Srimad Bhagavatam – day 729
The Gopikas frantically comb the forests searching for Srikrishna
Tenth Canto Chapter Thirty
In this chapter, the Gopikas searching frantically for Srikrishna is covered.
Maharishi Śuka continued, ‘The Gopikas who could not spot the Lord in their midst were traumatized and they agonized like the female elephants that grieve upon not finding their male partner”.
At that moment, these ladies were conceited due to pride and therefore are compared to female elephants. Currently they had their nose in the air and as such it was essential to reform them. The disappearance of the Lord left them devastated and grief-stricken.
“The walk, talk, calm demeanour, the sidelong tender gazes, the enigmatic smile, the deep laughter, mesmerizing speech, playful sports and other bewildering actions of the Supreme Lord Krishna, the husband of Goddess Lakshmi, had especially captivated the minds of these women-folk. It had caused them to forget themselves and this universe”.
The Lord had stolen their minds completely and hence at every moment they thought exclusively about Him. It was as if their minds were not under their control anymore; they belonged solely to the Lord.
“Now with feelings of oneness with Him and with their minds fixed exclusively upon Him, they began to behave just as He did. Due to their deep love for Srikrishna, they walked, talked, cast sidelong tender gazes, laughed and wandered exactly as He did. In all their actions, they attained oneness with Him”.
The moment they touched Srikrishna it was as if they had assumed oneness in form with Him. They were no longer their earlier selves. To them, their bodies appeared like that of Krishna’s. Their mind anyway belonged to the Lord, now it was as if their bodies together with the senses had also become like Him.
“Imitating all His actions, they looked at one another saying, ‘I am Srikrishna’.”
Krishna did not vanish. Look at me, I am Krishna- each of them said to the other. The thousands of women had attained oneness with Krishna the moment they touched Him.
“Singing loudly, all of them wandered from one forest to another like mad people searching for Srikrishna.
Srikrishna, the Supreme Lord, is akin to space, the absolute completeness that pervades everything within and outside the living entity”.
It should be understood that they were searching within their mind for that Lord. Due to attaining mental oneness with Him, to them, their bodies appeared like that of Krishna’s. The truth is that entire creation is filled with Him. Every tree, every pit, every mountain, every river, every pond and every existence is pervaded by Him. He pervades everything within and outside the living entity. These Gopikas could see Krishna pervading everything. They were searching for Krishna in the external forests, when in reality, they were searching for Him within their minds.
“They enquired of the trees, ‘O fig tree, O white fig tree, O banyan tree! Krishna, the son of Nanda, has with His charming smiles and loving gazes stolen our hearts and vanished. O trees, please listen to what we say. Please hear our sorrowful tale. He has stolen our minds. He has attracted our bodies, minds and senses. Have you seen Him anywhere?
O river, have you seen our Krishna? O chamomile flower, O ponna, O jasmine, O nagakesari (calophyllum), Srikrishna, the younger brother of Balarama, is adept is destroying the pride of young maidens who pride in their beauty. He has incarnated to destroy the pride in us. Did He pass by this way? We are unable to withstand these pangs of separation from Him.
O Tulasi, you bestow auspiciousness. The holy feet of Lord Govinda are extremely dear to you. Hence you eternally meditate upon Him. He too wears you, who are encircled by a swarm of buzzing bees, as a garland around His neck. O Tulasi, you, who have placed your mind entirely upon Him, are thus aware of His whereabouts. Have you seen Him?
O jāji (Spanish jasmine), malli (Arabian jasmine), O gooseberry tree, O wild jasmine plant, as Srikrishna passed by this way, He touched you thereby causing you great delight. Do you know where He is now?
O mango tree, jack fruit tree, O vijaysar tree, morati tree, red sandalwood tree, O arka plant, berry plant, O bael tree, O pogada tree, kadamba tree, O scarlet mallow tree and all other trees growing by the banks of River Yamuna, please tell us the path taken by Krishna”.
Unable to withstand this separation from Krishna, the Gopikas were weeping. They were enquiring with every plant and tree on their path whether it had spotted Krishna.
“O trees frankly let us know the path taken by Krishna. After all, you have taken birth solely for the benefit of others. This forest exists solely to relieve the sufferings of others. O trees that exist within this forest! O flowers which are blooming in this forest! Did any of you watch Srikrishna when He was going? Have you any idea of the path taken by Him?”
In madness, thousands of Gopikas were frantically searching for Him everywhere. Each of them was running in search of Him and they would ask each other whether they had spotted Krishna anywhere. Did you spot His footprints? Did you see His yellow clothing anywhere? Could His garland be spotted- they asked one another as they ran through the forests searching for Him.
Their agony could be compared to the agony experienced by Srirama upon separation from His dearest wife Sita. Just as Srirama had previously searched for Sita, these Gopikas were agitatedly searching for Krishna.
Krishna Krishna