Swami on the devotion of Gopikas

This physical body is a mere instrument. It is God's will which makes this move, which makes this enjoy, which makes this live and which makes this suffer. Man who does not recognise this basic truth thinks that he is close to God, he knows God and he is a great devotee of God - such are his great thoughts. Once upon a time, in order to test those people who thought that they were very great, Krishna enacted a small drama. He acted as if he is suffering from untold pain, unheard of and unbearable pain. He bandaged his head with a big towel if he was suffering from an unbearable headache. Knowing the future events, He enacted this play. Rukmini, Satyabhama, Jambavati and the other women who were there came to Krishna, they began questioning him in a number of ways. Swami, we have not seen you in such pain earlier, what is this pain, what is the remedy? He began saying that, 'Oh I cannot bear this pain at all, it is giving me a tremendous shock' and so on. They questioned Him, 'What is the remedy for this, Swami?' 'If the dust of a great devotees feet could be brought and applied on My head it would relive My pain'. Just at that time Narada entered in an appropriate way. Satyabhama, Rukmini, Jambavati approached Narada and prayed to him. 'Well, Narada please let us know how to cure this particular pain'. When Narada questioned Krishna He gave the same reply - 'The remedy is to apply the dust of the feet of a great devotee and put it on My head, I will get cured. Narada said, "Such a great devotee as Satyabhama is here, the dust of her feet can be offered to you easily isn't it Krishna?" he said. Satyabhama felt embarrassed. She was Krishna's wife. 'If the dust of wife's feet is put on the head of the husband, I would go to hell, I do not want to go to hell by giving the dust of my feet for Krishna'. Rukmini gave the came answer. Both of them asked Narada, 'Can there be a greater devotee than you, Narada? The dust of your feet could be offered to Krishna'. 'Mother, I will not be able to give the dust of my feet because I would go to hell and lose all the pleasures and privileges that I am having, like going to Kailash and Vaikunta. Is it that the dust of the feet of a devotee should be put on Krishna?! It is a great sin, sacrilege'. This is the type of understanding on the part of these devotees. Krishna then began shouting as if He is not able to bear the sharp pain of the headache. Narada asked Krishna, 'Swami let me know from where I can get the medicine?' Krishna said, 'Go to Gopikas get the dust of their feet, I will definitely be free from this headache'. He went to gokulam in a moment. When he was walking in the streets chanting and singing the name of God, Gopikas came running to him. They began showering questions on Narada, 'How is our Gopala? Are you coming from Mathura?' Narada told them, 'I have never seen Krishna suffering from such unbearable pain in my life. He is having a lot of pain and I have come here for taking some medicine. Gopikas asked Narada, 'Is there some medicine in our Gokulam?! We are prepared to do anything for the sake of Krishna'. Narada said he wants the dust of your feet. One gopika ran home and brought a bed-sheet and all of them danced on it, collected a lot of dust from their feet and packed it into a bundle and gave it to Narada. They prayed, 'Rush immediately, O Narada, and please see that our Krishna is free from the headache. Narada was shocked and surprised. These people are totally uneducated and they do not know anything, they are foolish ones. The Gopikas told Narada, 'We don't mind going to the worst hell if there is anything like that, if our Krishna can be okay we are all okay'. They only prayed, 'Our Krishna should be all right. We are not bothered about whichever place we go'. The moment that these gopikas offered the dust of their feet, Krishna became all right. By the time Narada offered the dust to Krishna, he was already happy and relieved of the headache. He was totally cheerful. Krishna said, 'The moment the gopikas gave the dust of their feet to you, I am relieved of My headache'. Sacrifice your selfishness. He declared that the Gopikas are true devotees and great devotees. He declared that those people cannot be called devotees at all who go on thinking what would happen to them by doing such and such a thing, who are immersed in their selfishness. I am residing in every living being. That dust is Mine, the foot is Mine and that head is Mine. Everything is Mine. My feet and head can go everywhere. Everything belongs to Me. Can anyone comprehend Me? I am residing in all the 84 lakh species - I am a part of them. I am the greatest thief among thieves. Can anyone comprehend Me. In your understanding he is a thief, in my understanding he is I. The avatar comes down in order to teach this unity of existence to all human beings.