"The âgavataPurâGopis all returned to the forest and searched for Krishna as long as there was moonlight. They gave up their search when it was dark. With thoughts all directed to Krishna, with conversations all about Him, with gestures and movements all after Him, with songs all about His deeds, the Gopis, all full of Krishna, they did not think of their homes. They went to the banks of the Yamunâ, and all sang in a chorus about Krishna, ardently praying for his return. (I shall not touch with my profane hand the songs of the Gopis. They are far too sacred for any rendering into English and they baffle any attempt to do so. Sweet as nectar, the melody of those songs is inseparable from their very essence, and he would be murdering Bhâgavata who would attempt to translate those songs. For the continuity of our study it is only necessary to translate the fourth sloka.)
"'Thou art not surely the son of Yasodâ. Thou art the inmost seer of all things. Implored by Brahmâ thou hast appeared, O friend, in the line of the Sâtvats, for the protection of the Universe.' While the Gopis were thus bewailing in melodious tunes, Krishna appeared with a smiling face. They formed a circle round Him and were so pleased to see Him that they reached the very limit of their joy. The Gopis spread out their outer garments as a seat for Sri Krishna, on the river bank. When Krishna sat down, they addressed him thus: --
"'Some seek those only that seek them; some do the contrary, (_i.e._ seek those even who do not seek them), others seek neither those that seek them nor those that do not seek them. Please tell us, what is all this.'
"Said Sri Krishna: -- 'Those that seek each other are guided in their efforts by selfishness. There is neither friendship nor virtue in that mutuality. It is all for a selfish end. (Even the beasts seek mutual good. _Sridhara_. And do not the Utilitarians and the evolutionists do so)? Those that seek the unseeking are either kind-hearted men or they are guided by affection like the parents. It is pure virtue in the former case and friendship in the latter.
"'Those that do not seek the people that seek them and far less those that do not seek them fall under one of the following four classes: --