Lilas Of Lord Krishna

Govinda commenced Rasa or sportive dance with the devoted and worshipping Gopis who formed a circle with one another's arms intertwined.

Then having stationed Himself between every two Gopis, Krishna, the Lord of all Yogas, commenced in that circle of Gopis the festive dance known as Rasa Lila with His arms about the neck of the adjacent Gopis.At the time of Rasa Lila, He multiplied Himself into so many Krishnas. The Gopis were struck with wonder and amazement. Every Gopi felt that her dearest Lord stood by her side.

Gopis Sing And Dance With Krishna

With their measured steps, with the graceful movements of their hands, with their bewitching smile with the lovely contraction and expansion of their eyebrows, with shaky bodies, with ear-rings rocking on their cheeks, with their moving locks of hair covering their foreheads, with drops of perspiration trickling down their face, and with the knots of their hair loosened, the Gopis began to sing. They appeared beautiful like flashes of lightning illuminating the blue clouds.

The Gopis were immensely delighted at the touch of Sri Krishna whose music filled the whole world. They sang in the highest pitch with great love. A Gopi proceeded to sing in chorus with Krishna the notes of the gamut.

Another Gopi got fatigued during her dance. The jasmine flowers began to drop from her braid, and her bracelets became loose on her wrists. She threw her arm round the neck of Sri Krishna and pressed Him close to her.

Thus the Gopis obtaining Achyuta, the beloved husband of Lakshmi, and being embraced by His arms, sang and danced with Him.

With the beauty of their face enhanced by the lilies on their ears, with their foreheads decorated with flowing locks, with drops of sweat on their face, the Gopis danced with the glorious Lord to the accompaniment of the music of their bangles and anklets in the court of Rasa, where the humming bees were the songsters.

Sri Krishna sported with the beautiful damsels, just as a child plays with image reflected in a mirror, delighting them by pressure of hand, affectionate glances, with winning laughs, and enchanting smiles.

Devas And Celestial People Watch The Divine Dance

The sky became filled with hundreds of chariots of Devas and their consorts. They were longing to witness the divine dance. Kettle-drums were sounded and there was a shower of flowers. The great Gandharvas and their wives began to sing Sri Krishna's pure glory. Then the circle of Rasa dance was filled with the sounds of bracelets, bangles, anklets and small bells of the damsels enjoying the company of their beloved Lord. In the minds of those damsels, the glorious Lord, son of Vasudeva, shone with great brilliance and beauty like a large emerald at the centre of a garland of golden beads.

Their senses were overwhelmed with joy at the contact of the Lord's person. The garlands of flowers and their ornaments were loosened and fell from their places. They were not able to keep their hair, clothes and vests in their proper places. At the sight of this wonderful Rasa of Lord Krishna, the celestial women were stricken with love and fainted. The moon of her retinue of stars stopped her course and stood in amazement.

Though the Lord always finds delight in Himself alone, yet He sported with the Gopis in playfulness, in as many forms as there were Gopis.

When the Gopis were greatly fatigued, the merciful Lord wiped the sweat off their faces with His auspicious hands.

Then Lord Krishna entered into the waters of the Yamuna along with the Gopis in order to refresh Himself, just as a leader of an elephant-herd accompanied by the she-elephants plunges in the waters after having broken through the dams. The bees also followed Him singing His glories like great Gandharvas.

Thereafter Sri Krishna was sprinkled with water by those youthful Gopis who looked at Him affectionately and smilingly. The celestials showered flowers from their aerial cars and sang His praises. Thus the Lord who finds delight in His own Self sported in the Yamuna like the leader of elephants.