196 Srimad-Bhagavatam [Canto 5, Ch. 18

The Supreme Lord, who can award liberation to anyone, showed more
mercy toward the gopis than to Lord Brahma, Lord Siva or even the god-
dess of fortune, who is His own wife and is associated with His body.
Similarly, Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.47.60) also states:

nayam sriyo ‘nga u nitdnta-rateh prasddah
svar-yositam nalina-gandha-rucam kuto ’nyah

rasotsave ‘sya bhuja-danda-grhita-kantha-
labdhasisam ya udagad vraja-sundarinam

“The gopis received benedictions from the Lord that neither Laksmidevi
nor the most beautiful dancers in the heavenly planets could attain. In
the rdsa dance, the Lord showed His favor to the most fortunate gopis by
placing His arms on their shoulders and dancing with each of them in-
dividually. No one can compare with the gopis, who received the cause-
less mercy of the Lord.”

In the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said that no one can receive the real
favor of the Supreme Personality of Godhead without following in the
footsteps of the gopis. Even the goddess of fortune could not receive the
same favor as the gopis, although she underwent severe austerities and
penances for many years. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu discusses
this point with Vyenkata  Bhatta in Caitanya-caritamrta
(Madhya 9.111-131): “The Lord inquired from Vyenkata Bhatta, ‘Your
worshipable goddess of fortune, Laksmi, always remains on the chest of
Narayana, and she is certainly the most chaste woman in the creation.
However, My Lord is Lord Sri Krsna, a cowherd boy engaged in tending
cows. Why is it that Laksmi, being such a chaste wife, wants to associate
with My Lord? Just to associate with Krsna, Laksmi abandoned all tran-
scendental happiness in Vaikuntha and for a long time accepted vows
and regulative principles and performed unlimited austerities.’

“Vyenkata Bhatta replied, ‘Lord Krsna and Lord Narayana are one
and the same, but the pastimes of Krsna are more relishable due to their
sportive nature. They are very pleasing for Krsna’s saktis. Since Krsna
and Narayana are both the same personality, Laksmi’s association with
Krsna did not break her vow of chastity. Rather, it was in great fun that
the goddess of fortune wanted to associate with Lord Krsna. The goddess
of fortune considered that her vow of chastity would not be damaged by
