Live Caitanya Caritamrta · CC Antya 18.25
Kṛṣṇa Relieves the Fatigue of the Dance
“As an independent leader among elephants enters the water with its female elephants, Kṛṣṇa, who is transcendental to the Vedic principles of morality, entered the water of the Yamunā with the gopīs. His chest had brushed against their breasts, crushing His flower garland and coloring it with red kuṅkuma powder. Attracted by the fragrance of that garland, humming bumblebees followed Kṛṣṇa like celestial beings of Gandharvaloka. In this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa mitigated the fatigue of the rāsa dance.”
What the purport teaches
- Kṛṣṇa entered the Yamunā with the gopīs like an independent leader among elephants entering water with its female elephants. He is described as transcendental to the Vedic principles of morality.
- His chest had brushed against the gopīs’ breasts, crushing His flower garland and coloring it with red kuṅkuma powder. Attracted by its fragrance, humming bumblebees followed Him like celestial beings of Gandharvaloka.
- In this way, Lord Kṛṣṇa relieved the fatigue of the rāsa dance. The purport identifies this verse as a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
Try this today
Reread the translation slowly and identify three details of Kṛṣṇa’s entrance into the Yamunā.
Ask yourself
How do the water, garland, fragrance, and humming bees help you attend closely to this description?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport; the practice and question are plain words for trying the verse today.