Chapter 29

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura envisions the gopīs’ dealings with Kṛṣṇa as follows: “Kṛṣṇa says, ‘You want to become My servants; so do I have to buy you with some payment, or are you giving yourselves freely?’ “The gopīs reply, ‘Since the beginning of our youthful womanhood You have been purchasing us with a payment millions and millions of times more than enough. That payment is Your gemlike smiling glance, which constitutes a great treasure we have never heard about or seen anywhere else.’ “‘When You put Your golden turban on Your head, Your maidservant will act as Your valet, pulling up the turban bit by bit until it is in just the right position. And even while You shake a chastising finger at her, trying hard to prohibit her, she will put her hand beneath Your turban and take the opportunity to glance at Your face. Thus we, Your maidservants, will relish with our eyes Your abundant sweetness.’ “Kṛṣṇa says, ‘Your husbands will not tolerate this behavior of ours. They will complain bitterly to King Kaṁsa, thus producing a fearful situation for Me and for you as well.’ “The gopīs say, ‘But Kṛṣṇa, Your two mighty arms make us fearless, just as they did when You held up Govardhana Hill to protect us from the pride of Mahendra. Those arms will certainly kill that beast Kaṁsa.’ “‘But being a religious person, I cannot make others’ wives My maidservants.’ “‘O dear crest jewel of religious personalities, You may say that You refuse to make the cowherds’ wives Your maidservants, but by force You have already taken Lakṣmī, the wife of Nārāyaṇa, from Vaikuṇṭha and are carrying her around on Your chest. Out of shame she has assumed the form of a golden line on Your chest, and she takes her only pleasure there. Besides, within all the fourteen worlds and even above these worlds — in Vaikuṇṭhaloka, beyond this universe — You never reject any beautiful woman, no matter who she is or whom she belongs to. We know this quite well.’”