Krṣṇa's Hiding from the Gopīs
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by the nails • f Krṣṇa. Otherwise, how could they feel so jubilant?"
After searching for Krṣṇa here and there, when the  gopīs  became fatigued, they began to talk like madwomen. They could only satisfy themselves by imitating the different pastimes • f Krṣṇa. One • f them imitated the demon, Pūtanā, and one • f them imitated Krṣṇa and sucked her breast. One  gopī  imitated a hand-driven cart, and another  gopī  lay down beneath the cart and began to throw up her legs, touching the wheels • f the cart, as Krṣṇa did to kill the demon Śakaṭāsura. They imitated child Krṣṇa, lying down on the ground, and one  gopī  became the demon Trṇāvarta and carried the small child Krṣṇa by force into the sky; and one • f the  gopīs  began to imitate Krṣṇa while He was attempting to walk, ringing His ankle bells. Two  gopīs  imitated Krṣṇa and Balarāma, and many others imitated Their cowherd boy friends. One  gopī  assumed the form • f Bakāsura, and another forced her to fall down as the demon Bakāsura did when he was killed; similarly, another  gopī  defeated Vatsāsura. Just as Krṣṇa used to call His cows by their different names, so the  gopīs  imitated Him, calling the cows by their respective names. One • f the  gopīs  began to play on a flute, and another praised her the way Krṣṇa's boy friends praised Him while He played on His flute. One • f the  gopīs  took another  gopī  on her shoulders, just as Krṣṇa used to take His boy friends. Absorbed in thoughts • f Krṣṇa, the  gopī  who was carrying her friend began to boast that she was Krṣṇa herself: "All • f you just see my movement!" One • f the  gopīs  raised her hand with her covering garments and said, "Now don't be afraid • f torrents • f rain and severe hurricanes. I'll save you!" In this way she imitated the lifting • f Govardhana Hill. One  gopī  forcibly put her feet on the head • f another  gopī  and said, "You rascal Kāliya! I shall punish you severely. You must leave this place. I have descended on this earth to punish all kinds • f miscreants!" Another  gopī  told her friends, "Just see! The flames • f the forest fire are coming to devour us. Please close your eyes, and I shall immediately save you from this imminent danger."
In this way all the  gopīs  were madly feeling the absence • f Krṣṇa. They enquired for Him from the trees and plants. In some places they found the imprints • f the marks on the sole • f His feet—namely the flag, the lotus flower, the trident, the thunderbolt, etc. After seeing those footprints, they exclaimed, "O here is the impression • f the marks on the sole • f Krṣṇa. All the marks, such as the flag, the lotus flower, the trident and the thunderbolt, are distinctly visible here." They began to follow the footprints, and shortly they saw another set • f footprints beside them, and immediately they became very sorry. "Dear friends, just see! Whose