# Rasa Dance **See also:** [[artwork/themes/vrindavana|Vrindavana - The Holy Dhama]] | [[artwork/themes/flute|Krishna's Flute]] | [[artwork/themes/forests|Forests and Nature]] **21 images** --- <h3>Balarama Fights Dvivida</h3> ![[0223_KB2-65.jpg]] *With enormous force, Balarāma struck Dvivida's collarbone with His fists, a blow that proved fatal to the troublesome gorilla.* <h3>The Gopis Comfort Radha</h3> ![[0049_SB-UP!!.jpg]] <h3>The Reunion</h3> ![[0051_IS-4.jpg]] *When the gopīs saw that their dearmost Kṛṣṇa had returned to them, they became ecstatic, and out of their affection for Him their eyes bloomed wide. It was as if the air of life had reentered their bodies.* <h3>The Cowherd Men and Boys at the Foot of Govardhana Hill</h3> ![[0052_SB-10-3-2.jpg]] *EN KB one-vol 2018: One day, Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma were herding the calves in the forest when They saw cows grazing on the top of Govardhana Hill. The cows could see into the valley and, upon seeing their calves, they became so melted with affection that they leaped downhill to join them, not caring about the rough path. The men taking care of the cows tried to stop them, but when they saw their own children they too were overwhelmed with an astonishing affection, and lifted and embraced their sons.* <h3>Mother Yasoda Dresses Krsna</h3> ![[0053_AB-C49.jpg]] *“Kṛṣṇa's younger friends assist Mother Yaśodā in dressing Him.” The spiritual world is full of ever-increasing love for the Supreme Lord. There is no way to measure the love and devotion Kṛṣṇa’s devotees feel for Him.* <h3>The Rasa Dance</h3> ![[0053_SB-10-6-11.jpg]] *EN KB 2018 one-vol: Kṛṣṇa expanded Himself into many identical forms to enjoy His rāsa dance with the gopīs. In the company of those supremely beautiful cowherd girls, who worshiped Him with pure devotion, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared like a greenish sapphire locket in the midst of a golden necklace decorated with valuable stones.* <h3>Krsna Steals the Garments of the Unmarried Gopis</h3> ![[0086_SB-10-5-2.jpg]] *EN KB 2018 one-vol: One after another the gopīs came out of the water, shivering and trying to cover their nakedness with their hands. Their simple presentation was so pure that Lord Kṛṣṇa immediately became pleased with them. All the unmarried gopīs had prayed to goddess Kātyāyanī to have Kṛṣṇa as their husband, and in this way they were satisfied. Nothing can compare with the Kṛṣṇa consciousness of the gopīs.* <h3>0086/SB 8-2-1</h3> ![[0086_SB-8-2-1.jpg]] <h3>Radha and Krsna on a Swing</h3> ![[0092_NOD-1st-ed.-FC.jpg]] *Mādhurya-rasa (Devotional service in conjugal love): "The intimate mellow of devotion to the Supreme in conjugal love is established by Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa, but such feelings are not at all material." Unless a person frees himself from all lusty desires for material sense enjoyment, he can never experience, or even understand, pure love of God in the conjugal rasa.* <h3>Rasa Dancing</h3> ![[0097_KB1-pg.214.jpg]] *It appeared that Kṛṣṇa was a greenish sapphire locket in the midst of a golden necklace.* <h3>Lord Balarama's Rasa Dance</h3> ![[0140_KB2-10--pg78.jpg]] *Balarāma passed every night with the gopīs in the forest of Vṛndāvana.* <h3>Krsna and the Gopis Meet for the Rasa Dance</h3> ![[0151_NKL-11.jpg]] <h3>Krsna Calls the Gopis to the Rasa Dance</h3> ![[0186_UP--174.jpg]] <h3>The Gopis Imitate Krsna's Pastimes</h3> ![[0187_UP--185.jpg]] *When Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared from the company of the gopīs, they began to search for Him everywhere. Not finding Him, they became almost mad after Him, thinking of His pastimes in great love. Being so absorbed in thought of Him, and with dampened eyes, they began to imitate His dancing, walking, and smiling, as if they themselves were Kṛṣṇa. Due to Kṛṣṇa’s absence they all became crazy; each of them told the others that she was Kṛṣṇa. Soon they assembled and chanted Kṛṣṇa’s name loudly as they moved from one part of the forest to another in searching of Him.* <h3>Yasoda Feeds Krsna</h3> ![[Adi-1-4.jpg]] *EN CC Adi 1 1996: Mother Yaśodā regards Kṛṣṇa not as God but as her beloved son, and thus she nourishes and protects Him, thinking Him utterly helpless.* <h3>Art 0140/0140/KB1 41 pg214</h3> ![[0140_KB1-41--pg214.jpg]] <h3>Art 0180/0180/UP 77</h3> ![[0180_UP--77.jpg]] <h3>Radha-Krsna and the Gopis in the Forest</h3> ![[Art-0219_KGO-23.jpg]] <h3>The Gopis in the Madness of Separation</h3> ![[0027_TLC-24.jpg]] *“Lord Caitanya mistook a garden for Vṛndāvana and very quickly entered it. Absorbed in ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, He wandered through the garden in the mood of the gopīs. After Kṛṣṇa disappeared with Rādhārāṇī during the rāsa dance, the gopīs wandered in the forest looking for Him. The gopīs said, ‘O cūta tree, priyāla tree, panasa, āsana and kovidāra! O jambū tree, O arka tree, O bel, bakula and mango! O kadamba tree, O nīpa tree and all other trees living on the bank of the Yamunā for the welfare of others, please let us know where Kṛṣṇa has gone. We have lost our minds and are almost dead. O tulasī! O mālatī! O yūthī, mādhavī and mallikā! Kṛṣṇa is very dear to you. Therefore He must have come near you. You are all just like dear friends to us. Kindly tell us which way Kṛṣṇa has gone and save our lives!’”* <h3>Krsna Sports with the Gopis</h3> ![[0171_UP--63.jpg]] <h3>Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu Dreams of the Rasa Dance</h3> ![[Antya-4-4.jpg]] *“One day while He was resting. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu dreamed He saw Kṛṣṇa performing His rāsa dance. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu saw Lord Kṛṣṇa standing with His beautiful body curved in three places, holding His flute to His lips. Wearing yellow garments and garlands of forest flowers. He was enchanting even to Cupid. The gopīs were dancing in a circle, and in the middle of that circle, Kṛṣṇa, the son of Mahārāja Nanda, danced with Rādhārāṇī. Seeing this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu was overwhelmed with the transcendental mellow of the rāsa dance, and He thought, ‘Now I am with Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvana.’”* --- ## Copyright Notice All artwork on this page is © The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. All rights reserved. These images are reproduced here with permission for educational and devotional purposes. The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International, Inc. 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