292 Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead

As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, ye yatha mam prapadyante: Krsna is
very responsive. He responds in proportion to the devotee’s advancement
in devotional service. The gopis were thinking of Krsna in separation
twenty-four hours a day. Krsna was also always thinking of the gopis,
mother Yasoda, Nanda Maharaja and the residents of Vrndavana, although
He appeared to be away from them. He could understand how they were
transcendentally aggrieved, and so He immediately wanted to send Uddhava
to give them a message of solace.

Uddhava is described as the most exalted personality in the Vrsni
dynasty, almost equal to Krsna. He was a great friend, and on account of
being the direct student of Brhaspati, the teacher and priest of the
heavenly planets, he was very intelligent and sharp in decision. From the
intellectual standpoint, he was highly qualified. Krsna, being a very loving
friend of Uddhava, wanted to send him to Vrndavana just to study the
highly elevated ecstatic devotional service practiced there. Even if one is
highly elevated in material education and is even the disciple of Brhaspati,
he still has to learn from the gopis and the residents of Vrndavana how to
love Krsna to the highest degree. Sending Uddhava to Vrndavana with a
message to the residents of Vrndavana to pacify them was Krsna’s special
favor to Uddhava.

Lord Krsna’s name is Hari, which means one who takes away all the
distress from the surrendered souls. Lord Caitanya states that there cannot
be, at any time, a worship as exalted as that realized by the gopis. Being
very anxious about the gopis’ grief, Krsna talked with Uddhava and
politely requested him to go to Vrndavana. Shaking Uddhava’s hand with
His own hands, He said, ““My dear gentle friend Uddhava, please go imme-
diately to Vrndavana and try to pacify My father and mother, Nanda
Maharaja and Yagodadevi, and the gopts. They are very much griefstricken,
as if suffering from great ailments. Go and give them a message. I hope
their ailments will be partially relieved. The gopis are always absorbed in
thoughts of Me. They have dedicated body, desire, life and soul to Me. I
am anxious not only for the gopis, but for anyone who sacrifices society,
friendship, love and personal comforts for Me. It is My duty to protect such
exalted devotees. The gopis are the most dear. They are always thinking of
Me in such a way that they remain overwhelmed and almost dead in
anxiety due to separation from Me. They are keeping alive simply by
thinking that I am returning to them very soon.”

Requested by Lord Krsna, Uddhava immediately left on His chariot and
carried the message to Gokula. He approached Vrndavana at sunset, when
the cows were returning home from the pasturing ground. Uddhava and
