346 The Nectar of Devotion

intimate friendship. This is an instance of friendship caused by the
attraction of similar bodies.

In the Tenth Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, 71st Chapter, 25th
verse, it is stated that when Krsna arrived in the city of Indraprastha,
Bhima was so overwhelmed with joy that, with tears in his eyes and a
smiling face, he immediately embraced his maternal cousin. Following
him were his young brothers Nakula and Sahadeva, along with
Arjuna, and they all became so overwhelmed at seeing Krsna that
with full satisfaction they embraced the Lord, who is known as
Acyuta (the infallible). There is a similar statement about the cow-
herd boys of Vrndavana. When Krsna was on the battlefield of
Kuruksetra, all the cowherd boys came to see Him, wearing jeweled
earrings in their ears. Becoming so greatly overjoyed, they extended
their arms and embraced Krsna as their old friend. These are instances
of full satisfaction in friendship with Krsna.

In the Tenth Canto, 12th Chapter, 11th verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam
it is stated that even after undergoing severe penances and austerities
and performing the yogic principles, the great mystic yogis can hardly
become eligible to achieve the dust of the lotus feet of Krsna, but the
same Personality of Godhead, Krsna, is easily available to the vision
of the residents of Vrndavana. This means there is no comparison to
these devotees’ great fortune. The friendly relationship of the cow-
herd boys with Krsna is a particular type of spiritual ecstasy almost
similar to the ecstasy of conjugal love. It is very difficult to explain
this ecstasy of loving affairs between the cowherd boys and Krsna.
Great expert devotees like Ripa Gosvami and others express their
astonishment at the inconceivable feelings which are in Krsna and
His cowherd boy friends.

This particular type of ecstatic love shared between Krsna and His
confidential friends further develops into parental love, and on from
there it may develop into conjugal love, the most exalted humor or
mellow of ecstatic love between Lord Krsna and His devotees.
