Gopis vastraharan critical analysis
Rebuttal:- Mlecchas spreading this nonsense let break this whole accusation point by point.
At first learn the difference between Sexual assault & Consent, disrobing a woman forcefully without her consent comes under Sexual assault. Whereas incase of Gopis they were not angry on Krishna even after that incident, even they actually want Krishna as their future husband for which they were observing a vow, so it didn't came under Sexual assault. Here is the proof:-
"Although the gopīs had been thoroughly cheated, deprived of their modesty, ridiculed and made to act just like toy dolls, and although their clothing had been stolen, they did not feel at all inimical toward Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Rather, they were simply joyful to have this opportunity to associate with their beloved.."
"They put on their clothes. So charmed were they with the company of the Lord, and their hearts were so much attracted, that they did not stir away from that place but continued to cast their bashful glances at him."
(SrimadBhagavatam 10.22.22-23)
Now compare this with the case of Draupadi.
Another interesting point which many people don't know about as per Brahmavaivarta puran the whole incident of Krishna's stealing of clothes actually didn't happened in reality rather it was just a dream of Radha, which she realised later:-
#This point is alone enough to debunk all the claims connected with this incident.
That is why it is stated in scriptures:-
"One who is not a great controller should never imitate the behavior of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behavior, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison." [Bhagavatam 3.33.30]
Another thing I must remind this:-
क्वचित्क्वचित् पुराणेषु विरोधो यदि लक्ष्यते।
कल्पभेदादिभिस्तत्र व्यवस्था सद्भिरिष्यते॥ Sridharaswami in his tika on Vishnu Purana 2.4.96.
"Whenever different versions of an event are found it the Puranas, they are ascribed by the pious to differences of Kalpas and the like."
So don't worry about little bit differences in account of events in our puranas. Each and every account is authentic if it comes from trustable scriptures.
Moreover let's find out Krishna's age at that time of this incident. Here in Laghu-Vaisnava Toshani Vol-2, It is nicely explained his pastime events associated with his life:-
So at that time Krishna was just a 8 year old kid. So, Sexual allegations against him is totally absurd in ground reality.(from a materialistic point of view)
Anyway now move to the main question why then Krishna did that ? Let's see:-
To understand those events one first need to understand certain things in order to understand God and his Pastimes.
Sri Krsna himself clearly stated that:- "He reveals Himself to all who surrender unto Him, exactly in accordance with the essential nature of their surrender." (Gita 4.11).
In the principal verse (SrimadBhagavatam 3.25.3) spoken by Sri Kapila, it is said that devotees have different relationships with the Lord. According to Srila Rupa Gosvami, there are five basic rasas(bhava), or aesthetic experiences, that the Lord enjoys with His devotees. These varieties of aesthetic experience are rooted in, and arise out of, five foundational moods of loving devotion.
Those moods of loving devotion(Bhava) are:- santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya, and madhurya.
Let's see one by one in short details:-
1)"Neutral Love of God (śānta-rasa)",:- those who consider Him(Lord) as atma, the Self, refers to those in peaceful devotion (santa-rasa); the serene attitude.
Out of these five, the devotees immersed in peaceful devotion, or santa-rasa,
have the least intensity of love for Bhagavan. Nonetheless, they are
completely devoid of material desires and have strong faith in Him.
The rishis of olden times had this attitude toward God. They did not desire any worldly enjoyment. Nonetheless, they are
completely devoid of material desires and have strong faith in Him.
The śānta-bhaktas are again classified in two types:- the ātmārāmas who have attained rati for Kṛṣṇa due to the mercy of Kṛṣṇa and His dear devotees, and the performers of austerities who have developed faith in the path of bhakti (also by the mercy of the devotees).”
2) "Affection and Service (dāsya-rasa)", the attitude of a servant toward his master. Hanuman had this attitude toward Rama. He felt the strength of a lion when he worked for Rama.
3) "Fraternal Devotion (sakhya-rasa)"
In Sakhya Bhava, the devotee takes Lord Krishna as his friend. Example:- Friends say to one another, 'Come here and sit near me.' Sridama and other friends sometimes fed Krishna with fruit, part of which they had already eaten, and sometimes climbed on His shoulders.
4) "Parenthood (vātsalya-rasa)", the attitude of a mother or father toward her child.
This was Yasoda's attitude toward Krishna
From the Tenth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam [10.8.45]:-
“The glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are studied through the three Vedas, the Upaniṣads, the literature of Sāṅkhya-yoga, and other Vaiṣṇava literature, yet mother Yaśodā considered that Supreme Person her ordinary child.”
Another example is his father Nanda's parental affection towards Krishna:-
“Kṛṣṇa held the fingers of Nanda as He walked about the yard on unsteady feet. Seeing his son begin to walk, Nanda was inundated with bliss, and his chest became covered with tears.”
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu by Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī Verse 3.4.16
5) "Conjugal Love (mādhurya-rasa)",:- those who consider the Lord as priya, or the beloved, refers to devotees in amorous devotion madhurya-rasa.
the attitude of a woman toward her paramour. Radha and other gopis had this attitude toward Krishna. The wife also feels it for her husband.
"the most astonishing young women, who are endowed with the most excellent, freshest sweetness, whose hearts are mixed with waves of prema, and who adore Kṛṣṇa as their own lover.”
From Padyāvalī [172]:
“How astonishing! The sound of Kṛṣṇa flute makes the gopīs forget the scolding of their elders, the infamy from breaking social rules, and the terrifying treatment from their husbands.”
Regarding our present Discussion the last one means "mādhurya-rasa" is important.
God have no personal interest what he does is just for his devotees and how devotees wants him, he satisfied them according to their nature of devotion.
It is stated that devotees control Him(lord) just as a chaste wife controls her husband:-
"A faithful wife wins her husband’s love by her loyalty. I am similarly won over by My devotees whose hearts are completely bound to Me, while showing equanimity to all beings, (SrimadBhagavatam 9.4.6 )
This means He manifests only those forms that are pleasing to His devotees. In fact, the relative importance of a particular avatara is determined by the greatness
of His associates — parikara-vaisistyad avirbhava-vaisistyam. One of
the super-excellent characteristics of Sri Krsna, which distinguishes Him from all other forms of God, is that He has unsurpassed loving relationships with His devotees, prema-madhuri.
Another interesting point is as per scriptures Gopis in their previous birth were great sages during the treta yuga when Sri Rama descended. They were so a much attracted to Sri Rama, that they desired to serve him as women, and thus were born as gopikas in their next birth.
(Padma-Purāṇa Chapter 245, Uttara-Khaṇḍa, 163 to 167)
I will discuss this point in details when in future I will write article about Rasa-lila.
Description of this incident in Bhagvatam along with traditional Commentaries and other scriptures :-
Now see the event as described in SrimadBhagavatam 10.22 Along with traditional Commentaries and other explanations:-
श्रीशुक उवाच
हेमन्ते प्रथमे मासि नन्दव्रजकुमारिका: ।
चेरुर्हविष्यं भुञ्जाना: कात्यायन्यर्चनव्रतम् ॥
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: During the first month of the winter season, the young unmarried girls of Gokula observed the vow of worshiping goddess Kātyāyanī. For the entire month they ate only unspiced khichrī.
[Explanation:-
[Note:- Sukadeva Goswami begins the narration of this lila thus:- "hemante prathame masi nanda-vraja kumarikah"– The word kumarikah is significant, as it refers to young unmarried girls. From the use of this word it is understood that the principal maidens of this lila are different from those mentioned in the previous chapter of Bhagvatam, In Venu-gita, chapter twenty-one in which the maidens glorify Krishna’s flute, those maidens were not kumaris.]
आप्लुत्याम्भसि कालिन्द्या जलान्ते चोदितेऽरुणे ।
कृत्वा प्रतिकृतिं देवीमानर्चुर्नृप सैकतीम् ॥
गन्धैर्माल्यै: सुरभिभिर्बलिभिर्धूपदीपकै: ।
उच्चावचैश्चोपहारै: प्रवालफलतण्डुलै: ॥
My dear King, after they had bathed in the water of the Yamunā just as the sun was rising, the gopīs on the riverbank worshiped an earthen deity of goddess Durgā with aromatic substances such as sandalwood pulp, garlands, other ingredients, lamps, incense, and great variety of offerings including fruits, newly grown leaves and rice.
कात्यायनि महामाये महायोगिन्यधीश्वरि ।
नन्दगोपसुतं देवि पतिं मे कुरु ते नम: ।
इति मन्त्रं जपन्त्यस्ता: पूजां चक्रु: कुमारिका: ॥
Each of the young unmarried girls performed her worship while chanting the following mantra. “O goddess Kātyāyanī, O great potency of the Lord, O possessor of great mystic power and mighty controller of all, please make the son of Nanda Mahārāja my husband. I offer my obeisances unto you.”
[Explanation:-This Sanskrit verse is regarded as a mantra and it is to be repeated 1,600 times a day, during the period of Kātyāyanī-vrata—Kṛṣṇa Dayārṇava's Harivaradā.22.62.
Vaishnav Toshani and Sārārthadarśinī quote Nārada-pañcarātra to show that every mantra about Kṛṣṇa has goddess Durgā as the presiding deity. Hence the justification of this vrata and japa for getting Kṛṣṇa as a husband.]
एवं मासं व्रतं चेरु: कुमार्य: कृष्णचेतस: ।
भद्रकालीं समानर्चुर्भूयान्नन्दसुत: पति:
Thus for an entire month the girls carried out their vow and properly worshiped the goddess Bhadrakālī, fully absorbing their minds in Kṛṣṇa and meditating upon the following thought: “May the son of King Nanda become my husband.”
ऊषस्युत्थाय गोत्रै: स्वैरन्योन्याबद्धबाहव: ।
कृष्णमुच्चैर्जगुर्यान्त्य: कालिन्द्यां स्नातुमन्वहम् ॥
Each day they rose at dawn. Calling out to one another by name, they all held hands and loudly sang the glories of Kṛṣṇa while going to the Kālindī to take their bath.
नद्या: कदाचिदागत्य तीरे निक्षिप्य पूर्ववत् ।
वासांसि कृष्णं गायन्त्यो विजह्रु: सलिले मुदा ॥
One day they came to the riverbank and, putting aside their clothing as they had done before, happily played in the water while singing the glories of Kṛṣṇa.
[Explanation:-
[Another beautiful description by the poet-Kṛṣṇa Dayārṇava says that the maidens imagined the bluish water of Yamunā as the person of Kṛṣṇa and embraced Him (in the form of water) and kissed it etc.—Kṛṣṇa Dayārṇava's Harivaradā 22.84-87.
Brahma Samhita 5.35 says:- "He is an undifferentiated entity as there is no distinction between potency
and the possessor thereof. In His work of creation of millions of worlds, His
potency remains inseparable. All the universes exist in Him and He is pre-
sent in His fullness in every one of the atoms that are scattered throughout
the universe, at one and the same time. Such is the primeval Lord whom I
adore." ]
त्य कृष्णो योगेश्वरेश्वर: ।
वयस्यैरावृतस्तत्र गतस्तत्कर्मसिद्धये ॥
Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Lord and master of all masters of yoga, was aware of what the gopīs were doing, and thus he went there surrounded by his young companions to award the gopīs the perfection of their endeavor.
[ As stated in different chapter:- "Oh fair damsels! In this way, it is with a view of seeing the intensity and constancy of your devotion to me that I remained with you invisible (and stayed with you listening to your expression of love me) as you have, for my sake, renounced the conventional worldly sense of decorum, the injunction of the Vedas (for righteousness or otherwise) and your kith and kin. Oh beloved ones! It does not behove you to blame me, your Darling." Bhagvatam 10.32.21
He was surrounded by some very young friends.They were very close:- Dāma, Sudāma, Vasudāma and Kiṅkiṇi. In Laghu Vaishnava Toshani quotes Gautamī Tantra and shows that these companions are ‘his buddhi, ahaṅkāra, citta and manas.'
It is said in Gautamīya-tantra:-
dāma-sudāma-vasudāma-kiṅkiṇir gandha puṣpakāḥ antaḥkaraṇa-rupās te kṛṣṇaysa parikīrtitaḥ ātmābhedenaiva pūjyā yathā kṛṣṇas tathaiva te
Sudāma, Vasudāma, Kiṅkiṇi and Puṣpaka are famous as Kṛṣṇa’s heart.
They are to be worshipped just like Kṛṣṇa, since they are non-different from him. They are like his antaḥkaraṇa: his buddhi, ahaṅkāra, citta and manas.
They surround him in order to joke and have fun.
Another point Subodhinī thinks that the maidens have committed the following faults: nude bath, breaking of silence and playing while observing a vow. To purge them of these, Lord Kṛṣṇa came there and by his look did it. ]
तासां वासांस्युपादाय नीपमारुह्य सत्वर: ।
हसद्भि: प्रहसन् बालै: परिहासमुवाच ह ॥
Taking the girls’ garments, he quickly climbed to the top of a kadamba tree. Then, as he laughed loudly and his companions also laughed, he addressed the girls jokingly.
अत्रागत्याबला: कामं स्वं स्वं वास: प्रगृह्यताम् ।
सत्यं ब्रुवाणि नो नर्म यद् यूयं व्रतकर्शिता: ॥
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] My dear girls, you may each come here as you wish and take back your garments. I’m telling you the truth and am not joking with you, since I see you’re fatigued from executing austere vows.
न मयोदितपूर्वं वा अनृतं तदिमे विदु: ।
एकैकश: प्रतीच्छध्वं सहैवेति सुमध्यमा: ॥
I have never before spoken a lie, and these boys know it. Therefore, O slender-waisted girls, please come forward, either one by one or all together, and pick out your clothes.
[It is the erotically tinged devotion of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas which makes Vaishnava Toshani state that Kṛṣṇa was desirous of seeing the central part of their bodies,—
yuṣmākam madhyabhāgādisaundaryam eva draṣṭum iṣyate,
na ca vastrair etair matprayojanam iti nigūḍho bhāvaḥ /
Subodhinī says Kṛṣṇa wanted to see their hearts, interpreting madhya as ‘heart’. Other annotators have just passed it over.
For easy check:-The Bhagavata Purana - by G. V. Tagare 10.22. Footnote No.7]
तस्य तत् क्ष्वेलितं दृष्ट्वा गोप्य: प्रेमपरिप्लुता: ।
व्रीडिता: प्रेक्ष्य चान्योन्यं जातहासा न निर्ययु: ॥
Seeing how Kṛṣṇa was joking with them, the gopīs became fully immersed in love for him, and as they glanced at each other they began to laugh and joke among themselves, even in their embarrassment. But still they did not come out of the water.
एवं ब्रुवति गोविन्दे नर्मणाक्षिप्तचेतस: ।
आकण्ठमग्ना: शीतोदे वेपमानास्तमब्रुवन् ॥
When Kṛṣṇa, expert at speaking, spoke to the gopīs in this way, with minds captivated by his joking words, they spoke to him, but submerged up to their necks in the cold water, they began to shiver.
मानयं भो: कृथास्त्वां तु नन्दगोपसुतं प्रियम् ।
जानीमोऽङ्ग व्रजश्लाघ्यं देहि वासांसि वेपिता: ॥
[The gopīs said:] Dear Kṛṣṇa, don’t be unfair! We know that you are the respectable son of Nanda and that you are honored by everyone in Vraja.
You are also very dear to us. Please give us back our clothes. We are shivering in the cold water.
श्यामसुन्दर ते दास्य: करवाम तवोदितम् ।
देहि वासांसि धर्मज्ञ नो चेद् राज्ञे ब्रुवाम हे ॥
O Śyāmasundara, we are your maidservants and must do whatever you say. But give us back our clothing. You know what the religious principles are, and if you don’t give us our clothes we will have to tell the king.
[Subodhinī quotes a smṛti text to explain this further that Smriti verse prohibits the seeing of the secret parts of a girl, sexual act of beasts, a naked woman or one whose breasts are exposed to view:-
kanyā-yoniṃ paśu-krīḍām nagna-strīṃ prakaṭa-stanīṃ nāvalokayet /
Hence as a knower of dharma, Kṛṣṇa should return the clothes.]
श्रीभगवानुवाच
भवत्यो यदि मे दास्यो मयोक्तं वा करिष्यथ ।
अत्रागत्य स्ववासांसि प्रतीच्छत शुचिस्मिता: ।
नो चेन्नाहं प्रदास्ये किं क्रुद्धो राजा करिष्यति ॥
The Supreme Lord said: If you girls are actually my maidservants, and if you will really do what I say, then come here with your innocent smiles and let each girl pick out her clothes. If you don’t do what I say, I won’t give them back to you. And even if the king becomes angry, what can he do?
ततो जलाशयात् सर्वा दारिका: शीतवेपिता: ।
पाणिभ्यां योनिमाच्छाद्य प्रोत्तेरु: शीतकर्शिता: ॥
Then, shivering from the painful cold, all the young girls rose up out of the water, covering their pubic area with their hands.
भगवानाहता वीक्ष्य शुद्धभावप्रसादित: ।
स्कन्धे निधाय वासांसि प्रीत: प्रोवाच सस्मितम् ॥
When the Supreme Lord saw how the gopīs were struck with embarrassment, he was satisfied by their pure loving affection. Putting their clothes on a tree trunk, the Lord smiled and spoke to them with a smile.
यूयं विवस्त्रा यदपो धृतव्रता
व्यगाहतैतत्तदु देवहेलनम् ।
बद्ध्वाञ्जलिं मूध्र्न्यपनुत्तयेऽहस:
कृत्वा नमोऽधोवसनं प्रगृह्यताम् ॥
Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] You girls bathed naked while executing your vow, and that is certainly an offense against the devatās. To counteract your sin you should offer obeisances while placing your joined palms above your heads.
Then you should take back your lower garments.
Even in Mahabharata clearly stated:- "na nagnaḥ karhicit snāyāt /—Mahābhārata Anu. 104.51
In Vamana Purana chapter 14:-
इत्यच्युतेनाभिहितं व्रजाबला
मत्वा विवस्त्राप्लवनं व्रतच्युतिम् ।
तत्पूर्तिकामास्तदशेषकर्मणां
साक्षात्कृतं नेमुरवद्यमृग् यत: ॥
Thus the young girls of Vṛndāvana, considering what he had told them, accepted that they had suffered a fault in their vow by bathing naked in the river. But they still desired to successfully complete their vow, and they offered their obeisances to their future husband, who thus cleansed them of sin.
तास्तथावनता दृष्ट्वा भगवान् देवकीसुत: ।
वासांसि ताभ्य: प्रायच्छत्करुणस्तेन तोषित: ॥
Seeing them bow down like that, the Supreme Lord, the son of Devakī, gave them back their garments, feeling compassionate toward them and satisfied by their act.
दृढं प्रलब्धास्त्रपया च हापिता:
प्रस्तोभिता: क्रीडनवच्च कारिता: ।
वस्त्राणि चैवापहृतान्यथाप्यमुं
ता नाभ्यसूयन् प्रियसङ्गनिर्वृता: ॥
Although the gopīs had been thoroughly cheated, deprived of their modesty, ridiculed and made to act just like toy dolls, and although their clothing had been stolen, they did not feel at all inimical toward Kṛṣṇa.
Rather, they were simply joyful to have this opportunity to associate with their beloved.
[ As Garga Samhita verse 4.4.14 says:-
"O king of Videha, whatever good result may be attained by yoga, saṅkhya, good deeds, or the study of logic and philosophy, is at once attained simply by loving Lord Kṛṣṇa."
It is clear from the following verse in Gopi-gitam that Gopis of Vraja were aware of the greatness of Krishna.
न खलु गोपिकानन्दनो भवानखिलदेहिनामन्तरात्मदृक्।
"You are not just the son of Yashoda. but you are inherent witness in all embodied beings." - Gopi-gitam]
परिधाय स्ववासांसि प्रेष्ठसङ्गमसज्जिता: ।
गृहीतचित्ता नो चेलुस्तस्मिन्लज्जायितेक्षणा: ॥
After they had dressed, the gopīs, attracted to his association, and attracting him, did not move. They simply glanced at him shyly.
तासां विज्ञाय भगवान् स्वपादस्पर्शकाम्यया ।
धृतव्रतानां सङ्कल्पमाह दामोदरोऽबला: ॥
Dāmodara, understanding the determination of the gopīs in executing their strict vow with a desire to touch his feet, spoke to them as follows.
सङ्कल्पो विदित: साध्व्यो भवतीनां मदर्चनम् ।
मयानुमोदित: सोऽसौ सत्यो भवितुमर्हति ॥
[Lord Kṛṣṇa said:] O saintly girls, I understand that your real motive in this austerity has been to worship me. That intent of yours is approved by me and must come true.
न मय्यावेशितधियां काम: कामाय कल्पते ।
भर्जिता क्वथिता धाना: प्रायो बीजाय नेशते ॥
The desire of those who fix their minds on me does not lead to material desire for sense gratification, just as barleycorns burned by the sun and then cooked can no longer grow into new sprouts.
[ "This divine energy of Mine, 'maya', constituted of three gunas, is
indeed very difficult to surmount. Those who take refuge in Me alone cross over this maya." (Gita 7.14 )]
याताबला व्रजं सिद्धा मयेमा रंस्यथा क्षपा: ।
यदुद्दिश्य व्रतमिदं चेरुरार्यार्चनं सती: ॥
Go now, girls, and return to Vraja. Your desire is fulfilled, for in my company you will enjoy the coming nights. After all, this was the purpose of your vow to worship goddess Kātyāyanī, O pure-hearted ones.
श्रीशुक उवाच
इत्यादिष्टा भगवता लब्धकामा: कुमारिका: ।
ध्यायन्त्यस्तत्पदाम्भोजं कृच्छ्रान्निर्विविशुर्व्रजम् ॥
Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: Thus instructed by the Supreme Lord, the young girls, their desire now fulfilled, could bring themselves only with great difficulty to return to the village of Vraja, meditating all the while upon his lotus feet.
/Here ends the description of this incident of Bhagvatam./
Then in Bhagvatam 10.29 "Kṛṣṇa and the Gopīs Meet for the Rāsa Dance";
There it describes Remembering the promise He had made to the gopīs when He had stolen their clothes, Lord Kṛṣṇa employed His Yoga-māyā potency and manifested within Himself the desire to enjoy pastimes during an autumn night. Thus He began to play His flute. When the gopīs heard the flute’s sound, the impulses of Cupid were violently aroused within them, and they immediately abandoned all their household duties and hastily went to Kṛṣṇa.
Interpretation of Thakur Ramkrishna Paramhans:-
There are 8 fetters which bind a person to the world and as long as a person has even 1 fetter left, they can't realize God. The 8 fetters are shame, hatred, fear, caste, lineage, good conduct, grief, and secretiveness.
The significance of Sri Krishna's stealing Gopis' clothes was to free them from their last remaining fetter.
Link for further reading:- http://www.ramakrishnavivekananda.info/gospel/volume_2/28_star_theatre_i.htm
Who were the Gopis as per Garga Samhita:-
1) The Story of the Personified Vedas:-
verse 4.1.3:
Srī Bahulāśva said: O sage, how did Srī Kṛṣṇacandra fulfill the desires of the personified Vedas that were blessed to take birth as gopīs?
verse 4.1.5:
Srī Nārada said: O king of Videha, because of a benediction given by Lord Seṣaśayī Viṣṇu, some personified Vedas took birth as gopīs in the sainty gopa families of Vraja.
2) The Story of the Gopīs That Had Been Sages:-
verse 4.2.1:
Srī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, please hear the story of the gopīs that had been sages, a sacred story that removes all sins and increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.2.5:
Ths sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya, who by Lord Rāmacandra's blessing were destined to become gopīs, became the daughters of Maṅgala.
[#As I mentioned this earlier in this article, this event is also mentioned in the Padma-Purāṇa Chapter 245, Uttara-Khaṇḍa.
Even Rupa Goswami mentioned this in Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu Verse 1.2.302. Will discuss about this later on in details in future]
verse 4.2.14:
Gazing at handsome Srī Kṛṣṇa, and remembering their previous birth, the girls daily worshiped the Yamunā to attain Kṛṣṇa.
[#NOTE:- Here it means they already knew about their past lives during that time]
verse 4.2.15:
One day the large-eyed and dark-complexioned goddess Yamunā appeared before them and offered to give them a benediction.
verse 4.2.16:
They said, "May Srī Kṛṣṇa, the son of Vraja's king, become our husband."
Yamunā replied, "So be it," and suddenly disappeared.
3) The Story of the Mithilā Women:-
verse 4.3.1:
Srī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, please hear the story of the Mithilā women that become gopīs, a story that brings the result of visiting sacred Daśāśvamedha-tīrtha, a story the increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.3.2:
Because of Lord Rāmacandra's benediction they took birth in the homes of the nine Nandas. When they saw handsome Kṛṣṇa, they became bewildered with love for Him.
verse 4.3.3:
During the auspicious month of Mārgaśīrṣa (November-December) they observed a vow to worship goddess Kātyāyanī. They made a clay deity of the goddess and worshiped her with sixteen offerings.
verse 4.3.4:
Singing Lord Kṛṣṇa's glories as they went, every morning they would bathe in the Yamunā's waters.
verse 4.3.6:
Coming there that morning, Lord Kṛṣṇa silently stole their garments and climbed a kadamba tree.
verse 4.3.7:
Not seeing their clothes, the gopīs were surprised. O king, when they saw Kṛṣṇa in the tree they shyly smiled.
#Later the story is same as Bhagvatam, so, I will not repeat it again verse by verse.
verse 4.3.14:
Taking their garments from Kṛṣṇa, all the girls of Vraja dressed themselves.
Bewildered with love, they shyly gazed at Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.3.16:
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: To attain Me, during the month of Mārgaśīrṣa you followed a vow to worship goddess Kātyāyanī. Your vow will bear its fruit. There is no doubt of that.
4)The Story of the Kauśalā Women:-
verse 4.4.1:
Srī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, please hear the story of the Kauśala women that became gopīs, a sacred story that removes all sins and is filled with the nectar of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.
verse 4.4.2:
By Lord Rāmacandra's blessing they were born in the homes of the nine Upanandas. Decorated with jewel ornaments, they were married to various gopas.
verse 4.4.7:
When they looked at the different objects of the creation made of ether, air, fire, and water, when they looked in the different directions, when they looked at the luminaries in the sky, when they looked at trees, and when they looked at people, they did not see them. They only saw Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.4.12:
O king, how can I describe the austerities they must have performed?
Abandoning the path of what is ordinarily thought desireable in this world, with all their heart and senses they loved Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
5) The Story of the Ayodhyā Women:-
verse 4.5.1:
Srī Nārada said: Please hear the story of the Ayaodhyā women that became gopīs, a story that grants the four goals of life and brings the company of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.6.2:
Then the Ayodhyā women blessed by Lord Rāmacandra took birth as the very beautiful daughters of Vimala and his wives.
verse 4.6.29:
Because they were blessed by Lord Rāmacandra, many women of Ayodhyā, took birth as the beautiful daughters born from you(Vimala) and your wives
verse 4.7.29:
As they enjoyed the happiness of the rāsa dance, King Vimala's daughters perspired. Their perspiration became Vimala-kuṇḍa, the best of holy places.
6) The Story of the Yajña-sītās:-
verse 4.8.1:
Srī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, please hear the story of the yajña-sītās that beame gopīs, a sacred and auspicious story that fulfills all desires and removes all sins.
verse 4.8.5:
The yajña-sītās, who had recieved a blessing from Lord Rāmacandra, took birth in their homes as beautiful gopīs decorated with splendid youthfulness.
verse 4.8.6:
O king of kings, when they saw handsome Lord Kṛṣṇa, they becamne bewildered with love for Him. To ask what vow they might follow to attain Kṛṣṇa's mercy, they approached Srī Rādhā.
verse 4.8.8:
O Rādhā, You have made Lord Kṛṣṇa, whom even the great demigods cannot approach, into Your submissive servant. You are the most beautiful girl in all the worlds. You have crossed to the farther shore of the deep meaning of all the scriptures.
verse 4.9.23:
Srī Nārada said: After hearing from Srī Rādhā's mouth the glories of ekādaśī, the gopīs that had been yajña-sītās, and who were now yearning to attain Srī Kṛṣṇa, carefully followed ekādaśī.
7) The Story of the Pulindā Women:-
verse 4.10.1:
Srī Nārada said: Now I will tell you the story of the Pulindā women that become gopīs, a wonderful and sacred story that removes all sins and increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.10.11:
By Lord Rāmacandra's blessing many Pulinda women took birth as their splendidly beautiful daughters. They were glorious and worshipable as the goddess of fortune herself.
verse 4.10.14:
The great good fortune of these Pulindā girls is that they attained the dust of Srī Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet, dust that even the great demigods cannot attain.
8) The Story of the Gopīs That were Residents of Ramā-vaikuṇṭha, Śvetadvīpa, Urdhva-vaikuṇṭha, Ajita-pada, and Śrī Lokācala:-
verse 4.11.1:
Śrī Nārada said: O king of Mithilā, please hear the story of the other gopīs, a sacred story that removes all sins, and increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.11.2:
O king, the six Vṛṣabhānus: Nītivit, Mārgada, Śukla, Pataṅga, Divyavāhana, and Gopeṣṭa, were born in Vraja.
verses 4.11.3-4:
In their homes, by a benediction granted by Lord Nārāyaṇa, were born the girls of Ramā-Vaikuṇṭha, Urdhva-Vaikuṇṭha, Lokācala, and Ajitapada, who had all been born from the ocean of milk and who were all friends of the goddess of fortune.
9) The Story of the Demigoddesses:-
verse 4.13.1:
Now please hear the story of the demigoddesses that became gopīs, a story that grants the four goals of life and increases one's love for Lord Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.13.6:
By Devala Muni's words, all the demigoddesses were born as his(Nanda-divaspati) daughters, daughters splendid like flames in a blazing fire.
verse 4.13.8:
As they bathed at sunrise in the Yamunā, these girls of Vraja, who had fallen in love with Kṛṣṇa, every day loudly sang of Lord Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.
verse 4.13.9:
Pleased with them, Lord Kṛṣṇa said to them, "Please ask for a benediction."
Slowly bowing down with folded hands, these girls spoke to Kṛṣṇa.
verse 4.13.10:
The gopīs said: Even the great kings of the yogīs cannot attain You. You are the master of all, the first cause of all causes. Holding a flute, and more handsome than Kāmadeva, please always stay before our eyes.
verse 4.13.11:
Lord Kṛṣṇa said, "So be it." He was always before them. He appeared in their heart and He appeared before their eyes as if they had just called Him.
verse 4.13.12:
Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and no one else, is the original Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Coming to this world to do one thing, He did millions of other things as well.
10) The Story of the Jālandharīs:-
verse 4.14.33:
Then the powerful demon-king Kaṃsa gave to Raṅgoji a beautiful city named Barhiṣat, which stood on the outskirts of Vraja.
The gopa-king Raṅgoji made his home there. There, by Lord Kṛṣṇa's benediction, the Jālandharīs were born from his many wives.
verse 4.14.35:
Decorated with beauty and youth, they were married to various gopas. They loved Lord Kṛṣṇa as their paramour.
11) The Story of the Women of Barhishmati-pura, the Apsaras, and the Women of Sutala and Nagendra):-
verse 4.15.2:-
Some had previously been born from the milk-ocean and had been the goddess of fortune's friends, and now were born as gopīs by Lord Matsya's benediction, and others had been the plants the sprouted when the earth was milked.
verse 4.15.4:
Some had been the women of Sutalaloka and became gopīs by the blessings of Lord Vāmana. Others had been the daughters of the king of the Nāgas and they became gopīs by the spiritual blessings of Lord Śeṣa.
verse 4.15.5:
Durvāsā Muni gave them the wonderful kṛṣṇā-pañcāṅga method of worship.
Following it, they worshiped the Yamunā and attained Lord Kṛṣṇa as their husband.
verse 4.15.11:
All these gopīs attained Nanda's son, Lord Kṛṣṇa, the perfect Supreme Personality of Godhead, as their lover. Who can describe the austerities they must have performed?
verse 4.15.12:
During the beautiful month of Caitra (March-April), by the Yamunā's shore, the beautiful gopīs that had been the daughters of the Nāga-king attained the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Lord Balarāma, as their lover.
I end this article with this beautiful verse:-
"I worship Govinda, the original Supreme Person, who though present in the self of every living being, ever resides in Goloka in
His own form, accompanied by His own expansions [the gopis], who are completely permeated by the conscious and blissful rasa[o f love],
I worship Govinda, the original Supreme Person, whose essential being of inconceivable attributes is a beautiful blackish form that the sages, their eyes clarified by the salve of love, see constantly in their hearts also.
~(Brahma -samhita 5.37-38)
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