Sadguru Nishkulanand Swami finds words incapable of describing the love and tender feelings of the Gopis. It is impossible to sing the praises of their selfless love. The Gopis were longing for darshan of Shree Krishna. Many days had passed in painful separation. Mathura is not so far from Gokul. It is only five miles away. The Gopis thought to visit Mathura to do darshan of Shree Krishna, but lovers are used to respecting the feelings of each other. A lover will not hurt the feelings of her loved one. Krishna had told them earlier that he himself would return at least once and that too on his own, to see them personally. The Gopis found it improper to ignore the order of their loved one. Such an act may hurt him:
(The Gopis were impatient in their heart. They were anxious to do darshan of Shree Krishna. The impatient Gopis thought to check the forest to look for Shree Krishna there.)
The Gopis assumed that Shree Krishna was in the forest. They desired to screen the forest to do darshan of Shree Krishna. They said to their mother-in-law, “O Baajee! We are leaving for Mathura to sell the curd.” They put the containers on their head and went in a group from grove to grove in the forest of Brindavan:
(They roam grove to grove in the pretext of selling curd. They inquire amidst them for the whereabouts of Krishna. The pain of separation has become unbearable for them.)
If they find anybody, they inquire impatiently with them about Shree Krishna. They sit and cry together in their strenuous search of Shree Krishna. They recall the past occasions and narrate to their friends: “This is the place where Krishna had played raas with us. It was the happiest moment of our life. Today, the place looks sad and gloomy.” The Gopis visited all those places where they had enjoyed such pleasant times with Krishna, remembering those joyous events and lamenting in their separation at such places!
(O Krishna! I am waiting for you. O Son of Nandrai, why haven’t you come? You have cheated us by sending misguiding messages in Kartak. You have not yet come to Vraj. Even though a confirmed liar, we still love you heartily. We Gopis are very sad in the month of Magshar. We have surrendered our body and soul; we have crossed the limiting line of worldly decorum. O Shree Krishna! Please come soon.)
The Gopis are counting desperately the days and months of their separation from Shree Krishna. Love is experienced less during times of togetherness, but its intensity is realised more in the state of separation. To intensify love for God, read and listen to the episodes of God. Read stories of the incarnations of God. Read and think upon it. Detach yourself from the world and the worldly ways. Detachment is a must in devotion of God. Devotion will not be pleasurable without detachment.
The Gopis devotion is not selfish. They are free from desire. Gyan (divine knowledge) and Vairagya (detachment) are the fruits of desire-free devotion. The Gopis’ love for Shree Krishna is pure and unselfish. Shree Krishna has tested the love of the Gopis.
Shree Krishna at Dwarika was bed ridden due to prolonged ailments. Eight principal queens tried their best to serve him, but there was no improvement in his health. Krishna said to them, “There is a sure cure. If a devotee of mine gives the dust from his feet to place on my body, I shall be freed from this ailment. The touch of this dust will cure me.”
The queens were devotees of Shree Krishna. Krishna was their husband – their God. How could anyone come forward and give the dust from their feet. Such act by a wife of giving “Charan-Raj” to their husband is surely a sinful act for a chaste wife. Such a major sin would consign her to the lowest hell. The queens therefore refused to give charanraj.
Meanwhile Narada came there to inquire about Shree Krishna’s health. Shree Krishna explained to him about the ailment and suggested remedy. A devotee’s charnraj was enough to cure him. Shree Krishna asked him to give charanraj, but even Narada, though a devotee of Shree Krishna, found it most risky. Submission of charanraj would consign him to hell and hell was not a place of his liking! Narada slipped away silently from there and came to Vrindavan to break the news. The Gopis cried in pain when Narada narrated the agonies of Shree Krishna. Narada then explained to them the sure cure – Charanraj of a devotee but cautioned them about consignment to hell in doing so. However the Gopis said without any hesitation, “O Narad! Our Krishna is unwell. Take our Charanraj immediately and give it to him. We are ready for hell, if it will cure Krishna of his ailment. Hell will be nothing for us, if our Krishna is comfortable.”
Narada came to Vaikuntha with the Charanraj of the Gopis. Narada said, “O Maharaj! Please receive this Charanraj of the Gopis.” Tears of love dropped from the eyes of Shree Krishna. This shows the greatness of the Gopis and their love for Shree Krishna. The Gopis desire nothing in return for their devotion. They desire only to please Shree Krishna. Shree Krishna recovered instantly with the Charanraj. The Gopis passed the test! The Gopis longed for Shree Krishna:
(I am impatient to meet my Mohan, I am eager to hug him. I cannot sleep at night nor eat anything during the day. My soul and mind are merged in devotional praises of God. My eyes are tempted to see Him. My heart longs for God, for darshan of his face. I desire to embrace him. O Lord of Nishkulanand! When will I hug you?)
The heart should be free from sin and free from desire to engage in such devotion. The Gopis’ devotion is pure and unpolluted. Devotion is not possible if the soul is sunk in desires and worldly relations. Such polluted souls cannot enjoy the eternal pleasures of devotion – the soul will not progress towards God, if the mind is polluted with desires.
Desire is the cause of rebirth
There was once a Chauba. Brahmin priests from Mathura are known as chaubas. This chauba of Mathura was a confirmed addict. Once he went from Mathura to Gokul by boat. He sat in the boat under heavy intoxication and rowed it constantly for the whole night. He spent the whole night rowing his boat.
In the daylight he saw people at the bank of the river. He asked them, “Which place is this?”
They answered him, “This is Vishram Ghat of Mathura.”
The chauba said to himself, “What is this nonsense? I have spent a whole night rowing my boat from Mathrua and I’m still here at the same place?”
When he checked his boat, he found that it was tied tightly there to the bank! Similarly, the ropes of desire should be untied to reach one’s destination. Delusion and desire should be removed to walk on the path of devotion. The soul will not attain God if tied down with such ropes of desire. Japa and tapa from ones lifetime will be fruitless, if such ropes of desire are not removed. Untie the ropes and do devotion. Desire is the cause of rebirth. Burn your desires!
Pada - 5
(O God! Why am I alive in this pain of separation? It is better to die if a loved one is not with us. O Lord! Please grant my prayer and allow me to die.)
The Gopis have lost all solace. They wish to die instead of living with the pain of separation in the same way a serpent would not be happy if his jewel is lost or a rich man would prefer to die if he has lost his wealth.
Life is meaningless for an ascetic if he has lost his saintly attributes. The life of a sati would be meaningless if she lost her chastity. Similarly, the Gopis said, “Our Lord is not with us. Life is meaningless for us without him.”
(A barren woman has no life. Her life is meaningless. God is separated from me and a desired death is not available)
A banana tree looks dull and lifeless after bearing crop. It will not be useful after bearing fruits. The Gopis pray, “O Krishna! We have become dull and without substance in your absence. What else can we do by living? Death is better than such life. But a wishful death is not available to us.” The Gopis are very disturbed and uneasy.