What is Raasa? What is Leela? Who are the Gopis?
Raasa means essence.
Leela means illusion or drama.
As per Shrimad Bhagwatham, Raasleela is the union of Aatma with Parmaatma. The Gopis were the same sages who met Bhagwan Sri Ram in his 14 years exile. Bhagwan had interacted with many sages enroute to Sri Lanka but he was unable to spend sufficient time with all. So all these sages requested Bhagwan to be reborn as Gopis in their next birth to become devotees of Sri Krishna.
Raasleela is not just Sri Krishna dancing around with Gopis. He engaged in Raasleela post slaying asuras and conquering Devas. His Victory over Varun Deva indicates victory over the senses of taste and procreation. His victory over Indra signifies victory over one's sense organs and mind. Victory over Lord Brahmaji indicates conquering inner instruments of mind, intellect, memory and ego.
By winning over Kama Devata, he proved that Raas Leela is the divine sport of conquering lust. Through Raasleela, Bhagwan gave the supreme bliss of Brahman to the Gopis.
The Gopis attracted to Sri Krishna's tune and under the influence of love for their Kanhaiya left behind their fear and bondage to meet him. When they surrounded him, in order to test them, he reminded them about their duties towards their families and cows. But Gopis responded that after experiencing immense pleasure in his company, it was mundane to return back to the worldly pleasures. This showed the divine feelings which Gopis had for Bhagwan and he indulged in Raasleela with them. But in the process, a feeling of ego crept into the Gopis for being close to their Kanhaiya. To eliminate this ego, he vanished from their midst. This indicated that Raasleela is devotion to Bhagwan diluting the selfishness, ego and desire.
Speaker- Tapan Parekh & Swami Swatmananda