PLATE NINE
In the supreme spiritual abode of Goloka Vṛndāvana, Lord Kṛṣṇa always revels in pastimes of love with His dearest devotees, the  gopīs . And of all the  gopīs , Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is the dearmost, for she is the complete tenderhearted feminine counterpart of the Lord. "My dear auspicious Rādhārāṇī," said Kṛṣṇa once upon Their meeting, "Your body is the source of all beauty. Your red lips are sweeter than nectar, Your face bears the aroma of a lotus flower, Your words defeat the melodious vibrations of the cuckoo, and Your limbs are cooler than the pulp of sandalwood. All My transcendental senses are overwhelmed in ecstatic pleasure by tasting You, who are completely decorated with beautiful qualities." (p. 173)