When the night ended, Krishna set out for the forest again. The cows and His friends went with Him. He was beautifully dressed, like an actor ready for a performance. At that time His close friend Kusumasava remained in Gokula. The young brahmana walked through the settlement alone. The elder cowherd women noticed him. They were the gopis' mothers-in-law. They respectfully called him over. They knew him as Krishna's witty, intimate companion. They asked which branches of learning he had studied.
Laughing, Kusumasava boasted of astrology and the teachings of the Agamas. The cowherd women asked him to explain their power. He claimed that astrology revealed the past, present, and future. Of the Agamas he said that worship could change the course of events. The women told him that they had a question they could not ask publicly. They promised him fragrant modaka sweets. He smiled and asked for fine cows as well. They replied that wealth was like dust compared with the help they sought. Then he said that he wanted no riches, only the establishment of his reputation. He invited them to state their question.
The mothers-in-law complained about their daughters-in-law. They said the girls had shown no affection for their husbands since the weddings. Even talk of the husbands and their relatives did not please them. They wanted Kusumasava to explain how to remedy this. He pretended to be silent in deep thought. Then he assumed a solemn expression like a learned teacher. He asked them to keep the conversation from Krishna. He said he would not want his friend to learn of it. He asked them to bring him a piece of fruit. He took it and, after a little reflection, began his interpretation.
He claimed that unusual, supernatural causes were involved. He spoke of Yogamaya as a powerful yogini. In his explanation he said that She had arranged the apparent marriages. He also said that the girls were not ordinary human beings. He advised the women not to force marital intimacy upon them, but to care for them affectionately. The cowherd women asked what form of worship might help. He described a deity of the forest bowers called Kalakumara. He said this deity wandered unseen from bower to bower. To devoted worshipers the deity appeared in meditation. Then he announced special rules for the worship.
The worshipers were to wear beautiful clothing, ornaments, and fragrant pastes. They were to go into the forest themselves and gather flowers. Their hearts were to remain fixed on the deity, without idle conversation. Three times a day they were to offer flowers, incense, lamps, and food. After worship they could rest on beds of young leaves. They were to pass the night awake with their companions. Kusumasava praised the results of worship at different times of day. He also mentioned an especially important mantra of eighteen syllables. The women asked to learn it so they could teach their daughters-in-law. He gave them the mantra for the deity of the bowers and departed.
The mothers-in-law accepted his words. They called their daughters-in-law and proposed the worship. At first the gopis wondered whether this was a test. They therefore remained silent until the elders had explained the entire rite. Then they recognized Kusumasava's clever scheme. With hidden joy they agreed to follow the recommendation. Gathering flowers in Vrindavan was no longer forbidden to them. They left with their attendants before their elders' eyes. Every day they went to the forest for flowers. There they rejoiced to see Krishna tending the cows.
Meanwhile, the unmarried girls awaited the fulfillment of His assurance. The long wait troubled them. Their mothers noticed their condition. They asked what had come of their worship. Then one of their companions, named Tarangavati, spoke. She asked permission to explain what the girls had not said themselves. She said that Yogamaya, whom they had worshiped, had given a fitting answer. They had been promised an exalted husband of incomparable power. Yet a final part of the vow remained to be performed. Tarangavati passed this message on to the mothers.
The message named Vrinda, the deity of Vrindavan. She was described as a compassionate manifestation of Yogamaya Herself. Her help would bring the desired aim to completion. The girls therefore needed to enter the forest for a few more days. Tarangavati called Vrindavan a place where the vow bears its fruit. She asked the mothers not to interrupt these visits. With their permission the girls would perform the remaining rite. The mothers accepted the message with a smile. Thus Dhanya and her friends were allowed to roam freely around Vrindavan. For this group too, the way to the forest opened without opposition at home.