The deepest mystery

“The gopis, their love is such they don’t… whether Krishna is God or not doesn’t make any difference. They love Krishna because he is Krishna, because he is so beautiful, because he is so merciful, because he is so playful and because his love is so sweet.” – Radhanath Swami

At Govardhan, there is a place called Paitha. At Chandra Sarovar Krishna was performing Ras Lila with gopis during the spring time. And Krishna left all gopis. He was hiding from them. Why hiding? Only to increase the sweetness of their love.

So they were searching everywhere, everywhere, and everywhere. Gopis came; there was Krishna under a tree and he saw them coming. So he changed his form to the form of Narayan where he was very majestic. Narayan is the Lord of not only the universe, not only creation, but of all material and spiritual worlds; Narayan is the Lord. He is the creator, maintainer and destroyer of everything that exists. This incredible form of Narayan, holding his conch shell, his chakra, his club and his lotus flower was giving darshan to the gopis. Could you imagine seeing Narayan face to face? The gopis saw him face to face. Narayan said, “Ask any benediction from me.” And the gopis said, “Tell us where Krishna went.” They said, “Om namo Narayanaya. Where is Krishna? We want to find Krishna.”

They weren’t interested in Narayan. They offered “Om namo Narayanaya” pranams. “Where in Krishna? We are looking for Krishna. Did you see Krishna? Give us this benediction. Where did Krishna go? Tell us, tell us.” So with his four arms, he said, “This way.” So they just immediately bowed and ran to Krishna. They didn’t bow to Krishna, they just loved Krishna. But they bowed to Narayan and they loved him. But they weren’t concerned with the Lord of the universe; they were concerned with the Lord of their hearts. Then Sri Radha came, and Narayan was giving her darshan. She asked, “Where is Krishna?” Krishna with all of his powers… And Krishna is so powerful. He has achintya shakti; he has inconceivable unlimited power.

One of his expansions – Karanodakshayi Mahavishnu – just by his glance, just by his exhalation, he creates all the universes; just by his inhalation, he destroys all the universes; just by his glance, he impregnates all living entities and the entire cosmic manifestation. That’s power. You know, a man in this world shows, “Look at my son, look at my daughter. What a good father I am! I have produced them.” That’s pretty good. But Krishna, just through a glance, and every living entity is his child.

And here is that Narayan standing before Sri Radha and Radha’s love to see Krishna was so strong that helplessly, two of Narayan’s arms just melted. He couldn’t hold his conch shell or his club or his disk or his lotus flower. They just – you know he was trying – they all disappeared and the flute appeared on his hand. And there he was – Krishna. He was conquered by the love of Sri Radha – Bhakta Vatsal.

“This is the deepest hidden mystery of all Vedas, of all the great scriptures of all the world: the all-powerful is conquered by the love of his devotee.” – Radhanath Swami