The cowherd women whose love for Krishna the Bhagavatam holds up as the highest devotion — and who taught the wise Uddhava.
Appears in
Krishna lifts Govardhana — Skandha 10, adhyayas 24-27 — A boy talks his village out of worshipping Indra, Indra sends a week of storms, and the boy holds up a hill on one finger.
The Rasa dance — Skandha 10, adhyayas 29-33 — On an autumn night the flute calls and the gopis leave everything; then Krishna vanishes, and their song of longing is the Gopi Gita.
Uddhava in Vraja — the song to the bee — Skandha 10, adhyayas 46-47 — Krishna sends his wisest friend to console the gopis with philosophy, and Uddhava goes home wishing to be a creeper in Vrindavan.
Embodies
Love in separation — The gopis love Krishna most when he is gone — and the messenger sent to console them comes back taught by them.
Devotion as the highest dharma — The Bhagavatam's own thesis (1.2.6): the highest dharma is devotion with no motive, which nothing can interrupt.
Questions to explore
Why are the gopis considered the greatest devotees in the Bhagavatam?
