Bhakti Enchants Shri Krishna

JKP Literature

29 Sep 2025 • 7 min read

In our previous discussions, we explored five of the six key characteristics of Bhakti: kleshaghni (that which ends misery), shubhada (that which begets auspiciousness), mokshalaghutakrit (that which trivializes liberation), sudurlabha (that which is extremely difficult to attain), and sandranandavisheshatma (that which grants intense ecstasy). In this article, we will delve into the final quality, shrikrishnakarshini—that which can control even Shri Krishna.

The Power of Bhakti

While all powers typically remain under the control of the one who possesses them, Bhakti is an exception to this rule. Though it is a power of God, it is so potent that it can even enthrall and enslave the all-powerful, omnipotent, and all-attractive Shri Krishna.

God’s bliss-potency is known as Hladini Shakti, and its very essence is Bhakti, or love. Shri Radha is the embodiment of this apex of Bhakti. Shri Krishna, on the other hand, is known as Madan Mohan, the enchanter of Kamdev (the god of love). In every brahmand (cosmos), there is a Kamdev, and yet, Shri Krishna charms them all.

Once, Kamdev decided to test Shri Krishna. He chose a moment when Krishna was surrounded by Gopis, blessing them with his intimate pastimes and beauty. As soon as Kamdev laid his eyes on Shri Krishna, he forgot his mission entirely and was himself enchanted. This is how Shri Krishna earned the name Madan Mohan.

The god of love, Kamdev, concealed himself behind the foliage, poised to strike **Shri Krishna** with his spell during the **Raas Leela**. However, upon witnessing Krishna’s divine beauty, he was so mesmerized that his own mission vanished from his mind.

However, Shri Radha enchants even Shri Krishna. This is why she is called Madana Mohana Mohini—the enchantress of the enchanter of Kamdev.

राधा मेरी गति मति, राधा पद मेरी रति ।
राधा पति मेरी गति, वारौं कोटि रति पति ।
ब्रज रस माधुरी-1 (#75)
rādhā merī gati mati, rādhā pada merī rati ।
rādhā pati merī gati, vārauṁ koṭi rati pati ।
braja rasa mādhurī-1 (#75)

Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj teaches that this is the real form of bhakti. The aspirants disirous of the highest bliss need to follow the ideology of Shri Radha's love for Shri Krishna. This is a secret known to the inhabitants of Braj, who seek shelter only at the lotus feet of Shri Radha to attain the purest form of Bhakti.

Bhakti is not an ordinary action; it is a secret power of Shri Radha, and it is solely under Her control, which is why it can control Shri Krishna as well.

Shri Krishna enchants all. And Shri Radha enchants Shri Krishna. That is why She is Madan Mohan Mohini.

How Bhakti Captivates Krishna

Shri Krishna being the embodiment of love, loves "love" the most. Devotees who seek nothing but His loving service to please Him become so dear to Him that He declares:

अहं भक्तपराधीनो ह्यस्वतन्त्र इव द्विज ।
साधुभिर्ग्रस्तहृदयो भक्तैर्भक्तजनप्रिय: ॥
भागवत 9.4.63
ahaṁ bhaktaparādhīno hyasvatantra iva dvija ।
sādhubhirgrastahr̥dayo bhaktairbhaktajanapriya: ॥
bhāgavata 9.4.63
“I am completely under the control of My devotees. Because My devotees are completely devoid of all desires for self-gratification, I reside in the core of their hearts. I love nothing but My devotees and the devotees of My devotees.”

Shri Krishna is so adorable and attractive that all gopis were besotted by Shri Krishna and so are all the sovereign women like Lakshmi , Rudrani, Brahmani, Bhadrakali etc. Not just women, but also Lord Shiva and Lord Mahavishnu are enchanted by Him. It is so for He is the anshi of all living beings.

It is no surprise that the Gopis were enchanted by Shri Krishna. However, what is truly astonishing is that Shri Krishna was enchanted by these insignificant Gopis. He was not captivated by their physical beauty. His wife, Mahalakshmi, is so beautiful that countless Rati (wife of Kamdev) could be sacrificed on a single pore of Her body, yet She does not have the same proximity to Him as the Gopis.

There is another reason why Shri Krishna cannot be attracted by physical beauty. Krishna is self-complacent ( atmaram ) which means He has no unfulfilled desires. And even if He were to develop a desire He is Satykam which means all His desires are immediately effectuated.

Then, why is He enchanted by these insignificant jeev ?

The reason He was enchanted was by the Bhakti that resides inside of these gopis.

Bhakti Turns the Tables

Under the influence of Bhakti, God forgets His divinity, and the devotee forgets their nature of servitude. This is when divine pastimes occur. It is under the influence of Bhakti that

Dasya Bhav (Servitude): Lord Ram, the Supreme Master, sat below a tree while His monkey-servants sat atop the tree, holding a position of authority.

Shri Ram had descended to establish the decorum of Varnashram dharm. But what did He do? He ate the berries tasted by Shabri, a tribal (Bheelni) untouchable woman. Also, while eating those berries, He was so happy as if He had never tasted anything better than those. Under the influence of the bhakti with Dasya Bhav , He behaved in a manner which was opposite of the characteristic of His descension.
He pulls the food out of the mouths of the cowherd boys and eats it. He did this under the influence of bhakti with Sakhya Bhav . The Right Way To Offer Bhog is, first He eats, and then others consume His prasad . Instead He ate the prasad of His devotees.

जाको कह अज सोइ ब्रज, नंदनंदन बनि आय ।
ग्वालन जूठन खात लखि, विधि बुधि गई भरमाय ।
ब्रजरस त्रयोदशी - 9
jāko kaha aja soi braja, naṁdanaṁdana bani āya ।
gvālana jūṭhana khāta lakhi, vidhi budhi gaī bharamāya ।
brajarasa trayodaśī - 9

He carries the slippers of Nand Baba on His head. Being subdued by the love of Vatsalya Bhav , Veda-Krit (One who originated the Vedas), Veda-Vid (One who knows the Vedas), Veda-Vedya (One who is known through the Vedas) God is holding the slippers of a jeev on His head.

When Maiya Yashoda stands tall with a short, thin stick to beat Him, He is so scared that His body trembles, tears flow incessantly from his eyes and He begs the Gopis to save Him from Maiya's wrath. Under the influence of bhakti of Vatsalya Bhav, The Lord of Yamraj was in such a pitiable condition!

Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya, Madhurya Leela of Bhagwan with His Bhakts.

He follows the gopis like a paramour, even though the gopis repeatedly call Him ill-names like “ dari ke ”. The one, for whom no one is an outsider, that Supreme Lord - Brahm got the title of ‘crest jewel of paramours' ( Jaara Shikhamani ) under the influence of bhakti of Madhurya Bhav .

जाके अगनित गुनन को, गावत वेद ऋचान । 'दारी के' गारी सुनन, सोइ छेड़त सखियान ।
jāke aganita gunana ko, gāvata veda r̥cāna । 'dārī ke' gārī sunana, soi che ṛ ta sakhiyāna ।

Bhakti is so powerful that it makes Shri Krishna forget His Godliness, enchanting Him through each and every one of these bhavas (sentiments).

Conclusion

Bhakti alone has the ability to make the sovereign Supreme God a slave to His devotees. It is not someone can compel Him to be subservient. He does not puts on an act either. Rather, Shri Krishna reciprocates the feelings of a devotee for He is captivated by the charm of bhakti. This is why devotion is called shrikrishnakarshini.

As a sadhak (spiritual practitioner), our duty is to purify our minds and continuously increase our yearning to meet Him. By strengthening our faith in our Guru and doing our daily sadhana (spiritual practice), our minds will be purified. Our Guru will then use Swarup Shakti to make our mind divine, allowing us to attain God.

Saint Soordas, a devotee with Vatsalya Bhava, expressed this ultimate surrender and control over God after God-realization:

हाथ छुड़ाये जात हो, निर्बल जानिकै मोहिं।
हिरदय ते जब जाहुगे, मर्द बदौंगो तोहिं ॥
hātha chuḍāye jāta ho, nirbala jānikai mohiṁ।
hiradaya te jaba jāhuge, marda badauṁgo tohiṁ॥
"You are freeing your hands from mine, thinking me to be powerless. I will only call you a man when you are able to leave my heart."

An Example from a Gopi

Jagadguruttam Swami Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj beautifully expounds on this attribute of Bhakti in a pad (verse). An innocent Gopi says:

कान्ह ! हम सुने तुमहिं भगवान !
सच बताओ मोहिं मनमोहन, कहहुँ न काहुहिं आन ।
मोहिं प्रतीति होति नहिं नेकहूँ, हौं तुम कहँ भल जान ।
षडैश्वर्य परिपूर्ण सुन्यों हौं, है याकी पहिचान ।
तुम्हारे तो एकहुँ नहिं दीखत, पुनि हम लें कत मान ।
मोहिं समझाउ सौंह तोहिं मोरी, सुनु सखी! कह कान्ह ।
होत विभोर ‘कृपालु’ प्रेम लखि, रह न शक्तिहिं भान ॥

kānha ! hama sune tumahiṁ bhagavāna ! saca batāo mohiṁ manamohana, kahahum̐ na kāhuhiṁ āna । mohiṁ pratīti hoti nahiṁ nekahūm̐, hauṁ tuma kaham̐ bhala jāna । ṣaḍaiśvarya paripūrṇa sunyoṁ hauṁ, hai yākī pahicāna । tumhāre to ekahum̐ nahiṁ dīkhata, puni hama leṁ kata māna । mohiṁ samajhāu sauṁha tohiṁ morī, sunu sakhī! kaha kānh । hota vibhora ‘kr̥pālu' prema lakhi, raha na śaktihiṁ bhāna ॥

Prem Ras Madira: Shri Krishna Baal Leela Madhuri #61

"Kanha! I've heard you are the Supreme Lord. Tell me the truth, O Manmohan! I won't tell anyone else. I personally don't believe this even slightly, because I know you so well. I've heard that God has six attributes in an infinite degree—majesty, righteousness, prosperity, fame, knowledge, and detachment. I don't see any of them in you. How can I accept you as God? I bind you by my word, now tell me the truth."

Shri Maharaj explains that Shyamsundar compassionately reveals, "O Sakhi! Listen to the truth. I am God, and I become so overwhelmed by the love of My devotees that I am no longer conscious of these divine qualities, and so they remain hidden."