8.276
vana-latas tarava atmani visnum
vyanjayantya iva puspa-phaladhyah
pranata-bhara-vitapa madhu-dharah
prema-hrsta-tanavo vavrsuh sma
SYNONYMS
vana-latah—the herbs and plants; taravah—the trees; atmani—in the Supreme Soul; visnum—the Supreme Personality of Godhead; vyanjayantyah—manifesting; iva—like; puspa-phala-adhyah—filled with luxuriant fruits and flowers; pranata-bhara—bowed down because of loads; vitapah—the trees; madhu-dharah—showers of honey; prema-hrsta—inspired by love of Godhead; tanavah—whose bodies; vavrsuh—constantly rained; sma—certainly “ ’The plants, creepers and trees were full of fruits and flowers due to ecstatic love of Krsna.
Indeed, being so full, they were bowing down.
They were inspired by such deep love for Krsna that they were constantly pouring showers of honey.
In this way the gopis saw all the forest of Vrndavana.’ ”
PURPORT
This verse (Bhag.10.35.9) is one of the songs the gopis sang during Krsna’s absence.
In Krsna’s absence the gopis were always absorbed in thought of Him.
Similarly, the maha-bhagavata, the advanced devotee, sees everything as potentially serving the Lord.
Srila Rupa Gosvami states:
prapancikataya buddhya
hari-sambandhi-vastunah
mumuksubhih parityago
vairagyam phalgu kathyate (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 1.2.126) The advanced devotee does not see anything that is not connected with Krsna.
Unlike the Mayavadi philosophers, a devotee does not see the material world as false.
Rather, he sees everything in the material world connected to Krsna.
A devotee knows how to utilize such things in the service of the Lord, and this is characteristic of the maha-bhagavata.
The gopis saw the plants, creepers and forest trees loaded with fruits and flowers and ready to serve Krsna.
In this way they immediately remembered their worshipable Lord Sri Krsna.
They did not simply see plants, creepers and trees the way a mundaner sees them.