Krishna and the Milkmaids

There’s an old story of the Hindu God of Love and compassion Lord Krishna that goes a little like this. When Krishna was a cowheard, he’d gather the milkmaids every night for an evening of fervent dance. It is said that Krishna’s love as so bountiful that he danced at once in the arms of every one of his devotees that night. Like Sufis whirling in celebration of the coming spring, they twirled around the crackling fire, until one of the maids claimed Krishna’s love as her own. All of a sudden, Krishna disappeared from her arms and when she looked around, she saw only the women, moving and bobbing to a now unfamiliar beat. An important lesson in this bizarre story is that attempting to possess or cling onto love, be it the love of others, our selves, or even God, will render that love fleeting. It will cut love out of our being and our being our of Love.