THE REUNION
With a smile on His lotus face, Lord Krsna suddenly appeared before the gopis. Wearing a garland and a yellow garment, He looked as if He could bewilder the mind of Cupid, who himself bewilders the minds of ordinary people.
When the gopis saw that their dearmost Krsna had returned to them, they all rose simultaneously, and out of their affection for Him their eyes bloomed wide. It was as if the air of life had re-entered their bodies.
One gopi joyfully took Krsna’s hand between her folded palms, another placed His arm, anointed with sandalwood paste, on her shoulder, and yet another respectfully took in her joined hands the betel nut He had chewed. One gopi, beside herself with loving anger, bit her lips and stared at Him with frowning eyebrows, as if to wound Him with her harsh glances. Another gopi looked with unblinking eyes upon Krsna’s lotus face, but even after deeply relishing its sweetness, she did not feel satiated, just as mystic saints are never satiated when meditating upon the Lord’s feet.
One gopi took the Lord through the aperture of her eyes and placed Him within her heart. Then, with her eyes closed and her bodily hairs standing on end, she continuously embraced Him within. Thus immersed in transcendental ecstasy, she resembled a yogi meditating on the Lord.
All the gopis enjoyed the greatest festivity when they saw their beloved Krsna again. They gave up the distress of separation, just as people in general forget their misery when they gain the association of a spiritually enlightened person.
Encircled by the gopis, who were now relieved of all distress, Lord Krsna shone forth splendidly, like the Supersoul encircled by His spiritual potencies.
PAINTING BY MURALIDHARA DASA (1985)