The luster of Kṛṣṇa’s body eclipsed the beauty of hundreds of moons (puṣkara), His eyes resembled lotus flowers (puṣkara) blooming in the blazing sun and His sidelong glances defeated Cupid’s flower arrows (puṣkara). Kṛṣṇa was eager to play in the water (puṣkara) to mitigate His love-fatigue and that of His girlfriends. Kṛṣṇa dipped into the lotus-filled (puṣkarinī) Rādhā-kuṇḍa to sport. He looked like an intoxicated bull elephant (puṣkari) about to enjoy with his bevy of female elephants (puṣkarinī).

The two mad elephants of Kṛṣṇa’s eyes expanded in ecstasy upon viewing the glistening bodies of the gopīs whose lovely features resembled the beautiful Rādhā-kuṇḍa. The attractive azure eyes of the gopīs were blue lotuses, their faces flushed with love were pink lotuses, their bouncing locks of hair were swarms of restlessly moving bees, their full breasts were cakravāka birds and their graceful arms were stems of lotus flowers. 

Some timid gopīs stood on the shore, hesitating to enter. The gopīs in Rādhā-kuṇḍa, splashed them with water, tugged on their garments and giggled while pulling them into the kuṇḍa. Hari stood navel deep in water and chuckled while splashing all the gopīs. Some gopīs fearfully fled to places in Rādhā-kuṇḍa where the water only reached their knees or thighs. Govinda-līlāmṛta 15.45-49

The gopīs keenly desired to play, but they became very serious; not due to fear of their elders but out of fear of losing Kṛṣṇa’s company. Therefore, they gathered in one group. One gopī, not wanting to ruin the flower ornament Kṛṣṇa had made for her, remained on the dry shores of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. The other doe-eyed damsels lovingly tried to pull her into the water. She resisted and the gopīs combined to splash her with laughter and lots of water from their cupped hands. As their beauty increased, the gopīs gorgeous faces made friends with the lotuses, their breasts made friends with the cakravāka birds and their navels made friends with the whirlpools in Rādhā-kuṇḍa.

The gopīs held hands with each other to form a golden net. They surrounded Kṛṣṇa with their golden net, just as the moonlight surrounds the clouds. Caught in their net, Kṛṣṇa induced the dancer of His glance to dance. By this Kṛṣṇa conquered the gopīs’ eyes and broke their net with a huge wave of water.
The gopīs drew closer to Kṛṣṇa and dumped loads of water over His head. Kṛṣṇa blissfully covered His eyes to tolerate the downpour. Mādhava then retaliated by drenching the gopīs with torrents of water. The gopīs became momentarily stunned. Their blissful faces, however, remained as effulgent as the orb of the full moon.

Suddenly Rādhikā started splashing Śyāma with water from Her lotus bud hands. The sound of Rādhā’s jeweled bangles, jingling like the water weapon of Cupid, was intolerable for Kṛṣṇa who desired victory in the water fight. Rādhā, using Her cupped hands like a water-bearing cloud, took great pleasure in completely soaking Kṛṣṇa with thick streams of water. As the glittering water continually cascaded upon Kṛṣṇa’s chest, it appeared that He was being pierced by the irresistible power of Cupid’s flower arrows. Kṛṣṇa’s flower garland and pearl necklace broke apart; only His Kaustubha withstood defeat.

Kṛṣṇa boasted before Rādhā, “Now see if You can bear My water barrage!” Śyāma laughed lovingly before sousing Kiśorī’s face with water. Restless-eyed Rādhā was afflicted by Kṛṣṇa’s splashing, but She easily tolerated it by covering Her eyes with Her lotus hands. The resolution of a lover is so astonishing! Kṛṣṇāhnika-kaumudī 4.136-151

The intoxicated elephants of Kṛṣṇa’s eyes bathed in a river of delight admiring the gorgeous bodies of the gopīs shining through their thin wet clothes. Similarly, the female elephants of the gopīs’ eyes submerged in the nectar stream flowing from Śyāma’s enticing form shimmering under His wet garments. Rādhā-kuṇḍa became scented with flower pollen and honey oozing from the pink, red, white and blue lotus flowers, water lilies and night blooming lotuses.
Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs accelerated their already enthusiastic battle of water splashing. The gopīs gently sprinkled Kṛṣṇa, who responded by vigorously splashing them. The gopīs retaliated with a ferocious, constant volley of water from all directions that made Kṛṣṇa bow His head in fear and cover His eyes, nose and ears with His flower-petal fingers. Govinda-līlāmṛta 15.50-55

Rādhā slipped away during all the commotion and hid Herself amidst a cluster of golden lotus flowers. Kṛṣṇa searched eagerly for Rādhā. He kissed yellow lotus after lotus, mistaking them for Her face. Rādhā and Her sakhīs broke out in uncontrollable laughter. Kṛṣṇa detected Rādhā’s hiding place and immediately approached Her. Vrṇdāvana-mahimāmṛtam 3.36

The constant splashing of Rādhā and Her sakhīs forced Kṛṣṇa, the crest-jewel of lovers, to lower His head and say, “Stop, Stop! I am defeated.” Rādhā, accepting Śyāma’s surrender, stopped spraying Him and burst into laughter. Vrṇdāvana-mahimāmṛtam 5.4

One sakhī said, “O Rādhā! There is no need to splash Kṛṣṇa anymore since He has admitted defeat. The flower garland on His head is hiding amidst His dark hair out of fear. The water has washed off His mineral powder designs and the bees have rejected His fallen flower garland. The glowing rays of Kṛṣṇa’s Kaustubha gem now reflect on Your cheeks.” Stava-mālā, gītāvalī 42

Lalitā said, “O Rādhā! Stop fighting now! Just see how Kṛṣṇa’s topknot is undone, His tilaka has rubbed off, His earrings are shaking and His garland is torn to shreds. The reflection of Kṛṣṇa’s Kaustubha jewel has taken shelter of Your cheeks. O sakhī! Don’t torture Kṛṣṇa anymore!” Govinda-līlāmṛta 15.68
The touch of Kṛṣṇa and the sakhīs increased the natural fragrance and coolness of Rādhā-kuṇḍa. The water became tinted with different colors from the black musk, yellow sandalwood paste and red kuṅkuma falling off their divine bodies. Govinda-līlāmṛta 15.91

As the water war died down, the bliss of love awoke. The graceful lotus-eyed gopīs initiated the battle of lotuses. The sakhīs plucked the unfading lotuses and handed them to Rādhā. Raising Her arm over Her head to reveal the lower curve of Her breasts, Rādhā bombarded Kṛṣṇa’s chest with a volley of lotus flowers. Kṛṣṇa caught all of Rādhā’s flowers, laughed blissfully and fired them back at Her.
The lotuses became both lusty and attractive due to being thrown back and forth and associating with Rādhā-Śyāma’s lotus hands. It seemed that a shuttle was weaving a huge golden cloth of prema. The back and forth movement of the bees pursuing the fragrant flowers resembled the arrows of the Divine Couple’s glances. The creepers of Rādhā’s arms wilted, Her chest heaved with Her deep breaths and Her eyes rolled lazily; yet Her thirst for sport increased more and more.
When a bee forsake the lotus to land on Rādhā’s lotus face and a school of śapharī fish took shelter of Her feet, Rādhā startled and fearfully embraced Her lover’s chest. The sakhīs, abandoning all fear, surrounded Rādhā-Mādhava. They raised their arms and laughed loudly while tossing lots of lotuses on the Divine Couple. Rādhā-Mādhava chuckled happily while holding lotus leaves above Their heads to ward off the barrage of flowers. What should the sakhīs do now that their leader Rādhā had given up the fight? The water birds on Kṛṣṇa’s side spread their wings and began to dance.
Rādhā was standing up to Her breasts in deep water. Two cakravāka birds, seeing Her breasts resting on the surface of the water, approached Her, mistaking Her breasts to be their own species.

Rādhā ordered the sakhīs to take up positions around Kṛṣṇa, who quickly dipped under the water. The gopīs extended their arms like a luminous circular net to search for Kṛṣṇa. The sakhīs moved toward Rādhā while gradually decreasing the diameter of their circle. They joyfully crowded together next to Rādhā and agitated the water by forcefully moving their delicate hands. They could not find Kṛṣṇa, however, so they just stood there giggling.
Rādhā asked, “Who among you let that mischievous one escape?”

The sakhīs defended themselves one after another saying, “I did not let Him get by! I think Kṛṣṇa fled out of fear of You.”
“O sakhī Rādhā! You must certainly know Kṛṣṇa’s whereabouts. What can we know about Your fleeing lover. We see the fresh marks of amorous affairs on Your lovely body. Why are You hiding something from us, who depend on You alone?”
Rādhā relished the gopīs’ jokes for a few moments. Then Rādhikā became uneasy and worried due to separation from Her lover. Casting sidelong glances here and there, Rādhā vainly searched for Śyāma. The humming of a swarm of bees revealed that playful, happy Kṛṣṇa was hiding among the water lilies. The sakhīs, fearing that Kṛṣṇa might escape again, formed a tight circle and quickly closed in on Kṛṣṇa. This time the gopīs, like generals in the battle of love, savored the taste of victory. Kṛṣṇa, with His attractive lotus eyes, glanced affectionately at the gopīs to satisfy their hearts with a honey sweet flow of mercy.

Kṛṣṇa asked nonchalantly, “Why have you surrounded Me as I played alone in the cluster of lotuses? I have already been defeated. Do you have no shame? Do want to compete in water splashing again?”
The gopīs, smiling slightly, angrily replied to Kṛṣṇa’s sweet but scolding words: “You ran away from the battle of lotuses and hid Yourself among the blue lotus flowers. You submerged in the water for a minute and then escaped by deceit. What about You, don’t You have any shame?”
Rādhā said, “Who should know about Kṛṣṇa’s defeat? Indeed, to whom should one tell? It is not suitable to tell to just anyone. Śyāma, therefore, has gone to the water lilies to tell them of His defeat at your hands. Kṛṣṇa was alone and you were many, so it is natural that He lost.”

Kṛṣṇa, amused with Rādhā’s words, replied, “O beautiful one! Come here! Only You have supported Me and know My heart. The opposing side is blind to My intentions, therefore, I will worship You alone.”
Kṛṣṇa happily adorned Rādhā’s ears with lotus seed husks. He designed a stylish hair ornament for Rādhā from the best of leaves and flower petals. Kṛṣṇa used lotus pollen powder to draw many intricate designs on Rādhā’s breasts to intimate His heart’s desires. He fashioned a jeweled belt from śaivala plants and a necklace from water lily stems. Kṛṣṇa beautified Kiśorī’s cheeks with colored lotus pollen.

The gopīs celebrated their victory by taking water in one hand and striking it with the other to imitate the sounds of frogs. Witness the greatness of Kṛṣṇa’s water sports! A person becomes qualified for liberation by transcending the three guṇas, material bondage and attachment (rāga), contamination (lepa), passion (becoming nirañjana) and by remaining silent. Similarly, the gopīs’ necklaces became unstrung (without guṇas), their hair braids loosened (free from bondage) and the color (rāga) of their lips faded. The cosmetics (anulepa) on their breasts washed away, the mascara (añjana) vanished from their eyes and their bangles fell silent. Their belts became loose (mukta). In this way, Kṛṣṇa liberated the Vraja-gopīs by His blissful waters sports.

The gopīs, feeling too shy to get undressed, just stood on the bank of Rādhā-kuṇḍa in their thin white bathing clothes. As the water dripped off their clothes, it appeared that their pitiable bodies were weeping tears. The gopīs’ tired bodies looked pale and their weary bloodshot eyes resembled red lotuses. Kṛṣṇa’s curious eyes thoroughly relished the attractive combination.
Meanwhile, the sakhīs in the water, forgetting all the difficulties incurred during their playing, lovingly performed a splendid avabhṛtya bath [a ritual bath after a ceremony] to conclude the water pastimes of Rādhā-Śyāma.
The gopīs, tired and soaked in perspiration, enhanced the beauty of Rādhā-Mādhava by sprinkling Them with water from their graceful lotus-bud hands, jingling with bracelets. The gorgeous gopīs quickly bathed Rādhā-Mādhava. The Divine Couple looked like a pair of elephants covered with shimmering water, soft lotus pollen, lotus petals, stamens and stalks. The gopīs cleansed Rādhā-Mādhava’s hair with scented oil and perfumes and then rubbed Their limbs. Kṛṣṇāhnika-kaumudī 4.152-199

The mañjarīs massaged Hari and His sweethearts with aromatic herbal oils, anointed them with cleansing powders and happily bathed them in Rādhā-kuṇḍa. Govinda-līlāmṛta 15.93