The Lord in Disguise
One spring evening, during the sweet and enchanting rāsa-līlā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa suddenly disappeared from the circle of dancing gopīs, taking only Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī with Him deep into the forest groves of Vṛndāvana. The remaining gopīs, overwhelmed with longing and separation, followed the trail of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus footprints, which they found accompanied by the delicate impressions of Śrī Rādhā’s feet.
As they wandered through the forest calling out His names, they eventually came upon a divine sight—beneath a majestic tree stood Lord Nārāyaṇa, the four-armed Lord of Vaikuṇṭha, holding conch, disc, club, and lotus.
The Gopīs’ Unwavering Devotion
Though the vision was glorious and filled with opulence, the gopīs were not enchanted. With simple folded hands, they offered respect to this divine form, but their hearts remained solely fixed on their beloved Śyāmasundara, the charming, flute-playing son of Nanda Mahārāja.
With childlike innocence and single-minded love, they asked, “O great Lord, have You seen our dearest Kṛṣṇa? Please help us find Him.” Then, without further attention, they turned away, continuing their search with tear-filled eyes and trembling hearts.
The Triumph of Rādhā’s Love
This four-armed form was in fact Kṛṣṇa Himself, who had assumed the form of Nārāyaṇa by His Yogamāyā potency to observe the purity of their love. The gopīs, however, were not interested in reverence or majesty—they were mad in love for the beautiful cowherd boy alone.
Moments later, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī arrived in that very forest grove. As soon as She stepped into His presence, Her unparalleled love overwhelmed Kṛṣṇa. He could no longer maintain the form of majestic Nārāyaṇa. The extra two arms instantly vanished, and He returned to His original, two-armed form—tribhaṅga-lalita, curved in three places, flute in hand, eyes full of playful affection.
Before Her divine prema, all of Kṛṣṇa’s disguises were rendered powerless.
Lesson to be Learned
The love of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī is so pure, concentrated, and intense that even the Supreme Lord, though all-powerful and expert in illusion, cannot remain hidden from Her. This pastime reveals that divine love—prema—is the greatest force in all existence. It surpasses even the majesty of Vaikuṇṭha and penetrates the Lord’s divine disguises, drawing Him out into His most intimate and sweet form.
