Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.33.3
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesKṛṣṇa Personally Dances With Each Gopī
“The festive rāsa dance commenced, with the gopīs arrayed in a circle. Lord Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself and entered between each pair of gopīs, and as that master of mystic power placed His arms around their necks, each girl thought He was standing next to her alone. The demigods and their wives were overwhelmed with eagerness to witness the rāsa dance, and they soon crowded the sky with their hundreds of celestial airplanes.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself between each pair of gopīs so He could personally dance with each one. He also appeared in the middle of the circle, playing His flute and singing.
- Overwhelmed by love, each gopī saw only one manifestation of Kṛṣṇa and thought He stood beside her alone.
- The demigods and their wives could see all His manifestations from their airplanes. They were completely astonished.
Try this today
Reread the description of Kṛṣṇa’s expansions and pause to appreciate His power and personal attention.
Ask yourself
How does Kṛṣṇa’s presence beside every gopī reveal His extraordinary power?
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.