Krishna himself praises separation

Sanskrit is a language that was reserved for speaking about the gods and the Ultimate Truth. I have just come to complete editing of the GGM edition of Br̥had Bhāgavatāmr̥ta, where Krishna himself speaks words that are a lesson worthy of a devotee. Krishna is praising Narada because Narada's questions about who is dearest to Krishna has set off ripples of family discord in Dwaraka. Some are accusing Krishna of not loving the Vrajavasis, and others are defending him, but with sadness. The queens are generally aware that Krishna's mind is often elsewhere as he wanes away in feelings of separation from the gopis. As wives, they can only be sad, but Rukmini admits that when she realizes how they have captured his mind, even in the midst of Dwarka's opulence, married to so many beautiful princesses like herself, she considers herself only worthy to be their dasis. Satyabhama is jealous of them and goes into a bit of a huff.. Rohini, Devaki, Rukmini, Padmavati (Kamsa's mother, Ugrasena's wife, a bit of a contrary character, Balaram, Uddhava, they all have a say in the back and forth. Krishna is listening out of view to the arguments about his love for the Brajabasis and why he did or did not go back, even for a day on any excuse. How he had no sympathy for them, no real love for them. Krishna finally can no longer hold back when all this talk accuses him of not loving the Brajbasis adequately. He tearfully confesses that it is true and then gives answers to all the doubts that were raised. It is kind of interesting how Dwarakadhish Krishna is undergoing all these feelings, but still, the Yadavas manage to keep him there; Uddhava and Balaram remind him that there are still demons to kill and they try to make him angry, to change his mood, his rasa. At the end of it all, Narada himself feels guilty because he set off this huge emotional turmoil to arise in the innermost chambers of Krishna's palace in Dwarka. It has, for the Dwarka vasis, had a happy ending. Krishna not leaving. But still... So Krishna comes to Narada and thanks him for being a rasikottama. mat-prīty-utpādana-vyagra śrī-nārada suhṛttama | hitam evākṛtātyantaṁ bhavān me rasikottama ||124|| Oh Narada you are my dearest friend. You are eager for nothing but to increase my love and delight. [By stirring up all these emotions,] You have done the most wonderful beneficial act possible." Why? prāg yadyapi prema-kṛtāt priyāṇāṁ viccheda-dāvānala-vegato'ntaḥ | santāpa-jātena duranta-śokā- veśena gāḍhaṁ bhavatīva duḥkham ||125|| tathāpi sambhoga-sukhād api stutaḥ sa ko’py anirvācyatamo manoramaḥ | pramoda-rāśiḥ pariṇāmato dhruvaṁ tatra sphuret tad-rasikaika-vedyaḥ ||126|| So the two verses make one sentence. The first one sets a condition, "even though" (yadyapi), and the second answers it "nevertheless, even so" (tathāpi). Even though the violent agitation in the forest fire of separation caused by the love of my dear ones, seems to produce a very deep pain from the suffering of absorption in inconsolable grief. Key here is the word iva, which makes it an utprekṣā,, it is as if suffering. It appears to be suffering. The iva is added to the verb bhavati, to be, and so it is the very existence of the separation itself that is being called into question. Remember this is Krishna speaking, the real rasikottama. Nevertheless, he answers himself, this separation is more praiseworthy than the enjoyment of unity, it is as far beyond words as one can go, a great pleasure to the mind; it is most certainly transformed into a mountain of delight. It would appear exclusively to one who is a rasika.