This does not mean that I do not love them. I do so in order to intensify their devotion, to draw their heart all the more to Me, so that in their hearts they may be fully absorbed in Me. Then they will not care for anything else. They will devote themselves constantly to Me and remember Me. Just as a penniless man, who accidentally attains some wealth and subsequently loses it, solely thinks of that money only and thinks of nothing else, so also I become the object of constant thinking of the devotees when I hide Myself again and again after meeting him.

Even though I am granted the duration of life enjoyed by the celestials, yet I shall never be able to return the excellent services done to Me by you all, Your relation with Me is absolutely pure and faultless. O beloved Gopis! For My sake you have completely cut asunder the very hard ties of family life. I shall remain a debtor to you for all time. Let your own goodness be the only recompense for your devotion. May your own righteousness bring its fullest reward!

Gopis Divine Love For Krishna

Gopis' love for Krishna was not a physical passion. It was supreme love. For them Lord Krishna was the living God. He was the moving image of the Supreme Lord. Their faith was intense. When they thought of Lord Krishna they forgot their worldly activities. They were merged in the love of Krishna.

Lord Krishna attracted their hearts from His very boyhood. He was a very beautiful child. He was beauty incarnate. So the Gopis began to love Krishna from His very birth. They caressed and loved Krishna as they would do their own children. The Gopa girls of Brindavan loved Krishna as their own brother. A sister loves her younger brother. She fondles him and plays with him. Such was the relationship between the Gopis and Krishna.

Gradually the love for Krishna assumed the shape of intense Prema (divine love). They thought of Krishna alone all the times. Their minds became Krishnamaya by incessant practice of Smarana (remembrance) of the Lord. Lord Krishna completely eradicated lust from their minds. It is with this purpose in view that Lord Krishna played the Rasa Lila with the Gopis.