107- Uddhav Arrives in Braj, Meets Nandbaba and Yashoda Maiya; Gopis’ Love-Filled Longing for Krishna

Shursen had several sons, including Vasudev, Devabhag, Upadesh, Parijat, and others. Among them, Shree Krishna was the son of Vasudev, and Uddhav was the son of Devabhag. Thus, besides being cousins, Uddhav was also a very close friend and minister of Krishna. He was a disciple of Brihaspatiji and a highly learned person.

One day, Bhagwan Shree Krishna affectionately held Uddhav’s hand and asked him to go to Braj. He told him to console Nandbaba and Yashoda Maiya and to deliver His message to the gopis so that their sorrow of separation might be eased.

Shree Krishna said that the minds, lives, and very souls of the gopis were completely absorbed in Him. In their deep love, they had given up attachment to their husbands, children, and all worldly relationships, and had accepted Shree Krishna not only as their beloved but as their very self.

Shree Krishna explained that since He had come to Mathura, the gopis were extremely distressed in separation. Remembering Him, they repeatedly fainted and constantly longed for His darshan. They were sustaining their lives only with the hope that Shree Krishna had once promised them, “I will certainly return.”

Carrying Bhagwan Shree Krishna’s message, Uddhav travelled by chariot and reached Nandgaon. It was evening, and the cows were returning from the forest. The dust rising from their hooves filled the atmosphere.

In Braj, cows and calves, intoxicated bulls, the sounds of cows being milked, and the sweet notes of the flute created a deeply charming atmosphere. The gopas and gopis were singing the auspicious pastimes of Shree Krishna and Balram. In the homes, people were worshipping fire, devatas, cows, brahmins, and guests. The whole of Braj was filled with fragrance and light from incense and lamps. All around, the forests were laden with flowers, birds were chirping, bees were humming, and the ponds adorned with blooming lotuses made the land of Braj appear exceedingly beautiful and delightful.

When Uddhavji arrived in Braj, Nandbaba became extremely happy to see him. Embracing him warmly, he honoured him as if Shree Krishna Himself had come. With great affection, Nandbaba welcomed Uddhavji, offered him excellent food, and had the servants relieve him of the fatigue of his journey.

After this, Nandbaba asked him about the well-being of Vasudevji and the rest of his family. He also remarked that Kans being killed along with his followers was only proper, because he had always been hostile toward the righteous members of the Yadu dynasty.

Filled with deep affection and the pain of separation, Nandbaba asked Uddhavji whether Shree Krishna ever remembered Braj, His parents, His friends, the gopas, the cows, Vrindavan, and Govardhan. He also asked whether Govind would come to Braj once again to give darshan to His beloved ones.

Then Nandbaba began recalling Shree Krishna's pastimes one by one. He said that many times Shree Krishna had protected the residents of Braj from forest fires, storms, and terrible daityas. Remembering His laughter, sweet words, and loving glances, the people of Braj became so absorbed in His remembrance that they were unable to perform their daily tasks.

Every place in Braj, the Yamuna, Govardhan, the forests, and even the footprints of Shree Krishna, constantly reminded them of Him. Nandbaba acknowledged that Shree Krishna and Balram were not ordinary persons but divine beings who had easily slain Kans, Kuvalayapeed, and many other daityas, and had lifted Govardhan to protect the residents of Braj.

While remembering Shree Krishna’s pastimes, Nandbaba became deeply immersed in love and separation. His longing grew so intense that he became overwhelmed with emotion and could no longer speak. Hearing all this, Yashoda Maiya also became very emotional, and tears began to flow from her eyes.

Seeing the deep love that Nandbaba and Yashoda Maiya had for Shree Krishna, Uddhavji felt great joy and began to speak with them. He said that both of them were extremely fortunate because they possessed true parental love for Bhagwan Narayan, the cause of the entire creation. Shree Krishna and Balram are the original cause of the universe and the source of life for all beings. Even a person who remembers Bhagwan for a moment at the time of death becomes freed from the bondage of karma and attains the supreme destination. Uddhavji assured them that Shree Krishna would soon come to Braj.

Uddhavji further explained that Shree Krishna is the all-pervading Paramatma who always resides in the hearts of all beings. He is neither especially dear nor displeased with anyone, because He is equal to all and beyond birth, body, and worldly relationships. Although Bhagwan is unborn and beyond the modes of nature, He still appears in different forms to protect the virtuous and to perform His divine pastimes, creating, sustaining, and dissolving the universe. Due to ignorance, the individual soul thinks itself to be the doer, whereas the true doer is the Paramatma alone.

Uddhavji concluded by saying that Shree Krishna is not only the son of Nandbaba and Yashoda maiya, but the very soul, father, mother, and master of all beings. In truth, everything that is seen in this universe is pervaded by Bhagwan Shree Krishna alone, and He alone is the ultimate reality.

Uddhavji and Nandbaba spent the entire night talking about Shree Krishna. Early in the morning, the gopis woke up, cleaned their homes, lit lamps for worship, and, while churning curd, began singing the sweet pastimes of Shree Krishna.

At sunrise, the gopis noticed a golden chariot standing at the gate of Nandbaba’s house. They began discussing among themselves whose chariot it might be. Some gopis guessed that perhaps the same Akrur had come again, the one who had previously taken Shree Krishna to Mathura. Another gopi said, “Has he come now to take us away and perform Kans’s funeral rites? What other purpose could he possibly have for coming here now?”

While the women of Braj were speaking among themselves, Uddhavji arrived there after completing his morning duties. The gopis saw that Uddhavji closely resembled Shree Krishna in appearance and attire: he had long arms and lotus-like eyes, and wore yellow garments, a garland of flowers, and earrings. Seeing him, the gopis wondered in amazement who this handsome person was and whose messenger he might be.

When they learned that he was a close friend of Shree Krishna and had come carrying His message, the gopis became very eager. With humility, sweet speech, and shy smiles, they respectfully welcomed Uddhavji, seated him in a secluded place, and began asking him about the well-being of Shree Krishna.

The gopis said, “Uddhavji, we know that you are a companion of Yadunath (Krishna) and that you have come here carrying His message. Your master must have sent you here to give happiness to His parents. Otherwise, we do not see anything in this Nandgaon now that reminds Him of us.

“The bonds of affection with parents and relatives are so strong that even great sages find them difficult to renounce. As for the relationships people form with others, they are usually based on self-interest. Just as there is a relationship between a bee and a flower, a courtesan and her customer, a king and his subjects, or a disciple and his teacher. When the self-interest is fulfilled, people abandon those relationships.”

The minds, speech, and bodies of the gopis were completely absorbed in Shree Krishna. When Uddhavji arrived in Braj carrying His message, the gopis became so overwhelmed with love and separation that they forgot what was appropriate to say and before whom. Remembering Shree Krishna's childhood and youthful pastimes, they began singing about Him. Completely absorbed in love and separation, they forgot their shyness and began to weep bitterly.

One Gopi was remembering the pastimes of meeting Shree Krishna when she noticed a bumblebee humming nearby. She imagined that Shree Krishna had sent this bee as a messenger to pacify her, thinking she was upset with Him. Addressing the bumblebee, Gopi began to speak as follows:

The gopi said, “O Madhup (bumblebee)! You are a friend of that deceiver, and therefore, you are also deceitful. Do not touch our feet. Do not try to appease us with false salutations. We can see that the yellow kumkum from the forest garland of Shree Krishna, which has been crushed by the touch of the breasts of our rival lovers, is also smeared upon your moustache. You yourself do not remain faithful to any single flower; you keep flying from one to another. Just like your master, so are you! Let Madhupati Shree Krishna please the proud ladies of Mathura. Let Him keep with Himself that favour in the form of their kumkum, which is worthy of being mocked in the assembly of the Yadus. What need is there to send it here through you?” (Bhagavat 10.47.12)

“Do not try to console us by singing His virtues. We know Him very well. With His sweet smile and charming words He captivates everyone’s heart. Even Lakshmiji serves His lotus feet, so what are we in comparison?

“Yet there is one thing: whoever tastes even a drop of the nectar of His love and pastimes can never forget Him. That is exactly our condition. Even if we try, we cannot give up remembering Him.

“Tell us this- is Shree Krishna happy in Mathura? Does He ever remember Nandbaba, Yashoda maiya, the cowherd boys, and us? Will there ever come a time when He will return and meet us again?”

Shukdevji says to Parikshit that the gopis were extremely eager for the darshan of Bhagwan Shree Krishna and were suffering intensely in separation. Seeing their condition, Uddhavji tried to console them and said, “O gopis, you are truly blessed and fulfilled, because you have offered your hearts and everything you possess to Bhagwan Shree Krishna.

People perform charity, vows, austerities, chanting, meditation, and many other spiritual practices only to attain devotion to Bhagwan. But you have already attained that supreme love-filled devotion, which is extremely rare even for great sages.

You have renounced attachment to sons, husbands, your own bodies, and even your homes, and have accepted Purushottam Bhagwan Shree Krishna as your only everything. Because of separation from Him, such a feeling has arisen within you that you see the Supreme Bhagwan everywhere. I have come here as the messenger of Shree Krishna, and now I will convey the message that your beloved has sent to comfort you.”

Bhagwan Shree Krishna says, “I am the soul of all beings and dwell within everyone. Therefore, there can never truly be any separation between you and Me. Just as all material objects are made from and pervaded by space, air, fire, water, and earth, in the same way, the mind, life-force, senses, and their objects all exist within Me. I manifest in all forms.

“Through My Maya, I create this universe, sustain it, and in time withdraw it again. In truth, the soul is separate from Maya and its effects. It is pure consciousness and is not bound by any material qualities.

“A person should understand that just as objects seen in a dream are not real, so too are the objects perceived in the waking state temporary. Therefore, one should withdraw the mind and senses from such objects and remember Me. Just as all rivers ultimately flow into the ocean, in the same way, the study of the Vedas, Yog, austerity, renunciation, control of the senses, and truthfulness all ultimately lead to Me alone.

“O gopis, I am the very support of your lives. I remain away from you so that you may constantly remember Me. When a beloved is far away, remembrance of him becomes even deeper. Therefore, fix your entire mind upon Me and remember Me constantly. By doing so, you will soon attain Me.

“O blessed ones, during the night of the Sharad Purnima in Vrindavan, when I performed the Rasa dance, those gopis who were prevented by their relatives from coming and remained in Braj attained Me simply by remembering My pastimes. In the same way, you too will certainly attain Me. There is no cause for despair.”

Summary: JKYog India Online Class- Shreemad Bhagavat Katha [Hindi]- 13.03.2026