Srimad Bhagavatam – day 739
Mahā-rāsa-leela
Narayana Krishna
Tenth Canto Chapter Thirty-three
In this chapter, Srikrishna engages with the Gopikas in the dance called Mahā-rāsa leela.
Maharishi Śuka continued, “The Gopikas, who with love and rapt attention listened to the sweet words uttered by the Supreme Lord, cast off the agony which had been generated due to separation from Him’.”
Listening to His sweet words, which were replete with Vedantic truths and which seemed realistic, the Gopikas shed the agony from their hearts.
“By touching Srikrishna, all their desires had been fulfilled. At that moment, the Supreme Lord Srikrishna began the Rāsakreeda dance with those Gopikas who were filled with love and who, being in His sway, diligently walked in His footsteps.
During Rāsa-kreeda, a dance which is conducted in circular motion, all the Gopikas inter-locked their arms and thus became jewels for Srikrishna, who was standing at the centre of the concentric circles created by these women.
Srikrishna then began the Rāsa-kreeda dance. He, who is the master of all illusionary energies, transformed into many identical forms and standing between two Gopikas, embraced them at their necks. At this juncture each Gopika felt as if the Supreme Lord was right beside her”.
The Gopikas inter-locked their arms with those of their partners and circle-danced with Krishna located in the centre of the circle. In another circle, the Gopikas inter-locked only one arm with that of their partners and circle-danced with Krishna standing in the centre. In another circle, they were holding the hands of Krishna who had manifested in-between each Gopika and her partner and they circle-danced. It was a majestic dance. At times, they saw a single Krishna and hordes of Gopikas. At other times, it appeared to each Gopika as if Krishna was right beside her. At times it was concentric circles while at times it was different circles.
They could spot one Krishna at the centre of the circle and yet Krishna was right beside them. For every Gopika there was a Krishna. For every Krishna there was a Gopika. And yet, they could see one Krishna. Many strange combinations were formed during these circle-dances. None apart from Srikrishna, the Supreme Lord, is adept at creating these strange combinations of circle-dances. This dance is solely His creation. None before Him and none after Him can ever perform such circle dance. They can circle-dance but can anyone manifest simultaneously into thousands of identical forms and dance? At best thousands of men can don identical attires but it is beyond human capacities for a single person to transform into many.
“Seeing Srikrishna right beside her, each Gopika rejoiced. In excitement and curiosity, the denizens of heaven rushed to this spot accompanied by their spouses. Seated in their celestial aircrafts, they eagerly witnessed this majestic circle dance of the Lord. Skies were crowded due to the presence of the innumerable celestial aircrafts belonging to the celestials known as Yakshas, Gandharvas, Kinnaras, Kimpurushas etc”.
Each celestial who was witnessing the dance thought that the dance was taking place in his/her own celestial aircraft or in his/her own planetary system. Such was the illusion created by Srikrishna. Wherever they saw, they saw Gopikas who were circle-dancing with Krishna dancing in-between them or with them. To each Devata, the circle appeared differently. To each Gopika the circular combination appeared differently. This supreme divine dance called Rāsa-kreeda is beyond any artist’s imagination; it is beyond depiction at human plane and beyond the scope of any poetic skills.
The lakhs of Gopikas had formed thousands of circles and were circle-dancing with Krishna everywhere. The entire forest or in fact the entire skies was filled with circle-dancers. Wherever one looked, only Krishna was visible. Wherever one looked, women engrossed in circle dancing could be seen.
“At that juncture, drums and kettle-drums were played in heaven. Flowers rained from heaven upon all the circle-dancers and on Krishna. He, who is the Lord of the universe, sat quietly in a corner playing the flute, while all the women-folk danced in their circles all across the grove. Seated there, He was witnessing every Gopika and every Krishna and deriving great delight. He was rejoicing at His own transcendental sport.
Together with the Apsaras, the denizens of heavens sang delightedly glorifying the Lord. In this extra-ordinary Rāsa-kreeda, the Gopikas danced along with Srikrishna, their beloved Lord. Forgetting their existence and their bodies, they were immersed in this divine dance.
The sound of the Lord’s flute pervaded through the space. The bangles, bracelets waist-bands of the women-folk who were dancing, clashed against one another making melodious rhythmic sounds.
Tatrātiśuśubhe tābhir bhagavān devakī-sutaḥ
Madhye maṇīnāḿ haimānāḿ mahā-marakato yathā
The Supreme Lord Srikrishna, the son of Devaki, who was dancing surrounded by the Gopikas in all directions, illumined divinely like a huge emerald stone positioned in the middle of a chain made of golden beads”.
The precious gems illumine brightly when an emerald is placed in their midst. Krishna was glowing like a huge emerald stone situated in-between the golden beads.
Krishna Narayana