RASA LILA: BACKGROUND TO GOPI-GITA

The autumn rasā-līla, called saradiya-rāsa, is described in Srimad Bhagavatam. it transpired in Vrindavan’s Vamsivata, a vast forest where millions of gopis gathered to dance with Sri Krishna. At that time, Vamsivata looked completely different from the way it does now, for the branches of the massive Banyan tree (vata) under which Sri Krishna played His flute (vamsi) spanned a vast area.Krishna danced with Srimati Radhika at the center of the circle of gopis, and at the same time he danced with each of the gopis comprising the circle. It is not that He expanded into many manifestations of Himself as there were gopis, because in Vrindavana, all his pastimes are free from the mood of opulence (aisvarya). Rather, He danced so quickly, like a firebrand orbiting in a circle, that it simply looked as if he were constantly and simultaneously dancing with each and every gopi. Had He expanded into many manifestations of Himself, this pastime would have been aisvarya-līla. Instead, He was engaged in human-like pastimes (nara-līla). Srila Vishwanatha Charavarti Thakura explained that in fact, only Krishna’s original form (svyam-rupa) performed this transcendental pastime. Thus it was concluded that Krishna moved like a lightning flash from gopi to gopi, dancing with each one in turn. In this way, this pastime was miraculous. Moreover, He performed many varieties of activities with the gopis as they danced together. He asked one gopi if they were fatigued, He gently wiped drops of perspiration from another, and He fastened ankle bells on the ankle of another. With each and every gopi he engaged in various interactions, and thus each gopi became maddened in their love for Him. The gopis’ madness here is described as intoxicated by their own good fortune. They were intoxicated by their good fortune in which they perceived Krishna dancing with them alone. Each gopi was convinced that she had Krishna fully under her control, thet He was captivated and controlled by her and obedient to her every command. Krishna understood this and considered, “I have decided to sport with all the gopis and fulfill all their most cherished desires, but there is no hope of that happening unless they change their mood. Somehow, their pride must be removed.” It is stated in Srimad Bhagavatam (10.29.48) that Lord Kesava, seeing the gopis too proud of their good fortune, wanted to relieve them of their pride and show them further mercy. Thus He immediately disappeared.Although it was said that the gopis as an entired group exhibited saubhagya-madaand māna, it is apparent that māna was exhibited only by Srimati Radhika. Only She could see Krishna dancing with the other gopis. The other gopis did not see this, and thus they were intoxicated by their good fortune in which they perceived Krishna dancing with them alone. Here saubhagya-mada means intoxication from the pride of thinking, “ In all of Vraja, there is no one equal to me in good fortune.”He then saw that Radhika was no longer in the rasa-lila. In her māna (sulky mood), She had abruptly left that place and was going elsewhere. Then suddenly Krishna also disappeared, and all of the gopis began their search for him. Srila Vishwanatha Charavarti Thakura explained that Krishna went to a nearby kunja and hid there.Srila Vishwanatha Charavarti Thakura, in his commentary, has described the gopis’ search for Krishna everywhere. They sought Him everywhere, in every cave and kunja of Vraja, and despite feeling overwhelming hopelessness when their attempts failed, they continued their search.Finally, they came to the enchanting bank of the Yamuna River, where they became fully immersed in sankīrtana—a soulful entreaty to Sri Krishna by singing His names and pastimes—in the form of ‘gopi-gita’.

From ‘Gopi-Gita: The Gopis’ Song of Seperation’, by Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Goswami maharaja1