Tuesday, May 10, 2022

Uddhava realizes the glory of Gopis


Uddhava was supremely pleased. Desiring to offer them all respect, he sang as follows. 
58. [Uddhava sang:] Among all persons on earth, these cowherd women alone have actually perfected their embodied lives, for they have achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Lord Govinda. Their pure love is hankered after by those who fear material existence, by great sages, and by ourselves as well. For one who has tasted the narrations of the infinite Lord, what is the use of taking birth as a highclass brahmana, or even as Lord Brahma himself?
59. How amazing it is that these simple women who wander about the forest, seemingly spoiled by improper behavior, have achieved the perfection of unalloyed love for Krsna, the Supreme Soul! Still, it is true that the Supreme Lord Himself awards His blessings even to an ignorant worshiper, just as the best medicine works even when taken by a person ignorant of its ingredients. 
60. When Lord Sri Krsna was dancing with the gopis in the rasa-lila, the gopis were embraced by the arms of the Lord. This transcendental favor was never bestowed upon the goddess of fortune or other consorts in the spiritual world. Indeed, never was such a thing even imagined by the most beautiful girls in the heavenly planets, whose bodily luster and aroma resemble the lotus flower. And what to speak of worldly women who are very beautiful according to material estimation? 61. The gopis of Vrndavana have given up the association of their husbands, sons and other family members, who are very difficult to give up, and they have forsaken the path of chastity to take shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, Krsna, which one should search for by Vedic knowledge. Oh, let me be fortunate enough to be one of the bushes, creepers or herbs in Vrndavana, because the gopis trample them and bless them with the dust of their lotus feet. 
62. The goddess of fortune herself, along with Lord Brahma and all the other demigods, who are masters of yogic perfection, can worship the lotus feet of Krsna only within her mind. But during the rasa dance Lord Krsna placed His feet upon these gopis’ breasts, and by embracing those feet the gopis gave up all distress. 
63. I repeatedly offer my respects to the dust from the feet of the women of Nanda Maharaja’s cowherd village. When these gopis loudly chant the glories of Sri Krsna, the vibration purifies the three worlds. 
64. Sukadeva Gosvami said: Uddhava, the descendant of Dasarha, then took permission to leave from the gopis and from mother Yasoda and Nanda Maharaja. He bade farewell to all the cowherd men and, about to depart, mounted his chariot. 
65. As Uddhava was about to leave, Nanda and the others approached him bearing various items of worship. With tears in their eyes they addressed him as follows. 
66. [Nanda and the other cowherds said:] May our mental functions always take shelter of Krsna’s lotus feet, may our words always chant His names, and may our bodies always bow down to Him and serve Him. 
67. Wherever we are made to wander about this world by the Supreme Lord’s will, in accordance with the reactions to our fruitive work, may our good works and charity always grant Us love for Lord Krsna. 
68. [Sukadeva Gosvami continued:] O ruler of men, thus honored by the cowherd men with expressions of devotion for Lord Krsna, Uddhava went back to the city of Mathura, which was under Krsna’s protection. 
69. After falling down to pay his homage, Uddhava described to Lord Krsna the immense devotion of the residents of Vraja. Uddhava also described it to Vasudeva, Lord Balarama and King Ugrasena and presented to them the gifts of tribute he had brought with him.