What is love? We often say, “I love you,” but love is not merely a feeling or a word. Love is revealed by what we are willing to do, what we are willing to give up, and what we are willing to tolerate for the person we love.
This is what makes the love of the gopīs so extraordinary. When Kṛṣṇa played His flute, they left their homes and came to Him. They had husbands, children, parents, family responsibilities and a place in society.
They knew they could be questioned, criticized and misunderstood, yet they were willing to face all of it for Kṛṣṇa. They gave up their comfort, their time and their energy, and tolerated difficulties simply because their love for Kṛṣṇa was greater than everything that stood between them and Him.
That is the love of the gopīs. Their love was not something they merely spoke about or felt within themselves. It was visible in what they actually did for Kṛṣṇa and what they were willing to tolerate for Him.
And that brings us to a simple question: What are we actually doing for Kṛṣṇa? Because love is not proved by what we say. What we are willing to do, give up and tolerate for Kṛṣṇa—that is what reveals our love for Him.