Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.29.18
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa’s Welcome Playfully Bewilders the Gopīs
“Lord Kṛṣṇa said: O most fortunate ladies, welcome. What may I do to please you? Is everything well in Vraja? Please tell Me the reason for your coming here.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa welcomed the gopīs as most fortunate ladies. He asked how He could please them and whether everything was well in Vraja.
- He knew perfectly well why they had come, since He Himself had called them with His flute. His questions were playful teasing, not a lack of knowledge.
- The gopīs had simply responded to His call, desiring conjugal love with Him. His questions therefore bewildered them.
Try this today
Reread Kṛṣṇa’s welcome alongside the purport, noticing the difference between His words and His playful intention.
Ask yourself
How does knowing that Kṛṣṇa Himself called the gopīs help me understand His questions?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
From Canto 10, chapter 14 onward, the translation and purports were completed by Śrīla Prabhupāda's disciples after his departure, and published by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust.