99- Gopi Geet: The Gopis’ Cry of Love in Separation

Immersed in love, having lost all outer awareness, the gopis wandered from forest to forest, pointing out to one another the lotus footprints of Bhagwan Shree Krishna. Meanwhile, the one most fortunate gopi, whom Bhagwan Shree Krishna had taken aside into seclusion (Shree Radha), experienced a subtle thought within her heart: “Among all the gopis, I alone am the most special. That is why our beloved Shree Krishna has left the others, who love Him so deeply, and has chosen only me, honouring me in this special way.”

This feeling did not arise in Shree Radha because of ego or pride. When Shree Krishna had taken her alone into the forest, the other gopis were burning in the fire of separation. Shree Radha is karunamayi, the embodiment of compassion; she could not bear the suffering of her beloved companions. She reflected, “If I remain with Krishna in this way, my sakhis, tormented by separation, may give up their very lives.”

Therefore, out of compassion, she deliberately enacted a gentle show of maan (loving reserve) and said, “I am tired now; place me upon Your shoulder.”

The moment Shree Radha extended her hand to ascend upon His shoulder, Bhagwan Shree Krishna instantly disappeared from that very spot. Thereafter, that beloved gopi, Shree Radha, was herself consumed by the fire of separation and began to repent deeply.

“O Nath! Alas, O Beloved! Alas, O Dearest One! O mighty-armed Krishna—where are You? Where are You? My friend! I am Your helpless, fallen maidservant. O Dear Friend! Please reveal Your presence to me” (Bhagavat 10.30.39)

Meanwhile, the gopis, following the path marked by Shree Krishna’s lotus footprints, reached that place. From a little distance, they saw that one of their companions lay unconscious, overwhelmed by sorrow due to separation from her beloved Shree Krishna. They gently brought her back to consciousness. 

When she revived, she told them how much love and honour Bhagwan Shree Krishna had shown her. She also confessed, “Because of my pride, I offended Him, and that is why He suddenly disappeared.” Hearing this, the gopis were filled with wonder.

Thereafter, they continued searching for Shree Krishna through the forest as far as the moonlight reached. When they saw dense darkness and thick woodland beyond, they thought that if they went further, Shree Krishna would go even deeper into the forest. Thinking thus, they turned back.

At that time, the minds of the gopis were completely immersed in Shree Krishna. No words other than His name emerged from their lips. Even their bodily movements expressed only Shree Krishna. Every pore of their being and their very souls were absorbed in Him alone. They sang only of His qualities and His leelas. So completely lost in Him were they that they had no awareness even of their own bodies how, then, could they remember their homes?

Every fibre of the gopis’ being remained fixed in the hope that Shree Krishna would soon return. Absorbed in His bhava, they all came together to the sacred banks of the Yamuna, to Ramana-reti, and there, united, they began to sing the glories of Shree Krishna.

Gopis said, “O Beloved! Because of Your birth, the glory of Braj has surpassed even Vaikunth and the celestial realms. That is why Lakshmi Devi, herself, has abandoned Vaikunth and chosen to dwell here eternally, serving this land. And yet, O Dearest, behold Your gopis, who have surrendered their very lives at Your lotus feet, wandering from forest to forest in search of You.” (Bhagavat 10.31.1)

“We consider ourselves Your maidservants alone. Your glance has pierced our hearts, and our very lives have become bound to it. Without You, our breath itself cannot remain.

O crest-jewel among men! You have always protected us, whether from the poisoned waters of the Yamuna, the serpent Aghasur, Indra’s devastating rains, violent winds, lightning, or forest fires. You have saved us from every calamity again and again. Then why do You not protect us now from this terror of separation?

You are not only Yashoda’s son; You are the inner Self of all embodied beings. At Brahma’s prayer, You descended into the Yadu lineage solely for the protection of the world.

O jewel of the Yadu dynasty! Those who fear the cycle of birth and death and take refuge at Your lotus feet are granted fearlessness by Your own lotus hands. With the same hands with which You accepted Lakshmi Devi in marriage, place that blessing palm upon our heads.

O Shyamsundar, remover of Braj’s suffering! Your gentle smile alone is enough to crush all our pride and self-importance. O Friend, do not be displeased with us. We are Your servants, show us Your supremely enchanting lotus-face.

Your lotus feet destroy the sins of those who take refuge in them, and Lakshmi Devi herself serves them. Place those tender feet that You place upon the hoods of Kaliya upon our hearts and cool them, for our hearts are burning in the fire of separation.

O Prabhu! The nectar of Your words and narrations of Your divine Pastimes is the soul essence for those suffering in the material world. These narrations, imbued with divine wisdom, are shared by wise sages in the whole world. They dissolve one's sinful reactions and bestow eternal treasures onto the one who hears them. Truly, those who convey the message of the Divine are the most generous and noble.

O Beloved! There was a time when remembering Your loving laughter and playful sports would fill us with joy. The intimate words and tender humour You shared with us in solitude, those memories now torment our hearts.

O Master! Your lotus feet are softer than even lotus petals. When You go into the forest to graze the cows, our hearts tremble, fearing that pebbles, grass, thorns, and sharp kusha blades might hurt Your tender feet.

And when You return from the forest at dusk, dust from the cows’ hooves clings to You, and curls of hair fall upon Your lotus face. By revealing such beauty, You awaken in our hearts an intense longing for union.

O Beloved! You alone are the remover of all our sorrows. Your lotus feet fulfil all the desires of those who seek refuge. O Kunja-bihari! Place those supremely auspicious feet upon our hearts and soothe our agony.

The nectar of Your lips destroys all sorrow born of separation. Your flute drinks that nectar continually. Grant that nectar to us as well, so that all other attachments may be forgotten.

When You go off to the forest during the day, even a tiny fraction of a second feels like an eternity for us, for we cannot behold Your presence. And even when we have the opportunity to gaze upon Your enchanting face, adorned with locks of curly hair, our joy is interrupted by the flickering of our eyelids, which are shaped by the unwise creator (Brahma).

O Shyamsundar! Defying the commands of husbands, sons, relatives, and family, we have come to You, abandoning all social bonds. Enchanted by Your sweet song, we have arrived here. O Deceiver! Who else but You could abandon young women who have come to You alone in the dead of night?

O Beloved! Remembering Your intimate conversations in solitude while lying on that broad chest upon which Lakshmi Devi eternally resides, our longing to unite with You only grows stronger, and our hearts become ever more enchanted.

O Dearest! Your incarnation is for the complete welfare of the universe. Our hearts are filled with yearning for You. You alone must bestow that medicine which can completely uproot this disease of the heart afflicting Your own beloved devotees.”

“O Beloved! Your lotus feet are so tender and delicate that we place them upon our hard breasts very gently and fearfully, lest we hurt them. Yet, with those same tender feet, You wander through the deep forest. Are they not pained by the gravel, pebbles, and thorns there? The very thought of this bewilders our minds and makes us dizzy with anxiety, for You are our very life.” (Bhagavat 10.31.19)

Shukadevji tells Parikshit that the gopis, tormented by the pain of separation, began to sing and speak in many different ways. Overcome by an intense longing for the darshan of Shree Krishna, they could no longer restrain themselves and burst into helpless, heartrending cries, their voices filled with compassion and sorrow.

Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 26.01.2026

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