Love for Krishna is an end in itself to His devotees. According to them, there is no higher state to be realised and nothing further to be attained. A true devotee only revels in his experience of God and does not seek even the benefits of Paramapada.
The Gopis were steeped in such an experience of love for Krishna. They lived in the same state of love even after Krishna had left Brindavan. Uddhava is wonder-struck by their exemplary devotion to Krishna, when he goes to Gokula to convey Krishna’s message of love to the Gopis, said Sri M. V. Anantapadmanabhachariar in a discourse.
Observing the way of life of the Gopis left Uddhava, a staunch devotee himself, speechless and stunned with astonishment. They were involved in their daily chores, but their whole being was absorbed in Krishna. They sang about Him, conversed about Him among themselves, and were forever in a state of total identification with Krishna. What an experience of Krishna’s presence in everything, which is the essence of Brahma jnana that sees the all pervading Brahman in all beings and all aspects of creation, thinks Uddhava. Narayana Bhattatiri describes Uddhava’s experience of the Gopis’ state of mind thus: “In all the worlds, none has witnessed or heard of God-love equal to this. Many may have access to scriptural study or engage in austere practices, but in spite of these opportunities may not be filled with true devotion.” An individual is bound by hatred, fear, shame, aversion, egoism and vanity, pride of noble birth, or obsession with the formalities of good conduct, which may stand in the way of his devotion.
Bhakti is the essence of religious experience. It is both a means and the end, the highest Purushartha.
