The Story of Maha Raas of Shri Krishna and Gopis

The Story of Maha Raas of Shri Krishna and Gopis

Maha Raas was solemnized by Shri Krishna and Gopis in Vrindavan, by Balkrishna at the age of 8 years 3 months while Radharani was 3 years 3 months only (on October 3, 3222 BC on Kartika Purnima).
 
Spiritual Significance:

1. Maha Raas is integration of music, dance & literature. Raas is devoid of sexual appetite.
2. At the time of Raaslila, Balkrishna (Shri Krishna) was eleven years old. Some ignorant persons paint Raslila as ordinary sexual appetite. Any sensible person can understand that eleven years old child can’t have sexual appetite. Gopis were of all ages including married women. They had pure devotion and spiritual love for Shri Krishna and not attachment with body. Further, Raas was done in open and not closed door.  Neither Gopis in Gokul were ordinary ladies nor was Balkrishna ordinary human being. In case, the episode would have been for sexual appetite, Shri Shukdev ji who was an enlightened person since birth will not mention this.
3. Raaslila was not an ordinary meeting of man and woman but meeting of Jivatmas with Parmatma. When the covering of desires and ignorance is abolished, it is pure Jivatma. Sexual appetite is caused in the physical bodies. No sooner feelings of physical body eliminate, sexual appetite is erased from the mind.
4. To meet almighty, Gopis left their womanhood and Narada ji his manhood. Everybody has to shed ego to meet almighty.  

Story:
Goverdhan episode developed trust in the minds of Gopis that Balkrishna is almighty. This sowed the seeds of love and devotion among their minds. Initially, love starts between two persons. As love intensity grows, feeling of oneness develops. Intensity of devotion increased gradually in the minds of Gopis leading to restlessness. This restlessness was due to separation from almighty and not worldly desire or passion.

Dongra ji Maharaj has explained about the Gopis as under:
Gopis are of two types’ viz. Nityasiddha (नित्यसिद्धा) and Sadhansiddha (साधनसिद्धा). Nityasiddha Gopis are Shrutiroopa (श्रुतिरूपा), Rishiroopa (ऋषिरूपा), Sankeernroopa (संकीर्णरूपा), anypoorva (अन्यपूर्वा) and ananypoorva (अनन्यपूर्वा). Sadhansiddha Gopis were that who’s Sadhna (spiritual elevation) was not yet completed.
 
Nityasiddha Gopis:

1. Shrutiroopa Gopis are those rishis (sages) who have established connection with Brahman (almighty) and came in form of Gopis to have realization or vision of almighty.
2. Rishiroopa Gopis are those rishis who have come to experience Mukti (liberation) in form of Gopis.
3. Sankeernroopa are those Gopis in whose mind sexual appetite grew after seeing the form of almighty such as Soorpnakha.
4. Those persons, who developed distaste for the worldly pleasure after enjoying it and developed devotion for almighty, are anyproova Gopis such as Tulsidas (whose attachment for wife transformed into devotion for almighty).
5. Those persons, who were recluse or stoic since birth such as Shukdev, Meerabai etc. were ananyproova Gopis.

Lalitha , Visakha , Roopamanjari, Anangamanjari etc. were Nityasiddha Gopis. Radha ji is part power of God.
 
Sadhansiddha:

1. Although Vedas much explained about the almighty, yet could not experience the almighty. Hymns of Vedas came as Shrutiroopa Gopis.
2. Many sages such as Vishvamitra, Prashar etc. could not destroy sexual appetite hidden in mind despite all tapas. Such sages came as Rishiroopa Gopis.

Balkrishna played flute in late evening. Gopis heard the music of flute and ran leaving the worldly affairs. Gopis were running without caring of their clothes, make-up and bodies. Some Gopis ran with dirty hands of cow-dung. They were restless to meet almighty. Gopis were the rishis who took birth only to surrender before almighty.
Balkrishna asked them to return their homes. Shri Krishna said to Gopis, they would get more pleasure in separation than that of meeting. It was not proper to come here leaving their husbands and children at home. Gopis asked reason for saying this. Shri Krishna replied, body has husband, father etc. but Atman does not belong to father or husband etc. Atman’s duty is to meet almighty. Shri Krishna further said duty of women is to serve husband and children which purifies mind and pure mind attains almighty. Gopis said they have done renunciation of all desires from sense organs & mind and decided to surrender in the feet of almighty. Gopis further said, they are neither man nor woman but pure Atman. For thousands of births, they have waited for him. Shri Krishna said he could deliver them at their homes with the power of yoga. Gopis said it would deliver the physical bodies but not the minds. Gopis were adamant not to go back and preferred to die. They insisted for amrit (nectar) of divine love and wisdom so that feeling of duality eliminates.
Hearing all this, Shri Krishna accepted the defeat. He thought that devotion of Gopis is true and they would give up lives, if sent them away today. Almighty took many forms and did Maha Raas with each individual Gopi. Jivatmas met Parmatama. Narada ji regretted for being a man as he could not participate in Raas. Radha ji advised him to take bath in Radhakund. Narada ji after taking bath in Radhakund became Naradi.
Brahma ji and other deities beheld Raas. Brahma ji thought, although Shri Krishna and Gopis are desireless and flawless, yet Shri Krishna is for establishing virtues and Raas with others’ wives is not proper. Shri Krishna thought Brahma has not understood that this is not ordinary Raas Lila but dharma (Virtuous) Lila. Almighty did one trick. He gave his form of Krishna to all Gopis. Now, there was only Shri Krishna. Brahma ji understood that this is not ordinary Raas.

Source:
Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran by Shri Ramchandra Keshav Dongra ji Maharaj