GOPI VASTRA HARAN

The ‘Gopis’, absolute devotees of Lord Krishna, loved their Krishna selflessly. They wanted him to be either their father, brother, lover, or husband. The Gopis were in such an exuberant and exhausted state of ‘bhakti’ that they would see Krishna everywhere and in everything.
Krishna knew that his devotees are under the spell of ‘Maya’ and so, are caught up in this material world. He wanted his Gopis to leave all worldly bonds and emotions to live unconditionally with freedom. Hence, he tested whether or not the Gopis could surrender to him by stealing all their clothes while they were taking a swim in the river.
Here ‘Vastra’ never meant the clothes alone. It referred to all the material possessions and desires. Krishna wanted the souls, ‘Atmas’, to submit and surrender to him, making the ‘leelas’ incomprehensible and phenomenal.