With sins all removed by the acute pain of unbearable separation from the dearest one, the Kârmic effects of good works taken away by the absolute pleasure caused by the embraces of Krishna in meditation, with their bonds completely severed at that very moment, those Gopis gave up their bodies composed of the Gunas, even though they united with Krishna as their paramour. (How could they give up their bodies composed of Gunas while they did not know Krishna as Parama Âtmâ, but knew him only as their paramour, a relation caused by the Gunas? "Even though they &c." A thing is not dependent for its properties upon what another thinks of it. Drink nectar without knowing it is so. The effects are there. There is another difficulty. The Gopis had their Prârabdha Karma, or Karma that brought about the present birth and its surroundings, and Prârabdha is exhausted only after being worked out. So with the bonds of Prârabdha, how could they give up their body? "With their bonds completely severed at that very time." But Prârabdha cannot be exhausted without suffering and enjoyment. Where were the suffering and enjoyment in this case? "With sins all removed &c." The greatest suffering caused by separation removed all demerits and the greatest enjoyment caused by the embraces of Krishna removed the bonds of merits. Therefore when Parama Âtmâ was attained by intense meditation, the suffering and enjoyment of the time completely eradicated Karma and the Gopis gave up their bodies composed of the Gunas. _Śridhara_.) Asked Râjâ Parikshit: — "O Muni, they knew Krishna as only one enjoyable and not as Brahmâ. The Gunas were mixed up in their understanding of Krishna. How could there then be a cessation of the flow of the Gunas?" (Husbands, sons and others, even they themselves were Brahmâ in essence. But a devotion to them could not cause Moksha as they were not known as Brahmâ. How could union with Krishna cause Moksha, when he was not known as Brahmâ? Therefore this doubt. _Śridhara_.) Suka replied: — "O King, I have said before how Sisupâla attained Siddhi even by bearing enmity to Hrishikesha (controller of the senses, Krishna.) What of those to whom Krishna is dear? (The purport is that Brahmâ-hood is eclipsed in the Jiva. But Krishna is controller of the senses. Brahmâ-hood is manifest in him. He does not require to be known. _Śridhara_). Bhagavân manifests himself for the Moksha of men though in reality, He is without end, without measure, void of all Gunas and their controller." (Krishna being a manifestation of Bhagavân, there is no comparison between Him and other embodied men. _Śridhara_.) "Bear any feeling _constantly_ towards Hari, whether it be a feeling of love, anger, fear, affection, kinship or devotion and you become full of Him. Do not wonder at this. For Krishna is the Lord of all Lords of Yoga. All (even the lowest life forms) attain Mukti from him. When the women of Vraja drew near, Krishna addressed them thus: —