SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM: CANTO 10

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus the gopîs went on singing and speaking, endearingly crying out aloud, hankering, o King, for the audience of Krishna.

S'rî S'uka said: 'Thus the gopîs went on singing and speaking crying endearingly out aloud, hankering, o King, for the audience of Krishna. (Vedabase)

Text 2

The son of Vasudeva [or S'auri, 'the Son of the Hero'], the Bewilderer of [Cupid] the bewilderer of the mind, appeared directly before them smiling with His lotuslike face, wearing a yellow garment and a garland.

The son of Vasudeva [or S'auri, 'the Son of the Hero'], the Bewilderer of [Cupid] the bewilderer of the mind, appeared directly before them smiling with His lotuslike face, wearing a yellow garment and a garland. (Vedabase)

Text 3

To see Him, their dearest, returned, opened the girls full of affection their eyes wide open and stood they all at the same time up as if life had returned to their bodies.

To see Him, their dearmost, returned, opened the girls full of affection their eyes wide open and stood they all together up at once as if their life had returned to their bodies. (Vedabase)

Text 4

One of them joyfully seized the hand of S'auri with her folded palms while another one put His arm, adorned with sandalwood paste, around her shoulder.

One of them joyfully seized the hand of S'auri with her folded palms while another one put His arm, adorned with sandalwood paste, around her shoulder. (Vedabase)

Text 5

A slender one with her hands joined took the remnants of the bethel He had chewed and another one took His lotus feet and placed them on her burning breasts.

A slender one with her hands joined took the remnants of the bethel He had chewed and another one took His lotusfeet and placed them on her burning breasts. (Vedabase)

Text 6

One, with frowning eyebrows biting her lips was, beside herself in her love of God, agitated throwing sidelong looks like she would do something to Him.

One, with frowning eyebrows biting her lips was, beside herself in her love of God, agitated throwing sidelong looks as if she could kill Him. (Vedabase)

Text 7

Another one [said to be Râdhâ] with staring eyes relishing His lotus face could, although having the full taste, just like saints meditating on His feet, not get enough.

Another one [said to be Râdhâ] with eyes staring relishing His lotus face could, although having the full taste, just like saints meditating on His feet, not get enough. (Vedabase)

Text 8

One of them, placed Him through the openings of her eyes in her heart and kept on embracing Him there with her eyes closed, while her hairs stood on end being drowned in ecstasy as if she was a yogi. [*]

One of them, placed Him through the openings of her eyes in her heart and kept on embracing Him there eyes closed, with her hairs standing on end drowned in ecstasy like she was a yogi. [*] (Vedabase)

Text 9

All of them enjoying a supreme jubilation at the sight of Kes'ava gave up the distress of their separation, just like people in general do when they meet with a spiritually enlightened person.

All of them feeling a joy of supreme jubilee at the sight of Kes'ava gave up the distress of their separation, just like people in general do when they meet with a spiritually enlightened person. (Vedabase)

Text 10

In the midst of them, who were fully relieved of their sorrow, appeared Acyuta, the Supreme Lord, even more brilliant, my dearest, like the Original Personality surrounded by all His transcendental potencies.

In the midst of them, who were fully relieved of their sorrow, appeared Acyuta, the Supreme Lord, even more brilliant, my dearest, alike the Original Personality with His transcendental potencies. (Vedabase)

Text 11-12

The Almighty One taking them with Him arrived at the soft sandbanks of the Yamunâ that the auspicious river had collected by the hands of her waves. There the kunda and mandâra flowers with their bees bloomed fragrant in the autumnal breeze while the moon, plentifully shining, with its rays dispelled the dark of night.

The Almighty One taking them with Him arrived at the soft sandbanks of the Yamunâ that the auspicious river had collected by the hands of her waves. There the kunda and mandara flowers with their bees bloomed fragrant in the autumnal breeze as the moon, plentifully shining, with its rays dispelled the dark of night. (Vedabase)

Text 13

By the ecstasy of seeing Him was the pain of the desires in their heart driven away; they attained the ultimate fulfillment of their souls as is revealed by the scriptures in arranging a seat for their dear friend with their shawls that were smeared by the kunkuma of their breasts [see also 10.87: 23].

By the ecstasy of seeing Him was the pain of the desires in their heart driven away; they attained the ultimate fulfillment of their souls as is revealed by the scriptures in arranging a seat for their dear friend with their shawls that were smeared by the kunkuma of their breasts [see also 10.87: 23]. (Vedabase)

Text 14

He, the Supreme Lord and Controller, for whom the masters of Yoga arrange a seat in their hearts, seated there resplendently was, present in the assembly of the gopîs thus exhibiting His personal form, worshiped as the exclusive reservoir of all beauty and opulence in the three worlds.

He, the Supreme Lord and Controller, for whom the masters of Yoga arrange a seat in their hearts, seated there resplendent was, present in the assembly of the gopîs thus exhibiting His personal form, worshiped as the exclusive reservoir of all beauty and opulence in the three worlds. (Vedabase)

Text 15

Honoring Him, the inciter of Cupid, with smiles, with playful glances, sporting their eyebrows and massaging the feet and hands upon their laps, offered they their praise, but still being somewhat incensed they addressed Him.

Honoring Him, the inciter of Cupid, with smiles, with playful glances, sporting their eyebrows and massaging the feet and hands upon their laps, offered they their praise, but still somewhat incensed they addressed Him. (Vedabase)

Text 16

The fine gopîs said: 'Some answer to the love of those who respect them, some show respect [to the ones of action] while that is not the case and some are of no love for any of the two; please o dearest, tell us how it factually is.'

The fine gopîs said: 'Some reciprocate with those who respect them, some show respect to the [ones acting] contrary and some reciprocate with neither of both; please o dearest, tell us how it factually is.' (Vedabase)

Text 17

The Supreme Lord said: 'Those who as friends mutually reciprocate exclusively for their own sake, are in that endeavor indeed not to the principle, not of true friendship; they are only after their own self-interest.

The Supreme Lord said: 'Those who as friends mutually reciprocate exclusively for their own sake, are in that endeavor indeed not to the principle, not of true friendship; they are after their own benefit, nothing else. (Vedabase)

Text 18

They who devout are of mercy with those who do not reciprocate, the way e.g. one's parents are, are faultless to the principle in this and of real friendship, o slender girls.

They who devout are of mercy with those who do not reciprocate, the way e.g. one's parents are, are faultless to the principle in this and of real friendship, o slender girls. (Vedabase)

Text 19

Some are sure not even to answer to the love of the devout; what indeed should one say of those who do not reciprocate, of the [spiritually] self-satisfied, of the ones who have all their desires fulfilled, of the ingrates and of those who are inimical towards the venerable?

Some are sure not to reciprocate even with the devout; what indeed should one say of those who do not reciprocate, of the [spiritually] self-satisfied, of the ones who have all their desires fulfilled, of the ingrates and of those who are inimical towards the venerable? (Vedabase)

Text 20

I then my friends, do not always reciprocate with those who are of worship so that their [- and your -] propensity is motivated and there with them, like with a poor man who is most afraid of losing his acquired wealth, is no thought of anything else [see also B.G. 4: 11 and 10.29: 27].

I then my friends, do not always reciprocate with those who are of worship so that their [- and your -] propensity may actuate and there with them like with a poor man who acquired wealth, full of anxiety to lose it, is no thought of anything else [see also B.G. : 4.11 and 10. 29: 27]. (Vedabase)

Text 21

Thus with your for My sake defying of what the people, the scriptures and your relatives say vanished I, my dear girls, in fact reciprocating indeed with your compliance unto Me [**]; you should therefore not grumble about your Beloved, My dear ones.

Thus with your for My sake defying of what the people, the scriptures and your relatives say did I, my dear girls, actually reciprocating indeed with Your compliance unto Me [**], vanish; you should therefore not grumble at your Beloved, my dear ones. (Vedabase)

Text 22

Not even living as long as a god in heaven am I able to repay you who so free from deceit are worshiping Me; let that cutting with the difficult to overcome chains of your household lives be returned [be rewarded] by its own virtue.'

Not even living as long as a god in heaven am I able to repay you who so free from deceit are worshiping Me; let that cutting with the difficult to overcome chains of your household lives be returned by its own virtue. (Vedabase)

* S'rîla Vis'vanâtha Cakravartî Thhâkura states that the seven gopîs mentioned so far in this chapter are the first seven of the eight principal gopîs of which the S'rî Vaishnava-toshanî in a verse gives the names as being Candrâvalî, S'yâmalâ, S'aibyâ, Padmâ, S'rî Râdhâ, Lalitâ and Vis'âkhâ. The eighth is understood to be Bhadrâ. The Skanda Purâna declares these eight gopîs to be the principal ones among the three billion gopîs and Râdhâ is, as confirmed in the Padma Purâna, Brihad-gautamîya-tantra and the Rig-paris'ishtha, the Lord's most beloved one.

** In fact is intermitted reinforcement as practiced by Krishna so evanescent here, giving the strongest bond so confirms modern behavioral science; and s0 are there with all His religions everywhere in the world days of materially motivated work where we do not see Him, as He vanishes to the background, and days of prayer where we do meet with Him.