# Cc. Madhya 8.230 ## Text > gopī-ānugatya vinā aiśvarya-jñāne > bhajileha nāhi pāya vrajendra-nandane ## Synonyms *gopī*-*ānugatya*—subservience to the *gopīs*; *vinā*—without; *aiśvarya*-*jñāne*—in the knowledge of opulence; *bhajileha*—if serving the Supreme Lord; *nāhi*—not; *pāya*—gets; *vrajendra*-*nandane*—the son of Mahārāja Nanda, Kṛṣṇa. ## Translation **"Unless one follows in the footsteps of the gopīs, he cannot attain the service of the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, the son of Nanda Mahārāja. If one is overcome by knowledge of the Lord's opulence, he cannot attain the Lord's lotus feet, even though he is engaged in devotional service.** ## Purport One can worship Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa by the process of *vidhi-mārga,* worshiping the Lord with regulative principles according to the instructions of the *śāstra* and the spiritual master. But the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, cannot be directly worshiped by this process. The dealings between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa and the *gopīs* are devoid of the opulences of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa. The process of *vidhi-mārga,* following the regulative principles, is utilized in the worship of Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa, whereas the process of spontaneous service-following in the footsteps of the *gopīs,* who are the denizens of Vṛndāvana-is transcendentally more advanced and is the process whereby Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are worshiped. One cannot attain this elevated position while worshiping the Lord in His opulence. Those attracted by the conjugal love between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa must follow in the footsteps of the *gopīs.* Only then is it possible to enter into the Lord's service in Goloka Vṛndāvana and directly associate with Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.