a3
46 / Delivery of the Message
of Krsna to the Gopis

When the gopis saw Uddhava, they observed that his features almost
exactly resembled the features of Krsna, and they could understand that
he was a great devotee of Krsna’s. His hands were very long, and his arms
were just like the petals of the lotus flower. He was dressed in yellow
colored garments and wore a garland of lotus flowers. His face was very
beautiful. Having achieved the liberation of sdriijpya and having the same
bodily features as the Lord, Uddhava looked almost like Krsna. In Krsna’s
absence, the gopis had been coming dutifully to visit mother Yasoda’s
house early in the morning. They knew that Nanda Maharaja and mother
Yasgoda were always griefstricken, and they had made it their first duty to
come and pay their respects to the most exalted elderly personalities of
Vrndavana. Seeing the friends of Krsna, Nanda and Yasoda would remem-
ber Krsna Himself and be satisfied, and the gopis also would be pleased by
seeing Nanda and Yaégoda.

When the gopis saw that Uddhava was representing Krsna even in his
bodily features, they thought that he must be a soul completely surrendered
unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They began to contemplate,
‘Who is this boy who looks just like Krsna? He has the same eyes like lotus
petals, the same raised nose and beautiful face, and he is smiling in the
same way. In all respects he is resembling Krsna, Syamasundara, the
beautiful dark boy. He is even dressed exactly like Krsna. Where has this
boy come from? Who is the fortunate girl who has him for her husband?”
Thus they talked among themselves. They were very anxious to know
about him, and because they were simply unsophisticated village girls, they
surrounded Uddhava.

When the gopis understood that Uddhava had a message from Krsna,
they became very happy and called him to a secluded place to sit down.
They wanted to talk with him very freely and did not want to be

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