"Maharaja! None but the pure in heart can understand the sport of Krishna."

Parikshith was very happy when he heard this. He asked the sage with a smile on his lips, "Master ! When did Uddhava proceed to Brindavan? Why did he go there? What was the reason that prompted him to leave Krishna's presence and go? Please describe the incident to me."

Suka began the description, as desired: "O king! Uddhava could never be away from Krishna, even for a moment. He could never leave the presence. But, Krishna Himself sent him to Brindavan, in order to communicate his message to the Gopis; so, he had no option. He had to go; the separation became inevitable. But, Krishna gave him just one day to fulfil his mission; he directed that he should not stay there longer than a day. In spite of this, that one day of separation seemed an age for Uddhava, when he proceeded to Brindavan."

"However, on reaching Brindavan, Uddhava was sorry that the hours were flying fast and that he had to leave the place so soon. 'Alas, that I have to go away from these people so quick! How happy would I be if all my life were spent in their company! I have unfortunately not acquired that merit' - these were the sad thoughts that worried Uddhava."

"Did you note, Maharaja, that there is really no difference between the Lord and the Bhaktha? Uddhava felt more anguish when he had to leave the presence of the Gopis, than when he had to leave the presence of Krishna Himself! His Ananda in both places was the same. There is really no distinction between Gopi and Gopala, the Bhaktha and Bhagavan. The hearts of the Gopis had got transformed into altars where He was installed. Their inner cravings were satiated by drinking the nectar of Krishna-Rasa. Uddhava was able to realise their agony at the separation from Krishna, the sincerity of their affectionate attachment to Him, their eagerness to hear about Him, their anxiety about Him, and their earnestness to hear and obey His message. The Gopas and Gopis never for a moment allowed their attention to wander away from stories of Krishna, from descriptions of the sport of Krishna and from the narratives of His activities and achievements. The splendour of the sweetness of Krishna cast such powerful influence on Vraja that the living appeared lifeless and the lifeless appeared living! Uddhava saw with his own eyes the boulders of Govardhanagiri melt in tears of joy. He saw also the Gopis transfixed like stone images, when their hearts were filled with divine joy. He took these experiences of his as wonderful and illuminating."

While describing these characteristics of the devotion of the Gopis, the sage Suka was so overcome with joy that teardrops fell from his eyelids and he lost awareness of all external things and entered Samadhi so often, that the holy men and Rishis who were listening to him and watching him were filled with ecstasy and an irrepressible yearning to visualise the Krishna-chandra who thrilled Suka so deeply.