Hare Krsna,
Growing up in India, we had a conception (or misconception) that samadhi is a deep state of consciousness achieved only through meditation. We would visualize yogis sitting in the Himalayas, eyes closed, legs folded in an asana pose, head, neck and trunk in a straight line. In Buddhism, samadhi is the last of the eight steps leading to enlightenment. From Vedic standpoint, samadhi is the final stage of eight-fold astanga yoga. We had this belief that only rare souls achieve the stage of samadhi after prolonged meditation. Think of Lord Buddha.
However, in Krsna consciousness, Srila Prabhupada gives a totally different understanding of samadhi. He says that samadhi is smartavyaṁ satato viṣṇuḥ – always remembering Visnu or Krsna. Being Krsna conscious 24/7 is samadhi. If we are fully Krsna conscious, that is samadhi. Samadhi is not restricted to dhyana (meditation) stage. We can be in samadhi even when we are physically active throughout the day – engaging in devotional service such as chanting, hearing, remembering, doing services at the temple, book distribution, cooking, cleaning, etc. This is a stage that anyone practicing Krsna bhakti can attain; it is not restricted to selected few like the yogis.
In this lesson on Venu-gita, we can practically see how the gopis are in samadhi – always thinking about Krsna and His pastimes.
“While Kṛṣṇa was engaged in tending the cows in the forest of Vṛndāvana or on Govardhana Hill, the gopīs in the village were always absorbed in thinking of Him and discussing His different pastimes. This is the perfect example of Kṛṣṇa consciousness: to somehow or other remain always engrossed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. The vivid example is always present in the behavior of the gopīs; therefore Lord Caitanya declared that no one can worship the Supreme Lord by any method which is better than the method of the gopīs. The gopīs were not born in very high brāhmaṇa or kṣatriya families; they were born in the families of vaiśyas, and not in big mercantile communities but in the families of cowherd men. They were not very well educated, although they heard all sorts of knowledge from the brāhmaṇas, the authorities of Vedic knowledge. The gopīs’ only purpose was to remain always absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa.” (Krsna book, Chapter 21)
Krsna says in BG 9.34 – man-manā bhava. Engage your mind always in thinking of Me. Elsewhere in BG 6.47, Krsna again says “And of all yogīs, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself and renders transcendental loving service to Me – he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.” Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport that to become Kṛṣṇa conscious is the highest stage of yoga. If one is fortunate enough to come to the point of bhakti-yoga, it is to be understood that he has surpassed all other yogas.
And how did the gopis attain the platform of samadhi? Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura writes (in text 20) that the gopis attained the platform of being filled with Kṛṣṇa by describing Kṛṣṇa’s flute playing, forest rambling and cow herding pastimes. The gopis would take one aspect of Krsna and meditate on it, speak about it and share it with others. In this chapter, they described Krsna’s flute, about its good fortune, and how its sweet sound mesmerized every living and non-living entity (the birds, cows, rivers, trees, deer, the gopis themselves, etc.). This is how we can remain absorbed in Krsna. Samadhi means “fixed mind.” When the mind is fixed in meditating on Krsna’s name, form, quality, paraphernalia, pastime, abode, etc., it can be said to be in samadhi. Just like the way the gopis were fixated in Krsna’s flute.
If we read the chapter carefully, we will find a nectarian instruction left behind for us by the gopis on how to follow in their footsteps to attain the stage of Krsna samadhi. They advise that we should take shelter of great devotees to have our desires fulfilled.
The gopis talk among themselves, “O sakhis! Without taking shelter of a great devotee our desires will never be fulfilled. We have heard from Gargi [daughter of Gargamuni] about the glories of Hari’s devotees, and that Govardhana Hill is the best amongst them. Therefore, let’s go there today, bathe in Manasa Ganga, and take darsana of Harideva, the presiding deity of that place. Certainly even our elders will not object to this. Moreover, Kṛṣṇa is playing on the slope of Govardhana.” (SVT commentary on Text 18)
Thus narrating to one another the playful pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead as He wandered about in the Vṛndāvana forest, the gopīs became fully absorbed in thoughts of Him. (SB 10.21.20)
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Krsna Katha 