Stealing the Garments of the Unmarried Gopi Girls 153
power, O supreme controller of this material world, O goddess, please be
kind to us and arrange for our marriage with the son of Nanda Maharaja,
Krsna.” The Vaisnavas generally do not worship any demigods. Srila
Narottama dasa Thakur has strictly forbidden all worship of the demigods
for anyone who wantsto advance in pure devotional service. Yet the gopis,
who are beyond compare in their affection for Krsna, were seen to worship
Durga. The worshipers of demigods also sometimes mention that the gopis
also worshiped goddess Durga, but we must understand the purpose of the
gopis. Generally, people worship goddess Durga for some material bene-
diction. Here, the gopis prayed to the goddess to become wives of Lord
Krsna. The purport is that if Krsna is the center of activity, a devotee can
adopt any means to achieve that goal. The gopis could adopt any means
to satisfy or serve Krsna. That was the superexcellent characteristic of the
gopis. They worshiped goddess Durga completely for one month in order
to have Krsna as their husband. Every day they prayed for Krsna, the son
of Nanda Maharaja, to become their husband.

Early in the morning, the gopis used to go to the bank of the Yamuna to
take bath. They would assemble together, capturing each other’s hands,
and loudly sing of the wonderful pastimes of Krsna. It is an old system
among Indian girls and women that when they take bath in the river they
place their garments onthe bank and dip into the water completely naked.
The portion of the river where the girls and women take bath was strictly
prohibited to any male member, and this is still the system. The Supreme
Personality of Godhead, knowing the minds of the unmarried young gopis,
benedicted them with their desired objective. They had prayed for Krsna
to become their husband, and Krsna wanted to fulfill their desires.

At the end of the month, Krsna, along with His friends, appeared on
the scene. Another name of Krsna is Yogeévara, or master of all mystic
powers. By practicing meditation, the yogi can study the psychic move-
ment of other men, and certainly Krsna could understand the desire of
the gopis. Appearing on the scene, Krsna immediately collected all the
garments of the gopis, climbed up in a nearby tree, and with smiling face
began to speak to them.

“My dear girls,” He said. “Please come here one after another and pray
for your garments and then take them away. I’m not joking with you. I’m
just telling the truth. I have no desire to play any joke with you, for you
have observed the regulative principles for one month by worshiping
goddess Katyayani. Please do not come here all at once. Come alone; I
want to see each of you in your complete beauty, for you all have thin
waists. I have requested you to come alone. Now please comply.”
