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And when the Gopis approached the Lord, there was no trace of human passion in them, no love of human flesh, no idea of material gratification. They placed themselves entirely at the service of the Lord. But there were those that had the yearning to do so, to free them- selves from all material obstacles in their way, to offer their individ- uality to the Lord, but the Prarabdha Karma was too much for them. Their past Karma had woven a net round them which they could not break through. It was the yearning which the Lord looked to and not the overcoming of obstacles in the way. And though they died with that yearning only, the death completed what they yearned for, for then the Union was complete. The Vrindavana Lila is Nitya or constant. The Rasa Lila is for all 338 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana time, for all Bhaktas. The night is the time for rest but it is the rest of bodily actions. For, towards the close of night, spiritual activity sets in. Men get spiritual teachings and spiritual advancement without knowing it. But it is only a few, who have a conscious union with the Lord who manifests Himself in the heart of man. Purusha is one. Jiva Prakritis or Para Prakritis are many. To Pu- rusha Jiva must be always negative, however positive it may be to- wards the forms of Apara Prakriti. Purusha is always Male. And to Him, Jiva Prakriti is always a female. As the Vaishnavas say, there is only one male in all Vrindavana and that male is the Lord Sri Kr- ishna. In devotional practice, one should consider himself a female, the male being the Lord of the universe, as reflected in the heart of every man. The Gopis heard the music and went to Sri Krishna. If you are of the world, go back to the world. But no, the Gopis were not of the world. They had every right to the union. And Sri Krishna could not deny them His companionship. Nay, it was a great thing to the Lord Himself that Jivas should return to Him with all their spiritual experiences that the Universe might be served and pro- tected. The concession was natural, the joy was mutual. But in the midst of the union itself, there is a danger, a most subtle danger, that of Egoism, "I am in union with the Lord." The first and the last weak- ness of humanity, this I-ness is a drawback even in the highest spiri- tual life of man. The Gopis thought of themselves and there was an in- stant break in the union. The Lord disappeared. The Lord incarnated for the good of the Universe and not of individuals, and if individuals were dear to Him it was for the sake of the Universe. He was no spe- cial property of the Gopis; What did the Gopis do? They imitated his actions on the Earth. They followed His footsteps wherever found. They approached the Lord as much as they could in idea. At last they broke out, "Thou art surely not the son of a Gopi. Thou art the inmost seer of all beings. Implored by Brahma thou hast appeared, O friend in the line of the Satvatas, for the protection of the Universe." The Gopis now realised that the Lord they wanted to be united to was the Lord of the Universe. His mission was the protection of the Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 339 universe. Could they share with Him? It was then and then only that they could expect a continuity of the union. It was not for themselves only that they had any further right. Hut the Gopis now cared not for themselves. They cared for their Lord, whom they now knew and realised to be the Lord of the Universe. And lo! the Lord appeared again. This time there was union but not individual union. Hand in hand, the Gopis formed a circle with their Lord, not the individual Lord, but the universal Lord making Himself many. Every Gopi held the hands of the Lord and all the Gopis collectively formed one circle, and the circle went on dancing and dancing. The Devas looked with wonder and envied the lot of the Gopis. Let that wonder grow amongst us. Let us catch a glimpse of that divine dance, that Rasa Lila, that men may become gods on the Earth. Sudarsana, Sankha Chuda, Arishta, Kesi and Vyoma. The Vidyadharas and Yakshas were controlled and other obstacles overcome. Even the barrier of Akasa, which forms the final limit of actions and wisdom in the universe, was pushed through. Work was now over at Vrindavana. The Bhaktas were now fitted to pass across the limits of Brahmanda to Goloka. Akrira. With the advent of Akrtira, we move backwards from the heart to the head, from the world of Bhaktas to the world at large. When Kansa presided over Mathura, men were guided by Self in their thoughts and actions. Jarasandha, who represented the Brahmanism of self-seeking Yajnas, was the friend of Kansa. Akrtira was the messenger selected by Kansa to fetch Rama and Krishna from Vrindavana. Krira is cruel. Akrara is one who is not cruel. It was not cruelty on the part of Akriira to take Rama and Krishna to Mathura. He was no doubt seemingly cruel to the Gopis. But he was kind to the generality of mankind, who did not live in Vrindavana. The Gopis, followers of the path of Devotion, could not bear the sight of him and they called him a mock Rishi. But he was really a Bhakta himself, though he adhered to Vedic Karma. He performed the Vedic Sandhya and recited Vedic Mantras; he was rewarded with the vision of Rama and Krishna in meditation. This votary of Karma Kanda was a fitting messenger from Kansa. 340 A Study of the Bhagavata Purana He united in himself the spirituality of Karma Kanda and the un- selfishness of the path of Devotion. From Vrindavana to Mathura we proceed from the inner man to the outer man, from the everlasting companions of Sri Krishna to His surroundings as an Avatara. In the Vrindavana Lila, we find Krishna in his relations to the holy beings and to the Devas who incarnated with Him for the good of the universe. Whenever a great Avatara appears on the Earth, his companions also appear with him. His relations to his own compan- ions serve as a living example to others. They afford a lesson to all Bhaktas for all time. This part of the Lila is based upon undying, eter- nal truths, upon the permanent relations between Jiva and Ishvara. The heart of man is the seat of this Lila, which can be reproduced at all times, in the heart of every real Bhakta. The Gopis are the same now as they were when Krishna sanctified the Earth. They are the preservers of the universe, according to Gopi Chandana Upanishad. And their ranks may be increased by devoted Bhaktas who give up all for the sake of the universe and its Lord. There is one point more in the relations of the Gopas and Gopis to Krishna. Love was the one bond which united them all to Him. They sought him in their inmost heart, they talked to him, they knew him as one of themselves. He was a son to them, a companion, a lover. Whatever pleased the Lord pleased them. Whatever was His work was their work too. They abnegated themselves. They merged them- selves entirely in Krishna. There was no question of duty; no rules, no injunctions. The Vedas did not exist for the dwellers in Vrinda- vana. The Smritis were not written for them. They did not tread the path of karma. Love-bound, they gave themselves entirely up to Kr- ishna and they did not stop to ask the reason why, they did not stop to cast a glance at the world they left. But the union was hardly complete; the Gopis had scarcely em- braced their friend, their lover, than he disappeared into the regions of the Universe. The message came that He was to be sought in the Universe. The Lord of the Universe was not the lover of the Gopis. He could not be the direct object of their love. But, when the Gopis knew that their own Krishna was the Lord of the Universe, they failed not to Purnendu Narayana Sinha, M. A., B. L. 341 bear the same love to Him. But the majesty of the Universe was ill- adapted to the sweetness of their domestic love. They were out of harmony with the lordliness of their Lord at Dvaraka. So when the Lord finally received them at Kurukshetra, the Gopis said that, home- bred as they were, they could not forget the lotus feet of Krishna in their heart. They were re-united to Krishna, as the all-pervading Pu- rusha, the preserver of the Universe. The veil may be lifted a little further. We have already seen that life in the higher Lokas is purely unselfish, for, as the Bhagavata says, the higher Lokas are transfor- mations of Nishkama Karma. We are to abnegate ourselves before we can go to Mahar Loka. This abnegation can be accomplished by merging ourselves in some one who stands across the Triloki. Love alone breaks the barrier between man and man. If we can get an ob- ject of unselfish love, to whom we can give everything that we have, we may easily learn the lesson of self-surrender. By the bond of love, souls group together in Mahar Loka and they learn the first lessons of universal life. What better object of love can one have than one of the Avataras himself? What union will be more glorious, more last- ing, more spiritual? And Sri Krishna offered himself for such love to those that are devoted to him. And the most fortunate amongst hu- manity are those that complete the love-union with Sri Krishna. They form an inseparable group with Him, and the plane of their union is Goloka. The Vaishnavas place that Loka higher than Vaikuntha It- self. It is the plane proper of Sri Krishna, where he is always at home with his Bhaktas. There may be many centres round which souls might gather in the higher Lokas, many types of universal life, but there is none so high, so noble, so glorious, as the centre afforded by Lord Krishna. When Krishna incarnates, He cannot do so singly. The Gopis appear with Him.