By the workings of destiny, the gopīs of Vraja had relinquished everything—sons, husbands, bodies, relatives, and homes—to devote themselves wholly to the Supreme Person, Krishna. In their separation from him, they had attained complete absorption in the Transcendent, and this state, born of longing, was a great blessing even for Uddhava, who recognized the depth of their devotion. Uddhava then addressed the gopīs, saying, “Hear the cherished message I have brought for you, sent in secret by your beloved Krishna, meant only for your happiness.” He conveyed Krishna’s words: “My separation from you is never absolute. I am present in all beings, just as the elements—space, air, fire, water, and earth—pervade all things. I am the foundation of mind, life-breath, elements, senses, and their qualities. By My own Self, within Myself, I create, destroy, and sustain Myself, as the essence of all elements and senses. The Self is made of knowledge—pure, distinct, untouched by qualities. Yet, through illusion, it appears to move through deep sleep, dream, and waking. By the mind, one contemplates the objects of the senses, which arise falsely like dreams. Therefore, let one restrain the senses, remaining ever wakeful and self-possessed. This is the inner teaching—the yoga and discriminative wisdom of the wise: renunciation, austerity, self-control, and truth, flowing together like rivers to the ocean. Though I seem far from you, it is to draw your minds closer to Me, so that your longing leads to constant remembrance. Just as, when a beloved is distant, the mind dwells upon him, so too, for women, the heart is not as absorbed when he is near and visible. Fixing your entire mind on Me, freed from all other attachments, and remembering Me always, you will soon attain Me. Even those blessed ones who, unable to join My dance in the forest of Vraja, meditated on My heroic deeds and did not fail to attain Me.” Hearing these words from their beloved, the gopīs were filled with joy and spoke to Uddhava, recalling Krishna’s message. They said, “By fortune, wicked Kaṁsa, the enemy of the Yadus, has been slain. By fortune, Acyuta is safe, having achieved all his aims with his kin. O gentle one, does the elder brother of Gadā, honored by the loving, bashful, smiling glances of the city women, bring them joy? How could He, who knows the subtleties of love and is dear to the women of the city, not be captivated by their words and playful gestures? O noble one, does Govinda ever remember us, the village women, amidst the city ladies and their intimate conversations? Do you recall those nights when He delighted with His beloveds in Vrindavan, amidst the beauty of lotus, jasmine, and moonlight, enjoying the rasa dance with the tinkling of anklets, and charming us with delightful stories? Will the descendant of Dasharha return here, afflicted by sorrow caused by His own actions, and revive us with His touch, just as Indra rejuvenates the forest with rain? Why would Krishna come here, having attained His kingdom and destroyed His enemies, after marrying royal maidens and being surrounded by His dear friends? What purpose could we forest dwellers or others serve for the great soul, the Lord of Lakshmi, who has fulfilled all desires and is accomplished within Himself? Indeed, supreme happiness lies in freedom from expectation, as Pingala the courtesan declared; yet, even knowing this, our hope in Krishna remains difficult to abandon. Who could bear to give up communion with the glorified Lord, even unwillingly, when fortune never departs from His limbs? These rivers, mountains, forests, cows, and the sound of the flute—all have been traversed by Krishna, accompanied by Sankarshana. Again and again, the abodes of Lakshmi remind us of Nanda’s son; by those footprints, we are unable to forget Him. With His graceful walk, noble laughter, playful glances, and sweet speech, He has captivated our minds—how could we ever forget Him? O Lord, O consort of Lakshmi, O master of Vraja, destroyer of distress, lift up Gokula, O Govinda, from the ocean of suffering in which it is submerged.” Relieved of the fever of separation by Krishna’s message, the gopīs honored Uddhava, recognizing him as a manifestation of the Lord. Uddhava remained in Vraja for several months, dispelling the grief of the gopīs, singing stories of Krishna’s pastimes, and delighting all of Gokula. For as many days as Uddhava stayed in Nanda’s Vraja, the moments for the residents passed swiftly, absorbed in news of Krishna. Beholding the rivers, forests, and blossoming trees, Uddhava remembered Krishna and found joy, serving the people of Vraja. Seeing the gopīs so absorbed in Krishna, their minds overwhelmed, Uddhava, filled with supreme joy, bowed to them and sang: “These cowherd women are the highest among embodied beings on earth, for their love for Govinda is deep within the heart. Sages, fearful of rebirth, and even we desire such devotion—what use is birth as Brahma compared to tasting the nectar of His stories? Where are these women, forest-dwellers, corrupted by transgression, and where is this supreme love for Krishna, the Paramatma? Truly, even those ignorant who worship the Lord directly attain blessing, just as a king bestows favor upon those who serve him. O friend, this grace of intense love is not found even among the heavenly women, fragrant as lotuses, nor among others; it arose at the rasa festival, when He embraced the necks of the beloveds of Vraja, granting them fulfillment. Oh, how I wish I could become even a blade of grass, a bush, a creeper, or a herb here in Vṛndāvana, so that I might receive the dust of the feet of those who, abandoning what is so hard to give up—their own kin and the path of the virtuous—have sought the path of Mukunda, which is searched for by the Vedas. Those whose breasts, adorned with the lotus feet of Krishna—the Lord, worshipped by Lakshmi and the greatest of the self-satisfied yogis, and who is the very goal of the rasa dance—have, by embracing Him, cast off all suffering. I bow again and again to the dust of the feet of the women of Nanda’s Vraja, whose singing of Hari’s glories purifies all the three worlds.” After taking leave of the gopīs, Yaśodā, Nanda, and bidding farewell to the cowherds, Uddhava prepared to depart, ascending his chariot. As he was leaving, Nanda and the others, their hands full of various gifts, approached him with affection. Their eyes filled with tears as they spoke to him, expressing their heartfelt gratitude and love.