Sri Sri Vraja-vilasa-stava
by Sripad Raghunatha das Goswami

Verse 87

muda gopendrasyatmaja-bhuja-parishvanga-nidhaye
sphurad-gopi-vrindair yam iha bhagavantam pranayibhih
bhajadbhis tair bhaktya svam abhilashitam praptam acirad
yami-tire gopisvaram anudinam tam kila bhaje

I daily worship Gopisvara Sadasiva, who was devotedly worshipped on the bank of the Yamuna by the loving gopis who desired the jewel-like embrace of the arms of Sri Krishna, the prince of Vraja, and who thus swiftly attained their desired object.

Stavamrita Kana Vyakhya : Now Sripada Raghunatha praises Bhagavan Sadasiva Sri Gopisvara, who is situated on the bank of the Yamuna.
Sri Sadasiva has freely taken shelter of the bank of the Yamuna in the transcendental abode of Vraja to worship Sri Krishna and His pleasure potency, Sri Radha and the Vrajasundaris.

When Sri Krishna’s beloved Vrajasundaris saw Sriman Mahadeva situated on the bank of the Yamuna, though, they floated in an ocean of bliss, for they knew that by his grace, the company of Sri Krishna would certainly be attained.
By worshipping Bhagavan Sadasiva with topmost devotion, they would swiftly attain their desired goal, namely Sri Krishna’s company.
From then onwards, Sri Krishna’s beloved Vrajasundaris began to worship Sri Sadasiva on the bank of the Yamuna, yearning for the jewel-like embrace of Sri Krishna’s arms, and the deity has hence become famous as Gopisvara.
The gopis attained a jewel by being embraced by Sri Krishna’s arms. It is described in the praises of Sri Krishna by the personified Vedas:

nibhrita marun mano’ksha dridha yoga yujo hridi yan
munaya upasate tad arayo’pi yayuh smaranat
striya-uragendra bhoga bhuja danda vishakta dhiyo
vayam api te samah samadriso’nghrisaroja-sudhah

(Bhagavata 10.87.23)

“O Lord! With rigid yoga-practices, the sages worship You in the heart as the undifferentiated brahman, subduing their minds, senses and life-airs, but Your enemies have attained that very same brahman-status by thinking of You in fear and enmity.
The gopis, though, were attached to the embrace of Your snake-like arms and have thus attained the nectar of Your lotus feet on their breasts. By following in their footsteps we have also attained this nectar from Your lotus feet!”
Desiring this jewel-like embrace of Sri Krishna’s arms, the gopis are worshipping Gopisvara, being very attached to these arms. The reason is that the worship of Gopisvara fulfills all the desires of everyone.
It is described in Sri Bhakti Ratnakara:

ki apurva sobha ei banera bhitora;
gunatita linga rupa nama gopisvara
ei sadasiva vrindavipina palaya;
ihake pujile sarva karya siddha hoy
gopigana sada krishna sangera lagiya;
nirantara puje yatne nana dravya diya
kohite ki pari ye mahima gurutara;
gopika pujita tenho nama gopisvara
indradi devata stuti koroye sadaya;
vrindavane priti vriddhi ihara kripaya

“How wonderfully beautiful it is within this forest! Here is the transcendental linga-deity named Gopisvara. This Sadasiva is protecting Vrindavana and anyone who worships Him attains all perfection. The gopis always desired to be with Krishna and for this they always worshipped (Gopisvara) with different paraphernalia. Who can describe the great glories of Gopisvara, who was so named because the gopis worshipped Him?
The love of Vrindavana is increasing by the one, who is always praised by the demigods, headed by Indra.”

tathahi- srimad gopisvaram vande sankaram karunamayam
sarva klesa haram devam vrindaranya rati pradam

“I praise Srimad Gopisvara Sankara, the all-benign, the Lord who destroys all misery and who increases the love of Vrindavana.”

tathaca stavamrita laharyam-
vrindavanavanipate jaya soma soma maule sanandana sanatana naradedya
gopesvara vraja vilasi-yugmanghri-padme prema prayaccha nirupadhi namo namas te

“O presiding god of Vrindavana! O beautiful moon-crested Lord! O you who are worshipable for Sanandana, Sanatana, Narada and others! O Gopesvara! All glories to you! Please give me unconditional love for the lotus feet of the playful pair of Vraja, Sri-Sri Radha-Madhava! I offer my obeisances unto you again and again!”

Sripada Raghunatha says: “I always worship this Gopisvara Sadasiva! By the grace of Sri Gopisvara, who fulfills all desires, I will also attain the perfection of service to the lotus feet of the Divine Pair. Of this there is no doubt!”

vraja gopi anurage, nandatmaja bhuja yuge,
alingana divya ratna labhe
nitya yamunara tire, mahaprema sahakare,
bhakti kori puje sadasive

“The Vraja-gopis passionately desired the divine jewel-like embrace of the arms of Nanda’s son, and for this reason they always went to the bank of the Yamuna with great love to devotedly worship Lord Sadasiva.”

yara subha karunate, ishta phala acirate,
labhya hoy sei gopisvare
sadasiva bhagavan, deho ishta vara dana,
bhaji pade pulakita bhare

“By Gopisvara’s auspicious grace all desires are swiftly fulfilled. O Lord Sadasiva! Grant me my desired boon! I worship you with goose pimples on my skin!”