This chapter describes how the gopis, tormented through the long night by separation from Krishna, wandered like madwomen from forest to forest in search of Him.

When Sri Krishna suddenly disappeared from the arena of the rasa dance, the gopis, their minds fully absorbed in thoughts of Him, began looking for Him in the various forests. From all the moving and nonmoving creatures they asked for news of Krishna's whereabouts. Finally they became so distraught that they began imitating His pastimes.

Later, while wandering in a corner of the forest, the gopis saw Sri Krishna's footprints, which appeared mixed with Srimati Radharani's. Seeing these footprints perturbed them greatly, and they declared that surely Srimati Radharani must have worshiped Krishna with unusual excellence, since She had been privileged to associate with Him in seclusion. Further along the path the gopis came to a place where they could no longer see Srimati Radharani's footprints; they then concluded that Krishna must have taken Radharani onto His shoulders. In another place they noticed that Krishna's footprints were showing only the toes, and thus the gopis concluded He had been picking flowers with which to decorate His beloved. In yet another spot the gopis saw signs that led them to imagine that Sri Krishna had been tying the locks of Srimati Radharani's hair. All these thoughts brought pain to the gopis' minds.

Because of the special attention She received from Krishna, Sri Radha began to consider Herself the most fortunate of women. She told Him that She could walk no further and that He would have to carry Her on His shoulders. But just then Lord Krishna disappeared from Her sight. Srimati Radharani, extremely troubled, then began looking everywhere for Him, and when She finally met Her gopi girlfriends She related to them what had happened. All the gopis then went out to look for Krishna in the forest, going as far as the moonlight reached. But in the end they were unsuccessful, so they went back to the shore of the Yamuna and simply sang Krishna's glories in utter helplessness.