,' Krishna answers
'Dance and sing with me.' His words fill the cowgirls with delight and
surrounding Krishna 'like golden creepers growing on a dark-coloured
hill,' they go with him to the banks of the Jumna. Here Krishna has
conjured up a golden circular terrace ornamented with pearls and diamonds
and cooled by sprouting plantains. The moon pours down, saturating the
forest. The cowgirls' joy increases. They beautify their bodies and then,
wild with love, join with Krishna in singing and dancing. Modesty deserts
them and they do whatever pleases them, regarding Krishna as their lover.
As the night goes on, Krishna 'appears as beautiful as the moon amidst the
stars.'

As the cowgirls' ecstasies proceed, Krishna feels that they are fast
exceeding themselves. They think that he is in their power and are already
swelling with pride. He decides therefore to leave them suddenly, and
taking a single girl with him vanishes from the dance.[28] When they find
him gone, the cowgirls are at a loss to know what to do. 'Only a moment
ago,' one of them says, 'Krishna's arms were about my neck, and now he has
gone.' They begin to comb the forest, anxiously asking the trees, birds
and animals, for news. As they go, they recall Krishna's many winning
ways, his sweetnesses of character, his heart-provoking charms and begin
to mimic his acts--the slaying of Putana, the quelling of Kaliya, the
lifting of the hill Govardhana. One girl imitates Krishna dancing and
another Krishna playing. In all these ways they strive to evoke his
passionately-desired presence. At length they discover Krishna's
footprints and a little farther on those of a woman beside them. They
follow the trail which leads them to a bed of leaves and on the leaves
they find a looking-glass. 'What was Krishna doing with this?' they ask.
'He must have taken it with him,' a cowgirl answers, 'so that while he
braided his darling's hair, she could still perceive his lovely form.' And
burning with love, they continue looking.

While they are searching, the particular cowgirl who has gone with Krishna
is tempted to take liberties. Thinking Krishna is her slave, she complains
of feeling tired and asks him to carry her on his shoulders. Krishna
smiles, sits down and asks her to mount. But as she puts out her hands, he
vanishes and she remains standing with hands outstretched.[29] Tears stream
from her eyes. She is filled with bitter grief and cries 'O Krishna! best
of lovers, whe