Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.33.22
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Relieves the Gopīs’ Fatigue
“Lord Kṛṣṇa’s garland had been crushed during His conjugal dalliance with the gopīs and colored vermilion by the kuṅkuma powder on their breasts. To dispel the fatigue of the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa entered the water of the Yamunā, followed swiftly by bees who were singing like the best of the Gandharvas. He appeared like a lordly elephant entering the water to relax in the company of his consorts. Indeed, the Lord had transgressed all worldly and Vedic morality just as a powerful elephant might break the dikes in a paddy field.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa’s garland was crushed during His conjugal pastimes and colored by the kuṅkuma powder on the gopīs’ breasts.
- He entered the Yamunā to dispel the gopīs’ fatigue. Bees followed swiftly, singing like the best of the Gandharvas.
- The Lord appeared like a lordly elephant relaxing with his consorts. The translation compares His transgression of worldly and Vedic morality to a powerful elephant breaking the dikes of a paddy field.
Try this today
Spend a minute remembering how Kṛṣṇa entered the Yamunā to relieve the gopīs’ fatigue.
Ask yourself
What do you notice about Kṛṣṇa’s care for the gopīs in this scene?
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.