KRISHNA IN THE FORESTS 171
Gopis over the escape of Krishna from the Demon-Sheep.
Many wonderful tales are told of this time in the life of the youth Krishna. One of these is His Victory over the Snake Kaliya. Another is the story of the Lifting of the Mountain. But most wonderful of all was the love that the Gopis had for Him, as they romped and frolicked and tended the herds in the beautiful forests of Brindaban. It was a love without any selfish- ness. When Krishna was near, they felt them-selves lifted into a golden atmosphere, where all was gaiety and lightness of heart ; nothing seemed serious or troublesome ; and their happiness bubbled over in the form of gentleness and play. If one were eating some delicious fruit, and suddenly saw the luminous form of Krishna, she would unconsciously offer it, for the next bite, to His lips, instead of to her own.
Yet each was only kinder and more faithful to all others, by reason of this wonderful play. For it is written that the homes of the Gopis never suffered, their husbands and their children never cried on them in vain, they never fled from any duty, in order ta indulge in the company of Krishna. And not those of the Gopis only, but also all the humble homes about Brindaban, were made happy by His presence. In truth, Krishna
