the pastime of t he sages of Dandakaranya how they became gopis and what happened next !

[Paramananda das]

When Lord Ramachandra came to Dandakaranya forest all the sages wished to change body and become wifes of Lord Ramachandra, Lord Ramachandra said no I have only one consort it is Sitadeva, but I bless you in your next life you can become Gopis in Vraja and marry Sri Krsna, so from this point of understanding you can read this chapter two of the 4th canto in Garga Samhita .Srila Jiva Goswami explained that all the Gopis of Vraja though in parakriya Bhava are eternally married to Lord Sri Krsna, in this way he wanted to stop the prakrita sahajyas that maintain female lovers in fake sinful imitation of Lord Sri Krsna
Dandakaranya - Wikipedia

First of all the sages of Dandakaranya had requested Lord Ramachandra to kill the demons in the Dandakaranya forest which He and Laxmana did :
Vasata stasya rāmasya vane vanacaraissaha
ŗṣayo bhyāgaman sarve vadhāyāsura-rakṣasām.
– When Rama was residing in Sarabhanga Maharishi’s ashram, the saints who residing nearby, approached Rama and requested him to destroy the demons who were troubling them and to give them relief.
Srila Prabhupada has explained this pastime in Nectar of Devotion chapter 16 :
CONJUGAL LOVE
Devotional service following in the footsteps of the gopīs of Vṛndāvana or the queens at Dvārakā is called devotional service in conjugal love. This devotional service in conjugal love can be divided into two categories. One is indirect conjugal love, the other direct. In both of these categories one has to follow the particular gopī who is engaged in such service in Goloka Vṛndāvana. To be directly attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead in conjugal love is technically called keli. This keli performance means to directly join with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are other devotees who do not wish direct contact with the Supreme Person, but who relish the conjugal love affairs of the Lord with the gopīs. Such devotees enjoy simply by hearing of the activities of the Lord with the gopīs.
This development of conjugal love can be possible only with those who are already engaged in following the regulative principles of devotional service, specifically in the worship of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in the temple. Such devotees gradually develop a spontaneous love for the Deity, and by hearing of the Lord's exchange of loving affairs with the gopīs, they gradually become attracted to these pastimes. After this spontaneous attraction becomes highly developed, the devotee is placed in either of the above-mentioned categories.
This development of conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa is not manifested in women only. The material body has nothing to do with spiritual loving affairs. A woman may develop an attitude for becoming a friend of Kṛṣṇa, and, similarly, a man may develop the feature of becoming a gopī in Vṛndāvana. How a devotee in the form of a man can desire to become a gopī is stated in the Padma Purāṇa as follows: In days gone by there were many sages in Daṇḍakāraṇya. Daṇḍakāraṇya is the name of the forest where Lord Rāmacandra lived after being banished by His father for fourteen years. At that time there were many advanced sages who were captivated by the beauty of Lord Rāmacandra and who desired to become women in order to embrace the Lord. Later on these sages appeared in Goloka Vṛndāvana when Kṛṣṇa advented Himself there, and they were born as gopīs or girl friends of Kṛṣṇa. In this way they attained the perfection of spiritual life.
The story of the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya can be explained as follows: When Lord Rāmacandra was residing in Daṇḍakāraṇya, the sages who were engaged in devotional service there became attracted by His beauty and immediately thought of the gopīs at Vṛndāvana, who enjoyed conjugal loving affection with Kṛṣṇa. In this instance it is clear that the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya desired conjugal love in the manner of the gopīs, although they were well aware of the Supreme Lord as both Kṛṣṇa and Lord Rāmacandra. They knew that Rāmacandra was an ideal king and could not accept more than one wife; but Lord Kṛṣṇa, being the full-fledged Personality of Godhead, could fulfill the desires of all of them in Vṛndāvana. These sages also concluded that the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa is more attractive than that of Lord Rāmacandra, and so they prayed to become gopīs in their future lives to be associated with Kṛṣṇa. Lord Rāmacandra remained silent, and His silence shows that He accepted the prayers of the sages. Thus they were blest by Lord Rāmacandra to have association with Lord Kṛṣṇa in their future lives. As a result of this benediction, they all took birth as women in the wombs of gopīs at Gokula, and, as they had desired in their previous lives, they enjoyed the company of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who was present at that time in Gokula Vṛndāvana. The perfection of their human form of life was thus achieved by their generating a transcendental sentiment to share conjugal love with Lord Kṛṣṇa.
Conjugal love is divided into two classifications-namely, conjugal love as husband and wife and conjugal love as lover and beloved. One who develops conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa as a wife is promoted to Dvārakā, where the devotee becomes the queen of the Lord. Those who develop conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa as a lover are promoted to Goloka Vṛndāvana, to associate with the gopīs and enjoy loving affairs with Kṛṣṇa there. We should note carefully, however, that this conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa, either as gopī or queen, is not limited only to women. Even men can develop such sentiments, as was evidenced by the sages of Daṇḍakāraṇya. If someone simply desires conjugal love but does not follow in the footsteps of the gopīs, he is promoted to association with the Lord at Dvārakā.
In the Mahā-kūrma Purāṇa it is stated: "Great sages who were the sons of fire gods rigidly followed the regulative principles in their desire to have conjugal love for Kṛṣṇa. As such, in their next lives they were able to associate with the Lord, the origin of all creation, who is known as Vāsudeva, or Kṛṣṇa. Every one of them got Him as their husband.
See the source image
Sages of Dandakaranya Meet Lord Ram

GS 4.2: The Story of the Gopis That Had Been Sages
Rishi-rupakhyana

Text 1

shri-narada uvaca gopinam rishi-rupanam akhyanam shrinu maithila sarva-papa-haram punyam krishna-bhakti-vivardhanam
shri-narada uvaca—Sri Narada said; gopinam—of the gopis; rishi-rupanam—in the form of sages; akhyanam—the story; shrinu—hear; maithila—O king of Mithila; sarva-papa-haram—removing all sins; punyam—sacred; krishna-bhakti-vivardhanam—increasing love for Lord Krishna.

Sri Narada said: O king of Mithila, please hear the story of the gopis that had been sages, a sacred story that removes all sins and increases one's love for Lord Krishna.

Text 2

bangeshu mangalo nama gopa asin maha-manah lakshmivan chruta-sampanno nava-laksha-gavam patih
bangeshu—in east Bengal; mangalah—Mangala; nama—named; gopa—gopa; asin—was; maha-manah—noble-hearted; lakshmivan—wealthy; shruta-sampannah—learned; nava-laksha-gavam—of nine-hundred thousand cows; patih—the master.

In east Bengal lived a noble-hearted, learned, and wealthy gopa named Mangala. He was the master of nine-hundred-thousand cows.

Text 3

bharyah panca sahasrani babhuvus tasya maithila kadacid daiva-yogena dhanam sarvam kshayam gatam
bharyah—wives; panca sahasrani—five thousand; babhuvuh—were; tasya—of him; maithila—O king of Mithila; kadacit—at a certain time; daiva-yogena—by destiny; dhanam—wealth; sarvam—all; kshayam—to destruction; gatam—went.

O king of Mithila, he had five thousand wives. One day all his wealth was destroyed by fate.

Text 4

corair nitas tasya gavah kashcid rajna hrita balat evam dainye ca samprapte duhkhito mangalo 'bhavat
coraih—by thieves; nitah—taken; tasya—his; gavah—cows; kashcit—some; rajna—by the king; hrita—taken; balat—by force; evam—tyhus; dainye—poverty; ca—indeed; samprapte—attained; duhkhitah—unhappy; mangalah—Mangala; abhavat—became.

Some of his cows were stolen by thieves and the rest were forcibly taken by the king. Now a pauper, Mangala was filled with sorrow.

Text 5

tada shri-ramasya varad dandakaranya-vasinah rishayah stritvam apanna babhuvus tasya kanyakah
tada—then; shri-ramasya—of Lord rama; varat—from the benediction; dandakaranya-vasinah—living in Danaka forest; rishayah—sages; stritvam—womanhood; apanna—attained; babhuvuh—became; tasya—of him; kanyakah—the daughters.

Ths sages of Dandakaranya, who by Lord Ramacandra's blessing were destined to become gopis, became the daughters of Mangala.

Text 6

drishtva kanya-samuham sa duhkhi gopo 'tha mangalah uvaca dainya-duhkhadhya adhi-vyadhi-samakulah
drishtva—seeing; kanya-samuham—many daughters; sa—he; duhkhi—unhappy; gopah—the gopa; atha—then; mangalah—Mangala; uvaca—said; dainya-duhkhadhyah—unhappy with his poverty; adhi-vyadhi-samakulah—tormented with headaches and illnesses.

When he saw his many daughters, Mangala-gopa became filled with sorrow. Miserable in his poverty and tormented with headaches and diseases, Mangala spoke.

Text 7

shri-mangala uvaca kim karomi kva gacchami ko me dukham vyapohati shrir na bhutir nabhijano na balam me 'sti sampratam
shri-mangalah uvaca—Sri Mangala said; kim—what?; karomi—will I do; kva—where?; gacchami—will I go; kah—who; me—of me; dukham—the suffering; vyapohati—removes; shrih—wealth; na—not; bhutih—opulebce; na—not; abhijanah—family; na—not; balam—strength; me—my; asti—is; sampratam—now.

Sri Mangala said: What shall I do? Where shall I go? Who will take away my sufferings? Now I have no wealth, no opulences, no dynasty, and no strength.

Text 8

dhanam vina katham casam vivaho ha bhavishyati bhojane yatra sandeho dhanasha tatra kidrishi
dhanam—welath; vina—without; katham—how?; ca—and; asam—of the girls; vivahah—wedding; ha—indeed; bhavishyati—will be; bhojane—in eatiung; yatra—where; sandehah—doubt; dhana—of wealth; asha—hope; tatra—there; kidrishi—like what?

How will my daughters marry if I have no wealth? If even the next meal is uncertain, where is the hope to gain wealth?

Texts 9 and 10

sati dainye kanyakah syuh kaka-taliyavad grihe tasmat kasyapi rajnas tu dhanino balinas tv aham
dasyamy etah kanyakash ca kanyanam saukhya-hetave kadarthi-kritya tah kanya evam buddhya sthito 'bhavat tadaiva mathurad deshad gopash caikah samagatah
sati—being; dainye—poor; kanyakah—the girls; syuh—are; kaka-taliyavat—unexpectedly; grihe—in the home; tasmat—from that; kasyapi—of someone; rajnah—a king; tu—indeed; dhaninah—wealthy; balinah—powerful; tu—certainly; aham—I; dasyami—will give; etah—these; kanyakah—girls; ca—and; kanyanam—of girls; saukhya-hetave—for the happiness; kadarthi-kritya—become unhappy; tah—them; kanya—the girls; evam—thus; buddhya—thinking; sthitah—situated; abhavat—became; tada—then; eva—indeed; mathurat—from Mathura; deshat—province; gopah—gopa; ca—and; ekah—one; samagatah—come.

Now that I am suddenly poor, how will I make my daughters happy by marrying them to wealthy and powerful kings?
As Mangala was thinking in this way, a gopa from Mathura district came to his home.

Text 11

shri-narada uvaca tirtha-yayi jayo nama vriddho buddhimatam varah tan-mukhan nanda-rajasya shrutam vaibhavam adbhutam
shri-narada uvaca—Sri Narada said; tirtha-yayi—a pilgrim; jayah—jaya; nama—named; vriddhah—elderly; buddhimatam—of the wise; varah—the best; tan-mukhan—from his mouth; nanda-rajasya—of King Nanda; shrutam—heard; vaibhavam—the opulences; adbhutam—wonderful.

Sri Narada said: From an elderly pilgrim named Jaya, who was the wisest of the wise, Mangala had heard of the fabulous wealth of King Nanda.

Text 12

nanda-rajasya valaye mangalo dainya-piditah vicintya preshayam asa kanyakash caru-locanah
nanda-rajasya—of King Nanda; valaye—in the circle; mangalah—mangala; dainya-piditah—suffering in poverty; vicintya—considering; preshayam asa—sent; kanyakah—daughters; caru-locanah—beautiful-eyed.

After some thought, the pauper Mangala sent his beautiful-eyed daughters to King Nanda's circle.

Text 13

ta nanda-rajasya grihe kanyaka ratna-bhushitah gavam gomaya-harinyo babhuvur go-vrajeshu ca
tah—they; nanda-rajasya—of King Nanda; grihe—in the home; kanyaka—the daughters; ratna-bhushitah—decorated with jewels; gavam—of cows; gomaya-harinyah—taking the milk; babhuvuh—became; go-vrajeshu—in the barns; ca—and.

In King Nanda's home the girls, now decorated with jewels, milked the cows in the barns.

Text 14

shri-krishnam sundaram drishtva kanya jati-smarash ca tah kalindi-sevanam cakrur nityam shri-krishna-hetave
shri-krishnam—Sri Krishna; sundaram—handsome; drishtva—seeing; kanya—the girls; jati-smarah—remembering their previous birth; ca—and; tah—they; kalindi—of the Yamuna; sevanam—service; cakruh—did; nityam—regularly; shri-krishna-hetave—to attain Sri Krishna.

Gazing at handsome Sri Krishna, and remembering their previous birth, the girls daily worshiped the Yamuna to attain Krishna.

Text 15

athaikada shyamalangi kalindi dirgha-locana tabhyah sva-darshanam dattva varam datum samudyata
atha—then; ekada—one day; shyamalangi—dark-limbed; kalindi—Yamuna; dirgha-locana—with large eyes; tabhyah—to them; sva-darshanam—own sight; dattva—giving; varam—blessing; datum—to give; samudyata—eager.

One day the large-eyed and dark-complexioned goddess Yamuna appeared before them and offered to give them a benediction.

Text 16

ta vavrire vrajeshasya putro bhuyat patish ca nah tathastu coktva kalindi tatraivantaradhiyata
ta—they; vavrire—chose; vrajeshasya—of the king of Vraja; putrah—the son; bhuyat—may be; patih—the husband; ca—and; nah—of us; tatha—so; astu—be it; ca—and; uktva—saying;i tatra—there; eva—indeed; antaradhiyata—disappeared.

They said, "May Sri Krishna, the son of Vraja's king, become our husband." Yamuna replied, "So be it," and suddenly disappeared.

Text 17

tah prapta vrindakaranye kartikyam rasa-mandale tabhih sardham hari reme suribhih surarad iva
tah—they; prapta—attained; vrindakaranye—in Vrindavana forest; kartikyam—in the month of Kartika; rasa-mandale—in the rasa dnace circle; tabhih—with them; sardham—with; hari—Krishna; reme—enjoyed; suribhih—with the demigoddesses; surarad—the king of heaven; iva—as.

Later, in the month of Karttika, in the rasa-dance circle, Lord Krishna enjoyed with them as King Indra enjoys with many heavenly girls.
 

[Paramananda das]

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