Lord Krṣṇa and Balarāma Meet the Inhabitants of Vṛndāvana 199
temple paraphernalia and the food offered to the Deity are also not separate from Krṣṇa. One has to follow the rules and regulations prescribed by the  ācāryas , and thus, under superior guidance, Krṣṇa-realization is fully possible, even in this material existence.
The  gopīs , having been instructed by Krṣṇa in this philosophy of simultaneous oneness and difference, remained always in Krṣṇa consciousness and thus became liberated from all material contamination. The consciousness of the living entity who falsely presents himself as the enjoyer of the material world is called  jīva-kośa , which means imprisonment by the false ego. Not only the  gopīs  but anyone who follows these instructions of Krṣṇa becomes immediately freed from the  jīva-kośa  imprisonment. A person in full Krṣṇa consciousness is always liberated from false egoism; he utilizes everything for Krṣṇa's service and is not at any time separated from Krṣṇa.
The  gopīs  therefore prayed to Krṣṇa, "Dear Krṣṇa, from Your navel emanated the original lotus flower which is the birthsite of Brahmā, the creator. No one can estimate Your glories or Your opulence, which therefore remain always a mystery even to the highest thoughtful men, the masters of all yogic power. The conditioned soul fallen in the dark well of this material existence can very easily, however, take shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Krṣṇa. Thus his deliverance is guaranteed." The  gopīs  continued: "Dear Krṣṇa, we are always busy in our family affairs. We therefore request that You remain within our hearts as the rising sun, and that will be Your greatest benediction."
The  gopīs  are always liberated souls, because they are fully in Krṣṇa consciousness. They only pretended to be entangled in household affairs in Vṛndāvana. In spite of their long separation, the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana, the  gopīs , were not interested in the idea of going with Krṣṇa to His capital city, Dvārakā. They wanted to remain busy in Vṛndāvana and thus feel the presence of Krṣṇa in every step of their lives. They immediately invited Krṣṇa to come back to Vṛndāvana. This transcendental emotional existence of the  gopīs  is the basic principle of Lord Caitanya's teaching. The  Rathayātrā  Festival observed by Lord Caitanya is the emotional process of taking Krṣṇa back to Vṛndāvana. Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī refused to go with Krṣṇa to Dvārakā to enjoy His company in the atmosphere of royal opulence, but wanted to enjoy His company in the original Vṛndāvana atmosphere. Lord Krṣṇa, being profoundly attached to the  gopīs , never goes away from Vṛndāvana, and the  gopīs  and other residents of Vṛndāvana remain fully satisfied in Krṣṇa consciousness.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Second Volume, twenty-seventh Chapter, of Krṣṇa, "Lord Krṣṇa and Balarāma Meet the Inhabitants of Vṛndāvana."