Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 10.33.38
Īśānukathā· The Lord and His devoteesInconceivable Power and Loving Obedience
“After an entire night of Brahmā had passed, Lord Kṛṣṇa advised the gopīs to return to their homes. Although they did not wish to do so, the Lord’s beloved consorts complied with His command.”
What the purport teaches
- An entire night of Brahmā—one thousand ages—passed within the single twelve-hour night of Kṛṣṇa's rāsa dance. Spiritual reality transcends mundane physics.
- Nothing is impossible for the Lord, His dear devotees, His transcendental abode or the time of His pastimes. All possess inconceivable power.
- Although the gopīs did not want to leave, they obeyed Kṛṣṇa and returned home. The purport explains both His advice to keep the pastimes secret and Vāsudeva's awakening of embarrassment and fear of their elders within their hearts.
Try this today
Reflect for one minute on the gopīs’ obedience, and express your own desire to follow the Lord's direction.
Ask yourself
What stands out to me about the gopīs’ willingness to obey Kṛṣṇa despite their reluctance to leave?
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.