156 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

shall be able to meet with Me, and you shall enjoy Me as your husband.”

Taking shelter of the shade of the trees, Krsna became very happy.
While walking He began to address the inhabitants of Vrndavana. “My
dear Stokakrsna, My dear Varithapa, My dear Bhadrasena, My dear
Sudama, My dear Subala, My dear Arjuna, My dear Visala, My dear
Rsabha—just look at these most fortunate trees of Vrndavana. They have
dedicated their lives to the welfare of others. Individually they are
tolerating all kinds of natural disturbances, such as hurricanes, torrents of
rain, scorching heat and piercing cold, but they are very careful to relieve
our fatigues and give us shelter. My dear friends, I think they are glorified
in this birth as trees. They are so careful to give shelter to others that they
are like noble, highly elevated charitable men who never deny charity to
one who approaches them. No one is denied shelter by these trees. They
supply various kinds of facilities to human society, such as leaves, flowers,
fruit, shade, roots, bark, flavor extracts and fuel. They are the perfect
example of noble life. They are like a noble person who has sacrificed
everything possible—his body, mind, activities, intelligence and words—in
engaging in the welfare of all living entities.”

Thus the Supreme Personality of Godhead walked on the bank of the
Yamuna, touching the leaves of the trees and their fruits, flowers and
twigs, and praising their glorious welfare activities. Different people may
accept certain welfare activities to be beneficial for human society, ac-
cording to their own views, but the welfare activity that can be rendered
to people in general, for eternal benefit, is the spreading of the Krsna
consciousness movement. Everyone should be prepared to propagate this
movement. As instructed by Lord Caitanya, one should be humbler than
the grass on the ground and more tolerant than the tree. The toleration of
the trees is explained by Lord Krsna Himself, and those who are engaged
in the preaching of Krsna consciousness should learn lessons from the
teachings of Lord Krsna and Lord Caitanya through Their direct disciplic
successien.

While passing through the forest of Vrndavana on the bank of the
Yamuna, Krsna sat down at a beautiful spot and allowed the cows to
drink the cold and transparent water of the Yamuna. Being fatigued, the
cowherd boys, Krsna and Balarama also drank. After seeing the young
gopis taking bath in the Yamuna, Krsna passed the rest of the morning
with the boys.

Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Twent y-second Chapter of
Krsna, “Stealing the Garments of the Unmarried Gopi Guls.”’
