Further Features of Ecstatic Love for Krsna 268

He immediately disappeared, and because of this Radharani became
so afflicted that the hue of Her body changed, and She immediately
fell down upon the ground of Vrndavana. She had practically stopped
breathing, but when She smelled the flavor of the flowers on the
ground, She awoke in ecstasy and got up. This is an instance of tran-
scendental alertness caused by smelling.

When Krsna was touching the body of one gopi, the gopt began to
address her companion thus: ‘“‘My dear friend, whose hand is this
touching my body? I had become very afraid after seeing the dark-
ened forest on the bank of the Yamuna, but suddenly the touch of
this hand has saved me from hysterical fits.’ This is an instance of
alertness caused by touching.

One of the gopis informed Krsna, “‘My dear Krsna, when You dis-
appeared from the arena of the rasa dance, our most dear friend,
Radharani, immediately fell on the ground and lost consciousness.
But after this, when I offered Her some of Your chewed betel nut
remnants, She immediately returned to consciousness with jubilant
symptoms in Her body.” This is an instance of alertness caused by
tasting.

One night Srimati Radharani was talking ina dream. “My dear
Krsna,” She said. ’’Please do not play any more jokes on Me! Please
stop! And please don’t touch My garments either. Otherwise I shall
inform the elderly persons, and I shall disclose all of Your naughty
behavior.” While She was talking like this in a dream, She suddenly
awoke and saw some of Her superiors standing before Her. Thus
Radharani became ashamed and bowed Her head. This is an instance
of alertness after awakening from sleep.

There is another instance of this. A messenger from Krsna came to
Srimati Radharani while She was sleeping, and Radharani immediately
awakened. Similarly, when Krsna began to blow on His flute in the
night, all of the gopis, the beautiful daughters of the cowherd men,
immediately got up from their sleep. There is a very beautiful com-
parison made in this connection: ‘“‘The lotus flower is sometimes sur-
rounded by white swans, and sometimes it is surrounded by black
wasps who are collecting its honey. When there is a thundering in the
sky, the swans go away, but the black wasps stay to enjoy the lotus
