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Gopashtami: The Divine Friendship of Shri Krishna and the Gopas (Cowherds)

Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat
14 November 2026
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(A discourse delivered by Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on the occasion of Gopashtami)

Gopashtami: The Divine Friendship of Shri Krishna and the Gopas (Cowherds)

Today is the auspicious festival of Gopashtami. This is the day on which the Supreme Lord Shri Krishna commenced His Gocharan Leela, the divine pastime of grazing cows in Braj.

According to the Vaishya tradition, every boy begins the practice of cow grazing at an auspicious time, a custom that has continued since the beginning of creation. On this sacred day, cows are worshipped, and the boy commencing this practice is adorned with ornaments.

Shri Krishna, being the son of Nand Baba, who belonged to the Vaishya community, observed this family tradition. Thus, this was the auspicious day on which our beloved Shri Krishna began His divine pastime of grazing cows.

There is a strict rule associated with this practice: one cannot wear any kind of footwear, whether slippers, shoes, or wooden sandals. According to scriptural injunctions, cows must be tended barefoot. Thus, Thakur Ji too had to observe this rule.

The Gopis experienced intense pangs of separation whenever Shyamsundar went out to graze the cows. They said that His departure caused them such anguish that, upon His return, they would even curse Brahma for creating eyelashes, which interrupted their vision of their Beloved. 

They also lamented, saying, “O Shyamsundar, You walk barefoot over rough terrain filled with pebbles, stones, and thorns! How can we bear the thought of Your tender feet touching them?”

Yet this rule had to be followed, for it was part of the sacred duty of tending cows. Whether God or saint, anyone who descends into this material world must abide by its rules and customs. Otherwise, people would declare them mad!

The Extraordinary Fortune of the Gopas

The true glory of this pastime lies in the extraordinary fortune of the gopas who get to accompany Shri Krishna in these divine pastimes. 

धन्य धन्य ब्रज गोप गोविंद राधे। 

Dhanya dhanya Braja gopa Govind Radhe.

Blessed are the gopas!

धन्य धन्य गोप प्रेम गोविंद राधे। 

Dhanya dhanya gopa prem Govind Radhe.

Blessed is the love of the gopas!

याने ब्रह्म गोपै को गोप घोड़ा बना दे। 

Yane Brahm Gope ko gopa ghoda bena de.

Those gopas even made the Supreme Brahman, Shri Krishna, their horse!

Brahmaji marvelled at the extraordinary fortune of the gopas and exclaimed: 

Aho bhāgyam aho bhāgyam

Yan-mitraṁ paramānandaṁ

Pūrṇaṁ brahma sanātanam. 

(Srimad Bhagwatam)

Who can describe the fortune of the gopas? Their fortune is beyond measure, for the Supreme Lord, the eternal and complete Brahman, has become their friend.

Their friendship with Shri Krishna is eternal. They are Thakur Ji’s eternal friends in Golok, and their relationship did not begin only when they came to Braj.

Such is the depth of their friendship that Thakur Ji would even deliberately accept defeat while playing games with them!

Who is equal to God? Yet, out of His love for His friends, He would willingly lose to them. Shri Krishna would think, “If I keep winning every time, they will become upset and start crying.” When children lose repeatedly, they become frustrated.

Even when I was an adult, I used to play Ludo. You roll the dice like this, and it lands on a number. Here in Pratapgarh, even after becoming a Jagadguru, when I returned at 11 p.m. after delivering my lecture, we would play Ludo until midnight. We played in teams of two.

Every time I won, it would lead to a huge fight! “You are cheating!” Everyone would forget that I was a Jagadguru and would argue with me. Losing repeatedly causes frustration. For children, it is even worse; they start crying.

Therefore, from time to time, Thakur Ji would let the gopas win. They would feel satisfied and exclaim, “Yes! This time Krishna lost!” They would tease Him, saying, “Hey, Kalua lost! Kanua lost!” His friends would make fun of Him, and Thakur Ji would be delighted. He would simply say, “All right, all right! I am weak, so I lost!”

Such is the extraordinary sweetness of Sakhya Bhav, the divine sentiment of friendship. The Supreme Lord, who is unequalled and unsurpassed, willingly accepts defeat just to give happiness to His friends. 

The essence of Gocharan Leela lies in these blissful pastimes that the Lord shares with His eternal companions.

By Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj

A brief introduction of Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj*

(Known by His devotees as Shri Maharaj Ji)

The original title of Jagadguruttam (Greatest Spiritual Teacher of the World) was bestowed upon Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj on January 14, 1957, by Kashi Vidvat Parishad (a council of 500 greatest scholars saints of India). He composed divine texts like Prem Ras Madira, Prem Ras Siddhant, and Radha Govind Geet to lead us on the right path of devotion. He also gave priceless monuments as gifts to the world which include Bhakti Mandir located in Bhakti Dham, Mangarh, Prem Mandir located in Vrindavan Dham, and Kirti Mandir located in Barsana Dham. Shri Maharaj Ji also built hospitals for the impoverished, the Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Vrindavan, Jagadguru Kripalu Chikitsalaya in Barsana, and another one in Pratapgarh. All three help millions of underprivileged to gain free access to medical care. His Kindergarten, School, and College for impoverished girls Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat Education is located in Kunda and provides completely free education. To stay updated with all the news and events of Jagadguru Kripalu Parishat, visit www.jkp.org.in/jkpwhatsapp.