Veṇu-gīta-āhvāna and the Gopīs’ Appeal: The Opening of Rāsa-līlā
नद्या: पुलिनमाविश्य गोपीभिर्हिमवालुकम् । जुष्टं तत्तरलानन्दिकुमुदामोदवायुना ॥ ४५ ॥ बाहुप्रसारपरिरम्भकरालकोरु- नीवीस्तनालभननर्मनखाग्रपातै: । क्ष्वेल्यावलोकहसितैर्व्रजसुन्दरीणा- मुत्तम्भयन् रतिपतिं रमयां चकार ॥ ४६ ॥
nadyāḥ pulinam āviśya gopībhir hima-vālukam juṣṭaṁ tat-taralānandi kumudāmoda-vāyunā
Śrī Kṛṣṇa foi com as gopīs à margem do Yamunā, onde a areia era fresca e o vento, vivificado pelas ondas, trazia o perfume dos lótus. Ali Ele abriu os braços e as abraçou; tocando mãos, cabelos, coxas, cintos e seios, com leves arranhões das unhas, e com brincadeiras, olhares e risos, despertou Kāmadeva nas belas de Vraja e desfrutou de Seus passatempos.
The riverbank becomes a sacred stage for Kṛṣṇa’s intimate līlā with the gopīs—cool, fragrant, and serene—highlighting the sweetness of Vraja-bhakti and the atmosphere that nourishes devotional rasa.
Śukadeva Gosvāmī narrates these events to Mahārāja Parīkṣit, describing the setting and mood of Kṛṣṇa’s pastime with the gopīs.
By seeking sanctified environments and practices that cool the mind—hearing Kṛṣṇa-kathā, chanting, and serving—so the heart becomes receptive to devotion, just as the calm, fragrant riverbank supports divine remembrance.