Madhya 8.223

In the Goloka Vrndavana planet, Krsna's servants are headed by Raktaka and Patraka. Krsna's friends are headed by Sridama, Subala and others. There are also elderly gopis and the cowherd men headed by Nanda Maharaja, mother Yasoda and others. All of these personalities are eternally engaged in the loving service of the Lord in accordance with their specific attachments for Krsna. One who wants to return home to serve the Lord directly is attracted to Krsna as a servant, friend, father or mother. By continuously serving Krsna during this life in a particular ecstasy, one gives up the material body and attains a suitable spiritual body to serve Krsna in terms of a particular attachment. One may serve as a servant, friend, father or mother. In the same way, if one wants to serve Krsna in conjugal love, he can also attain a body under the guidance of the gopis. The most vivid example in this connection is those saintly personalities known as srutis, who presented the Upanisads. These srutis understand that without serving Krsna and following in the footsteps of the gopis, there is no possibility of entering the kingdom of God. Therefore they engage in spontaneous loving service unto Krsna and follow in the footsteps of the gopis.