Gopi (Sanskrit: गोपी, IAST: Gopī) or GopikainHinduism are worshipped as the consorts and devotees of Krishna within the Vaishnavism and Krishnaism traditions for their unconditional love and devotion (Bhakti) to god Krishna as described in the Sanskrit scriptures like Bhagavata Purana and other Puranic literature.[2] Gopis are often considered as the expansion of goddess Radha, the chief consort of Krishna.[3][4] The Raslila of gopis with Krishna has inspired various traditional performance art forms and literatures.[5]
According to Indian philosopher, Jiva Goswami, gopis are considered as the eternal beloved and manifestations of the internal spiritual potency of Krishna. Among the gopis, Radha is the chief gopi and is the personification of the bliss potency (hladini shakti) of Krishna.[6] She alone manifests the stage of mahabhava, or supreme love for Krishna, and holds a place of particularly high reverence and importance in a number of religious traditions.[7]
Gopi (गोपी) is a Sanskrit word originating from the word Gopa. In Hinduism, the name GopikaorGopi is especially used to refer the milkmaids of Braj region.[8] The word Gopis in the plural refers to the group of cowherd women who possess devotion toward Krishna. When it is used in the singular ("Gopi"), it generally refers to Radha, who was the Krishna's favourite gopi.[9]
The prominent gopisofVrindavan are total 108 in numbers. They share the eternal intimate friendship with Radha Krishna. No one can equal or exceed the love they bear for the divine couple.[10] Out of 108 gopis, the primary eight gopis are considered as the foremost of Krishna's devotees after goddess Radharani who is considered as the chief of gopis. Their names are as follows:[11]
According to Hindu Vaishnava theology, the stories concerning the gopis are said to exemplify Suddha-bhakti which is described as 'the highest form of unconditional love for God (Krishna). Their spontaneous and unwavering devotion is described in depth in the later chapters of the Bhagavata Purana, within Krishna's Vrindavan pastimes and also in the stories of the sage Uddhava.[11]
For Vaishnava traditions, the most important representation of the gopis' love and devotion for Krishna is a story in the Bhagavata Purana (10.29-33) by the name of Rasa Lila Panchadhyaya, which translates as "the five chapters on the story of the rasa dance". The bhakti or devotion that the gopis express in this story is believed by the Chaitanya tradition to exemplify the highest form of bhakti. In the story, Krishna's flute music attracts the gopis' attention, making them leave behind their families and homes so that they can enjoy devotion of Krishna[9]:
Upon hearing that sweet music,
their passion for him swelling,
The young women of Braj whose
minds were captured by Krishna,
Unaware of one another,
ran off toward the place
Where their beloved was waiting,
with their earrings swinging wildly (Bhagavata Purana 10.29.4)
